Roundwood removals from New Zealand forests for the year ended 31 March 20081
Published 5 December 2008
Statistical release 06/08
ISSN: 0114-5371
Overview
An estimated 20.4 million cubic metres of roundwood was harvested from New Zealand forests during the year ended March 2008, up 2.5 percent on the year ended March 2007. An increase in the removal of logs for export was the main contributor to the increase in roundwood removals for the year ended March 2008. Harvested saw logs2 for the March 2008 year also rose mainly due to the increase in domestic building activity as reflected in the higher value of building work put in place when compared with the year ended March 2007 (Statistics New Zealand, 2008). Small logs3 was the only log type to decrease for the year ended March 2008.
Log removals from planted production forests
Log removals from planted production (exotic) forests made up 99.9 percent of the total harvest from New Zealand forests in the year ended March 2008. Radiata pine was the dominant species harvested, with Douglas-fir the next most significant.
Log removals for small logs production for the year ended March 2008 fell 8.4 percent to an estimated 1.3 million cubic metres, while log removals for all other end uses rose for the same period.
Log removals for saw logs for the year ended March 2008 showed an increase of 0.9 percent compared with the previous year, to an estimated 7.8 million cubic metres, following a 1.7 percent increase in the previous March year.
Log removals for peeler logs from planted production forests increased slightly by 0.5 percent, to an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres in the year ended March 2008. This was the highest volume of peeler log removals since monitoring began in 1951. The increase in plywood export volumes was the likely driver of an increase in log removals for peeler logs in the year ended March 2008.
Wood pulp production grew between the March 2007 and March 2008 years, driving an increase in the removal of pulp logs4. Logs removed for pulp production increased 6.3 percent to an estimated 3.5 million cubic metres over the same period.
Logs removals for export logs rose 3.8 percent from the year ended March 2007 to the year ended March 2008, to an estimated 6.2 million cubic metres. The increase in export logs to China and India were the main contributors to the rise in total export logs.
Log removals from natural forests
Log removals from natural (indigenous) forests in the year ended March 2008 increased by 2.2 percent on 2007 levels, to an estimated 18 000 cubic metres. Almost all indigenous logs were used to produce sawn timber; only 20 cubic metres of indigenous logs were used in veneer manufacture.
Roundwood removals by wood supply region
Roundwood removals in most North Island wood supply regions increased during the year ended March 2008 compared with the previous year, while most South Island wood supply regions fell over the same period.
Roundwood removals in the Central North Island wood supply region were estimated at 9.2 million cubic metres, an increase of 1.6 percent compared with the year ended March 2007. Other increases occurred in East Coast/Hawkes Bay (7.9 percent to 2.6 million cubic metres), Northland (9.4 percent to 2.1 million cubic metres) and Auckland (16.7 percent to 630 000 cubic metres). Southern North Island was the only wood supply region to fall in the North Island (down 2.1 percent to 930 000 cubic metres).
Over the same period, roundwood removals in most South Island wood supply regions showed a decrease except Otago/Southland region (up 0.7 percent to 1.5 million cubic metres). Decreases occurred in Nelson/Marlborough (2.1 percent to 2.3 million cubic metres), Canterbury (2.9 percent to 1.0 million cubic metres) and West Coast (4.3 percent to 220 000 cubic metres).
Supporting tables
Table 1: Estimated roundwood removals from New Zealand forests, year ended 31 March, 1980 to 2008
Table 2: Production, imports, exports and consumption of roundwood, 1996 to 2008
Table 3: Estimated roundwood removals from New Zealand forests by wood supply regions, 2003 to 2008
Table 4: Estimated processing of roundwood from New Zealand forests by wood supply regions, 2003 to 2008
Table 5: Share of total roundwood removals by wood supply regions, 2003 to 2008
Notes
1. The estimate of roundwood removals is based on several data sources. These include the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's annual surveys of sawmills and chipmills; pulp, paper and paperboard mills; and veneer, plywood, particleboard and fibreboard mills; as well as export data from Statistics New Zealand. Adjustments are made to the data supplied by processing companies to reconcile wood flows, and conversion factors are used to indirectly derive these estimates.
2. The estimate for saw logs is based on the output of sawmills and includes residues which may be utilised in other wood processing operations such as pulp or panel board manufacture. The sawmill conversion factors used are detailed on the MAF website: http://www.maf.govt.nz/statistics/forestry/annual/excel/Sawmill-conversion-factors.xls
3. The estimate for small logs includes softboard, hardboard, medium density fibreboard (mdf) and triboard.
4. The estimate for pulp logs includes only logs used for the manufacture of pulp in New Zealand.
References
Statistics New Zealand (9 June 2008) Value of Building Work put in Place: March 2008 quarter
Further information
This release and detailed tables of the series discussed in this release are available on the MAF website: http://www.maf.govt.nz/statistics/forestry/index.htm
Contact for Enquiries
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