10 Feb 2010
Latest figures released by Statistics New Zealand confirm the continuing fall in new forest plantings.
An estimated 40,000 ha of exotic forest was harvested in the year to the end of March 2009, 6 per cent down on the year before, SNZ said.
New area planted during the March year of 2300 ha was down from 2700 ha the previous year, and well below the 33,700 ha of new plantings in the 2001 calendar year.
In 2009, 31,100 ha of exotic forest was replanted, down from 33,100 ha the previous year and 42,500 ha in 2001.
Source: Statistics New Zealand media release
