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UPDATE

The National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) were updated in November 2023. They are now called the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF).

The NES-PF user guide is still a good tool for understanding how the standards work in practice. The addendum covers the main changes that came into effect as the NES-CF.

Find out more about the user guide addendum on changes to the regulations

About the activity guidance

For each forestry activity, MPI has information on relevant NES-PF regulations, including:

  • the activity definition – what is and isn't covered by the NES-PF
  • conditions you must meet for that activity to be permitted
  • how to determine when the activity requires resource consent.

The forestry activities

Afforestation

This guidance is for planting and growing plantation forestry trees on land that:

  • doesn't have plantation forestry, or
  • hasn't had plantation forestry harvested in the last 5 years.

Afforestation guidance [PDF, 187 KB]

Pruning and thinning-to-waste

Guidance for selective felling of plantation forest trees within a stand where the felled trees remain on site.

Pruning and thinning to waste guidance [PDF, 95 KB]

Earthworks

Guidance for disturbance of the surface of the land in relation to plantation forestry, including:

  • building forestry roads, tracks, landings and river crossing approaches
  • cut and fill operations
  • maintenance and upgrade of existing earthworks
  • forestry road widening and realignment.

Earthworks guidance [PDF, 475 KB]

River crossings

Guidance for construction, installation, maintenance and removal of river crossings for operation of a plantation forest, allowing vehicles or machinery to cross over water.

River crossings guidance [PDF, 324 KB]

Forestry quarrying

Guidance for extracting rock, sand, or gravel for forestry roads and other infrastructure, either within a plantation forest or on adjacent land.

Forestry quarrying guidance [PDF, 181 KB]

Harvesting

Guidance for:

  • felling trees
  • removing trees
  • thinning tree stems and removing them for sale or use (production thinning)
  • processing trees into logs, or loading logs onto trucks for processing.

Harvesting guidance [PDF, 174 KB]

Mechanical land preparation

Guidance for use of machinery to prepare land for replanting trees.

Mechanical land preparation guidance [PDF, 107 KB]

Replanting

Guidance for planting and growing plantation forestry trees on land less than 5 years after plantation forestry harvesting.

Replanting guidance [PDF, 117 KB]

For guidance on planting trees on land more than 5 years after harvesting, see:

Afforestation guidance

Ancillary activities

There are 3 types of ancillary activities – that may occur at any stage during the lifecycle of a plantation forest – regulated under the NES-PF.

Slash trap activities – activities involving structures set in a river or on land to trap slash (woody debris) moved by water.

Slash trap guidance link [PDF, 140 KB]

Indigenous vegetation clearance – clearance of vegetation that mostly occurs naturally or arrived naturally in New Zealand.

Indigenous vegetation clearance guidance [PDF, 134 KB]

Non-indigenous vegetation clearance – clearance of all other vegetation that:

  • doesn't meet the NES-PF definition of indigenous vegetation
  • is not a plantation forest tree.

Non-indigenous vegetation clearance guidance [PDF, 393 KB]

General provisions

Guidance covering the general provisions of the NES-PF that manage possible effects of plantation forestry activity, including:

  • discharges, disturbances, and diversions
  • noise and vibration
  • dust
  • indigenous bird nesting
  • fuel storage and refuelling.

General provisions guidance [PDF, 129 KB]

Other guidance

Who to contact

If you have questions about the NES-CF, contact Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service:

MPI business units