Planting & Renewal

6 September 2007

With annual export earnings of $3.6 billion in 2006, the forestry and wood industry is New Zealand's third largest export earner. The industry also supports the domestic market and is a major regional employer, with 8250 individuals employed in forestry and logging in 2004, and 23,405 in forestry and first stage processing.

Forestry has provided New Zealanders with enormous economic benefits, and this is set to continue with many plantation forests due for harvest in the next twenty years.

The potential for increasing the economic benefits of plantation forestry in New Zealand are substantial. By using and demanding more wood, not only are we contributing to the fight against climate change, but local economies and industries will also benefit from the move towards an even stronger wood culture.