An online tool has been launched to help landowners in the Lake Rotorua catchment area understand the benefits of converting all or parts of their property to pine or manuka - a low nitrogen land use.
Maori forestry initiative group ,Toitu Te Waonui, with funding from Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Ministry for the Environment, have developed the dNITRO Land Use Change Tool which shows financial implications of planting either manuka for honey production or Pinus radiata.
Toitu Te Waonui comprises Interpine Innovation, Tuia Group, and iwi leaders.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council general manager integrated catchments, Chris Ingle, said the purpose of the fund was 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."