New era, new opportunities for land owners

Climate change may bring new opportunities for the region’s land owners – possibilities that will be explored at free carbon farming seminars in east and south Taranaki this month.

Organised by the Taranaki Regional Council, the seminars will be held at the Douglas Hall, SH43, Douglas, at 1pm on Tuesday 26 February, and at the Border Rugby Club, Chester Street, Waverley, at 1pm on Wednesday 27 February. They follow a similar seminar at Uruti in November last year.

This month’s seminars will include presentations by the Council, MAF, carbon agents and forestry industry representatives, and will be followed by a barbecue and refreshments.

The Chairman of the Taranaki Regional Council, David MacLeod, says the seminars are an opportunity for farmers and other land owners to explore aspects of the Government’s new emissions trading regime, introduced as a response to climate change.

Because the emphasis is on growing and retaining trees to help offset greenhouse gas emissions, there are new incentives for planting or regenerating land that is erodible, steep, low in fertility and a long way from infrastructure – in short, land that is otherwise an economic liability.

“As well as hugely benefiting the environment, this offers a useful new income stream for land owners,” says Mr MacLeod. “These are the sorts of possibilities that will be explored at the seminars.”

For more information, call Taranaki Regional Council Land Management Officer Jason Loveridge on 06 765 7127, or e-mail jason.loveridge@trc.govt.nz.