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7 May 2026 – Changes to the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF)

In 2025, the Government consulted on proposed changes to national direction instruments as part of its wider reform of the resource management system. This included proposed changes to the NES-CF to improve efficiency in forestry operations and make the regulations clearer. Changes made as a result of this consultation come into force on 4 June 2026.

Find out more about recent changes to the NES-CF

New requirements for forestry slash

Forestry slash from harvesting can sometimes be moved off the harvest site by small landslides. If the risk of this happening is high, the harvest must be managed under a resource consent. From 4 June 2026 a Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment is required on higher risk land, to identify whether a resource consent is needed.

Find out more about the Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment

17 May 2024 – User guide and addendum

The National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) were updated in November 2023. They are now called the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF).

The NES-PF user guide is still a good tool for understanding how the standards work in practice. The addendum covers the main changes that came into effect as the NES-CF.

Find out more about the user guide addendum on changes to the regulations

Guides to support the NES-CF implementation

Guidance on the NES-CF is available below. It is targeted at the primary users of the NES-CF:

  • regional councils
  • territorial authorities
  • the forestry industry.

Depending on your role, different parts of the guidance will be more relevant to you.

Guidance on the NES-PF still applies to most forestry activities. An addendum to the NES-PF user guide provides guidance on the main changes to the regulations that came into effect as the NES-CF on 3 November 2023.

Four guides developed for the NES-PF and the NES-CF are available:

  • NES-PF user guide
  • NES-CF: NES-PF user guide addendum on amendments since 3 November 2023
  • NES-PF plan alignment guide
  • NES-PF consenting and compliance guide.

NES-PF user guide and addendum

The user guide is the primary guidance to help councils and foresters interpret the regulations. It includes an overview of the NES-PF, as well as detailed information on the plantation forestry activities regulated under the NES-PF.

NES-PF user guide [PDF, 1.7 MB]

The user guide addendum (released 17 May 2024) covers the main changes to the regulations that came into effect as the NES-CF. This guidance does not replace the existing NES-PF user guide. It should be read in conjunction with that guide.

The addendum will be updated to include the remaining changes to the regulations contained in the NES-CF. Once the addendum has been finalised, it will be incorporated into the NES-PF user guide and published as a new user guide.

If you have any queries about guidance on the NES-CF, email Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service at nes-cf@mpi.govt.nz

NES-CF: NES-PF user guide addendum on amendments since 3 November 2023 [PDF, 859 KB]

Plan alignment guide

This guidance was developed to help councils align their plans with the NES-PF. All councils should have already aligned their plans. This information is kept for context, it includes information on:

  • how to identify rules that conflict with or duplicate the NES-PF
  • how to remove that conflict or duplication
  • when plan rules may be more stringent than the NES-PF.

NES-PF guidance – plan alignment [PDF, 703 KB]

NES-PF consenting and compliance guide

This provides operational guidance for councils and foresters on specific aspects of the NES-PF, such as compliance monitoring and management plans.

NES-PF consenting and compliance guide [PDF, 674 KB]

Find specific guidance

The 3 NES-PF guidance documents cover all aspects of the NES-PF. If you're after guidance on a specific subject, you can find the parts most relevant to you, rather than download an entire guide.

Guidance resources on specific subjects are on 3 web pages.

Transitional guidance

This page has information for councils and foresters about how the regulations work and how they relate to existing plans and consents. It covers how to align plans or existing forestry activities with the NES-PF.

Guidance on transitioning to the NES-PF 

Specific forestry activities

This page focuses on the 8 core plantation forestry activities, the ancillary activities, and the general provisions in the NES-PF. It includes an overview of each activity and how to interpret the relevant permitted activity conditions.

Guidance on specific forestry activities

Operational guidance

This page has administrative and management information for councils. Topics include processing resource consents, compliance monitoring, monitoring charges, written notices of forestry activities, and requesting and reviewing management plans.

NES-PF operational guidance 

Relationship between freshwater and plantation forestry regulations

This fact sheet has guidance on the relationship between the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Freshwater) Regulations 2020 (NES-F), and the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry) Regulations 2017 (NES-PF).

Interaction between the NES-CF and the NES-PF (Ministry for the Environment) [PDF, 203 KB]

Get the latest updates

Get updates on available guidance and other NES-CF developments by subscribing to commercial forestry updates.

Subscribe to updates

Who to contact

If you have questions about the NES-CF, contact Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service:

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