Maori Carbon Foundation Hui in Te Ahu , Kaitaia.
Published: September 18, 2018
About 110 or so locals turned up to the Maori Carbon Foundation Hui in Te Ahu , Kaitaia today. Alot of questions and insights re forestry . Sir Mark gave very clear answers re Māori Carbon Forestry. A carbon-trading business seeking to unlock millions of dollars from communal Māori land is launching today in a scheme which will provide the Government's Billion Trees plan a massive boost.
High-profile Māori leaders have joined a board led by Ngāi Tahu's Sir Mark Solomon, who said the Māori Carbon Foundation was looking to plant on "marginal" land - often the remnants of colonial land grabs.
"My focus right from the start has really been aimed at Māori because a lot of the lands Māori were left with were called 'marginal lands' and those types of lands are very good for carbon sinks," said Solomon.
The Māori Carbon Foundation is aiming to plant on 150,000ha as an initial target - a mass of land that would allow around 150 million trees to be planted.
It is not only pitching business to communal Maori land owners but any landowners willing to sign up.
The Māori Carbon Foundation launched today in Kaitaia and Kaikohe with a focus on the benefits of planting trees on erosion prone land in the area. The Far North Mayor John Carter attended
The business model sees the company carrying the cost of planting, maintaining and insuring the forest. Landowners get an even share of profits after seven years when the start-up cost is covered. Income comes from trading the carbon credits generated by the trees.
Solomon said the 50-50 profit "comes from our belief that whanau should be full partners in the development of their whenua".
"There is no cost other than use of the land and access to the land and the time that is involved for that access - a 30-year right. There is no lien on the land, there is no mortgage to the land," Solomon said.
He said the particular focus on Māori saw Tai Tokerau's Hone Harawira, leader of the Mana Movement, also on the board and Dame Tariana Turia earmarked to lead a trust aimed at social benefits for communities where forests were planted.
Today the MCF announced a Māori Climate Commissioner, Donna Awatere Huata- to provide a Māori viewpoint re climate change.