A New Zealand environmental group Wednesday testified before the 22nd United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) about potential indigenous rights breaches by New Zealand’s forestry industry. Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti has stated that extensive deforestation, poor forestry practices and climate change have harmed the east coast of New Zealand’s north island, which is home to many Māori indigenous communities.

Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti stated that forestry and climate change have caused “irreversible landscape changes” and that over the last 30 years, the forestry industry and the New Zealand government have committed “multiple Indigenous rights violations, culminating in the loss of life, forced displacement, and broad ecocide, aquacise and cultural genocide.”

The group told the UN how after a 2023 summer filled with storms, the north island’s coast saw extensive damage due to both the floods and the runoff from the local forestry sector that could cost almost USD $2.5 billion to fix.

The damage was compounded by flooding in many areas that cause in part due to forestry runoff and debris called “slash”. This slash then was swept away by flooding into rivers and would then get caught at bridges, damming the rivers. The damming caused the rivers to burst their banks or in some cases washed away the bridges, causing massive infostructure damage and isolating many communities.

The group also mentioned how native trees in New Zealand are being outnumbered by introduced species because of New Zealand’s carbon credit system. Growers plant trees nonnative trees to obtain a higher credit score. However, the quick speed at which these non-native trees like pine grow, when compared to New Zealand natives, causes an oversaturation of introduced trees. Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti has termed this one of multiple “false climate solutions.”

Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti stated that its goals were not to stop the forestry sector outright, but rather to create discussion around the practices seen in the industry.

While a UN declaration would have little actual power in New Zealand, it would call for thorough reviews into the actions of forestry leading up to the recent storms to determine whether the industry did enough to reduce the risk of damage.

It is important to note that as an industry, forestry is important to New Zealand as it is one of the largest contributors to both the economy and the job market. Forestry jobs are mainly in rural and isolated communities that are reliant on the industry. Additionally, many of those who benefit are Māori, who own several companies to provide employment.

The non-binding UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that Indigenous communities have “the right to the conservation and protection of the environment.” New Zealand initially voted against the resolution due to conflicts with domestic law, but later gave support to it in 2010.