Te Uru Rakau Forestry New Zealand) has $36 million in its hill country erosion fund this year to be shared by 12 regional councils, four of which have not accessed the fund before.
The interest from local government shows the importance it puts on sustainable land management and treating erosion, agency head Julie Collins said.
“The loss of productive land through erosion has a significant impact on the environment and the sustainability of NZ land.”
Hill country erosion is estimated to cost the economy $100m to $150m a year through loss of soil, nutrients and production and damaged infrastructure and waterways.
The money is for programmes from July this year to June 2023.
They include building regional capacity and capability to planting trees, 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 13m trees being planted and treatment of more than 21,000ha of land.
“These will contribute to the Government’s One Billion Trees Programme and deliver environmental and a range of other benefits across the country,” Collins said.
