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July 08, 2019
Forestry Ministry partners with Māori land trusts
Waatea Team
Posted On July 8, 2019
Crown Forestry is investing $5 million in joint ventures with two Bay of Plenty Māori land trusts to plant more than 200,000 trees this season.
The first joint venture is 194 hectares owned by Pukahukiwi Kaokaoroa 2 Incorporation while a further 141 hectares is owned by Waipapa 2B2 Ahu Whenua Trust.
Forestry Minister Shane Jones says one of the core goals of the One Billion Trees Programme is supporting Māori to realise their land aspirations.
The partnerships will create an income for the trusts through rental and a share of the profits at harvest, and there is also potential to upskill workers to eventually take over management of the forest from the Crown.
He says the trusts had previously tried to grow eucalyptus crops, but they failed to realise an income for the landowners.
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