Forestry

Under the National Environment Standard for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) consents are needed for some plantation forestry activities. Use the follow charts below to see if you need a consent from us (your regional council), or from your local council (territorial authority).

Afforestation (subpart 1) - consent required? (PDF 178 KB)

Pruning and thinning to waste (subpart 2) - consent required? (PDF 24 KB)

Earthworks (subpart 3) - consent required? (PDF 251 KB)

River crossings (subpart 4) - consent required? (PDF 259 KB)

Forestry quarrying (subpart 5) - consent required? (PDF 185 KB)

Harvesting (subpart 6) - consent required? (PDF 399 KB)

Mechanical land preparation (subpart 7) - consent required? (PDF 286 KB)

Replanting (subpart 8) - consent required? (PDF 25 KB)

The New National Environment Standard for Plantation Forestry

The National Environment Standard for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) provides a set of nationwide rules for plantation forestry activities that need to be followed if you have a plantation forest (or are thinking of having one) on your land. 

Greater Wellington will give effect the NES-PF by: 

• Receiving notifications of various forestry activities that meet NES-PF rules;
• Requesting management plans, if required;
• Monitor compliance with the NES-PF rules; and 
• Process resource consents and carry out compliance with activities that do not meet NES-PF rules 

It will be your responsibility to ensure that you: 

• Familiarise yourself with the rules under the NES-PF and guidance material to ensure you can comply;
• Notify Greater Wellington of forestry activities captured by rules in the NES-PF, using this form;
• Check with us to see if your existing activities are covered by existing use rights; and
• Check with us to see if any existing resource consents you hold give full effect to the NES-PF

If you need help, please contact us by email at notifications@gw.govt.nz.

These resources will assist with forestry consent applications: 

Remember - you need to notify us of Forestry Activities using this form.

The Erosion Susceptibility Classification can be used to check erosion risk and whether any activities, that will be undertaken on land, may require a resource consent. 

The Fish Spawning Indicator can be used to asses environmental risks when disturbing rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands. 

The Wilding Tree Risk Calculator can be used when accessing afforestation activities. 

The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) also has useful guidance material to assist with implementing the NES-PF. 

Visit this page to learn more about national rules for managing forestry slash.

If you need help, please contact us by email at notifications@gw.govt.nz.