“Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood for domestic processing and over time, boost the value of exports,” Mr McClay says

“It will also provide nature-based solutions which are a key part to our climate strategy.” 

Through the RFI, the Government wants to understand what would make this an attractive and viable opportunity for potential partners.

This includes: 

• Interest in partnering with the government to plant tree for commercial, carbon and biodiversity purposes. 

• What conditions and contractual arrangements the government might consider.

• What barriers to planting might exist and how the Government could help overcome these.

“We’re open to partnering with a range of groups both domestic and international, and we will ensure commitments are upheld where land is subject to Treaty of Waitangi settlement obligations.

“These partnerships represent a cost-effective approach to reducing net emissions while also delivering tangible benefits to local communities,” Mr McClay says

Potential partners can submit their RFI response HERE, describe the activities they’re interested in and suggest partnership models and types of agreements they’d consider.

The RFI closes at 5pm on 28 February 2025.