![\"Aerial](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-aotearoa-stateless\/2025\/12\/c1ebf80c-forestry-slash-1024x640.jpeg\" "\\"Aerial")
\u201cIt is reckless and dangerous to weaken forestry rules when communities in Tair\u0101whiti and Hawke\u2019s Bay are still picking up the pieces from slash and erosion tearing through homes, rivers and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Cyclone Gabrielle is estimated to have cost the country $14.5 billion in clean up costs, and had devastating effects on freshwater and marine ecosystems. <\/p>\n\n
\u201cThese changes serve the profits of primarily offshore forestry companies at the expense of our communities who foot the bill to clean up the damage to their land, waterways and coastlines,\u201d says Toop.<\/p>\n\n
The Coalition Government is also proposing further changes through the RMA reforms that could force councils to compensate forestry companies if they try to bring in stronger local rules, in a scheme it’s calling “regulatory relief\u201d.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cDevastating and expensive cyclones are becoming more intense and frequent. Making it harder for councils to prevent forestry slash and erosion right now is a major leap backwards that New Zealand simply cannot afford,\u201d says Toop. <\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe Government must back down on these forestry changes and abandon its corporate compensation plans in the new RMA. Councils should never be forced to give public payouts to corporations for local environmental protections.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
As part of the changes announced last night, the Government is also repealing fencing regulations so that beef cattle and deer can now access and graze in wetlands that support threatened species. Again, most submitters were opposed to the changes. <\/p>\n\n
\u201cWhat country in 2026 decides to get rid of fencing rules and let cattle trample their last remaining wetlands and the rare species that depend on them? It\u2019s environmental vandalism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
There are less than 10% of wetlands remaining in Aotearoa. If Councils want to protect local wetlands by retaining the fencing rules they would likely be forced to hand over ratepayer money to affected farming companies under the proposed “regulatory relief\u201d scheme.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThis is real bottom of the barrel stuff from the Coalition Government. Fencing livestock out of wetlands is literally the bare minimum,\u201d says Toop.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cRolling back these fencing and forestry protections puts fragile ecosystems and species at risk and it’s yet another nail in the coffin for the clean green image that New Zealand trades on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
ENDS<\/p>\n\n
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For media response, please contact: <\/p>\n\n
Gen Toop <\/p>\n\n
021 316 840<\/p>\n\n