Multiple use management of New Zealand's indigenous forests; a rose by any other name...

Abstract

Multiple use forest management was a concept imported to New Zealand from the United States in response to competing demands upon the state owned indigenous forests resource. It was later abandoned in favour of management under single objectives, and the Department of Conservation assumed control of the majority of the indigenous forest estate.

In this report the concept of 'multiple use' and the reasons for its abandonment are reconsidered, to ascertain any contribution it may make to management of the indigenous forest resource today.

The context, in terms of historic influences and attitudes, in which multiple use was interpreted, is identified as being as important as the theoretical base of the concept itself. An examination of current environmental attitudes and ethical directions reveals a mix of values and the emergence of sustainability as a reconciling concept.

An analysis of the Department of Conservation as the organisation with principal responsibility for interpreting national policy on the indigenous forests, reveals some internal inconsistencies as a symptom of the dichotomy in environmental attitudes and suggests some blockages to the Department embracing a broad definition of sustainability.

In light of these findings a deconstruction of the concept of multiple use offers a possible intermediary link between sustainability and the Department of Conservation's management of the state owned indigenous forests.