1 July 2013

Government must stop dragging their feet on forestry standard

The adoption of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard shows that a national environmental standard is possible and the Government should advance one urgently, the Green Party said today.

The International Forestry Stewardship Council has just endorsed New Zealand’s first national forest stewardship standard which covers 60% of New Zealand’s plantation forests.

“In the absence of a national environmental standard, this international endorsement of New Zealand's first national FSC standard is heartening,” said Green Party forestry spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“The National Government has put on hold the development of a national environmental standard for plantation forestry leaving massive land disturbance, sedimentation and biodiversity losses to carry on unchecked,” said Mr Browning.

“This Government shelving of a New Zealand wide standard leaves our environment to the mercy of weak council plans and private standards that are yet to be monitored effectively.

“All of the interested parties came together to work on developing this FSC standard, and they succeeded. The Government should work with this good will to develop a national environmental standard that would cover all of our forests.

“Forestry is a hugely important sector to New Zealand’s economy; we need to have a national standard to ensure we protect our brand as responsible producers of high quality fibre.

“The Government needs to do their job and finish a national environmental standard that will lead to better environmental outcomes for all forestry in New Zealand.”

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