Exotic plantations to have a ‘crucial role’
THE Forest Owners Association says the Climate Change Commission has endorsed the ‘‘crucial role’’ exotic forestry will carry out in meeting New Zealand’s net greenhouse gas emission targets in 2030 and 2050.
In a recent statement, president Phil Taylor said the 380,000ha of new exotic plantations the commission anticipates will need to be planted between now and 2035 will be the ‘‘support act’’ for the commission’s targets of massive reductions of the overall carbon dioxide emissions from industry and transport.
‘‘This decarbonisation has to be the thrust of meeting New Zealand’s climate change mitigation obligations. Anything else is delaying solving the problem. Pines are great at buying time, but they don’t cut gross emissions themselves,’’ Mr Taylor said.
‘‘The trees the commission has identified are fast growing and so they will sequester carbon at a rapid rate, which the commission acknowledges. In a rotation forest, they maintain that high carbon bank. They also provide an average export return to the landowner for the timber which is above that from farming.
‘‘This modest area of land the commission anticipates being planted should put an end to the alarmist and bogus claims, circulating over the past year, about half of New Zealand’s hill country being swallowed up by blanket forestry. That was never going to happen,’’ he said.