21 March 2018

Media: Radio NZ

Topic: Forestry and Wood First policy

Enquiry

Radio NZ requested an interview with Mayor Chadwick regarding forestry and Wood First in Rotorua.

Response

A phone interview was arranged and aired on Radio NZ's rural programme on Thursday 22 March at 12.35pm.

For your interest - the mayor's speech today focussed on Council's Wood First policy - how it came about, how it has been incorporated (where appropriate) in the new look of the CBD, how it has been picked up by the likes of developers, the challenges (eg cost, building EQ code requirements) and future opportunities (new builds and developments)

Also for your interest, a few forestry facts:

• 11 million cubic metres of logs are harvested every year from around Rotorua District Council
• Nearly half of NZ's wood is harvested from central North Island forests within 100km of Rotorua District Council
• Forestry and wood processing account for about 15% of Rotorua's GDP
• Forestry is the third biggest contributor to Rotorua's GDP