Assessing value of trees

An online tool has been launched to help landowners in the Lake Rotorua catchment understand the potential economic gains from converting all or parts of their property to pine or Manuka.

Toitu Te Waonui, a Maori forestry initiative group comprising of Interpine Innovation, Tuia Group and iwi leaders have developed dNITRO with funding from Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Ministry for the Environment as part of the Low Nitrogen Land Use Fund.

BOPRC general manager integrated catchments Chris Ingle says the purpose of the fund is to assist landowners with reducing nitrogen discharged on to their land and entering Lake Rotorua.

'We are committed to supporting landowners to do their part to protect lake water quality. The decision to award funding to Toitu Te Waonui aligns with our key priority for the fund by promoting uptake of existing low nitrogen land uses such as pine and Manuka.”

Toitu Te Waonui Project manager Andy Dick says the user-friendly, spatial tool is particularly useful for Maori landowners.

'It fills a knowledge gap that exists for landowners who are looking to plant out less productive land in to trees.”

The next phase of the project will see Toitu Te Waonui reach out to Maori landowners and guide them through the tool to show opportunities and funding avenues available. The dNITRO Land Use Change Tool is now live at: www.dnitro.co.nz

You may also like....

1 comment

More

Posted on 31-03-2017 05:51 | By Capt_Kaveman

Natives, its disgusting that there are more trees in cities than on farms


Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.