In December 2022, Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service asked the NZPPI members and the wider native nursery sector to participate in the 2022 Native Nursery Survey to help it understand the current state of the sector and any growth barriers it faces.
TUR has now (July 2023) published the full report of the survey findings, which can be found online here or download the PDF below. The survey summary report was released back in May 2023.
The online confidential survey was completed between 10 November 2022 and 23 January 2023. A total of 467 nurseries (including many NZPPI members) were invited to complete the survey with valid responses received from 140 respondents.
The survey is part of Government investment in reducing barriers to establishing native forests. By planting more trees with a focus on native species, the Government aims to create long-term carbon sinks while managing erosion and enhancing biodiversity, soil health, and water quality. The survey findings will help TUR develop its afforestation programme and support nurseries’ capability and capacity to grow native seedlings.
Some the main findings around production are:
- 58% of total nursery land was productive, at an average area of 4.4 hectares
- About 434,700 seedlings were produced, or 63% of capacity
- 71% of nurseries produced native tree seedlings last financial year
- 68 of respondents said they would be interested in producing more native seedlings.
If you have any questions about the report, please email the team at nativeafforestationprogramme@mpi.govt.nz.