Draft Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Forestry Management Plan 2025

Public consultation on the draft Forestry Management Plan for Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill closed on Sunday 6 July 2025. Thank you to all that shared their views, we received over 90 submissions which the Parks team has collated and reviewed. This final plan was adopted by Full Council on 4 September 2025.

>>View the final plan here

>>Read the consultation summary of all the submissions received

>>View all the submissions in detail here or in the document library

In response to community feedback (which showed 76% in support of the plan) and comments from submitters that spoke at the public hearing, several changes were made to the final plan before it was adopted, including:

• The plan’s name changing to Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Restoration Management Plan 2025. This reflects the fact that, while forestry remains a component, the plan’s primary focus is the ecological restoration of the reserve.
• A preference for native plants where appropriate with exotic species only to be planted when they provide clear benefits to the reserve (e.g. helping natives get established by reducing exposure or suppressing invasive species). These changes, including updates to the native and exotic species lists, were made on the basis of recommendations from local ecologists and community groups.
• Details acknowledging that mountain biking trails are unauthorised and therefore won’t be protected during harvesting operations.
• That development of new logging road infrastructure provides an opportunity to create a new network of walking trails for public use once the site is safe to access again.

Next steps

The QLDC Parks team is now working through operational details, including the requirements for a Harvest Plan and an Environmental Management Plan. Due to limited funding in the current Long Term Plan, we’ll be exploring potential funding opportunities, such as collaboration with the Whakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group. Please note that tree removals will only be approved when there is budget for replanting and ongoing maintenance along with a detailed regeneration plan that commits to sustainable restoration.

A plan to restore biodiversity on Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill

We’re asking the community for feedback on a draft Forestry Management Plan for Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Reserve which proposes to remove all wilding tree species on the reserve and replant the site with a mixed native/exotic forest and scrub/tussock grassland.

We’d like to know if you support our proposed plan for this well-loved reserve, which is part of a wider plan to protect our district’s landscapes and native biodiversity.

What you can expect to see in the plan

The draft forestry plan guides the stage removal of invasive wilding trees and supports the restoration of a healthy, diverse forest. It will assess the current tree cover and site conditions, and outline options for the harvesting of wilding trees species and the new plants that will replace them.

The plan contains details on; forestry access, public utility infrastructure, recreation, topography, hydrology, landscape, and existing vegetation and proposed future vegetation cover.

The removal of wilding conifers and the replanting on reserve land will have an affect on recreational experiences, trails, the visual landscape, neighbouring properties, and natural hazards; all while reducing wildfire risk and enhancing biodiversity.

The Ben Lomond and Queenstown Hill Forestry Plan was developed in 2006. This plan is now outdated and no longer fit-for-purpose, so a new forestry plan has been prepared which applies solely to Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill.

>> Read the draft Forestry Management Plan for Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Reserve
>> Take a look at the 3D modelling map: https://tendtrees.maps.arcgis.com/home/webscene/viewer.html?webscene=b1bc8796f614480d87b7c9a85f4fa081

Why is a Forestry Management Plan important?

Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Reserve has become progressively dominated by wilding conifers over the past 60+ years. These trees are an invasive pest species, acting as a seed source and facilitating the spread of wilding conifers elsewhere in the Whakatipu basin.

If left uncontrolled, wilding conifers have the following impacts on the surrounding environment:

• Biodiversity loss: these trees create a dense canopy that blocks sunlight, suppresses understory growth, and disrupts natural regeneration processes – all significantly reducing native flora and fauna in the area creating a monoculture.
• Degradation of soil quality: needle litter contributes to soil acidification and reduces nutrient availability, resulting in poor soil health that challenges the establishment of other plant species.
• Seed spread risk: the geography of Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill enables the spread of seeds into surrounding natural areas, compounding ecological challenges and threatening local ecosystems.
• Landscape change: Without any control, they form dense forests that have environmental consequences on our native ecosystems and alter iconic landscapes.
• Fire hazard: The fire hazard is increased when wilding conifers dominate a landscape, especially if wilding trees are left unmanaged to grow up around residential areas.

Removing wilding pines from the reserve will mean the area can be retired from production forestry. Replacement trees planted in the area will then form a permanent mixed species forest along the edge of Queenstown, helping to restore biodiversity and ecology, enhancing how people use this space, and ensuring it flourishes for future generations to enjoy.

How will the reserve be replanted?

The draft plan proposes a staged planting programme with three planting zones, as seen in the image below: native trees, mixed native and exotic trees, and grey tussock and shrubland species. See the FAQs for more details on the types of plants proposed for each zone.

How to have your say

Let us know what you support (or don’t support) about the draft Forestry Management Plan.

From Thursday 5 June you'll be able to read the plan (or the Overview flyer and Statement of Proposal document if you’re short on time) and share your thoughts by clicking on the submission form at the bottom of the page.

You’ll have the option to speak to your submission at a public hearing to be held on Monday 21 July 2025 in Council Chambers, 10 Gorge Road, Queenstown (through the submission form below).

Submissions on the draft Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Forestry Management Plan 2025 close on Sunday 6 July 2025.

Please note this is a formal process following a Special Consultative Procedure set out in section 83 of the Local Government Act 2002.

Opportunities to find out more

We’re hosting community drop-in sessions for anyone interested in learning more about the draft Forestry Management Plan. Hear more about our plans and chat with our Parks team about any questions you may have at one of the following sessions:

When: Thursday 12 June between 5.30pm-7.00pm
Where: Queenstown Event Centre, Frankton – Upstairs meeting room

When: Wednesday 18 June between 12.00pm-1.30pm & 5.30pm-7.00pm
Where: Queenstown Memorial Centre, Queenstown CBD - Supper room

Have a question?

If you have a question, please submit it on the tool below and we'll get it answered as soon as possible. All questions and answers will be published for everyone to see.