Notice of undertaking a permitted activity in a commercial forest

The National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) came into effect in 2018. It became the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF) in November 2023. The NES-CF provides a consistent set of rules for commercial forestry activities across New Zealand.

NES-CF notice

If you operate under the NES-CF, you must tell us before starting work on forestry activities. These include:

earthworks
river crossings
afforestation
forestry quarrying
harvesting.

Visit Ministry for Primary Industries to find out if your forestry activities are managed under the NES-CF.

When you need to provide NES-CF notice

This table explains how much notice you need to give for different forestry activities before starting work on them.

Activity	How much notice you need to give
Afforestation	at least 20 working days before and no more than 8 months before starting afforestation works.
Earthworks Road widening and realignment Salvage operations	at least 20 and no more than 60 working days before starting earthworks or road widening and realignment, or at least 10 and no more than 60 working days before starting earthworks or road widening and realignment in green (low-risk) or yellow (moderate-risk) erosion susceptibility zones at least 2 days before starting earthworks for salvage operations once a year for ongoing earthworks.
River crossings	at least 20 and no more than 60 working days before starting river crossing activity.
Forest quarrying	at least 20 and no more than 60 working days before starting forest quarrying at least 10 and no more than 60 working days before starting forest quarrying in green (low-risk) or yellow (moderate-risk) erosion susceptibility zones once a year for ongoing forest quarrying.
Harvesting	at least 20 and no more than 60 working days before harvesting, or a minimum of 2 days before starting harvesting for salvage works, or once a year for ongoing harvesting works.
Replanting	at least 20 working days and no more than 8 months before you start replanting.

Why you need to provide NES-CF notice

Notice of the activity:

is required by regulation
allows us to monitor compliance if appropriate.

How to provide NES-CF notice

Email monitoring@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz with:

your completed NES-CF notification form
other supporting documents including management plans for the planned work.

Get a copy of the NES-CF Permitted Activity Notification form

National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry Permitted Activity Notification

PDF download 273.4 KB

You should know

This document does not replace a resource consent application. Your permitted activity may still need resource consent. Find out more about preparing your resource consent application.

If you need resource consent due to the sensitivity of the local environment, matters of discretion may require an assessment of the effects on mana whenua. We recommend you engage with iwi as soon as possible to find out if you need to do a cultural value assessment.

Supporting documents

The NES-CF notice allows us to request a copy of management plans for your planned work. It is our policy to request management plans.

These include:

Harvesting
- Harvest Plan
Forest quarrying:
- Quarry Erosion and Sediment Management Plan
Earthworks and harvesting:
- Forestry Earthworks Management Plan
Afforestation:
- Afforestation Management Plan
- Wilding Tree Risk Assessment
- Wilding tree risk calculation sheet and score
River crossings
- Flow calculations
Replanting
- Replanting Management Plan
- Wilding Tree Risk Assessment
- Wilding tree risk calculation sheet and score.

You must provide us with any requested management plans at least 15 working days before work starts.

You also need to tell us about any amendments to management plans so we can request a copy of the updated plan.

What happens next

Once we receive your completed notification form, we will:

email you confirmation within 10 working days, and
contact you to arrange a site meeting or request more information if needed.

More information

Visit Stormwater forms and guides under 'Best management practice – Environmental' for a copy of 'A guide for small forest owners'.

Erosion Susceptibility Classification – Ministry for Primary Industries

Wilding Tree Risk calculator – Ministry for Primary Industries

Fish Spawning Indicator – Ministry for Primary Industries