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Deforestation began when the ancestors of the Maori arrived more than 1000 years ago. At that time the country was almost entirely forested – only the high Alpine regions and areas hit by recent volcanic activity had no trees. Within a few hundred years hunters were probably responsible for the extinction of all 11 known species of moa and other large flightless birds.
Extensive loss of forest, especially in the lowland and drier eastern regions of both islands, meant that by the time the first Europeans arrived, up to 50% of the original forest cover had gone.
Polynesian Influence
When the Polynesian voyagers first arrived the landscape they encountered was almost entirely forested. Probably only the high alpine zone and smaller areas cleared by recent volcanic activity, were free of forest cover. These first settlers brought with them a mixed economy, which included gardening, fishing, hunting, and edible plant collection. They also brought dogs, rats, and fire.
Within a few hundred years hunters were probably responsible for the demise of all 11 known species of moa and other large flightless birds. Extensive loss of forest, especially in lowland and drier eastern regions, meant that, by the time the first Europeans arrived in New Zealand up to 50% of the original forest cover had disappeared or was heavily modified.
European Impact
The first recorded use of New Zealand timber by Europeans happened in January 1770 at Waikawa Bay in the Coromandel when the crew of James Cook’s ship cut boards for repairs and left inscriptions recording the visit.
In 1772, an French expedition led by Marion du Fresne felled kauri in the Bay of Islands to repair damage to a foremast and bowsprit on their ships – the Mascarin and Maquis. Although they fled in the face of attacking Maori, the French took note of the kauri and its apparent qualities.
Felling for emergency repairs to visiting ships continued until the end of the 18th century, by which time the British Admiralty had realised the potential for supply of spars and other naval timbers from New Zealand’s forests.
Settlement of New South Wales was now well underway and demand for ship’s timbers created a busy export industry by the 1820’s. By 1840 exports of timber – mainly kauri – were New Zealand’s major activity. Records describe how between 50 to 100 ships at a time could be moored in the Kaipara harbour taking logs from huge floating booms that could hold around 10,000 logs at a time.
After the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, there was an influx of settlers who rapidly began clearing land for gardens and farms and using the wood for construction. As the rate of settlement increased, large areas of felled forest were simply burnt and much good timber was wasted. In 1869 a fire on the Banks Peninsula is said to have burned 25,000 acres of forest and a fire in 1887 near Puhipuhi in Northland destroyed more than 17,000 acres of mature kauri in just a few days. |