Continuous Cover Forestry: A Handbook for the Management of New Zealand Forests by Ian Barton
Review by Allan Levett
New
Zealand Tree Grower November 2008
See these tree grower articles by Ian Barton:
Continuous
cover forestry – an introduction
New
Zealand Tree Grower November 2005
Continuous
cover forestry: Management practice
New Zealand Tree
Grower May 2006
This is a timely book. Continuous cover forestry is suited to slower
growing high value species. Increasing oil costs threaten export values
for pine timber and call for alternatives that save imports and
stimulate new industry. The recent climate change policies provide
incentives to plant diverse exotics and natives especially on farms and
in remote hill country.
Continuous cover forestry encourages a search for small coupe,
cost-efficient harvesting techniques. The increasing importance of
other forestry values such as environmental protection, biodiversity
and sustainability add to the usefulness of continuous cover
forestry at this time.
The name describes the process − the use of silvicultural systems
whereby the forest canopy is maintained at one or more levels without
clear felling. Harvesting is carried out continually by single tree or
small coupe fellings through the whole forest area, followed by
regeneration. Biodiversity, soil and water values, and the landscape
are not compromised. ‘Sustainability is at the heart of CCF and in a
timber-producing forest this means that the annual or periodic cut does
not exceed the annual or periodic increment.’
 Ian Barton is
well-known for his contributions to tree growing in New
Zealand. He is a man of vision, with a disciplined mind and
determination to carry projects through. After working for the NZ
Forest Service he was with Hunua Water Catchment Board for 25 years
where he wrote about work with kauri. He is the chairman and driving
force of Tane’s Tree Trust which encourages people to grow native trees
for timber. This book is a natural extension of that important project,
but it applies to all tree growing and is partly based on his own
experience with continuous cover forestry at Amakiwi.
The handbook is a mine of useful information. The first chapter
outlines the principles and objectives of continuous cover forestry,
provides a brief historical background and compares continuous cover
forestry with other forest management systems. The second chapter tells
how to create a continuous cover forest, either starting from scratch
or when converting an existing forest. It lists things to think about
before planting mixed species in the one patch including the effects of
soil and micro-climate features on each of the likely
selected species and the critical future harvesting methods.
As an aid in choosing species the appendix provides detailed analysis
of 10 native and 12 exotic species that are suitable for continuous
cover forestry. These include site requirements and shade and
competition tolerance for each. There is a supplementary list of trees
that could be considered and a list of potential nurse species with
their characteristics.
The third chapter deals with managing the mixed forest once it is
underway. Inventory, monitoring and yield control are considered the
essence of management. Harvesting methods are well-illustrated with
photographs and, also in the appendix, accounts of techniques developed
by John and Rosalie Wardle in North Canterbury and Paul and Ash Millen
in the Marlborough Sounds.
The fourth and fifth chapters are valuable sections, the former
discussing financial aspects – about which more will be known with
future experience, and the latter, legislation that affects continuous
cover forestry. The final chapter considers a variety of issues
including research needs, planning, finance, taxation and legislation
and the importance of training for continuous cover forestry. This is a
benchmark study, but an excellent beginning.
Indigena
is the magazine produced for members of the Indigenous Forest
Section.
It is now A4, the same size as Tree Grower, 28 pages long and with a
selection of excellent articles about indigenous forestry. If you want
a regular copy, join the Indigenous
Forest Section when you renew your
NZFFA
membership.
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