A $1.5 million fund to help landowners in the Lake Rotorua catchment trial low nitrogen land uses is open for expressions of interest.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council, principle adviser Rotorua catchments Anna Grayling said all properties were eligible.
"The fund will help set-up practical small or large scaleworking examples of ways land can be used to develop new income streams for farmers other than traditional farming.
"We want people to try new crops or ventures on the land, so we can share the knowledge... We want to know what does and doesn't work in the catchment, can it be profitable, what are the pitfalls and any other learnings along the way."
Examples of alternative land uses could include growing kakakawa for traditional Māori medicine, manuka oil plantations, crops not yet trialled in the catchment or even establishing agri-tourism ventures.
"This funding is not for research projects. It is for practical applications on the land for ideas that have already been vetted as possible in the catchment."
Background work to identify low nitrogen land diversification options in Rotorua has been completed.
The information is available in the Rotorua land use directory or as a booklet from the regional council offices.
