Trees and bees the future for our hills?

Thursday, 26 May 2011, 8:55 am
Article: sticK

Trees and bees the future for our hills?

(sticK - 26 May 2011 ) Trees and bees may become the savior of hilly rural New Zealand…..why?
Because down on the farm, or more precisely, way up on the farm, things aren't as rosy as the boom in commodity prices would have people believe.

There's a crisis of sorts happening for much of our hill country - that steep, out the back of beyond land that is no longer economic to farm with animals, and is becoming weed infested and overrun.

Much of this land isn't suitable for radiata pine forestry either - it's too steep, and too far away from decent roading, and thus not a goer on that front.

Other tree and forestry types such as eucalyptus and blackwoods might have enough longterm value, and even if they aren't suitable, the longterm farming of trees for carbon credits is becoming an alternative income source.

There's also another tree with potential promise - manuka, which even though it is a native has been somewhat regarded as a 'weed' until relatively recently.

Click to read the rest of this story
http://sticknz.net/2011/05/26/trees-and-bees-the-future-for-our-hills/

For sticK – science, technology, innovation & commercialisation KNOWLEDGE - is a new Wellington based news service concentrating on following the money from ideas to income. Contact editor Peter Kerr at peter.kerr055 @ gmail.com

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