Friday, March 29, 2024

Govt questions accuracy of forestry report

Neal Wallace
The Government claims a BakerAg analysis on the amount of land being planted in forestry has over-egged the area by 37%. But the report authors attribute any discrepancy to delays between completed land sales and planting.
Lewis Tucker manager Colin Jacobs agrees that New Zealand must start cutting emissions, not just offsetting them.
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The Government claims a BakerAg analysis on the amount of land being planted in forestry has over-egged the area by 37%.

But the report authors attribute any discrepancy to delays between completed land sales and planting.

BakerAg calculated 139,500ha of new forestry was planted from 2017-2020 by tracking farm sales and titles data, cross referenced with companies known to be forestry or carbon farming companies.

Agricultural Minister Damien O’Connor says his officials have calculated the area of new forestry planted over that period at 87,200ha, 20,000ha a year, 37% lower than BakerAg.

“Government afforestation estimates are based on a combination of land-use mapping, nursery sales and funding within the one billion tree programme,” O’Connor said

He says 20 years of deforestation has reduced the forest estate by about 70,000ha.

The BakerAg report was commissioned by Beef + Lamb NZ and concluded whole farm purchases by forestry companies resulted in 92,000ha of new exotic forest planting between 2017 and 2020.

A further 47,400ha was planted under the one billion trees programme and other planting incentives.

B+LNZ was most concerned that 34% of whole farm purchases were to carbon farming companies, planted in exotic forest and left untouched with carbon credits sold to emitters.

It warns this demand is pushing up land prices, locking young farmers out of the market and resulting in the loss of breeding country while also robbing rural communities of population and services.

O’Connor says the Government is listening to concerns, is committed to a policy of “right tree, right place” and closely monitors forest planting. But it will not cut across farmers’ rights to make decisions about their land.

“I note that the report says that during the period, 47,000ha of planting has occurred within farming operations,” he said.

“That speaks to farmers seeing the value of diversified land-use and the potential for both commercial forestry and carbon credit income.”

He says a review is under way of the special test that gives foreign forestry investors an exemption from Overseas Investment Office rules, but he adds those investors are prevented from carbon farming.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw expects an increase in forestry planting now that Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) reforms provide a predictable price.

“My priority is to ensure that this price is such that it drives reductions in gross emissions in every part of the economy,” Shaw said.

“However, companies also need the option to offset what they cannot reduce.”

Shaw says the independent Climate Change Commission acknowledged forestry has a role in cutting emissions, but it must be balanced to encourage conservation and afforestation that benefits the climate and communities.

While eligible native and exotic vegetation on farmland already qualify for inclusion in the ETS, Shaw says the Government is working with the sector through He Waka Eke Noa to find additional ways of rewarding farmers for the emissions their land helps absorb.

That work involves developing a farm-level emissions measurement, management and pricing system, with details not expected until next March.

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