A new online tool will help Lake Rotorua catchment landowners understand the potential economic gains from converting all or parts of their property to pine or manuka.

The dNITRO Land Use Change Tool was developed by Māori forestry initiative group Toitu Te Waonui comprising of consulting companies Interpine Innovation and Tuia Group, plus iwi leaders.

The tool has been developed with funding from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Ministry for the Environment, and is part of the Low Nitrogen Land Use Fund.

Toitu Te Waonui Project manager Andy Dick says the user-friendly, spatial tool is particularly useful for Māori landowners.

'It fills a knowledge gap that exists for landowners who are looking to plant out less productive land in to trees.”

BOPRC integrated catchments general manager Chris Ingle says the purpose of the Low Nitrogen Land Use fund is to assist landowners with reducing nitrogen discharged on to their land and entering Lake Rotorua.

'We are committed to supporting landowners to do their part to protect lake water quality.

'The decision to award funding to Toitu Te Waonui aligns with our key priority for the fund by promoting uptake of existing low nitrogen land uses such as pine and mānuka.”

The next phase of the project will see Toitu Te Waonui reach out to Māori landowners and guide them through the tool to show opportunities and funding avenues available.

The dNITRO Land Use Change Tool is now live at www.dnitro.co.nz