The devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle has left a significant scar on the land in Northland, the Coromandel and Hawkes Bay. But instead of replanting pine, we should return the land to native bush.
Radiata pine was originally a solution to land erosion – but this Number-8 wire fix is past its due date and the forestry industry will likely wear the cost of change.
Biofuels are heralded as a climate-friendly replacement of fossil fuels, but encouraging people to drive less and shift to other modes of transport would cut more emissions.