Big forestry company cops $80,000 fine

One of New Zealand's largest forestry management companies has been fined $80,000 for polluting Bay of Plenty streams.

Rotorua-based forestry company PF Olsen Ltd faced two charges under the Resource Management Act after large amounts of sediment and logging debris was flushed into valleys and streams leading into the Waiotahi River.

Environment Bay of Plenty, which brought the prosecution, said several piles of logging debris had collapsed in the Waiotahi Forest near Opotiki after an intense three-day storm in April 2008. Several waterways were significantly affected.

During sentencing submissions, PF Olsen told Tauranga District Court the firm had moved quickly to clear debris from the stream and monitoring showed it was now running clear and native aquatic life had returned to normal.

PF Olsen chief executive Peter Clark said in a statement the slips happened on some of the steepest and most erosion-prone country in the world during a 1-in-20-year downpour.

He hoped this prosecution would not put investors off planting trees on steep, erosion-prone hill country. The country needed more trees on such land, not only for soil protection but also to help offset carbon emissions from other sectors.

Environment Bay of Plenty chairman John Cronin said the regional council did not take the decision to prosecute lightly.

"This was a serious issue and the fine amount appropriately reflects the seriousness of the crime. We hope that the prosecution and subsequent fines will act as a deterrent to other companies."

A resource consent was a company's contract with the community to care for the environment, he said.

Judge Jeff Smith said thatin setting the $80,000 fine he took into account that PF Olsen spent $250,000 on remedial work after its debris pile collapsed, and had carried out a review of its management processes for dealing with high-risk sites.

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