Four Forests for Climate

Our forest correspondent, Dean Baigent-Mercer joins us for a discussion on permanent carbon sinks in the Emissions Trading Scheme which the Govt is about to announce. This discussion has often been framed as pines vs natives, but Dean thinks there is a way reshape this binary thinking with four categories of carbon sinks.

Photo: 123RF

Firstly though he takes a look at the incredible destruction and vigorous regeneration 8 years after Cyclone Ita on Paparoa National Park.

An ancient tawhai/beech trunk snapped by Cyclone Ita.

Ancient tawhai/beech tree grinch shattered into four metre long kindling strips by Cyclone Ita in 2014.

Once was a tall ancient native, now few trees stand with vigorous regeneration beneath.

Another tree snapped like a toothpick by Cyclone Ita in 2014.

Seedlings of kapuka/broadleaf, one of the favorite food of deer, that have germinated on an ancient tree smashed by Cyclone Ita in 2014.