During a recent trip to Tairāwhiti, I spent a day attending the Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group (TFAG) meeting. FICA holds a seat at this table through a Ministerial appointment. TFAG was originally tasked with assisting in the clean-up of woody debris following severe weather events, but its broader objective is to help de-risk catchments across the region.
While much of the downstream clean-up work has now been completed, the focus has shifted to the upper catchments behind forest gates. Several projects are currently being developed, with forest owners and managers working alongside Gisborne District Council (GDC) to reduce risk in vulnerable areas. The major challenge now is obtaining the necessary consents to undertake this work.
TFAG also provided financial assistance to support clean-up efforts in Te Araroa, with a number of FICA contractors involved in the operation. One aspect that has not been widely publicised is that the woody debris removed during this clean-up was almost exclusively indigenous vegetation.
