Ewan McGregor

Given this country’s need for more trees, whether natives or exotics, the new Government’s pledge to supercharge tree cultivation is commendable. A billion by the end of a decade! Credible, or fanciful? OK, it’s a notional figure, and no one’s going to keep count, but a worthy cause will be discredited if seen as unrealistic. Surely, though, we want this to work. Ninety percent of our forestry estate is of the productive radiata pine and it seems that the dominant species for this programme is radiata — new Forestry Minister Shane Jones has a symbolic potted pine seedling in his office. But little has been said as to the range of species, and their management. A 100,000 hectares is targeted for planting annually, with much of it private land. How will landowners be induced to plant these trees?