Horizons proposes mega forestry programme for Whanganui

More of the region's pasture will be converted to forest if Horizons' new forestry initiative is rolled out. Photo / File

The Horizons Regional Council is proposing to plant 30 million trees in the region over the next 10 years, in a huge escalation of its Sustainable Land Use Initiative.

The Horizons Regional Afforestation Initiative was aired at Horizons' full council meeting on April 24, councillor David Cotton said. He chairs its catchment operations committee which oversees the Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI).

The proposal represents a big slice of new work for him, but he's keen.

"This is exciting stuff. Trees in the ground is adding something. It makes a difference," he said.

Details of the initiative may change, but Horizons is asking the Government for $12 million for regional forestry. The request comes under the banner of Accelerate 25, the Manawatū/Whanganui Economic Action Plan, because it aligns with goals in the plan.

The $12m would be in addition to $7 million for the SLUI. Since 2006 the SLUI has planted 13.9 million trees across erodible land in the region, and if continued it will reduce erosion 27 per cent by 2043.

SLUI is the perfect base to build the new initiative on, Cotton said, because it has put trees in the ground and they are having a measurable effect.

The new initiative would have some differences. Landowners would volunteer to change their pastoral land to forest.

"We want people to approach us, and we will go and look at the land, see how suitable it is, and prioritise."

Forest establishment would be subsidised. The forest could be pruned and harvested, or left to grow and store up carbon to prevent climate change.

Ownership would likely be a partnership between the owner and central government, Cotton said, with profits shared between them. Carbon credits are now worth about $22 per tonne in New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme but they could rise to $40/tonne.

That would give landowners a return well before their forests mature, Cotton said.

Horizons wants to get 1 milliontrees in this winter, and plant more than half of the 30 million within six years.

The initiative lines up neatly with Government and Accelerate 25 objectives. It could create 300 jobs, feed into the "billion trees in 10 years" goal, improve water quality, prevent erosion and store 2.7 million tonnes of carbon.

HORIZONS REGIONAL AFFORESTATION INITIATIVE
Aims to plant 30 million trees
In 10 years
On land volunteered by owners
Forests to be joint ventures
Establishment subsidy capped at $650/ha
Could be pines, mānuka, other trees