MERINGA STATION FOREST
Owned by Landcorp Farming Ltd
Forest Management Plan
For the period 2011 / 2016
Prepared by Erin Leahy P O Box 1127 | Rotorua 3040 | New Zealand Tel: 07 921 1010 | Fax: 07 921 1020 [email protected] | www.pfolsen.com
FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN MERINGA STATION FOREST
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION...... 4 Growing wood...... 4 Principles and Criteria...... 4 About this Plan...... 4 2. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES...... 5 Environmental and economic services...... 5 Management objectives...... 5 Implementation...... 6 OPERATING ENVIRONMENT...... 7
3. FOREST LANDSCAPE DESCRIPTION...... 7 Overview ...... 7 Location and access...... 7 Topography ...... 7 Soils...... 8 – Pumice flats Manunui sandy silt loams derived from Taupo ash of medium to low fertility. .8 Climate ...... 8 Legal ownership ...... 8 The ecological landscape...... 9 Protective Status...... 9 4. MAP 1 - FOREST LOCATION MAP...... 10
5. SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE AND ADJACENT LAND...... 11 Forest history...... 11 Current social profile...... 11 Associations with Tangata Whenua ...... 11 Neighbours ...... 12 6. THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT...... 13 Regulatory considerations...... 13 Resource Management Act ...... 13 District Plan...... 13 Regional Plan ...... 14 Historic Places Trust Act...... 15 Consents & authorities held ...... 16 The Emissions Trading Scheme...... 16 Other relevant legislation ...... 16 FOREST MANAGEMENT ...... 18
7. FOREST ESTATE DESCRIPTION ...... 18 Forest area ...... 18 Current species ...... 18 Site index...... 18 Current crop status ...... 18 Age class distribution...... 19
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8. RESERVE AREAS AND SIGNIFICANT SPECIES...... 20 Introduction ...... 20 Reserve areas...... 20 Rare and threatened species ...... 21 9. MAP 2 - FOREST STANDS MAP...... 22
10. NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS AND OTHER SPECIAL VALUES ...... 23 Introduction ...... 23 Non-timber forest products ...... 23 Other special values ...... 23 Recreational usage...... 23 11. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PRACTICES...... 24 Introduction ...... 24 Policy...... 24 Environmental management goals ...... 24 The EMS framework...... 25 Hazardous substances management ...... 28 12. COMMERCIAL CROP ESTABLISHMENT AND SILVICULTURAL OPERATIONS...... 29 Introduction ...... 29 Crop species ...... 29 Other species ...... 29 Establishment ...... 29 Pre-establishment forest flora and fauna...... 30 Tending ...... 30 Tree nutrition...... 30 13. FOREST INVENTORY, MAPPING AND FOREST RECORDS...... 31 Pre-assessment ...... 31 Quality control...... 32 Mid-crop inventory ...... 32 Pre-harvest inventory ...... 32 Mapping ...... 33 Mapping updates ...... 33 Forest records ...... 34 14. HARVESTING STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS ...... 35 Harvesting strategy...... 35 Getting harvest ready ...... 35 15. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION ...... 36 Plant pest statutory obligations...... 36 Animal pest control ...... 37 Disease control ...... 37 Protected ecosystems, reserves and species ...... 38 Fire prevention and control ...... 39 Forest management requirements...... 39 Fire authority responsibilities...... 40 Fire insurance ...... 40 Public liability insurance...... 40
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16. MONITORING ...... 41 Introduction ...... 41 Values monitored ...... 41 Financial...... 42 Social...... 42 17. FUTURE PLANNING...... 43 Introduction ...... 43 Operation plans ...... 43
APPENDIX 1: NEIGHBOURS LOCATION MAP ...... 44
APPENDIX 2: HORIZONS PRODUCTION PLANT PEST SPECIES AND RELATED CONTROL45
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1. INTRODUCTION
Growing wood Wood has many different uses, from firewood to construction timber, to newspapers and tissue paper, from furniture to clothing. Wood fibre is extremely versatile and is produced using carbon dioxide and the energy of the sun. Wood from well managed forests is a renewable resource that can meet the economic, social and cultural needs of our society without compromising the environment.
’ LANDCORP FARMING LTD s objective is to grow wood for further processing in New Zealand or overseas and obtain an economic return on investment.
LANDCORP FARMING LTD seeks to achieve this through the growing of suitable species with wood characteristics that meet the demand of the market. The trees are established, protected and tended as required to meet those demands.
Principles and LANDCORP FARMING LTD is committed to adopt the Forest Criteria Stewardship Council (FSC) Principles and to meet their Criteria and the FSC standards of good forest management. These standards include ecological, social and economic parameters.
LANDCORP FARMING LTD is committed to the PF Olsen FSC Group Scheme that is implemented through the Group Scheme Member Manual and associated documents.
About this Plan This document provides a summary of the forest management plan and contains: Management objectives; A description of the land and forest resources; Environmental safeguards; Identification and protection of rare, threatened and endangered species; Rationale for species selection, management regime and harvest plan and techniques to be used; Appropriate management of unstocked reserve areas; Maps showing plantation area, legal boundaries and protected areas; Provisions for monitoring and protection.
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2. Management Objectives
Environmental Meringa Station Forest can provide environmental benefits, including: and economic Enhanced water quality; services Soil, stabilisation and conservation; Providing a buffer against flooding during storms; Shading waterways for aquatic life; Enhance wildlife and plant habitat leading to increased biodiversity; A reduction in greenhouse gases; Stock shelter; Providing economic and social benefits to the community and LANDCORP FARMING LTD. Some forest operations and events such as wind storms, flooding and fire, and agents such as pests and diseases, and weeds can cause adverse effects on both the forest and the environmental, economic and social services it provides.
Management The forest is managed to: objectives Grow trees and produce logs for the manufacturing of different wood products in New Zealand and overseas with a focus on high quality pruned and structural logs depending on the growth capability and environmental factors of the site. Provide quality pruned or structural shelterbelts for the primary purpose of stock welfare, but managed to maximise forestry return. Protect significant areas of soil conservation concern. Ensure that the productivity of the land does not decline. Ensure that environmental values are identified and maintained. Harvest the trees as close as possible to their economic optimum age. Replant following harvesting. Help to offset the Landcorp Farming Ltd carbon liability under the New Zealand ETS. Landcorp Farming Ltd is committed to ensure that the management of the forest is sustainable, from an environmental, social, cultural and economic perspective. These perspectives underpin the FSC management culture.
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...continued Environmental management includes steps to identify rare, threatened and endangered species where such presence is a possibility, protection of reserve areas, waterways and the control of pests and weeds. The social perspective includes ensuring that contractors and their workers adhere to health and safety standards and consultation with neighbours and stakeholders in respect of operations on the forest. The cultural perspective includes consultation with the appropriate iwi to ensure that culturally significant resources lands, historic and archaeological sites are identified and appropriately managed. The economic perspective refers to the selection of a species, management and harvesting regime, which provides a reasonable return on investment while minimising the risks of this investment.
Implementation The forest management objectives described above are implemented by PF Olsen Ltd (PF Olsen), the forest manager for Landcorp Farming Ltd and Meringa Station Forest. The manager applies recognised best forestry management practice within a quality management framework to plan for and deliver the required forest management objectives. The Quality management framework includes: The PF Olsen ISO 9001 certified forest management system, ensuring that the forest management planning is up to date and that operations are scheduled and undertaken according to the plan. The PF Olsen ISO 14001 certified environmental management system, ensuring that high standards of environmental management are recognised and integrated into every facet of the forest planning and management. The FSC Environmental certification (when requested by the customer) to ensure management principles and practice adhere to internationally recognised and adopted standards for environmental management.
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Operating Environment 3. Forest Landscape Description
Overview This section describes the physical and legal attributes of the land on which the forest is located. Included in this section are discussions of: Location and access Topography Soils Climate Legal ownership and tenure
Location and Meringa Station is located off Meringa Road, which in turn is located access off the Taumarunui- Ngapuke Road in the Manawatu- Wanganui District.
Internal farm roads and tracks provide access to the forest which is situated 8.4km to the rear of the property. Access by 4x4 motorbike is required.
The location of the forest in relation to potential markets is listed in the table below and shown in Map 1.
Table 1: Distances from Forest to Log Markets
Potential Market Distance from Log market Forest (km) or Export Port New Plymouth 195.4 Export Taumaranui 29.8 Pruned (limited supply) Tangiwai 79.5 Pruned (limited supply) Domestic Sawlog Te Kuiti 111.4 Pruned Kaiori 72.8 Pulp
Topography Meringa Station is rolling to steep hill country of a generally southerly aspect. Altitude of the forested area ranges from 525m to 675m.
A combination of ground based and hauler log extraction methods will be utilised at harvesting.
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Soils The soils at Meringa station are as follows:
– Pumice flats Manunui sandy silt loams derived from Taupo ash of medium to low fertility.
– Undulating contour Taumarunui sandy silt loams derived from ash on argallaceous sand stone of medium fertility.
– Easy hills Pakarae sandy loam derived from Taupo ash on mudstone and sandstone of medium fertility.
– Steeper hills Mahoenui silt loams derived from banded mudstone and sandstone of high to medium fertility.
O these soils, the pumice terraces are prone to wash under excessive cultivation while the steeper mudstones are subject to slumping in storm events when under pasture.
Meringa Station is subject to a Whole Farm Plan under Horizons Regional Council with recommended retirement and regeneration works to mitigate soil slumping issues.
Climate Rainfall: The average rainfall at nearby Taumarunui 1449.6mm per year and is relatively evenly distributed during the year, with the driest months being February to April.
Temperature: The mean annual temperature is around 13.0 degrees Celsius.
Legal ownership Meringa Station consists of both freehold and leasehold tenure. There are no forests or reserves within the leasehold title. The table below lists the legal descriptions and tenure of Meringa Station.
Table 2: Land Tenure of Meringa Station. CT Legal Description Tenure Owner 2007/39 Rangitoto Tuhua 67B4C1C2 Block Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 1498/61 Rangitoto Tuhua 67B4C1A Block Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 27A/950 Rangitoto Tuhua 67B3 Block Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 32D/455 Lot 4 Deposited Plan S 35496 Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 32D/455 Rangitoto Tuhua 67B1 Block Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 32D/457 Part Rangitoto Tuhua 67B2 Block Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 32D/457 Lot 6 Deposited Plan S 35497 Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 19B/209 Lot 1 Deposited Plan S 18439 Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 32D/457 Lot 7 Deposited Plan S 35497 Freehold Landcorp Farming Ltd 437871 Rangitoto Tuhua 67B4C2 Block Leasehold The Maori Trustee 415302 Rangitoto Tuhua 67B4A Block Leasehold Multiple owners
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The ecological Meringa Station is located in the Taumarunui Ecological District (ED) in landscape the King Country Ecological Region. The ED is extensive hill country of the upper Wanganui River. It is generally steep, mostly over 300m a.s.l and frequently above 600m a.s.l. The wide valleys are floored with pumiceous alluvium; elsewhere Miocene to Oligocene mudstone, sandstone, limestone and tuff.
The area was originally entirely podocarp- hardwood forest with podocarp dominance on the valley floors. Only scattered forest remnants remain, with a larger but well- logged tract on a rise up to the Hauhungaroa Range (up the Taringamotu and Pungapunga headwaters).
Today the ED is largely semi intensive sheep and cattle farmland, with small (but increasing) areas of exotic forest.
Protective Status The following table shows broad vegetation types as required by the Draft National Standard for Plantation Forest Management in New Zealand. The predominant LENZ type is F7.2 with 61.6 percent of reserves and protected ecosystems falling in this type. There are also significant remnants that are type F1.1 (35.7 percent).
The following table provides a breakdown of the indigenous vegetation areas on Meringa Station as characterised by their relative representation within LENZ Level III characterisation and by their representation within the ecological district. Within the ecological district the total area of indigenous forest is 27% and of this only 13% is formally protected.
In terms of LENZ categorisation, while the total proportion of the vegetation types are significantly depleted in the area, these types at a national scale are both well represented within remaining forests and in excess of 50% of those categories are formally protected and thus not under threat at a national level.
Table 3: Protective Status of the Ecological Landscape.
Ecological District or LENZ type: Taumarunui LENZ F7.2 LENZ F1.1 ED Original (pre-Maori) percentage of ecosystem 240,847ha 558,709ha 774,610ha type in Ecological District within land title: Natural ecosystem area remaining 64,734ha 188,843ha 498,849ha 27% 33.8% 64% Proportion of remaining natural ecosystem 13.6% 104,997ha 290,330ha under protection: 55.6% 58.2% Protection by certificate holder 96.6ha 58.6ha 34.0ha 0.15% 0.06% 0.01% Protected areas as a % of Meringa Station 39.5% forested areas
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4. Map 1 - Forest Location Map
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5. Socio-economic profile and adjacent land
Forest history Meringa Station is a sheep and beef pastoral farming operation with primary focus on lamb finishing complimented by beef breeding and finishing and a ewe flock
Forestry was established on the station by the previous owner primarily for the purpose of soil conservation. An additional benefit of the forest stands is as shelter for stock and pastoral growth is also improved through shelter from the wind.
The area established in forest was predominantly a low productivity site in agricultural terms due to the instability of the slopes and potential for slips and erosion.
Current social Meringa Station forest is a small, currently passive, incremental profile contributor to the social profile of the area. The land and forests are privately owned; contribution to the local economy by way of added incremental employment and infrastructure is negligible.
Associations with Horizons regional council have identified three iwi organisations that Tangata Whenua may have an interest in Meringa Station: Hinengakau Development Trust (Whanganui iwi) Ngati Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board Tuhua-Hikurangi RMC (Ngati Maniapoto).
Each group has been written to and has been included in our stakeholder register.
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Neighbours Neighbours to the forest estate boundaries have a special relationship interest in the management of the forest(s). Activities within the forest may positively or negatively impact upon their quality of life or businesses in a number of ways, while inappropriately managed operations could create risks of adverse health, safety and environmental hazards. Neighbours may use the forests for recreational purposes or place reliance on the forests for provision of water quality or quantity services. Boundary issues such as weed and pest control, access and boundary alignment issues may also involve neighbours.
The following table lists the forest neighbours and their primary activities. Some or all of these parties should be consulted when operations are proposed in forest areas adjacent to their boundaries. A map of neighbour locations can be found in appendix 1.
Table 4: Meringa Station Neighbours
Name Address Activities Jefferis Ngapuke Ltd Michelle and Neil Jefferis Ngakonui-Ongarue Road RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 Pastoral Farming Simon Virtue Mangakahu Valley Road RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 VJ and LM Cuttance W aituhi Road RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 BP and MC Leslie 31b Waituhi Road RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 M Hayes Waituhi Road RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 MK Smith 1862a Taumarunui-Ngapuke Rd RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 Manunui Station (Puketapu 3A) M a n a gers Residence Taumarunui-Ngapuke Rd RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 P a s t o r a l F a r m in g NJ and A Kelland Taumarunui-Ngapuke Rd RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 R Richards Taumarunui- Ngapuke Road RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 Waituhi Holdings Ltd C/- C Walker 1440 Taumarunui- Ngapuke Rd RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 Pastoral Farming Motunau Farms Ltd W aitangi Station Taumarunui- Ngapuke Rd RD 4 Taumarunui 3994 Pastoral Farming
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6. The Regulatory Environment
Regulatory In order to minimise the risk to forest owners, managers and contractors, considerations it is important that relevant legislation and agreements are identified and appropriate measures put in place to ensure that breaches of legislation are avoided.
The following legislation and agreements summarise key regulatory & voluntary controls that currently apply to forest operations in the forest.
Resource Meringa Station Forest is subject to the provisions of the Resource Management Act Management Act (RMA) 1991. The RMA sets up a resource management system that promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources and is now the principal statute for the management of land, water, soil and other resources in New Zealand.
Under the RMA, Meringa Station Forest falls under the Ruapehu District Council for land management issues and the Horizons (Manawatu- Wanganui) Regional Council for soil conservation and water quality issues.
District Plan Meringa Station falls under the jurisdiction of the Ruapehu District Council. The current plan was notified on 8th May 2000.
Under the plan this block is zoned rural and forestry is a permitted activity. District Plan rules specific to forested areas of Meringa Station are detailed in the table below.
Table 5: District Plan Rules as they Affect Forestry
Ruapehu District Council- District Plan (May 2000) Rule Ref Activity Requirement 4.5 (3) a-d Forest No planting within 75m of urban area, 5m Separation of boundary, or where shading of carriageway or buildings occurs. 4.5 (6) b Noise Harvesting may exceed the noise control rule during the hours of 5am-10pm. 4.5 (28) Fire Fire fighting equipment readily available. 4.5 (53) Earthworks Not within 20m of banks of a waterway.
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Regional Plan The forest comes under the jurisdiction of Horizons (Manawatu- Wanganui) as the Regional Council. The Horizons Proposed One Plan was publicly released 24 August 2010. At the time of writing the plan was under appeal with mediation court dates scheduled to follow in 2011.
The Horizons One Plan rules as they currently affect Meringa Station forest are detailed in the table below.
Table 6: Regional Plan Rules as they Affect Forestry
– Horizons Regional Council Proposed One Plan (under appeal) Rule Ref Activity / Requirement Status 12.2 Forestry, (b) Not within 5m of bed of river, lake, or Harvesting and rare/ at risk habitat. (c) If rare habitat exists Earthworks- prior to harvesting operational plan must be Permitted submitted. (d) Replanting must be within 18 months unless area left to regenerate. (e) Water run off controls must be installed for tracks and landings. (f) Cuts and side castings must be established by methods that prevent slumping. (g) Vegetation must be felled away from any area listed in (b). (h) Vegetation not to be dragged through any water body or area listed in (b). (i) Harvesting must be planned and managed to minimise of slash entering any area listed in (b). (j) Slash must be removed from areas where blocking or diverting river flow. (k) Slash from processing sites must be placed on stable ground and managed to avoid it falling down any slope. (l) Activity must be undertaken in accordance with an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan. 12.2 Forestry (a) Disturbance of river bed or lake Ancillary pursuant to s13(1) RMA by forestry Activities- (b) Diversion of water pursuant to s14(1) Permitted RMA on the land (but not within a river) where the forestry is undertaken (c) Discharge of sediment or slash into water pursuant to s15(1) RMA resulting from the forestry.
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...continued
13.15 Discharges of (d) Activity must not cause erosion of land – Stormwater or bed of water body beyond the point of Permitted discharge. Any erosion that occurs must be remedied. (h) For discharges of stormwater into surface water bodies the discharge shall must not cause the effects of (i) the production of conspicuous oil or grease films, (ii) any conspicuous change in the colour or visual clarity of water, or (iv) water unsuitable for consumption by farm animals. 14.1 Small Scale (b) Must be no adverse effects from off- Application of target spray drift. Agrichemicals (c) Must be no discharge into any water Permitted body.
14.2 Widespread (c) Discharge not within 50m of sensitive Application of areas: buildings, public roads, water Agrichemicals bodies, sensitive crops or farming systems. Permitted
Historic Places Historical and Archaeological Sites Trust Act ’ Under the Historic Places Act it is the landowner s responsibility to identify any historic sites on their land prior to undertaking any work which, may disturb or destroy such sites. Where such circumstances “ ” exist, an Authority to Modify or Destroy will be sought from HPT. Such authorities are similar in function to a resource consent and if granted, normally come with conditions that must be met. The process ’ to apply for authorities is documented in PF Olsen s EMS. Note also that Consents to modify an archaeological site may sometimes be required from the local District Council Records of archaeological and historical places are maintained in the NZ Archaeological Association Site Recording Scheme run by the Historic Places Trust (HPT). These sites are often included in schedules of places and sites of significance in District plans along with sites of cultural significance. There are no recorded sites present within or immediately adjacent to the boundaries of this property.
If a site is found or suspected on any block, the protocols specified in ’ PF Olsen s EMS, and any others specifically developed in conjunction with HPT and Iwi or other stakeholders must be observed.
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Consents & There are no current resource consents or HPT authorities that apply to authorities held Meringa Station Forest.
At the time of harvest planning any required consents will be obtained. There is no harvesting planned for the period of this management plan.
’ The Emissions Forests in New Zealand are governed by rules related to New Zealand s Trading Scheme Kyoto commitments to reduce the nations carbon footprint and contribution to associated climate change.
Meringa Station forest contains no area of forest that was existing as at 31st December 1989, therefore no areas that are liable for a deforestation tax.
“ ” The entire area of forest was planted on Kyoto compliant land that was vacant as at 31st December 1989. These forest areas have been registered to participate in the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme and are subject to the accrual of emissions credits and liabilities under that scheme.
Other relevant Other relevant legislation in relation to the growing and harvesting of legislation the tree crop are: Animal Welfare Act 1999. Biosecurity Act 1993. Climate Change Response Act 2002. Conservation Act 1987. Crown Forest Assets Act 1989. Fencing Act 1978. Forests Act 1949. Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977. Forests Amendment Act 1993. Forestry Rights Registration Act 1983. Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. Health in Safety in Employment Act 1992. Historic Places Act 1993. Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001. New Zealand Forest Accord. Noxious Plants Act 1978. Pesticides Act 1979. Reserves Act 1977. Resource Management Act 1991. Soil Conservation and River Control Act 1971. Trespass Act 1980.
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...continued
’ For a comprehensive list of relevant legislation refer to PF Olsen s EMS. Forest owners can be held liable for breaches of these Acts and may be held responsible for damage to third party property. Appropriate protection should be taken to minimise these risks.
New Zealand Environmental Code of Practice for Plantation Forestry. All operations carried out on the property should be undertaken to the standards specified in the New Zealand Environmental Code of Practice for Plantation Forestry. This document sets out guidelines which ensure safe and efficient forest operations that meet the requirements of sound and practical environmental management.
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Forest Management 7. Forest Estate Description
Forest area The net stocked areas have been measured from a map produced by PF Olsen (Section 9- Forest Stands Map). The estimated net stocked areas of each stand are set out in the following table.
Table 7: Area Statement Gross area Net Stocked Area awaiting Reserves Protected Area (ha) restocking (ha) Ecosystems (ha) 244.1 147.5 Nil 23.7 72.9
Current species The species grown at Meringa Station Forest is Pinus radiata (radiata pine).
Re-establishment will aim to use high quality treestocks suitable for the site and market. These will be investigated at establishment. There is no establishment planned during the period of this management plan.
Site index Site index is a measure of productivity of a site in terms of height growth of radiata pine. The parameter used is the mean height in metres of the largest 100 trees per hectare at age 20 years. Equations exist to predict this height given a measured height at any age.
Site index for this stand is approximately 30m. There has not yet been any formal inventory of these stands.
Current crop Measurement data from the most recent inventory (April 2006) has been status summarised to give the current status of the crop. This is summarised in the table below. There is no inventory for stand 3-01 as tending was already complete when PF Olsen commenced management.
A sampling programme nearer to harvest time is recommended to determine actual pruned log quality, as pruning was not controlled by PF Olsen and there are no records of DOS (diameter over stubs).
When management by PF Olsen commenced in 2006 a large amount of historical goat damage was noted in both stands of Meringa Station forest.
Table 8: Current Crop Status
Stand Year NSA Total Basal Mean top Mean Pruned Pruned planted (ha) stocking area Ht (m) DBH stocking height (s/ha) (m2/ha) (cm) (s/ha) (m) 4-01 1994 277 11.3 19.5 34.6 277 4.7
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Age class The current age class distribution of Meringa Station forest is illustrated distribution in the figure below.
Figure 1: Age Class Distribution of Meringa Station forest
Age Class Distribution of Meringa Station Forest
120
100
80 ) a h ( 60 a e r A 40
20
0 1993 1994 Year of Establishment
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8. Reserve areas and significant species
Introduction Indigenous biodiversity management in or associated with exotic forests is an essential component of everyday forest management. Although exotic forests can provide a level of biodiversity, the reserve areas are usually the source of most indigenous biodiversity. Rare and threatened species can also be found associated with exotic forests and require special attention for management.
Reserve areas Meringa Station forest contains 28.4ha of remnant podocarp- hardwood forest. These protected ecosytem areas are currently unfenced and stock is not excluded. The predominant species is Podocarpus totara with incidence of Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Dacrydium cupressinum , Beilschmiedia tawa , Knightia excelsa Cordyline australis, Sophora tetraptera and Pseudopanax crassifolius, and more. The understorey is currently much degraded due to grazing by stock. There are plans underway in conjunction with Horizons Regional Council and QEII Trust to fence off these remnant forest riparian areas.
Meringa Station also contains 44.5ha of regenerating Leptospermum scrubland on steep faces. These areas are unfenced however stock is naturally excluded due to topography and there are no current plans to fence these areas.
There is also 23.7ha of riparian reserve zones that have been planted in exotic species (willow and poplar) for stream bank soil conservation purposes. There are large native trees and scattered regeneration amongst some of these exotic plantings, and in the long term the removal of exotic species can be considered, provided soil stabilisation objectives are met by native ground cover.
The protected ecosystems area are shown on the Forest Stands Map in Section 9.
Table 9: Protected Ecosystems of Meringa Station Forest
LENZ LENZ Protection GeoUnit Area ProtectiveStatus ProtectiveFunction ForestTypeDesc Remaining% Protected% Ranking Category MERI-SECF-02 20.1 NZ Forest Accord Riparian Ecosystem Warm lowland softwoods hardwoods 60 58.2 4096 Full MERI-SECF-03 3.8 NZ Forest Accord Terrestrial Ecosystem Warm lowland softwoods hardwoods 60 58.2 256 Passive MERI-SECF-04 4.5 NZ Forest Accord Terrestrial Ecosystem Warm lowland softwoods hardwoods 60 58.2 256 Passive MERI-SCRB-02 33 Passive Terrestrial Ecosystem Manuka/kanuka/BroadleavedHW 33.8 55.6 32 Passive MERI-SCRB-01 11.5 Passive Terrestrial Ecosystem Manuka/kanuka/BroadleavedHW 33.8 55.6 32 Passive MERI-0001-RS01 17.1 Other Erosion Control MERI-0001-RS02 3.9 Other Erosion Control MERI-0001-RS03 2.7 Other Erosion Control
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Rare and Due to the current degraded state of reserve areas, to date there have threatened species been no sightings of rare and threatened species.
Planned fencing and retirement activities planned in conjunction with Horizons Regional Council and QEII Trust will have the effect of increasing connectivity of the Meringa Station reserves. Over time this may result in the re-introduction of rare species that are present elsewhere in the Taumarunui ecological district such as Kereru and the New Zealand Falcon.
Any future sightings of species will be recorded and maintained in the FIPS rare species database.
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9. Map 2 - Forest Stands Map
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10. Non-Timber Forest Products and Other Special Values
Introduction Forest plantations may also provide for non-timber forest products that enhance the economic well being of the owner or legitimate forest users. Non-timber products are an important means of maximising the production capacity of the forest whilst maintaining environmental and social values. The forest management plan provides procedures for developing and managing these resources.
Forests can also provide many other special values, which are also provided for and managed through the forest management plan.
Non-timber forest There are currently no non-timber products being produced or developed products in Meringa Station Forest.
Other special No special values have been identified in Meringa Station Forest. values
Recreational Recreational usage of Meringa Station Forest is generally reserved for usage farm staff and neighbours due to security and health and safety concerns. The forest is used for recreational horse and motorbike rides, or to recreationally shoot goat and deer.
The forest does receive some recreational demand from the wider public. Occasionally horse trekkers will pass through the forest and farm as part of a larger trek through the region.
The forest will continue to be open for legitimate use subject to entry by permit.
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11. Environmental Policy and Practices
Introduction Environmental policy and practices are an integral part of every operation that takes place on the forest. Regular monitoring of key environmental parameters will be undertaken where necessary to ensure that the impact on the forest environment from events such as wind storms, flooding and fire, and of agents such as pests and diseases, and weeds are minimised.
The management of the forest recognises the importance of the natural and social environment for the future of its business. The people employed in the forest and processing plants, the neighbouring land owners, the appropriate iwi and the community at large are all recognised as stakeholders.
All activities within Meringa Station forest are subject to management ’ within a framework set by PF Olsen s environmental policies and Environmental Management System (EMS).
Policy PF Olsen Limited Environmental Policy:
PF Olsen Ltd is committed to: Sustainable forest and land management; Promoting high environmental performance standards that recognise the input from the community in which we operate; Where appropriate applying the Principles and Criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council across forest management.
’ Substantial additional detailed policies are contained within PF Olsen s EMS.
Environmental The EMS implemented by PF Olsen has the following objectives: management goals 1. Achieve a greater understanding and ownership of environmental responsibilities and performance by all PF Olsen personnel and contractors; 2. Complete compliance with environmental legislative requirements and non-legislative environmental commitments of the company;
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...continued 3. Establishment and maintenance of sound working relationships with each of the regional and district councils that are applicable to our operations; 4. Establishment and maintenance of sound working relationships with appropriate contractors, iwi, neighbours, recreation users, community groups, infrastructure authorities (e.g. Transit New Zealand and Transpower) and other stakeholders on which our activities may effect; 5. Increase awareness of environmental effects of operations among staff and contractors; 6. Use energy effectively and efficiently, and reduce waste and pollution; 7. Promote and undertake sound environmental stewardship of land and other natural resources on or adjacent to this land. To achieve the objectives listed above PF Olsen set specific environmental targets against which progress is being measured. These environmental targets are reviewed on an annual basis.
The EMS The EMS is a core document defining the policies, processes and framework procedures that govern the physical implementation of forest management activities. The EMS applies a systematic approach certified to ISO 14001 standards to ensure that prevention of adverse and harmful impacts is effective.
Key elements comprising the EMS are: Defined I.T. mounted processes and procedures including flow charts, guiding users through all the steps from planning to implementation of operational activities. An operational implementation framework that follows the well “ recognised management process of planning, doing, monitoring and adjustment. Linkages to forms and I.T. based databases to capture information required to monitor environmental aspects. Hyperlinks to key internal and external resources required to assist managers to achieve required outcomes in a legally compliant and environmentally sound way. Comprehensive I.T based systems for management of environmental incidents, operational monitoring, regulatory compliance, training, corrective actions / quality management and management of protected ecosystems. Procedures for managing emergency situations.
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...continued Procedures and resources for managing and minimising the use of chemicals including compliance with FSC policies related to Hazardous Chemicals. Periodic internal and external auditing. Audits are an integral part of the EMS. The purpose of these audits is: o To check compliance with agreed procedures; and o Discuss ways to improve the EMS to better achieve its targets and objectives.
An Environmental Management Group (EMG) assists the Environmental Manager, who is responsible for ensuring that the EMS is maintained and implemented to ISO 14001 standards.
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Assessment of Several areas of typical forest management have been identified as environmental posing a possible environmental risk within Meringa Station Forest. risks The Environmental Assessment Matrix below summarises the identified risks for Meringa Station Forest. The level of risk has been evaluated in ‘ ’ ‘ ’ ‘ ’ the matrix as high H or low L , or not applicable NA .
Prior to operations such as clearfelling, land preparation and production thinning, an assessment is undertaken to quantify the risk involved in carrying out the particular operation, and steps are implemented to manage the risks.
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES/ISSUES
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r a m u o i o E - W S & A A N N V H C L V N f P R V Harvesting H H H L L L L H L L Earthworks H H H L L L L L L L Slash Management L L L L L L L L L L Stream Crossings H H L H L L Mechanical Land NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Preparation Burning L L L H L L L H H L H Planting L L L L Tending L L Fertiliser Application H L H L L L Agrichemical Use H L L H L H L H H H Oil & Fuel Management H L H L H L Waste Management L L L L
Forest Protection L L L L L L
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Hazardous Hazardous substances are any substances, which may cause adverse substances environmental impacts and/or injury or health problems if incorrectly management handled or used.
The hazardous materials which may be used on Meringa Station Forest are: Pesticides Fuels Oils Fire retardants Surfactants Transportation, storage and labelling of these hazardous materials must all comply with the provisions of the Health and Safety manual, which is maintained under ISO 9001 certification.
Furthermore, the forest manager is committed to reducing the use of hazardous substances as much as possible. This involves use of alternative methods for the control of weeds, pests and diseases where these are effective and efficient. The use of fuels and oils is minimised where possible. Fire retardants are only used when required and surfactants are only used to make more efficient use of specific herbicides.
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12. Commercial Crop Establishment and Silvicultural Operations
Introduction The choice of species is the most important issue in plantation forestry. The species has to be suitable for the site and meet the objectives of LANDCORP FARMING LTD. Also important is to ensure that the planting material is of good quality.
Forest operations are implemented to ensure a good quality crop and maximum growth. These operations include: land preparation, establishment, weed control, pest and disease control, fire protection, pruning and thinning.
General property maintenance is also an important factor in forest management and can include maintenance of roads and tracks and other assets such as buildings, fences and water systems.
Crop species Radiata pine when intensively managed will produce a range of different log types suitable for various processing options. The pruned butt log can be used to make knot-free veneer or decorative timber. The unpruned logs can be used for structural timber, for veneer or for feedstock for fingerjointing. The small logs and those with defects and excessive knots can be used for pulp and paper, MDF and other reconstituted wood products such as tri-board and particle board.
Radiata pine is the most common species processed in New Zealand and export markets are well developed for both finished products and logs.
In New Zealand radiata pine is also the main focus in terms of research and development. Past research and development has resulted in improvements in growth, form and wood characteristics as well as development of a range of finished products, building codes and timber standards.
Other species Alternative species may be considered at the time of re-establishment.
Establishment There is no establishment planned at Meringa Station forest during the period of this management plan.
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Pre-establishment Prior to re-establishment of the tree crop, a review will be conducted to forest flora and identify whether there are any rare, threatened or endangered species of fauna flora or fauna within the area to be planted and what, if any, adjustments in planning will be required. A plantation crop is likely to confer beneficial habitat buffering rather than cause adverse effects.
Tending The tending regime executed at Meringa Station Forest is a clearwood regime. Tending is complete and there are no further silvicultural operations required.
Tree nutrition The soils in Meringa Station Forest are not likely to be deficient in nutrients for healthy tree growth. However, there are soils within New Zealand that are deficient in one or more nutrients. The most common nutrient deficiencies are likely to be: – Magnesium Magnesium deficiency is a particular problem of the Central North Island and is associated with the phenomenon known as mid crown yellowing where the middle of the tree crowns turn a yellow colour. Heavily pruned trees and some seedlots are more predisposed to the deficiency than others. – Boron Boron deficient trees can suffer dieback from the terminal buds and this symptom is closely associated with moisture stress and drought. Trees growing on the drier East Coast of both Islands and on the pumice soils of the Central North Island are prone to boron deficiency. Foliar samples will be taken if nutrient deficiency symptoms are seen or expected. Fertiliser will only be applied if the health and the growth of the trees are significantly affected.
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13. FOREST INVENTORY, MAPPING AND FOREST RECORDS
Forest growth and development is monitored through regular forest inventory. Forest inventories providing stand information are required at different times and for different reasons throughout the life of the rotation. PF Olsen have developed procedures for each of the following four types of inventory to be applied on Meringa Station Forest: pre-assessment quality control mid crop pre-harvest.
Pre-assessment Pre-assessment is the collection of stand parameters prior to a tending operation. It allows for: The calculation of contract rate for tending. A final check on the validity of the regime and timing of commencement of operations i.e. DOS targets can be achieved or crop height is sufficient for pruning lift scheduled. Sampling intensity is low. Data collected is then used with the time standards set out in the tending manual to calculate a manday target and hence a contract rate per hectare. Contract rates are often set by tender or negotiation, reducing the need to pre-assess each and every block. Pre-assessment however does provide good quality information on the work content involved in each tending operation and sets a base price for negotiation.
The majority of tending was complete on Meringa station when PF Olsen commenced management.
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Quality control Quality control is carried out during and after a tending operation. The aims of the quality control system PF Olsen have established are to: Collect sufficient data to monitor a contractor's performance and correct this if necessary, with minimum delay. Collect sufficient quantitative data to provide reliable estimates of the crop state. Provide data as input for growth modelling. Provide data for estimating timing of the next tending operation.
Data is summarised by Forest/Compartment/Stand prior to being entered into FIPS where it is retained as a permanent record. The records can then be directly accessed for growth model and computer growth simulation programmes, annual reports and valuations.
’ PF Olsen s "Tending Manual" details the procedures to follow for pre- assessment and quality control plotting.
Quality control was completed at Meringa Station Forest at the completion of tending operations.
Mid-crop The principal aim for the mid-crop inventory is to collect stand data for inventory inputs for growth modelling. Under current tending regimes mid-crop inventory is scheduled for between 11 and 15 years of age.
Sampling intensity is targeted to achieve 10% confidence limits on Basal Area on a stand by stand basis. Smaller stands may be aggregated into crop types to achieve this.
Pre-harvest The principal aim for the pre-harvest inventory is to obtain estimates of inventory recoverable volume by log grade. This information can then be used to develop marketing and harvesting strategies. Pre-harvest inventories will be undertaken when stands reach five years or less from harvesting.
Sampling intensity is targeted to achieve 10% confidence limits on Basal Area on a stand by stand basis. Smaller stands may be aggregated into crop types to achieve this as in mid-crop inventory.
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Mapping Digital mapping of Meringa Station Forest currently exists, but will require updating from time to time as the forest changes.
The work involves: mapping 10m contours from existing photography; mapping forest detail from existing aerial photography; and defining legal boundaries. All the data is supplied in a digital format.
’ The digital data is retained, processed and managed on PF Olsen s GIS (Geographic Information System). Pruning and thinning contractors are commonly paid on an area basis and accurate mapping prevents overpayment and avoids disputes regarding the area actually completed.
Accurate mapping also assists with budgeting, planning and calculation of future revenue/tree crop value, infrastructure and harvesting and also meeting climate change emissions obligations.
After harvesting, the contours and any relevant forest detail are available for planning and management of the second rotation.
Mapping updates Stands are remapped from new aerial photography around age four (when the trees are visible on aerial photography) to accurately determine boundaries and areas and around two years prior to harvesting to assist with harvest planning.
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Forest records Forest records are essential in monitoring the forest operations by providing a historic perspective to the physical condition of each stand. Forest records should provide the following information: A historic record of forest operations for each stand including a summary of quality control data indicating the results and quality of the operation. A forest map showing the location, stand boundaries and net stocked area of each stand. Crop inventory results. Yields achieved from each stand at production thinning or clearfell. Costs incurred for each operation. Meringa Station Forest records are maintained on a computerised Land ’ Information database. This customised database is part of PF Olsen s FIPS system (Forest Information and Planning System). These record systems allow for fast retrieval of information, production of reports and statistics.
Forest records assist with planning and control of forest operations and provide a means of measuring the performance of a Forest Manager. In a management audit forest records can be verified against the status of the tree crop and unit costs derived for each operation.
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14. Harvesting Strategy and Operations
Harvesting The harvesting strategy for radiata pine employed at Meringa Station strategy forest is to harvest the tended forest stands as close as possible to their optimum economic age as practical. This is the age at which the growth in volume and improvement in quality is offset by the cost to maintain the forest for another year. The optimum rotation length for radiata pine is expected to be within 25 to 30 years. Stands where minimal tending has been completed may be harvested earlier, particularly when relevant markets are favourable.
There is no harvesting planned for Meringa Station forest for the duration of this management plan.
Getting harvest Before harvesting commences a harvest plan is prepared. This plan will ready describe the harvesting method to be used based on the following considerations: 1. Terrain - what method can be used that is safe for the operators; – 2. Soil and Water the impact on soil and water will be minimised and/or mitigated; – 3. Safety to ensure forest operations are carried out safely and comply with all legal requirements; – 4. Wildlife Habitat and Ecosystems these will be maintained where possible or the impact on such habitats will be minimised and/or mitigated; – 5. Other Forest Values to ensure that other forest values such as recreation and non-timber products are recognised and where practical protected; – 6. Offsite Impacts to identify and minimise the adverse impacts of forest operations on people and the environment; and – 7. Financial to ensure forest operations are carried out in an efficient and effective manner and consider both short and long term implications. Harvesting operations will be undertaken by contractor and supervised by the forest manager.
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15. Property Management and Protection
Plant pest Plant pest management within Meringa Station forest is subject to statutory statutory obligations under the Regional Pest Plant Management obligations Strategy (May 2007) administered by the Horizons (Manawatu- Wanganui) Regional Council.
The strategy applies to pest plants and categorises them in terms of management objectives. The categories and landowner obligations relevant to Meringa Station are summarised in the table below.
The complete list of pest plant species under the Horizons Regional Pest Plant Management Strategy is contained in appendix 2.
Table10: Statutory Plant Pest Regulations
Pest Category Objectives Responsibilities Regional authority Landowner Zero Density Control to last individual. Woolly Limited distribution pests. Nightshade Containment For high threat species Pinus contorta where zero density is not Old Mans Beard possible. Area within containment area will not be treated. Boundary Control Prevent invasion across Blackberry (20m) property boundaries. Broom (20m) Setback distance Gorse (20m) – 20 50m between properties. Monitoring Monitoring to assess distribution and abundance.
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Animal pest Animal pest management within Meringa Station forest is also subject to control statutory obligations under the Regional Pest Animal Management Strategy (December 2009) administered by the Horizons (Manawatu- Wanganui) Regional Council.
The main animal pests in Meringa Station Forest are the introduced possum and goats.
Possum attack the growing tips of both plantation and native trees, causing stem malformation and die back. Possums are also a threat to neighbouring property owners who are farmers as they can carry and spread tuberculosis to domestic stock. The Horizons management objective for possums is suppression aiming to reduce possums to numbers that do not affect regional values. There has been no pest control completed at Meringa Station by the regional council for Tb vector control for a number of years.
Goats will also chew the growing tips of young trees and strip bark of trees until the bark hardens. The Horizons management objective for goats is site- lead where a regional value is threatened. There is a high density of goats at Meringa Station forest which have caused damage to the existing treecrop. The trees have grown beyond susceptibility to damage, but intensive pest control will need to be considered for any new establishment.
Animal pests in Meringa Station Forest will be controlled using ground control methods as required, which prevent impacts on non-target species. The forest manager will coordinate operations with organisations such as the Regional Council and the Department of Conservation to achieve effective and efficient control with in the forest area and on neighbouring land, where required.
Disease control Diseases, which can affect the forest trees and adjacent native vegetation, are monitored throughout the year and once a year by a professional independent forest health assessor. Most diseases cause little damage and do not require control. The exception is Dothistroma, a fungus which, attacks pine needles. This fungus is controlled using a copper-based fungicide, but only when the infection reaches a critical level.
Dothistroma infection can also be controlled though silviculture by timely thinning and pruning operations, which increases air movement and lowers humidity levels.
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Protected The protected ecosystem and reserve areas of Meringa Station are ecosystems, currently not fenced from stock. reserves and species At present most of the indigenous vegetation remnants in the estate are relatively small individually, fragmented and heavily modified from past farming. As such these stands rate as relatively poor ecological significance and at the same time represent ecological environments that are still relatively well represented throughout the country and the proportions remaining well protected. However two stands contain warm lowland podocarp sequences the species of which are relatively sparse in the general locality and these in particular rank higher for that reason.
Overall, all these areas do cumulatively add to a not insignificant area and are associated with steep riparian catchment areas. As such they have value and most importantly, with fencing will regenerate naturally overtime to mature, good quality, high forest representative of lowland podocarp hardwood forest that used to predominate in the area prior to agricultural development
Over the term of this plan the primary management objective that has already been included into the Horizons Whole Farm Plan for Meringa Station is a planned fencing programme for these forest remnants. This is to be undertaken in conjunction with QEII Trust to exclude stock and retire the land. The fencing will allow regeneration of the understorey and increase connectivity and ecological value of the remnants. This will have the long term effect of encouraging the re-establishment of some declining fauna into Meringa Station.
On completion of this external work, PF Olsen will obtain new fenceline data and update reserve areas accordingly.
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Fire prevention With the weather patterns normally experienced in New Zealand during and control the period late spring/summer, fire can be a real threat to the forest. This can be minimised by: 1. Having an effective fire plan. 2. Active prevention measures which include: restrictions on allowable access, fire prevention signage, publicity when fire danger prevails, access to adequate water sources, and selective forest grazing to reduce fuel within stands. 3. Effective detection systems which includes: good communication systems, mapping, and fire plan alert procedures. 4. A close link with the relevant fire authorities, and an understanding of equipment and trained manpower requirements. 5. Good forest management that recognises the influence of terrain, roading network and accessibility, and fuel build-up from silvicultural practice, that will influence fire prevention and control measures.
Forest The following forest management practices may be employed to assist management fire prevention measures: requirements 1. Develop suitable internal access systems, predominantly tracking, but road construction at a later stage. 2. Maintain existing firebreaks and develop others as the need arises. 3. Time silvicultural operations to minimise the potential of fuel build- up and for better control of work activity. 4. Have forest areas grazed where fuel build-up can be reduced. 5. Endeavour to control access, and limit only to legitimate land users. Promote public awareness through appropriate signage. “ ” 6. Develop a fire plan that encompasses prevention, detection and control procedures.
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Fire authority The legal responsibility for fighting forest fires lies with the respective responsibilities territorial land authorities where the forest is situated. In the case of Meringa Station Forest the Rural Fire Authority (RFA) is the Ruapehu District Council.
In the event of a fire that starts within the forest, the RFA is responsible for attending and providing the resources to extinguish the fire. Where a fire starts outside the forested area and moves into the forest, the RFA has recourse to the Rural Fire Fighting Fund to compensate for fire fighting costs.
“ There is a close liaison with the RFA in terms of developing the fire ” plan and the maintenance of good communication relative to potential risks and fire danger ratings.
Fire insurance If a fire originates within the forest, the owners will ultimately be liable for suppression costs. A major fire may cost many thousands of dollars to extinguish, with the main costs being the use of heavy machinery, helicopters, and manpower.
In the case of Meringa Station forest, Landcorp Farming Ltd have a policy of self insurance.
Public liability It is recommended that LANDCORP FARMING LTD maintain public insurance liability insurance cover with a fire fighting extension, to indemnify against unforeseen adverse activity both within the forest area and adjoining land tenure. In the case of fire spreading from Meringa Station Forest onto adjoining land, LANDCORP FARMING LTD would be liable for the fire fighting costs and any damage to property.
Landcorp Farming Ltd hold general indemnity to the limit of $20 million for any one occurrence and a fire fighting extension of $2 million for any one occurrence.
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16. Monitoring
Introduction To ensure that the management objectives identified in this plan are being achieved various monitoring exercises outside normal operations management have been developed. Monitoring results are summarised and reported to LANDCORP FARMING LTD as and when required and are also, where appropriate, made publicly available through the PF Olsen webpage.
Values monitored Management inspections are completed regularly during operations and periodically between times to monitor all aspects of the forest growth, health and conditions. The findings of the inspections are detailed and, where appropriate summarised on the PF Olsen FSC website. The full monitoring framework implemented and applicable to Meringa Station Forest is tabulated below. Environmental Process Monitoring Framework Monitored Include Components Data Source Data Reporting / Element medium Website frequency Chemical usage A.I usage/ Area overuse operations FIPS On demand / annual supervisors Form Consultation Complaints. operations Annual / annual Activity supervisors & Form planners Environmental Incident number operations FIPS On demand / annual Incidents / categories supervisors Form Flora & Fauna Species & Status operations FIPS Annual / annual frequencies/ new finds. supervisors, Form public, crews Forest estate Area (plantation & management FIPS stand On demand / annual Structure Protected ecosystem)/ plans/stand records age-class/ species/forest records type/protection status. – Forest growth PSP protocols / periodic contractors To be Periodic-annual inventory. ISO9001 established not on web – Forest Health Disease & health National Forest document Periodic-annual surveillance not on web program1
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1 Forest health inspections are undertaken annually, by either Vigil or Forest Dynamics, through the NZ Forest Owners Association forest health scheme.
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...continued
FSC Membership Block/ location/name FIPS register FIPS client On demand / annual database Health and safety LTI / accidents & operations FIPS Monthly/ annual statistics incidents. supervisors Internal Audit Frequency * category Auditors/ees FIPS Annual / annual CAR activity Form Log Production On Total logs/ FSC markets log dockets Woodtrack On demand / annual harvest Operational Audit trends/cause operations FIPS Monthly / annual monitoring analysis supervisors Form Pests X RTC / kill returns or other supervisors To be Annual where /contractors established relevant Protected Condition trends supervisors Photopoint Tri-annual if Ecosystem /contractors restoration initiated Condition through fencing Recreational & Permits issued Farm manager FIPS Annual / annual non-timber Form Resource consents NA Number/compliance operations FIPS 6 monthly / annual planners Stream NA Clarity +/- other specific supervisors Spreadsheet Monthly / annual Monitoring /contractors where relevant Environmental Courses, numbers, names Staff FIPS Annual/as relevant Training Form
Financial Budget versus expenditure is monitored through the PF Olsen FIPS system and presented to LANDCORP FARMING LTD in the annual report and workplan. This information is not made public.
Social Consultation with stakeholders has been undertaken and constant feedback from these stakeholders (and others as they become apparent) is monitored. This includes actions undertaken to resolves disputes and issues.
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17. Future Planning
Introduction This plan pertains to the management of Meringa Station Forest and will be adhered to for the next 5 years. Any deviation from this plan will be justified only on the basis that the changes do not adversely affect the environment. Any changes, which are contrary to the policies contained in this management plan, require a full review of this plan.
The next review date for this plan is: January 2016.
The forest management plan is used for both medium and long term planning.
Operation plans For the short term we use Operation plans. These plans are prepared annually in accordance with this Management Plan. This operation plan and associated budget are subject to approval by LANDCORP FARMING LTD at the beginning of each financial year.
st – th The LANDCORP FARMING LTD financial year is 1 July 30 June.
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Appendix 1: Neighbours Location Map
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Appendix 2: Horizons Production Plant Pest Species and Related Control
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