EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The upturn in forestry development since 1991 revives the issues of earlier decades when there were two major perspectives on the social and economic impacts. One represented the opportunities of employment and economic benefits to rural residents in established communities as well as the forestry towns with the increased activity of forest development The other view highlighted the disadvantages of forest development.
The only reports which consider social and economic community impacts of post 1980 forest development describe East Cape (Waiapu County, now Gisborne District) and Otago (West Otago and South Otago) for early in the 1980's decade. Some indications of community issues for the early 1980's in Northland also are described in various reports
Nothing is available to report on changes since the early 1980s and no studies have been conducted for the most recent phase of development, post 1991.
Anecdotal material from newspapers suggests that in Otago and Southland the pace of development has recently increased; new planting has increased by 40% in 1992-93 with one-third of this by major companies and the balance by small growers. Purchase of agricultural land for forestry development is continuing and a further increase in planting is expected in the next year. Documentation of social and economic impacts is not available but public statements by local authorities express enthusiastic support for continued forestry activity.
The regions for which earlier studies have described aspects of social or economic impacts of forestry on established communities and provide a base for further research include:
- Otago/Southland.
- Gisborne District
- Northland
Topics to be considered for community impacts of exotic forestry development that have been previously discussed in the literature are:
- Rural depopulation
- Population profile and changes in demographic features
- Rural services
- Employment
There is a need for a reinvestigation into the social and economic impacts of forestry expansion. There has been a change in the way exotic forestry is expanding. There is still an emphasis on large-scale corporate-style expansion, but at the same time there is increasing emphasis on small-scale and farm forestry projects. This growth in small-scale forestry is changing the attitudes of the rum' community towards forestry, away from fear towards acceptance. The change in attitude has come about as farmers have been able to participate in forestry development. There have been no documented studies of the impact of small-scale forestry on rural communities, or any comparisons between the impacts of large scale and small-scale forestry development
| © MAF 1994 | ||
| MAFnet Help | Important Disclaimer |
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
Contact this person
