September 20, 2018
Manuka popular for planting programme
New Zealand’s manuka honey goldrush and the Government’s one billion trees programme have converged, with manuka planting securing the majority of the $5.7 million allocated this year Te Uru Rākau (Forestry New Zealand) afforestation grants.
The agency approved 87 applications covering just over 4500 hectares, with the largest plantings in Southland, Waikato and Manawatu-Whanganui.
Investment programmes director Steve Penno says the scheme means landowners can plant trees on erosion-prone land and regenerate indigenous forests while reducing some of the high costs associated with marginal land.
New forests established by the AGS since 2015 have also delivered environmental benefits such as reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, and absorbing around 1.9 million tonnes of carbon every year.
The afforestation grants scheme will be replaced with a new scheme under the One Billion Trees programme and funded through the Provincial Growth Fund with $118 million set aside over the next 3 years.
A further $120 million has been set aside for partnership projects which will work to create closer relationships with regional councils, non-government organisations, researchers, training organisations, Maori landowners, and community groups.
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