Appendix 5 - Ground Truthing of Areas Recovered from the Lcdb
As discussed in the report, the information provided form the LCDB can contain differences in terms of the forest types recorded (particularly by the Nicholls work) and what currently exists on the ground. It is therefore important that physical inspections of the forest are carried out to ensure the data captured in the LCDB accurately reflects what actually exists on the ground.
For a project of this nature, it would clearly be an enormous undertaking to physically review every area of forest under consideration and the cost would be prohibitive.
With this in mind some areas of forest have been inspected from either the ground or the air to provide an indication of how well the LCBD data reflects what actually exists on the ground.
It should be noted that at a macro level, the LCDB is more than adequate. That is to say that the definition of indigenous forest comes through clearly in the LCDB data. The difficulties arise when attempts are made to classify the indigenous estate by forest type. This incorporates other data sets that are not as current as the LCDB information, and can be open to either interpretation (e.g. as to what is deemed to be merchantable) or modification. An example would be through physical intervention in the forest (e.g. harvest of some or all of the timber).
The ground truthing undertaken was concentrated in those areas where the greatest area of Māori owned forest was located (and hence the more likely areas to support a sustainable forest management industry).
Aerial inspections of parts of the Urewera and East Coast forests (in both the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty regions), some of the Bay of Plenty forests and some South Auckland areas were undertaken.
The aerial inspections were supported by ground observations of some forest areas in the Gisborne Region and the Urewera and Rotorua areas.
The general outcome of this work was to reduce the volume that may be available for management due to either previous harvesting that had occurred or the effects of events such as Cyclone Bola and Cyclone Bernie. In many areas these adverse weather events have resulted in a significant reduction in the standing volume over parts of the forest, leaving other parts reasonably intact.
These events have occurred subsequent to the Forest Class work completed by Nicholls and hence the forest classes can over-state the volume present. Where this has been evident, adjustments have been made within the report to the standing volume for that region.
Contact for Enquiries
Policy Analyst - Forestry
Innovation and Research
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0741
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