$100m of regional-council cash could be shovelled into Bay reforestation
Plan isn’t about converting entire farms into forest, landowners told
awke’s Bay Regional Council is considering a potential $100 million investment in commercial reforestation over 10 years.
The regional council says the potential investment will create an “environmentally and economically self-sustaining planting model” for the region.
HBRC integrated catchment management group manager Iain Maxwell said council originally signalled the potential in its 2018-2028 Long-Term Plan.
Since then, HBRC had begun a “Right Tree Right Place” project ahead of the upcoming 2021-2031 Long-Term Plan development.
“This project is about planting the right trees in the right places, with economic, environmental and community benefits,” Maxwell said.
“The reality is our region, and our farmers, face significant erosion challenges and every year large volumes of sediment enter our waterways with negative impacts on our freshwater and coastal ecological health.”
While HBRC cites the benefits, Wairoa farmer Dave Read says council is maintaining the view that forestry is positive for local employment, while he says the reality is “the exact opposite”.
“Forestry has a density of direct employment that is less than a "The spending of $100m of public money on top of existing investment in forestry would close Affco and turn Wairoa into a ghost town." third of pastoral agriculture and is on a long-term downward trend,” he said.
“The spending of $100m of public money on top of existing investment in forestry would close Affco and turn Wairoa into a ghost town.”
Maxwell dismissed the claims and said the project would look to work in partnership with farmers to develop small blocks of a range of forestry species that could generate revenue from sources such as carbon, honey and timber.
“We acknowledge landowners’ valid concerns about the impacts of afforestation for them, their land and the community,” he said.
“But to be clear, it is not about converting whole farms into forest.
“Trees would be planted on the highly erodible and marginal land of farms, to control erosion, improve water quality and prepare for climate change.”
A final decision on including the “Right Tree Right Place” project for consultation in the next LongTerm Plan is likely to be made in December.