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Forests

Forests, like oceans, recycle carbon dioxide into oxygen (they make our air)!  They also provide habitats for most of the world's biodiversity.  They are a vital source of building materials and firewood.  Globally, almost all major forests are under threat.

Currently 47% of the Bay of Plenty Region is still covered in indigenous forest.  How long can we keep it that way?

Management is crucial for our local forest areas to retain their biodiversity (already greatly reduced from their original state), as invasive plants and animals - including humans -attack and degrade our indigenous forests to such an extent that their regeneration is limited to only a few species.  This greatly reduces New Zealand’s natural biodiversity and diminishes the life-supporting capacity of the forest ecosystem.

Keeping our forests healthy...

• Invasive plants and animals play havoc on our indigenous ecosystems.
• Native Birds are often used as 'indicator species'.  Forests that have kokako, for example, require an absence of animal pests like rats, stoats, and a great reduction of possums in order to survive. The absence of these pests results in the presence of flora and fauna (plants and animals) that otherwise would not have been able to exist.  We are lucky to have kokako in Rotorua.  This is in part due to Environment Bay of Plenty having developed a local pest management strategy.
• It is difficult to measure the value of healthy forest ecosystems from a physical aspect alone.  Old-growth forests are rejuvenating to the human soul: they inspire, they touch the human spirit, they have cultural values that spans generations, they are teachers.
• Forests also act as carbon sinks, storing carbon out of the atmosphere and thus helping to slow the rate of climate change.
• Forest and Bird have a great kids' club with a very active Rotorua branch.
• There are numerous forest restoration projects in Rotorua, including the Mount Ngongotaha Bush Restoration Trust, Department of Conservation volunteers programme, Environment Bay of Plenty Care Groups like the Hannah's Bay Wetland Restoration project and the Ngongotaha Stream Restoration project just to mention a few.

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