August 4, 2026NelsonTasman residents are calling for tougher forestry regulations as a beachside village is repeatedly battered by severe weather and landslides. Protesters gathered outside the weekend’s forestry awards in Nelson amid concerns about the industry’s impact around the unstable soil around Mārahau. Much of the area was Separation Point Granite – an erosion-prone strip of bedrock that runs from the Abel Tasman National Park to Murchison. “There aren’t appropriate controls in place to deal with forestry on Separation Point Granite,” he said. “Separation Point Granite soils are very sensitive and there has been a history of issues with all land uses,” McMiken said.