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:
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]
