Our Vision: We want to create a country where we are admired by the world not just because of our wonderful natural environment, but because of the way we live. A way of life that protects and enhances that environment.
This policy and associated papers are copyright. NZ Outdoors Party. 2020
The New Zealand Outdoors Party will set criteria to control clearing of land and sediment, debris run off by setting a National Environmental Standard within a National Policy Statement. This will entail ,every person involved in a forestry activity, including land owner; forestry operator, has to be responsible for the environmental impact caused by that activity and hold enough indemnity insurance to cover environmental restoration from damage caused by that activity. We will put policy in place to restrict high quality food producing land including farm land and native bush being converted into forestry blocks.
Policy will be put in place that will enforce 70% of felled logs in New Zealand will have to be processed in NZ, producing a value added product(e.g. Timber) . These policies will restrict and reduce foreign ownership of our forestry industry and open up land locked forestry areas for recreation [while there is no logging activity on that land].
What will you do to stop the adverse environmental effects?
- Set up a governing body to manage and control the forestry industry with a focus on protecting the New Zealand environment.
- Ensure the relevant authorities have legislative mandate to prosecute for environmental damage caused by forestry activities.
- No vegetation clearance within 30 meters of all creeks and waterways
- All bare land must be sown in a vegetation cover within 5 days after the trees are removed to protect the top soil erosion.
- Classify land into grades that meet criteria suitable for forestry and other agriculture production. (e.g. farming, horticulture )
What about the overseas investment in our forests?
- Foreign investors in forestry industry have to take 49% shareholding with NZ the NZ Government
- Give incentives for NZ based companies to invest in NZ forestry
- Look at buying back 51% to a 100% shareholding in existing foreign owned forestry companies
- Review the Overseas Investment Act to ensure there is a strong benefit to New Zealand from foreign purchases of rural and forestry land.
