Resource

The Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust controls an area of 16,447 hectares, being is the land originally leased to the Crown for forestry (the Trust’s Schedule 1 blocks) in 1973. This figure excludes the 7,600 hectares of Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 blocks that are around the edges of Lake Rotoaira and along the Desert Road respectively. The Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 blocks are under the Trust for administrative purposes only, and do not contribute to the Trust’s forestry business.

Under the Crown Lease arrangement the Trust provided the land and the Crown provided the funding and expertise to establish and manage a forest on the lands. The profits (“stumpage”) are shared on a ratio relative to each party’s contribution. The lease is now finishing, and as the first rotation trees are harvested, the land comes out of the Crown lease and is replanted by the Trust using its share of the first rotation profits. In this way the Trust increases its fully-owned area by around 300 ha per year. It is scheduled that by 2026 all of Lake Rotoaira Forest will be Trust-owned, and harvesting of the second rotation will commence.

Of the 16,447 hectares, 9,306 (57 per cent) have been afforested. The high proportion of unplanted area (43 per cent) reflects the conservation and environmental protection objectives of the Lease. Through the annual harvesting and replanting programme, the Trust now owns 3,200 hectares of planted (second-rotation) forest, with the Crown owning the remainder.

LAKE ROTOAIRA FOREST – AREAS BY AGE CLASS

Around 97 per cent of the forest is planted in Pinus radiata – the remaining 3 per cent is in Douglas fir, eucalyptus, and larch. Planting commenced in 1973 and was completed by 1989, while harvesting commenced in 1999. The radiata is managed to produce a high quality tree crop, and nearly all is pruned and thinned. The trees are grown on a 30 year rotation.

 The forest is being harvested at a level of 190,000 m3 per annum, a rate which can be sustained indefinitely. The logs produced are sold to a wide range of mills, with between 20% and 25% being exported in log form. 

Lake Rotoaira Forest is managed by NZ Forest Managers Ltd, a privately owned forest management company which undertakes contract management of forests. NZ Forest Managers is based in Turangi and has a long history with this forest. The Trust is happy to have this proactive and dynamic company looking after its investment.