Ngā Pou a Tāne advocates for Māori leadership in national Native Afforestation programme.

On 14th May, members of the Board of Ngā Pou a Tāne attended a Native Afforestation workshop in Rotorua alongside Māori landowners and Te Uru Rākau and Scion representatives.

So far, workshops have been held in Te Waipounamu, Gisborne and Rotorua. Two more workshops will be held in Tauranga and Northland. Presentations were given by Te Uru Rākau (Sector Engagements, Māori Partnership, and Forestry Insights) Teams, Whenua Oho, Scion (Te Ao Māori and Establishing Native Forests Portfolio) Team, and Ngā Pou a Tāne.

At the workshops we heard the Native Afforestation programme was conceived in 2019, as a national undertaking towards climate resilient forests. As recommended by the Climate Change Commission in 2022, planting 300,000 hectares of native forest might be a way to help meet New Zealand’s Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Climate Agreement.

Building onto the insights gained through the One Billion Trees planting programme and feedback from previous workshops, Te Uru Rākau continues discussion with mana whenua and kaitiaki of the land and forest around the country. Insights and opportunities for the Native Afforestation sector gathered so far indicate critical gaps in capability and strong interest in outcomes that could come from the programme.

A key issue is that the market demand for native afforestation is almost non-existent. To increase the demand for natives to be planted on Māori land, a native afforestation product and platform is being developed by Ngā Pou a Tāne. Others like Pure Advantage and Trees That Count are also working on the challenge.

Ngā Pou a Tāne backed Māori landowners who called for Māori leadership.

The Ngā Pou a Tāne Board has accepted an invitation from Te Uru Rākau to review the role and outcomes of Māori Forestry Interests towards a national Native Afforestation programme. This hui will take place in June.

More information will be posted as it comes to light.