Grants available for trees

Whether or not you believe in global warming, understanding how your farmland and forestry relates to the emissions trading scheme is well worth farmers getting their heads around, attendees at a recent monitor farm field day were told.

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries senior programme advisor Brian Boyd urged farmers to look objectively at their land, and to consider the economic merits of particiapting in the ETS or applying for grants available through the Afforestation Grants Scheme for planting trees.

Both the Northland and the Auckland Regional Councils were participating in the grants scheme.
The scheme provided an opportunity for farmers to re-evaluate land use, giving them the chance to retire unproductive country to forestry. Doing so not only provided alternative income but also the chance to earn carbon credits, which could be traded or used to offset liabilities under the ETS.

“If you want to plant trees, AGS is a good way to do so,” Mr Boyd said. “The ETS will change the economic environment, forcing landowners to look at the profitability of different landuse options. Carbon forestry will bring business opportunities for farmers.”

Owners of forest established prior to 1990, and post 1989 were treated differently under the scheme, he said. Native bush established before 1990 was not eligible and would not earn owners any carbon credits.

It was important to seek advice regarding selection of species as some trees were better at storing carbon than others.

“There are plenty of longer rotation species which provide alternatives to pines.”

Mr Boyd also explained the Permanent Forest Sink initiative which promotes the establishment of permanent forests on previously unforested land. This offers landowners the chance to earn Kyoto protocol compliant emission units for carbon sequestered in forests established after January 1,1990.

Further information: www.maf.govt.nz/sustainable-forestry

Image: Brian Boyd, of MAF.