Can we make establishing native forests cheaper by growing native plants in smaller pots?

Authors: Heidi Dungey; Craig Ford; Alex Lloyd; Kelly Turner
Publication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 2022, Issue N.Z.J.For. 67(4) 2023 , pp 8-13, Feb 2023
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry

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Abstract: Establishing forests over a large area, specifically to buy New Zealand time to adapt to climate change, is something new for this country. Establishing indigenous forests at small scales is already being done through reversion, augmentation and planting. Large-scale planting is very rare and not always successful. Planting native forests is often avoided due to the high costs involved. If we can adapt forestry growing methods to native trees, and use smaller plants that cost less, then a good proportion of costs can be removed from this equation. This paper discusses some recent work around Rotorua, in New Zealand’s Central North Island, to examine where and how using forestry-grade plants might work.

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