NZ Herald: Make natives major part of billion-tree plan - EDS
Not a billion more pines, please
By Gary Taylor, CEO, Environmental Defence Society
A billion trees is a lot of trees. The government plans to plant (or to have others plant) them over the next 10 years. It looks like a good idea: trees are good, right? But some trees are better than others and that’s why the programme needs some careful thought.
The last thing New Zealand needs is another billion pine trees on top of business –as-usual rotation plantings. Yes, they will take up carbon from the atmosphere, which is good. But when harvested, most stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere. Yes, they can stabilise soil.