Hon Shane Jones

Minister for Forestry

Minister for Regional Economic Development

EMBARGOED UNTIL 11:30AM THURSDAY MARCH 15

15 March 2018
Funding to expand Bay of Plenty nursery

The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will provide up to $5.8 million over three years to allow a Bay of Plenty nursery to scale up production of forestry grade native seedlings, Regional Economic Development Minister and Forestry Minister Shane Jones announced today.

“With the Government committed to seeing one billion trees planted over the next 10 years, we need to work with nurseries and help them increase production to ensure enough seedlings – both exotics and indigenous – are available to be planted,” Shane Jones said.

“The funding we’re announcing today will allow Minginui Nursery to grow up to one million native trees every year and expand its current workforce from nine to 90.”

The two-year-old nursery is owned by Ngāti Whare Holdings.

“It’s already involved in growing forest-grade podocarp species – rimu, totara, matai, kahikatea, miro – and kauri, and also has a large order book for manuka, kanuka and other pioneer species.”

“Minginui was planned as a forestry town by the Ministry of Works and was built in the late 1940s, but has experienced ongoing population decline since the closure of the sawmill in the late 1980s. Only about 1300 people now live in the area, with fewer than 300 living in the town itself.

“Community development is the key driver for the nursery’s move to increase its production of forestry grade native seedlings to an industrial scale.

“With the PGF’s help, Minginui Nursery can play its part in rejuvenating the region, contributing to employment and skills development and better social outcomes for the community.

“Ngāti Whare Holdings has already proven it can operate a nursery on commercial terms, employ and train local people and the Government is happy to partner with such businesses,” Shane Jones said.

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