The Land With All Woods and Water, Rangahaua Whanui National Theme U. 

W Pond 

1997 

 

 

Report 

Pond puts it: Deforestation was carried out without regard for Maori interests in freshwater fisheries. Although planting of pine forests around the Kaipara Harbour did not begin in a major way until the 1920s and 1930s, by which time the habitat for native freshwater fish species had already been altered significantly, it is worth noting that when such forests replace native forest they create a new enviornemnt around streams. Their shade is darker and less dappled, their variety of vegetation is narrower, and the chemical composition of their leaf litter is toxic. The intense shade of pine trees can prevent the growth of stabilising vegetation along stream banks, which are easily eroded resulting in a wide, shallow, and silted stream bed. Basically, the replanting of the land with pine trees does not provide a substitute for native forest cover. 

Fisheries 

Biogeophysical--Kaipara Harbour--catchment--forestry impacts--pine trees--freshwater fisheries--stream habitat