Government invests $1.4m to plant native trees on Māori land near Waimarama

Government investment of $1.4m to plant 136,000 seedlings on Maori land near Waimarama will create 20 full-time jobs. Photo / File

A government investment of $1.4m to plant 136,000 native seedlings on Māori land in Hawke's Bay is set to create 20 new jobs for the region.

The funding forms part of a $7.5m injection into four environmental projects across New Zealand, announced by Forestry Minister Shane Jones on Tuesday.

Waipuka Māori Land Blocks, based near Waimarama, will plant 136,000 seedlings on 123ha of riparian land, and build 4km of fencing, over the space of two years.

Twenty full-time jobs will be created as a result.

A total of $885,000 of funding will come from the One Billion Trees scheme, while a further $516,000 will come from the Provincial Growth Fund.

The land is owned by multiple Māori landowners, who they will work together to restore and protect the land.

In total, 90 jobs will be created across the four projects in Hawke's Bay, Otago-Southland, Manawatū-Whanganui and Tairāwhiti, with around 850,000 plants to be planted across 750 ha.

A total of 100km of fencing will also be implemented across the regions.

Jones said he hoped the projects will unlock more employment opportunities and pump up local economies.

Pomahaka Corridor Planting project, in Otago-Southland, will receive $3.7m, Aorangi Whanau Trust's Hiruharama Māori blocks in Manawatū-Whanganui will receive $1.1m and Ūawanui Restoration Project in Tairāwhiti will receive $1.3m.

All four projects are set to begin within six months, according to Jones.

The One Billion Trees investment of $3.5m covers seedlings and associated planting labour costs, while the PGF investment of $4m covers the cost of fencing materials and labour, water reticulation, project management and training.