NZ Govt backs commercial forestry with practical changes

The Government is taking firm action to ensure commercial forestry – one of New Zealand’s most productive and sustainable export sectors – is not stifled by red tape and inconsistent council rules Minister of Forestry Todd McClay announced today.

Public consultation opens this week on proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF), aimed at restoring national consistency and protecting the sector’s right to operate.

“Our fibre sector – from forestry to wood processors – plays a crucial role in New Zealand’s economy, particularly in regional communities,” Mr McClay says. “These changes are about getting foresters and wood processors back in the driver’s seat and stopping councils from using their plans to rewrite the rules on forestry through the back door.”

The current NES-CF was designed to provide a nationally consistent framework for managing the environmental effects of plantation forestry. However, recent changes have allowed councils to bypass that intent by imposing more stringent rules without justification – a trend that is now undermining investment and confidence in the sector.

Key proposed changes include:

• Clarifying regulation 6(1)(a) to tighten the conditions under which a council can impose rules that are more stringent than national direction.
• Repealing regulation 6(4A), which currently gives councils broad discretion to override the NES-CF for afforestation without justification.
• Strengthening slash management by requiring a Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment as part of all harvest management plans, and considering refining requirements to remove all slash above a certain size from forest cutovers.
• Tidying up the NES-CF with minor amendments to remove duplication and improve clarity for foresters and councils alike.

“We are hearing loud and clear from the forestry sector – and from regional New Zealand – that the current rules aren’t working,” Mr McClay says. “Too many councils are starting to use vague discretion to block or delay forestry operations that meet national environmental standards. That’s not what the system was designed for, so we’re fixing it.”

The forestry sector has been vocal about the need for a consistent regulatory environment that enables long-term planning and sustainable growth. These proposed changes are intended to support that vision while still managing environmental risks, including from storm events and slash.

“This Government backs the fibre sector – and that means making sure regulation is clear, practical, and nationally consistent,” Mr McClay says. “Whether you’re planting trees, harvesting them, or processing them into world-leading products, you shouldn’t be subject to a different set of rules just because of which council you happen to fall under.”

Consultation on the proposed changes to the NES-CF is now open via the Ministry for the Environment’s website and will run until 27 July 2025.

Read Updating RMA national direction and Package 2 (Primary Sector) to find out more. Webinars are also scheduled to start next week. 

Also see the NZ Forest Owners Association response below.

Source & image credit: Ministry for Primary Industries