Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry) Amendment Regulations 2026
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2026/92
Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry) Amendment Regulations 2026
Cindy Kiro, Governor-General
Order in Council
At Wellington this 4th day of May 2026
Present:
Her Excellency the Governor-General in Council
These regulations are made under section 43 and 43A of the Resource Management Act 1991—
(a)
on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council; and
(b)
on the recommendation of the Minister for the Environment made in accordance with section 44 of that Act.
Contents
Regulations
1 Title
These regulations are the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry) Amendment Regulations 2026.
2 Commencement
These regulations come into force on 4 June 2026.
3 Principal regulations
These regulations amend the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry) Regulations 2017.
4 Regulation 3 amended (Interpretation)
(1)
In regulation 3(1), replace the definition of cutover with:
cutover means an area of land that has been harvested, but does not include an area of land where slash is managed under regulation 69(1) to (4)
(2)
In regulation 3(1), definition of forestry quarrying, paragraph (b), replace “forest quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(3)
In regulation 3(1), definition of overburden, replace “quarrying”
with “forestry quarrying”
.
(4)
In regulation 3(1), insert in their appropriate alphabetical order:
Land Use Capability Survey Handbook means the document referred to in item 15 of Schedule 2
slash mobilisation risk assessment means the document referred to in item 16 of Schedule 2
5 Regulation 5 amended (Application)
Revoke regulation 5(5).
6 Regulation 6 amended (Relationship between rules and these regulations)
(1)
Replace regulation 6(1) with:
(1)
A rule in a plan may be more stringent than these regulations if the rule gives effect to any of policies 11, 13, 15, and 22 of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010.
Severe erosion
(1A)
A rule in a plan may be more stringent than these regulations if the rule is necessary to manage the risk of severe erosion in a defined area that would have significant adverse effects on downstream infrastructure, property, or receiving environments, including the coastal environment.
(2)
Revoke regulation 6(4A) and the heading above regulation 6(4A).
(3)
In regulation 6(5), insert in their appropriate alphabetical order:
defined area means an area spatially defined in a plan by 1 or both of the following:
(a)
mapping at a scale of not less than 1:10,000:
(b)
an erosion model based on a 1 m digital elevation model
severe erosion means—
(a)
an occurrence of any of the following erosion types that would be assessed as severe, very severe, or extreme in accordance with the Land Use Capability Survey Handbook:
(i)
soil slip:
(ii)
debris avalanche:
(iii)
debris flow; or
(b)
either of the following gully erosion terrains:
(i)
hill country developed on crushed argillite, sandstone, or greywacke, with severe gully-dominated erosion; or
(ii)
hilly steeplands developed on crushed argillite with gully-dominated erosion
7 Regulation 7 amended (Material incorporated by reference)
In regulation 7, insert as subclause (2):
(2)
Clause 2(1) of Schedule 1AA of the Act does not apply to item 16 of Schedule 2 (slash mobilisation risk assessment).
8 Regulation 8 amended (Functions for this subpart)
In regulation 8, in the first column of the table, replace “10, 11, 12,”
with “10 to 12”
.
9 Regulation 9 amended (Permitted activity)
(1)
In regulation 9(1), replace “10, 11, 12, 13,”
with “10 to 13”
.
(2)
In regulation 9(2), replace “10, 11, 12,”
with “10 to 12”
.
10 Regulation 10A amended (Permitted activity conditions: afforestation management plan)
(1)
Replace section 10A(1) with:
(1)
An afforestation management plan—
(a)
is required for all afforestation activities; and
(b)
must be in place at least 20 working days and no more than 8 months before the date on which afforestation begins.
(2)
In regulation 10A(3), replace “include all forest planning requirements that apply to the afforestation activity”
with “include the details specified in, and meet the requirements of, Schedule 3”
.
(3)
In regulation 10A(4),—
(a)
replace “that an amendment”
with “when a material amendment”
; and
(b)
replace “on request”
with “on written request”
.
(4)
After section 10A(5), insert:
(6)
In subclause (4), material amendment means any change to setbacks, afforestation area boundaries, species, or wilding tree risk that would significantly change the methods used to manage environmental effects.
11 Regulation 11 amended (Permitted activity condition: wilding tree risk and control)
(1)
In regulation 11(4)(a), replace “and the calculation sheet used to provide that score”
with “for each relevant area of forest”
.
(2)
Replace regulation 11(4)(b) with:
(b)
the calculation sheets and the inputs used to provide each score.
12 Regulation 15 amended (Controlled activity)
(1)
In regulation 15(1) and (5), replace “regulation 10 is”
with “regulations 10 and 10A are”
.
(2)
Replace regulation 15(2) with:
(2)
For the purpose of subclause (1), control is reserved over the information on the activity required to be given—
(a)
in the notice under regulation 10(1); and
(b)
in the afforestation management plan under regulation 10A(3).
(3)
Replace regulation 15(6) with:
(6)
For the purpose of subclause (5), control is reserved over the information on the activity required to be given—
(a)
in the notice under regulation 10(1); and
(b)
in the afforestation management plan under regulation 10A(3).
13 Regulation 27 amended (Permitted activity conditions: forestry earthworks management plan)
(1)
In regulation 27(4), replace “on request”
with “on written request”
.
(2)
In regulation 27(5), replace “environment”
with “environmental”
.
14 Regulation 45 amended (Permitted activity condition: flow calculations)
In regulation 45(2), replace “request”
with “written request”
.
15 Regulation 50 amended (Functions for this subpart)
In regulation 50, in the first column of the table, delete “57,”
.
16 Regulation 51 amended (Permitted activity)
In regulation 51(1), replace “54(1) and (2), and 57”
with “and 54(1) and (2)”
.
17 Regulation 52 amended (Permitted activity conditions: notice)
(1)
In regulation 52(1), replace “forest quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(2)
In regulation 52(2)(a), (b), and (c), replace “forest quarrying”
with “forestry quarrying”
.
(3)
In regulation 52(3), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
18 Regulation 53 amended (Permitted activity conditions: visibility)
(1)
In regulation 53, replace “forest quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(2)
In regulation 53(b), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
19 Regulation 54 amended (Permitted activity conditions: setbacks)
In regulation 54(1)(a) and (2), replace “forest quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
20 Regulation 55 amended (Permitted activity conditions: deposition, stabilisation, and restoration)
(1)
In regulation 55(2), replace “quarrying”
with “forestry quarrying”
.
(2)
In regulation 55(4), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
21 Regulation 58 amended (Permitted activity conditions: aquifers)
In regulation 58(1), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
22 Regulation 59 amended (Permitted activity conditions: quarry erosion and sediment management plan)
(1)
In the heading to regulation 59, replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(2)
In regulation 59, replace “quarry erosion”
with “forestry quarry erosion”
in each place.
(3)
In regulation 59(1), replace “forest quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(4)
In regulation 59(2), replace “quarrying”
with “forestry quarrying”
.
(5)
In regulation 59(5), replace “on request”
with “on written request”
.
(6)
In regulation 59(6), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(7)
In regulation 59(7), replace “quarrying”
with “forestry quarrying”
.
23 Regulation 60 amended (Controlled activity)
In regulation 60(4)(k), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
24 Regulation 61 amended (Restricted discretionary activity)
(1)
In regulation 61(1), replace “54(1) or (2), or 57”
with “or 54(1) or (2)”
.
(2)
In regulation 61(5)(k), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
25 Regulation 63 amended (Permitted activity)
Replace regulation 63(2) with:
(2)
Harvesting is a permitted activity if regulations 64 to 69 are complied with and the harvesting is in—
(a)
any green or yellow zone; or
(b)
any of the following, if a slash mobilisation risk assessment required by regulation 69(5) has been undertaken and the assessment has not identified a high mobilisation risk:
(i)
an orange zone:
(ii)
a red zone that is not of Land Use Capability Class 8e, if there is no more than 2 ha of harvesting in any 3-month period.
26 Regulation 64 amended (Permitted activity conditions: notice)
In regulation 64(3), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
in each place.
27 Regulation 66 amended (Permitted activity conditions: harvest plan)
(1)
In the heading to regulation 66, replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
(2)
In regulation 66(1), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
(3)
In regulation 66(2), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
(4)
In regulation 66(2)(a), replace “the earthworks”
with “harvesting”
.
(5)
Replace regulation 66(3) with:
(3)
A harvesting plan must be accompanied by a forestry earthworks management plan that contains the details required by Schedule 4 or a combined plan that contains all the details required by Schedules 4 and 6 in the case of—
(a)
any orange zone; or
(b)
any red zone that is not of Land Use Capability Class 8e, if there is no more than 2 ha of harvesting in any 3-month period.
(6)
In regulation 66(4), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
in each place.
(7)
In regulation 66(5), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
(8)
In regulation 66(5), replace “on request”
with “on written request”
.
(9)
In regulation 66(6), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
(10)
In regulation 66(7), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
28 Regulation 67 amended (Permitted activity conditions: ground disturbance)
In regulation 67(1), replace “Harvest”
with “Harvesting”
.
29 Regulation 68 amended (Permitted activity conditions: disturbance of margins of water bodies and coastal marine area)
In regulation 68(5)(b), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
30 Regulation 69 amended (Permitted activity conditions: slash and debris management)
(1)
In the heading to regulation 69, delete “and debris”
.
(2)
Replace regulation 69(5) to (7) with:
(5)
A slash mobilisation risk assessment must be undertaken in relation to slash from harvesting on the cutover in—
(a)
any orange zone; or
(b)
any red zone that is not of Land Use Capability Class 8e, if there is no more than 2 ha of harvesting in any 3-month period.
31 Regulation 70 amended (Controlled activity)
(1)
Replace regulation 70(3)(b) with:
(b)
in any red zone not of Land Use Capability Class 8e if one of the following applies:
(i)
it involves more than 2 ha of harvesting in any 3-month period:
(ii)
it involves less than 2 ha of harvesting in any 3-month period and a requirement in regulations 64 to 69 is not complied with:
(c)
if a slash mobilisation risk assessment required by regulation 69(5) identifies a high mobilisation risk.
(2)
In regulation 70(4)(a), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
(3)
Replace regulation 70(4)(f) with:
(f)
measures to contain and remove slash at risk of mobilisation or collapse:
32 Regulation 71 amended (Restricted discretionary activity: regional council)
(1)
In regulation 71(2)(a), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
(2)
Replace regulation 71(2)(f) with:
(f)
measures to contain and remove slash at risk of mobilisation or collapse:
33 Regulation 71A amended (Permitted activity)
In regulation 71A(b), delete “not”
.
34 Regulation 71B amended (Controlled activity)
In regulation 71B(2)(a), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
35 Regulation 76 amended (Functions for this subpart)
In regulation 76, in the first column of the table, replace “Regulation 79”
with “Regulations 78A and 79”
.
36 Regulation 77A revoked (Permitted activity conditions: replanting management plan)
Revoke regulation 77A.
37 Regulation 78A amended (Permitted activity condition: notice)
Replace regulation 78A(2) with:
(2)
Notice under subclause (1)—
(a)
must be given at least 20 working days and no more than 8 months before the date on which the replanting is planned to begin; and
(b)
may identify locations and proposed setbacks by way of a map.
38 Regulation 79 amended (Permitted activity conditions: wilding tree risk and control)
(1)
In section 79(5), replace “no more than 8 months before replanting is carried out”
with “at the same time as notice is given under section 78A(1)”
.
(2)
In regulation 79(5)(a), replace “and the calculation sheet used to provide that score”
with “for each relevant area of forest”
.
(3)
Replace regulation 79(5)(b) with:
(b)
the calculation sheets and the inputs used to provide each score.
(4)
In regulation 79(6), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
39 Schedule 1 amended
In Schedule 1,—
(a)
insert the Part set out in the Schedule of these regulations as the last Part; and
(b)
make all necessary consequential amendments.
40 Schedule 2 amended
(1)
In Schedule 2, item 3, second column, replace “https://niwa.co.nz/sites/niwa.co.nz/files/2018177CH-Flood-Frequency-Final-Report-Part2-NIWA.pdf”
with “https://niwa.co.nz/sites/default/files/2018177CH-Flood-Frequency-Final-Report-Part2-NIWA.pdf”
.
(2)
In Schedule 2, after item 14, insert:
| 15 | Land Use Capability Survey Handbook, 3rd Edition, 2009 | https://digitallibrary.landcareresearch.co.nz/digital/collection/p20022coll14/id/74 |
| 16 | Slash mobilisation risk assessment | https://www.mpi.govt.nz/slash-mobilisation-risk-assessment |
41 Schedule 3 amended
(1)
In the Schedule 3 heading, delete “and replanting”
.
(2)
In Schedule 3, revoke clause 1(e).
(3)
In Schedule 3, clause 1(g), delete “ and the rural number of the entry point”
.
(4)
In Schedule 3, clause 2(f), replace “vegetation clearance areas”
with “the setbacks applied”
.
(5)
In Schedule 3, clause 2(g), replace “water body or the coastal marine area, including”
with “of the following”
.
(6)
In Schedule 3, revoke clause 2(h) and (i).
(7)
In Schedule 3, clause 2(j), delete “and the areas in which afforestation and replanting is occurring”
.
(8)
In Schedule 3, revoke clause 2(l) and (n).
(9)
In Schedule 3, revoke clauses 3 and 4.
(10)
In Schedule 3, clause 5, replace “to 4”
with “and 2”
.
42 Schedule 4 amended
(1)
In Schedule 4, revoke clause 2(i)(viii).
(2)
In Schedule 4, clause 4(2), replace “woody debris, slash,”
with “slash”
.
(3)
In Schedule 4, clause 4(3)(b)(ii), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
43 Schedule 5 amended
(1)
In the Schedule 5 heading, replace “Quarry”
with “Forestry quarry”
.
(2)
In Schedule 5, clause 2(b), replace “ the title”
with “the record of title”
.
(3)
In Schedule 5, clause 2(f), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(4)
In Schedule 5, clause 2(g), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(5)
In Schedule 5, clause 2(j)(iii), replace “quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
.
(6)
In Schedule 5, revoke clause 2(l)(viii).
(7)
In Schedule 5, clause 3(a), replace “quarrying”
with “forestry quarrying”
.
(8)
In Schedule 5, clause 4(2)(a), replace “woody debris, slash,”
with “slash”
.
(9)
In Schedule 5, clause 4(3)(c), replace—
(a)
“quarry”
with “forestry quarry”
; and
(b)
“quarrying”
with “forestry quarrying”
.
44 Schedule 6 amended
(1)
In the Schedule 6 heading, replace “Harvest”
with “Harvesting”
.
(2)
In Schedule 6, revoke clause 2(i)(vii).
(3)
In Schedule 6, clause 3(f), replace “harvest”
with “harvesting”
.
(4)
In Schedule 6, clause 4(2), replace “woody debris, slash,”
with “slash”
.
(5)
In Schedule 6, after clause 4(4), insert:
(4A)
If a slash mobilisation risk assessment is required under regulation 69(5), the plan must—
(a)
map the erosion type and severity for the cutover at a scale not less than 1:10,000; and
(b)
describe the management practices that will be used to avoid, remedy, or mitigate risks relating to slash from the cutover.
(6)
In Schedule 6, replace clause 6(c) with:
(c)
the post-harvesting monitoring of residual risks, including risks relating to slash, and the corrective action processes.
Schedule New Part 3 inserted into Schedule 1
Part 3 Provisions relating to Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry) Amendment Regulations 2026
7 Interpretation
In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,—
amended means amended by the amendment regulations
amendment regulations means the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry) Amendment Regulations 2026
commencement date means the date on which the amendment regulations commence.
8 Slash mobilisation risk assessment
(1)
If, at the commencement date, notice has been given under regulation 64 of a planned harvesting operation that is a permitted activity, the person who gave notice may comply with subpart 6 of Part 2—
(a)
as if it had not been amended; or
(b)
as amended.
(2)
If the person who gave notice under regulation 64 relies on subclause (1)(b), they must—
(a)
update their harvest plan to include—
(i)
a slash mobilisation risk assessment that contains the details required by item 16 of Schedule 2 and clause 4(4A) of Schedule 6; and
(ii)
the date on which the plan was updated; and
(b)
advise the relevant council that the amendment has been made; and
(c)
make the updated harvest plan available to the regional council on written request.
9 Quarry erosion and sediment management plan
A quarry erosion and sediment management plan that has been prepared before the commencement date in accordance with these regulations must be treated as a forestry quarry erosion and sediment management plan for the purposes of these regulations as amended.
10 Harvest plan
A harvest plan that has been prepared before the commencement date in accordance with these regulations must be treated as a harvesting plan for the purposes of these regulations as amended.
11 Applications for resource consent
If, at the commencement date, an application for resource consent in relation to these regulations and any appeals have not been finally determined, the regulations apply in relation to that application as if they had not been amended.
Rachel Hayward,
Clerk of the Executive Council.
Explanatory note
This note is not part of the regulations but is intended to indicate their general effect.
These regulations, which come into force on 4 June 2026, amend the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry) Regulations 2017 (the principal regulations).
The amendments allow councils to impose a more stringent rule than the principal regulations if the rule is a necessary addition to manage the risk of severe erosion in specified circumstances. The amendments also remove the ability of councils to apply different afforestation rules to those set out in the regulations.
The amendments also—
establish a requirement for slash mobilisation risk assessments to be undertaken as part of a harvesting plan in specified circumstances. If a slash mobilisation risk assessment identifies a high mobilisation risk, harvesting is a controlled activity:
reduce requirements for afforestation and replanting plans:
make a number of consequential and minor and technical changes to the principal regulations.
Regulatory impact statement
The Ministry for Primary Industries produced a regulatory impact statement on 30 March 2026 to help inform the decisions taken by the Government relating to the contents of this instrument.
A copy of this regulatory impact statement can be found at—
Date of notification in Gazette: 7 May 2026.
These regulations are administered by the Ministry for the Environment.
Versions
Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry) Amendment Regulations 2026
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