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Annual Planning and Consultation for the 2025/26 Year

Have your say on Council's Proposed Fees and Charges for 2025/26 now, until Wednesday 23 April. Consultation on the Draft Annual Plan for 2025/26 will be open from Monday, 31 March until Monday, 14 April 2025.

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Forestry

The Clutha District has over 90,000 ha of plantation forest within its district, making it the fifth most forested district in the country and the most forested in the South Island (as of 1 April 2024). These (mainly pine) plantation forests support many people, from forestry personnel, contractors, seed and nursery suppliers to downstream sawmilling and manufacturing industries and the export ports at Port Chalmers and Bluff.

The forest industry in the Clutha district consists of large companies and smaller owners and farmers who have forestry blocks within their farms.

If you have a forestry block larger than one hectare that was planted specifically for commercial activities, the NES-CF will apply to you.

Fill in the notice online form here

National Environmental Standard for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF)

The National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) came into effect on 1 May 2018. This was amended to the National Environmental Standard for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF) on 3 November 2023 to add exotic continuous-cover forests (carbon forests) to its scope.

All forests must be well-managed to ensure any adverse effects on the environment are managed. For example, assessing wilding conifer risk, establishing setbacks from roads, dwellings and waterways, and managing harvests. Harvesting presents challenges such as sediment affecting water quality from clear felling and the roading networks created.

The NES-CF permits most forestry activities so long as foresters meet specific conditions designed to protect the environment. If foresters can’t meet these conditions, they must apply for resource consent.

If your forestry activity is permitted under NES-CF we will issue you with a Certificate of Compliance (CoC).

You are also required to notify the relevant regional council under the legislation as they assess the application for things different to a Territorial Authority, Contact Otago Regional Council for more information.

Further information
For more information, please contact planning@cluthadc.govt.nz or ask for our Planning Team on 0800 801 350.

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) have resources to explain the NES-CF. Find out more on the MPI website or call 0800 88 83 33.

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