Forest owners welcome funding

WELLINGTON: The Forest Owners Association has welcomed an announcement from the Government it is allocating a further $240 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to get more trees in the ground under the One Billion Trees programme.

But chief executive David Rhodes urged caution, saying while the target was doable, there were challenges.

‘‘A billion trees is possible. We have had those levels of planting in the past, but I guess from our perspective some things have changed.

‘‘The price now is a lot higher and we are certainly wanting to make sure this line that everyone keeps trotting out ‘the right trees in the right place’ is achieved.’’

He said there were plenty of areas where it would be the wrong place to put trees or the wrong place to put a particular type of tree.

‘‘So we’ve got to be a bit careful. ‘‘What you don’t want is to rush into achieving the number for the sake of it,’’ Mr Rhodes said.

Forestry Minister Shane Jones announced yesterday a $118 million grants scheme would enable private landowners, government agencies, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and iwi to apply for funds to cover the cost of planting and establishing trees and regenerating indigenous forest.

Separately, a $120 million threeyear partnership fund would create a closer working relationship between Te Uru Rakau (the Forestry Service) and regional councils, NGOs, training organisations, Maori landowners and community groups.

The grants would result in about 60 million new trees being planted over the next three years, Mr Jones said.

‘‘This approach will allow us to leverage cofunding opportunities and existing knowhow and experience,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ll be looking at promoting innovation, securing sufficient labour to get trees in the ground and providing support and advice to landowners on how they can improve land use.’’

National economic and regional development spokesman Paul Goldsmith said Mr Jones was ‘‘freaking out’’ and flinging money around.

‘‘The overall impression is just a minister who’s got this pile of money that he has to spend.

‘‘He’s freaking out that he won’t be able to spend it all and he’s flinging it out the door.’’

He called for Mr Jones to make public details of contracts settled so far to assure taxpayers the money was going into goodquality projects.

The latest announcement brings the total funding from the growth fund for the trees programme to about $485 million.

❛ What you don’t want is to rush into achieving the number for the sake of it