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Story: Forestry research

Selective logging

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Selective logging

The impact of selective logging (taking only some trees from a forest) can be seen in this view of the Tīhoi state forest in 1976. Above the logging road 55% of the timber has been removed, below it only 30% has been removed, while further down is an area of unlogged native forest. Between 1975 and 1984, when selective logging was the only type of harvesting permitted in native forests, the Forest Service carried out trials to see if the damage it caused could be reduced.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AAQA 6500 Col476

by M. McGreevy

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Margaret Richardson, Forestry research – Researching native forests, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/17049/selective-logging (accessed 14 June 2026).

Story by Margaret Richardson, published 1 March 2009.