Forestry companies say they are looking to recover as much timber as possible from plantations left in tatters from this week's violent wind storms.
The worst damage has occured in the wider Canterbury region, where shelter belts have been flattened and large areas of commercial plantation ruined.
Forestry companies expect losses to be high .
Blakely Pacific South Island regional manager Andrew Cocking said that companies are they're surveying the damage before starting clean up and wood salvaging operations.
He said that some plantations are severely damaged, along with some very old established trees, such as oak trees. Any mature pines older than 22 years could be harvested as logs.
Mr Cocking said using a helicopter was the best way to assess where the worst damage is and then decide a programme of harvesting or what changes are needed.
