New deforestation rules

Forestry landholders are reminded that from January 1 this year onwards, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) must be notified of any deforestation of more than two hectares of pre-1990 forest within 20 working days of starting work.

People who deforest more than two hectares of pre-1990 forest land become mandatory participants of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and are legally obliged to:

• Notify MAF
• File an emissions return by March 31 this year, quantifying their liability to surrender units
• Surrender units to meet their emissions liability by May 31 next year, but not before January 1.

The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is the price-based mechanism established by Parliament to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions below business-as-usual levels and comply with international obligations, including the Kyoto Protocol.

The scheme is a key part of NZ’s overall climate change policy and involves all significant greenhouse gases and all sectors including forestry, agriculture, industry, energy, waste and liquid fossil fuels.

Forest owners will either automatically or voluntarily become participants in the ETS depending on:

• The date the forest was established
• The type of forest owned (or leased or held under a forestry right)
• Whether any deforestation has occurred.

Forest land is defined as being at least one hectare with forest species that have or are likely to have at maturity a crown cover of more than 30 percent on each hectare.

There are two forest classifications: post-1989 forest and pre-1990 forest
An owner of post-1989 forest can choose to become a participant in the ETS.

A participant entitles the forest owner to receive NZUs for the increase in carbon stocks in their forest from 1 January, 2008, onwards. However, it also requires that they repay emissions units whenever the carbon stocks in their forest falls below a previously reported level.

MAF says it won’t know how many hectares of pre-1990 forest land has been deforested until all deforestation emissions returns have been filed. The deadline for deforestation emissions returns is March 31.

Info: 0800 CLIMATE (254 628) or visit www.maf.govt.nz/sustainable-forestry