Lake Rotorua

Lake Rotorua

Gorse Conversion - How it works

It is easy to access the Gorse Conversion funding.

  1. Contact Bay of Plenty Regional Council on 0800 884 880 or email us
  2. A Land Management Officer will arrange a visit to your property to assess the amount of gorse you have, listen to want you want to do with the land and discuss the options that would suit you and your property
  3. A Gorse Conversion Plan is drafted identifying what actions need to be taken
  4. Independent legal and forestry advice up to $2,000 is included in the funding
  5. Agreement is signed
  6. Work commences.

Who can access the funding?

To be eligible for the funding, properties must have mature gorse on land in the Lake Rotorua groundwater catchment.

Other eligibility criteria include:

  • Gorse conversion must provide for reductions in nitrogen leaching to the same amount as forestry (3kg N/ha/year)
  • Net phosphorus losses must not exceed levels before conversion
  • Landowners must be compliant with the Regional Water and Land Plan rules

If the criteria are met, an agreement must be signed by the landowner that sets out:

  • The total hectares and location of gorse to be removed
  • Description of activities to be funded and payments that are to be made. 
  • The agreement will also include a deed that survives in perpetuity to record the land use change and secure the nitrogen reductions.