Article from Newsroom: In just 20 years it’s expected the number of days this country faces very high or extreme fire risk will increase by 71 percent. While New Zealand won’t face the same level of extreme fire risk as Australia, dry conditions look set to increase in some of the same parts of the country where forest planting is also likely to accelerate.
With trees firmly ensconced in New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme as an offset to greenhouse gas emissions, planting could be a cost-effective way to reach our climate goals. But many of the trees planted are likely to be relatively-flammable plantation pine – prompting researchers to warn that we need to be careful what species get planted, where.
Forest scientists also warn we’ll need to defend our existing native forests, which lock up astonishing carbon stores. While New Zealand won’t face the same level of extreme fire risk as Australia, dry conditions look set to increase in some of the same parts of the country where forest planting is also likely to accelerate.