Land use options and economic returns for marginal hill country in Northland

This report compares economic returns from pastoral production with plantation forestry on steeper Northland hill country, to help inform decisions on land use change. The economic analysis specifically targets high erosion risk pastoral land and appraises two plantation forest options. These are radiata pine clearfell and permanent tōtara forest. Permanent (continuous cover) forestry offers improved environmental outcomes compared with clearfell forestry, by mitigating erosion and sedimentation of water bodies.