Find out how kiwi can thrive in managed plantation forests.

If you were to imagine a kiwi roaming around in its natural habitat, most people would think of lush native bush complete with ferns, native birdsong, and ancient giants of the forest towering above them.

But kiwi can live – and thrive – in exotic plantation forests if a few simple precautions are taken. These precautions do not need to disrupt how the forest is managed, or its profitability.

Help for forest owners

Here are some guidelines for preparing, maintaining, and harvesting a kiwi-friendly forest:

  • Leave pockets of native vegetation and maintain native bush along stream sides and wetlands.
  • Avoid using fire to clear land.
  • If possible, avoid roller crushing and bulldozing to clear land.
  • Plant the forest in small compartments that vary in age so birds have a chance to find a new home when mature trees are harvested.
  • Avoid harvesting from June to October, the main kiwi nesting time.
  • Control predators.
  • Only give access to reliable hunters who have trained their dogs to avoid kiwi.
  • The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai can provide advice for major forestry developments.

Where threatened species are known to occur within plantation forests and their presence is considered significant by the Department of Conservation, plantation managers shall consult with the Department of Conservation on management practices with the objective of conserving the population. Contact DOC  for more information.

 

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