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.
ends