Gisborne council proposes smaller land use transition as funding search continues

An example of strategically planted poplar and willow trees with retention of reverting scrub in an erosion-prone area in the Gisborne district. Photo / Gisborne District Council

Sustainable land use transition in Tairāwhiti may progress on a smaller scale after the Government did not commit to funding support for the transition of up to 100,000 hectares.

Gisborne district councillors last week discussed the possibility of merging two groups - one focused on woody debris clean-up and the other on transitioning land - to advance a downscaled plan.

The Transition Advisory Group/Rōpū Arahi Mahi Whakawhitinga, a cross-sector collective of local experts and stakeholders, had worked since August 2024 to produce a transition guide and business case last year.

It sought Crown investment to help transition some of the region’s worst erosion-prone land into permanent vegetation cover.

The business case found up to 1000 landowners would need to transition anywhere from 60,000 to 100,000ha (up to 12% of Tairāwhiti’s land area) of vulnerable land identified by Landcare Research/Manaaki Whenua.

The business case estimated the transition would cost about $600 million and sought about $359m in Government co-investment during the first 10 years.

The plan was completed in December, but the Government did not confirm funding support for the full programme.

Minister of Forestry Todd McClay formally responded to the council in January, advising that the Government was not in a position to commit funding to the full business case in the current financial environment.

McClay was supportive of a subsequent request from the council in February to expand the scope of the Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group, provided it also continued to work with landowners.

The forestry group, including representatives from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), the district council, iwi and industry, was established in August 2024 by McClay to accelerate the clean‑up of woody debris following Cyclone Gabrielle.

“The extreme weather events of early 2026 reinforced that council cannot afford to pause irrespective of the limited financial commitment so far,” the council’s progress report, authorised by director of liveable communities Michele Frey, reads.

“Officers therefore consider it appropriate to continue progressing a practical interim approach that builds momentum and informs longer-term transition decisions.”

At the environment and communities meeting last Wednesday, council chief executive Nedine Thatcher-Swann said residents in Tairāwhiti had lobbied for the business case since the Government’s rejection, prompting officials to studyhow it could be done on a “lesser cost basis”.

While conversations with officials were ongoing, the council had looked into reallocating funding from the forestry group.

It had been allocated funding for woody debris clean-up following Cyclone Gabrielle, although there was an underspend.

The proposal would require the Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group and Transition Advisory Group to merge, with the remaining funds redirected to them for land transition.

“Both groups were quite supportive of the direction of travel, which is some merger of the groups and advisory capacity to then refocus from picking up woody debris to being more focused on the resilience and planting site,” Thatcher-Swann said.

“Let’s try and do a smaller version. Let’s make a start and see if we can get some pilots going as well that will help us up the scale if and when the available funding comes.”

Councillor Rob Telfer pushed for greater urgency, emphasising that it had been three years since Cyclone Gabrielle.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking to the forestry companies or the on-the-ground harvesters. They want to get the trees off the land, this vulnerable land, so then we can deal with it how we deal with it afterwards, but we’ve got to get it happening. It seems to be going on too long. We need momentum.”

It is not clear how much funding is left in the forestry group.

Council’s woody debris project manager, Rod Sheridan, said there was no fixed figure as “it is actively being allocated and changes as projects are delivered”.

“Current funding supports debris risk reduction work through the Behind the Forest Gate programme, which focuses on reducing risk in the most vulnerable forest areas and supports the broader land use transition,” Sheridan said.

“Council is working with MPI on how this funding can also support wider land-use transition work over time. This work will continue as delivery workstreams expand to support the Transition Advisory Group, with both programmes running concurrently.”

The council’s progress report said the council “will continue to explore additional funding and financing opportunities through MPI, other central government channels, potential partner co-funding and other sources”.