The forestry sector is front-footing its wish list as New Zealand’s new coalition government takes shape, calling on investment in new plantings and increased timber use. In separate statements, the Wood Council of New Zealand wants the new Government to introduce a wood-first policy for construction of government buildings, while The Forest Owners Association wants priority put on new forest plantings. The Wood Council’s chairman Brian Stanley said there was already a drive from the top for more plantings, a greater thrust for forestry in regional development and a commitment to use trees for carbon sequestration. “[However] the missing link though is the Government specifying wooden construction as the first choice for its new buildings,” he said in a recent statement.