Wednesday, 01 February 2023 11:57

Wood for the trees?

Written by The Hound

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OPINION: Your old mate sees that state farmer Landcorp is planning a mass planting of trees on a couple of its Otago farms.

According to media reports, Landcorp - or to the more politically correct, Pamū - aims to plant 3,000ha of pine forests on two of its Otago properties, Waipori Station and Thonicroft Station.

Apparently, this is all part of Landcorp's master plan - outlined in its annual report last year - of planting 1,000ha of mainly pine forests a year up until 2030 as part of its 'commitment of sustainable farming'.

But, as a mate of the Hound's points out, has Landcorp not seen the devastation and damage done by forestry slash in the Gisborne region over the past couple of years?

And how does planning swathes of pine trees in an area of the country where wilding pines are a major issue meet its much vaunted claim of sustainable farming?

Good questions!

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