A refocused advisory group and redirected funding aim to tackle woody debris, land use and forestry in Tairāwhiti.
While Government-appointed facilitation and a Gisborne District Council-ordered independent review take place, Forestry Minister Todd McClay said the changes will co-ordinate regional work.
The former Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group has been refocused as the Tairāwhiti Transition Advisory Group (TTAG), with a “wider mandate” to support regional resilience and land-use transition.
“No one organisation can fix the challenges facing Tairāwhiti on its own. The group’s wider role will help join up the work across the region and keep it focused on the long term,” McClay said.
The group had begun operating.
The Government also redirected the remaining $16.4 million from a $27m Ministry for Primary Industries woody debris package towards debris clean-up and pilot projects.
“Clearing it [debris], and catching what does come loose before it gets into the rivers, protects vital infrastructure. It’s also work for local contractors over the coming season,” he said.
The pilots will explore sustainable logging on hillsides, land-use change and slash traps to reduce debris entering waterways.
Initial work will prioritise high-risk areas and work with landowners to address barriers such as harvesting risks, consent requirements and establishment costs.
The results would help inform future policy and funding decisions, he said.
Council chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann said it represented an important step towards addressing the challenges caused by vulnerable terrain and extreme weather.
“We need a future where forestry can continue on appropriate land, harvesting is undertaken well, and land carrying the greatest risk has a realistic pathway to transition.”
Council had worked closely with central government, mana whenua and regional partners to establish the refocused group.
“It gives us an opportunity to build on the evidence, relationships and practical work already developed, strengthen co-ordination and move towards delivery.
“The next step is testing different land-use options in real situations and identifying approaches that could be applied more widely across Tairāwhiti.”
The council pointed to Te Ārai demonstration catchment as work underway, building off local efforts, and working with landowners to develop property plans and a catchment transition plan.
“This is about finding the right land use for the right place, while supporting viable livelihoods and reducing risks to communities and the environment.”
It said the issue required all parties to work together from the same evidence to find solutions to protect communities and support the economy.
Eastland Wood Council chairman Julian Kohn said the region had been through tough years, and the council wanted a future with resilient communities and continued opportunities for local families in forestry.
Some of the most erosion-prone land would need to transition, and he welcomed Government funding and recognition of a co-ordinated approach for land use changes.
“We’ve already seen the pressure on local contractors, workers, businesses and families who depend on the hundreds of millions of dollars forestry and wood processing contribute to Tairāwhiti’s economy each year.
“We can’t afford to lose more skilled workers and businesses while the region works towards a future that is enduring.”
He said the refocused TTAG would bring all parties together to create a workable plan for community protection and a stronger future for forestry in Tairāwhiti.
Henare Walker, interim chief executive of Ngāti Porou’s governance entity Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou, said broadening focus to long-term land use transition was something Ngāti Porou had called for and it was encouraging for the iwi and the wider region.
“We have been saying that Ngāti Porou cannot keep focusing only on cleaning up after each major event. We have to deal with the bigger question of what land use should look like across the rohe and how we protect our whenua, our people and our economy for the future.
“For Ngāti Porou, the important thing now is making sure we are part of shaping that transition from the outset, so the decisions being made today deliver lasting benefits for our whenua and our people.”
He said the Government needed to consider existing commitments to Ngāti Porou and existing structures to determine the best response to the significant problem.
Working with Ngāti Porou to decide what tests, priorities and success levels were in pilots would be important, he said.
Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti spokesperson Manu Caddie welcomed recognition that land-use transition could reduce ongoing damage to the environment, infrastructure and properties.
However, he said the advisory group needed representation from affected communities, clear links with existing work, including the Land Use Transition Business Case, and transparent measures of progress.
“This could be a constructive first step, just a pity it has taken so long and is still not a comprehensive response from the minister.”
A clear implementation timetable, details on funding distribution and long-term investment were needed, he said.
“Communities deserve to know when the risk will actually start coming down.”
He hoped the Government would build on the rejected Transition Business Case to implement pest control, scientific research and “fit-for-purpose regulation”.
More evidence was needed on slash trap designs and placement, and how to remove mature trees from high-risk sites, he said.
Sustained investment in permanent indigenous cover, pest and weed management, and supported employment was needed to give landowners confidence in the transition, Caddie said.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.