A rise in timber prices in the past year has provided a financial boost for the Waitaki District Council, in its sale of trees harvested from the Glen Eden and Glen Warren reserves in Oamaru.
The harvest of 12.3ha of mature radiata pine took longer than expected because of wet weather during the summer, but the delay meant more profit as timber prices continued to rise.
Council property manager Dougall McIntyre this week said the final profit from the timber would not be not known until all costs were in, but "far exceeded" the estimate when the project began late last year.
The council had been monitoring the forest for several years in terms of growth rates and the quality of the trees.
"We subsequently decided to push the green light when we saw the market improving. At the same time our forestry managers were telling us the forest was nearing the end of its useful life," he said.
Forestry manager and consultant Allan Laurie said a lengthy delay occurred in the middle of the harvest because of wet weather. While that had been frustrating, it meant the trees were harvested during the highest log-price period experienced in recent years.
Mr Laurie recognised the time taken to harvest the pine might have been frustrating for people who regularly used the area.
The council was now working with a landscape architect to prepare a concept plan to enhance the two reserves for recreational use in the future.
Mr McIntyre said the plan incorporated replanting a commercial crop of trees, amenity planting, retaining views and reinstating and expanding tracks.
