1. Soil Conservation

2. Harvest Plan – Schedule O
Submit harvest plan and attached document 20 working days prior to commencement
Resource Advisors and Land Management work together to review harvest plan
GWRC responds with comments
If they need consent, we still have to accept harvest plan, but can notify them if they need consent

3. Schedule O - issues
Inconsistency of quality of information between companies
If they have provided all the information, we cannot stop them even if we foresee a problem
We can notify them of their requirement for a consent, but we don’t monitor permitted activities
Smaller companies struggle with 20 working day timeframe
Under operative Regional Soil plan – they are required to give 21 days notice of harvesting commencing – but not required to submit harvest plan.

4. Typical forestry consent
See print out of harvest plan

6. Proposal:
Harvest 369 hectares of plantation forest (ground based and cable hauler)
Construct 7.3km new road, and upgrade 7.57km existing road
Construct 29 Skid sites and 7 Hauler pads (3,500m2 – 4,800m2 in size)
Metal stockpiles of up to 750m3
Extraction across the Kaiwhata River, and its tributaries
Machinery access through Kaiwhata River, and its tributaries, to extract slash of certain sizes from waterway (where not possible to remove from banks)
3 concrete block fords & 1 culvert

7. Permitted activities - harvesting
Proposed Natural resources Plan
Regional Soil Plan
Rule 3
The disturbance of more than 1 ha of vegetation on erosion prone land is permitted, provided they meet specific conditions (such as notify Regional Soil Conservator 21 days prior to commencement & commit to replant). This was done, and therefore is a permitted activity.
Rule 102
Plantation forestry on erosion prone land is a permitted activity provided a number of conditions are met, including the preparation of a harvest plan in accordance with Schedule O, 20 days prior to harvesting, and commitment to replant etc. The applicant fulfilled this requirement and is therefore a permitted activity (provided the remainder of conditions are met).

8. Earthworks consents required:
Operative Plans
Proposed Natural Resources Plan
Rule 101 (discretionary)
Cant meet permitted activity rule 99 as earthworks will exceed 3,000m2, therefore requiring Land use consent
Cant meet permitted activity rule 99 as discharge of stormwater into water or into land where it may enter water exceeds 3,000m2, therefore requiring a discharge consent.
Regional Discharges to Land Plan
Rule 2 (discretionary)
Cant meet permitted activity rule 1 as over 0.3ha earthworks (sediment laden stormwater to land where it may enter water)
Regional Soil Plan
Rule 1 (restricted discretionary)
Earthworks may exceed 1.5m for a distance of 200m in Area 1, therefore meets RD rule.
Regional Freshwater Plan
Rule 5 (discretionary)
Cant meet permitted activity rule as 0.3ha of earthworks where discharge may enter water.

9. Non-earthworks consents required:
Operative Freshwater Plan
Proposed Natural resources Plan
Rule 49 (Discretionary)
The culvert and fords could not meet permitted or controlled activity standards, therefore defaults to rule 49.
Hauling through streams (as part of harvesting), and the clearance of vegetation from streams post harvest are not provided for under any rules in the plan, therefore default to R49
Rule 129 (discretionary)
The culvert and fords could not meet the permitted or controlled activity standards, and therefore defaults to rule 129
Hauling through streams (as part of harvesting), and the clearance of vegetation from streams post harvest are not provided for under any rues in the plan, therefore default to rule 129

10. Differences between plans
Proposed Natural Resources Plan
Operative Plans
The PNRP is clearer in that all earthworks (regardless of erosion prone land, roading/tracking/landings) requires land use and discharge consent if it’s a contiguous area of 3,000m2.
Currently under the operative plans, generally earthworks for roading, tracking and landings do not require a land-use consent, and only require a discharge consent if over 0.3ha.
The operative plans only require land- use consent for 1,000m2 of earthworks on erosion prone land (except roading/tracking & landings)

11. Differences between plans
Operative Plans
Proposed Natural Resources Plan
Currently the Regional Soil plan deals with vegetation removal, while the discharge from the harvesting activities (separate from discharge from earthworks) is dealt with separately under the Regional Freshwater Plan
Under the PNRP, the plantation forestry rule provides for the land use activity of harvesting activity, as well as the associated discharge as a result of the harvesting activity under one rule (R102)

12. Main considerations for forestry/earthwork consents
Effects on erosion, land stability and sedimentation
Effects on flooding, erosion and scour
Effects on water quality and instream habitats
Cultural effects

13. PNRP Objectives Objective # Objective content O2
Importance and contribution of land and water to the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of the community are recognised. O4
Intrinsic values of aquatic freshwater and marine ecosystems and the life-supporting capacity of water are recognised
O14
Maori relationships with air, land and water are recognised, maintained and improved
O17
The natural character of the coastal marine area, rivers, lakes and their margins and natural wetlands is preserved and protected from inappropriate use and development
O25
To safeguard aquatic ecosystem health and mahinga kai in freshwater bodies and coastal marine area…
O27
Vegetated riparian margins are established and maintained
O29
Use and development provides for the passage of fish and koura, and the passage of indigenous fish and koura is restored
O44
The adverse effects on soil and water from land use activities are minimised
O46
Discharges to land are managed to reduce the runoff or leaching of contaminants to water
O47
The amount of sediment-laden runoff entering water is reduced

14. PNRP Policies Policy # Policy content P4 Minimising adverse effects
Maori values
P25
Natural Character
P31
Aquatic ecosystem health and mahinga kai
P33
Protecting indigenous fish habitat
P34
Fish Passage
P62
Promoting discharges to land
P66
Natural Policy Statement for Freshwater Management requirements for discharge consents
P67
Minimising effects of discharges
P95
Discharges to land
P97
Managing sediment discharges
P98
Accelerated soil erosion