Further, marginal land should be tree-covered, it says, but native forests serve a greater purpose than the pine plantations that began dominating the landscape decades ago. Its new approach suggests an important but different role for forestry, one where native forests overshadow exotic plantations in the years ahead. The shift away from exotic pines to native forest for carbon storage recognised that permanent native forests would store more carbon in the long run, Mr Zwaan said. Further, it called for an end to native deforestation by 2025, and it said it wanted a "sustained high rate" of planting native forests through to 2050. For more than three years, the company had supported independent scientific research into the establishment and effects of permanent regenerating native forests.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 19, 2021 15:33 UTC