Table 1 Chronology of events leading to current reforestation scheme (East Coast Forestry Project) (modified from Phillips and Marden, 2005 )
From: Revegetation of steeplands in France and New Zealand: geomorphic and policy responses
Date | Action | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Pre-1850 | Vegetation clearance by Maori | Â |
1880s–1920 | Vegetation clearance by early Europeans | First signs of erosion becoming apparent |
1920s | Early geologists’ warnings of erosion |  |
1938 | Big floods and regional landsliding | Early documentation of problem |
1941 | 1941 the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act was passed | Catchment boards were given the task to manage and prevent soil erosion on farmland |
1944 | Poverty Bay Catchment Board formed | First attempts to deal with the problem on farmland at a local scale |
1947 | Big Floods and regional landsliding | Â |
1960 | First plantings by New Zealand Forest Service (NZFS) | First attempt at large-scale reforestation in this region |
1963 | Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council appointed a technical committee of inquiry. The committee reported back in 1967 | First attempts to deal with the problem on farmland at a regional scale |
1967 and 1970 | East Coast Project – report back 1967Formal publication 1970 | Taylor Report |
Late 1970s | Reviews of East Coast Project | ‘Red Report’ plus an Economic report (Ministry of Works and Development) |
1979-85 | Small-scale farm afforestation known as ‘Protection-Production Forestry Encouragement Grants’ | NZFS grants for erosion control on small areas of marginal farmland |
1987 | Demise of New Zealand Forest Service | Major restructuring led to foreign ownership of ex-State Forests |
1988 | Cyclone Bola | Largest landslide/flood in living memory. Return period > 100 years. National disaster declared. |
1988 | Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment report | Inquiry into flood mitigation measures following Cyclone Bola |
1988–1992 | East Coast Conservation Forestry Scheme | Forerunner to the East Coast Forestry Project but restricted to two southern catchments |
1993 | East Coast Forestry Project | Region-wide scheme |
1993 | Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment review | Water and soil resource management on the East Coast |
1994 | Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment review | Sustainable land management and the East Coast Forestry Project |
1998 | East Coast Forestry Project review | Significant review by Bayfield and Meister (1998) resulted in changed objectives |
2000–2001 | East Coast Forestry Project 2000 | New singular objective – space planted poles, reversion options |
2002 | East Coast Forestry Project 2002 | Revised guidelines and widening of treatment options. Review by Bayfield and Meister (2005) resulted in changed objectives, move towards grant rather than tender, focus on gully planting, introduction of covenants |
2005 | East Coast Forestry Project review | |
2005 | Discussion paper for the review of ECFP | MAF June 2005, submissions |
2006 | East Coast Forestry Project Grant Guidelines | Implemented changes from 2005 review, moved from a tender to a grant, introduced 50-year land covenant to protect plantings |
2010 | Discussion paper on review of MAF afforestation schemes | December 2010, submissions |
2010 | Other MAF schemes PFSI, AGS etc. | Â |
2011 | Review of MAF Afforestation Schemes | MAF Information Paper 2011/07 Review Panel |
2020 | Funding for ECFP due to cease | Â |