The government is investing $36 million to address erosion in the regions.
According to Forestry New Zealand, the funding is for the Hill Country Erosion Fund (HCEF), which supports proposals to protect NZ’s most vulnerable hill country landscapes, where the main treatment is planting trees.
“We’re pleased by the level of interest from councils, with 12 applications received in this latest round – four of which were from regions that had not previously applied,” Forestry director-general and Te Uru Rākau head Julie Collins said. “It shows the importance they are placing on sustainable land management and treating erosion in their regions.”
Collins said the 12 new HCEF programmes will deliver significant improvements in erosion control and will take place between July 2019 and June 2023. She said the programmes range from building regional capacity and capability to plant trees, to farm planning and land treatments including planting poplars, willows and other indigenous and exotic species.
“We estimate that over four years, these programmes will result in more than 13 million trees being planted and treatment of more than 21,000 hectares of land,” she said. “These will contribute to the government’s One Billion Trees Programme, and deliver environmental and a range of other benefits across the country.”
