MAF grants $4 million for new forests

22 October, 2009

MAF grants $4 million for new forests

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) has granted $4 million to 42 recipients to plant new forests.

MAF Programmes Director Clive Lilley says the third round of the Afforestation Grant Scheme's (AGS) public tender round, which closed on 30 April, saw a total of $4,020,993 granted to projects around New Zealand for the 2009/10 and 2010/11 financial years

“The 42 projects will create 2688 hectares of new forest in 2009 and 2010 at an average price of $1789 per hectare in the high sequestration pool and $650 per hectare in the low sequestration pool.

“It will be allocated to projects in the Waikato, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu/Wanganui, Wellington, Nelson/Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland regions.

“MAF received 68 tenders in this last round, double the number received in the previous round, indicating very strong interest in the Scheme.”

Mr Lilley said since the AGS got underway in June last year over $6.9 million has been allocated to projects totaling over 4,495 hectares.

All available funding has now been allocated for the 2010/11 financial year, which means there will be no tender round for this October.

The next tender round is planned to close on 30 March 2010. Mr Lilley said 16 eligible tenders that have not been able to be approved due to demand exceeding available funding have been held over and may be approved as further funding becomes available.

Next year’s round will be for projects starting in the 2011/12 financial year.
For further information on the AGS or to download an AGS Public Tender Form, see: http://www.maf.govt.nz/climatechange/forestry/initiatives/ags/

ends

© Scoop Media