Introduction
Landscapes of the South Island high country are widely known for their character and are valued as settings for outdoor recreation, tourism and as a source of inspiration. They are also the setting of work environments for runholders and for homesteads and small rural service centre and recreational settlements.

High country landscapes are diverse. Some are almost unaltered by human activity and are valued as montane wilderness. In other areas the landscape appearance is strongly modified by farm development and may include buildings, amenity and shelter plantings, irrigation, cultivation or improved pasture. Hydro electric development, transport systems, and major tourism recreation developments such as ski fields and accommodation centres occur.

Between these extremes are extensive areas of less modified extensively farmed tussock grassland rangeland which has an appearance of naturalness although it has been strongly modified since major fires removed forest cover from much of the high country during the polynesian era.

To achieve sustainable productive use of the land, trees have many important roles e.g. stock and crop shelter, soil conservation, land rehabilitation and alternative productive landuse. Introduced trees are already a major feature of developed high country properties and settlements including renowned tourist/recreation centres such as Hanmer, Tekapo, Naseby and Queenstown.

Introduced trees are visual features in high country landscapes, particularly in extensive rangeland areas.

This guide is particularly about trees in the extensive high country landscapes where tree planting more than any other landuse activity can mould and give expression to land character.

In terms of landscape character development, tree planting in high country is a creative opportunity.

Landscape values
People are strongly influenced by "what they see". It is therefore logical that discussion of landscape focuses on visual character.

Landscape character also has an ecological and an economic basis. Landscape is a living entity; landform, river systems, soil, and vegetation respond to natural and cultural forces, they evolve through time into distinct patterns. Cultural features or influences are expressed in this context. Cultural features (e.g. roads, buildings, dams, tracks, shelterbelts, canals, etc) may be considered well designed if developments have a fitting relation with these contexts.

Forestry because it involves major changes to vegetation type and is highly visible, has the potential to conflict with existing landscape character. Conflict may arise through inappropriate location, scale and pattern of new plantings, or from the techniques to establish, manage and harvest forest stands. Conversely, forestry has a contribution to make in diversifying primary production, and if well planned, can complement and develop local landscape character or enhance conservation objectives.

A landscape planning process
Appropriate location, scale and pattern of forestry development can be arrived at by identifying those parts of a potential forestry area where significant landscape features or values are present. Development needs to respond to those features and values to minimise adverse impacts and achieve good environmental standards.

There are three main areas that need to be considered.

High visual vulnerability areas are characterised by vast open landscapes - their spaciousness would be compromised by forestry development though some areas such as soil erosion benefit may outweigh the loss of landscape values.

Medium visual vulnerability have similar characteristics of spacious vistas but they are areas less easily seen with fewer view points. Here some sensitive development and management will be necessary to retain the spaciousness, expressive landforms of the basins.

Low visual vulnerability are areas already heavily modified or distant from readily visible areas. They generally do not contribute to the quality of the major basins of the area.

Guidelines to planting forests in visually vulnerable landscapes
Two elements should be considered; siting and the design of a forest. When siting in high and medium visual vulnerable areas avoid:

Planting close to major viewpoints; the vertical impact of the trees will obliterate the views and the sense of spaciousness. A minimum set back of 1km is appropriate.

Planting immediately alongside rivers, streams and wetlands. The water is a visual and recreational focus, instead planting should be on intermediate terraces, avoiding impact on the wider basin landscape.

Planting on steep slopes; they are prominent at high altitudes and contrast strongly from the topography. Tracks, firebreaks and felling compartments also contrast strongly with the landscape form.

Planting on crests and ridgetops; such prominent locations affect views and can provide a focus for wilding trees downwind.

Planting that obscures landscape features. Natural and cultural features contribute to the sense or uniqueness of a place. These should be retained and not planted out.

Planting that screens important views. Don't block out a view of Mt Cook! or an impressive panoramic view which gives the sense of spaciousness and scale.

Planting that obscures landform diversity and erodes landscape subtleties.

Instead do:

Relate planting to landscape patterns, for example plant following the fan landforms.

Locate planting in natural depressions which hide the vertical elements.

Locate planting where there is a dominant backdrop which will reduce the impact and size of the planting.

Locate planting where existing planting will act as a screen. This will create very little additional visual impact.

Use new planting to integrate existing scattered plantings or wildings to relate them to underlying landscape patterns.

Changes in species relate to the changes in the underlying landscape.

Design of forestry plantings in medium and low visual vulnerability areas should avoid:

Planting shelter parallel to the road. Views are destroyed and planting on the north and east of the road will increase the hazard of ice in the winter.

Natural boundaries are used to create forestry edges that minimize contrasts with the landscape setting.

Integrate forestry with dominant cultural patterns. For example, irrigation created strong lines that forestry can respond to and follow.

Vary the edge planting densities to reduce the contrast between forests and the open landscape.

Select planting layouts that minimise artificial patterns and blend with the landscape.

Use a detailed design treatment to retain views to local features such as historic building, wetland or rock outcrops. The planting can focus attention on the features and benefits from softening the edges with deciduous species or feathering.

Use deciduous species to reduce the visual impact of conifers in significant areas. The deciduous trees contrast less with the grassland colour.

The landscape is dominant in character and mood. The pleasant rural landscape is the transition from one element to another. Space is again required to effect good transitions. Therefore rural landscapes have greater opportunities to do this more effectively than townscapes.

When the major landscape features of the landform and the likely expression of tree growth on soil type are established, man should seek to build his structures to the landscape, featuring the best elements, screening out and de-emphasising the less desirable elements. Any productive use areas should be sympathetically fitted to the topographical features.

Reference
Landscape guidelines for forestry in the Mackenzie/Waitaki Basins. Supplement to a report prepared for the Steering Group by Boffa Miskell Partners Ltd, Christchurch, 1992.