The Queenstown Lakes District Council wants to redesignate three forests, totalling more than 647ha in Queenstown and near Arrowtown, to allow for future log harvesting.
Under the new designations, more than 164ha at Ben Lomond Forest, more than 413ha at Queenstown Hill Forest and more than 70ha at Coronet Forest would primarily be used for planting, tending, managing and harvesting trees for "timber and wood production".
No alternative sites had been provided for in the application, the notice of requirement said.
"The alternative method would be to apply for resource consent for the selected areas when a harvesting operation was to be carried out.
"This would create an ongoing cost to the community, decreasing the return from the forestry operation.
"The forest areas were planted as management forests and should be recognised as production forests in the district," the notice said.
The Ben Lomond and Queenstown Hill reserves had been recognised as commercial forests in two notified reserve management plans, one in 2005 and the other in 2006.
The Coronet Forest was planted between 1984 and 1996 - 75% of it was owned by the QLDC and the remaining 25% was owned by the Central Otago District Council.
"The applicant submits that the management of exotic forests enables the recovery of merchantable timber while improving amenity and recreational opportunities and enhancing indigenous vegetation," the notice said.
"The forests contain some of the fastest growing Douglas fir in New Zealand, so there is an opportunity to harvest timber in a sustainable manner to generate revenue for the management of the district's parks and reserves and wilding conifer control.
"The proposed logging will ensure that operations minimise impacts on landscape and recreational values and existing facilities and by ensuring ongoing safety to the public and other facilities on the reserves." it said.
The council held a public forest users group meeting on November 3 to discuss the proposed redesignation and, while several users had been consulted regarding the provision of affected party approvals, no approvals had been obtained.
Council district forester Briana Pringle told the Otago Daily Times the Coronet Forest was the only one which would be clear-felled when the Douglas firs came to maturity in 15 to 20 years' time - the current market value of the trees in the forest was $500,000.
However, Queenstown Hill and Ben Lomond would never be clear-felled, maintaining the resort's scenic backdrop.
Instead, a technique of "small harvest clearing" would be employed, with 3ha cleared and replaced with different species - a rotational technique which also helped in wilding pine control.
Submissions on the proposed redesignation will be received until January 27.
