Permanent Forest Sink Initiative Guidelines
PFSI land eligibility criteria
Eligible land
To be eligible to enter the PFSI, land must be Kyoto-compliant land. That is, there must have been a change of land use from non-forest to forest since 31 December 1989. The land must not have been in forest on this date, and since then, active steps, such as planting or facilitating natural regeneration must have been taken to create a forest.
Forest Land is defined as:
“A minimum area of one hectare of land with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 30 percent, with trees with the potential to reach a minimum height of five metres at maturity in situ. A forest may consist either of closed forest formations where trees of various storeys and undergrowth cover a high proportion of the ground or open forest. Young natural stands and all plantations which have yet to reach a crown density of 30 percent or tree height of five metres are included under this definition. So, too, are areas normally forming part of forest that are temporarily unstocked as a result of human interventions, such as harvesting or natural causes, but which are expected to revert to forest.”
A guide to determining what is, and is not, eligible land is contained in PFSI: A Guide to Eligible Land.
To be able to enter the PFSI, the applicant must provide evidence of the land’s eligibility as part of the application. Examples of evidence that may assist in determining land eligibility include:
• Aerial photography of the landholding close to 1990
• Oblique photography of the landholding close to 1990 with verifiable dates such as diary entries, work records
• Planting records and stocking levels
• Details of species planted
• Contractor invoices
• Planting plans.
Potential sources for mapping services, aerial or satellite imagery include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Terralink International Ltd: www.terralink.co.nz
• Landcare Research: www.landcareresearch.co.nz
• Land Information New Zealand (LINZ): www.linz.govt.nz
• New Zealand Aerial Mapping (NZAM): www.nzam.com
• GeoSmart: www.airlog.co.nz
• Regional Councils
Ineligible land
Land which is not Kyoto compliant is not eligible. That is, land that was already under forest before 1 January 1990.
Shelterbelts which are less than 30 metres wide on average or forest which is less than 30 metres wide on average, unless contiguous with other eligible forest, are not eligible. Horticultural crops are not eligible.
Land which has either received a grant under the Afforestation Grant Scheme or which has entered the Emissions Trading Scheme (Forestry) is not eligible.
Contact for Enquiries
Sustainable Programmes
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
14 Sir William Pickering Drive
PO Box 20 280
Bishopdale
Christchurch 8053
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: 64 3 943 3700
Fax: 64 3 943 3701
Te Papa Tipu Innovation Park
99 Sala Street
PO Box 1340
Rotorua 3040
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: 64 7 921 3400
Fax: 64 7 921 3402
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