The New Zealand Dryland Forests Initiative (NZDFI) is a commercially-oriented research and development project. It aims to develop genetically improved planting stock and management systems for ground-durable eucalypt species suited to New Zealand’s dryland regions.

NZDFI awarded 1BT Partnership funds

Great news! The NZDFI has been awarded a grant of $539,000 from Te Uru Rākau’s One Billion Trees Partnership Fund.

The funding will go towards work to accelerate the availability of our elite, genetically improved planting stock, with the focus on Eucalyptus bosistoana and E. globoidea.

The improved plants will be available to landowners wishing to plant durable eucalypts from 2021 onwards.

Proseed NZ Ltd, a NZDFI partner, is New Zealand’s leading producer of tree seed. The company will now be able to further develop and scale up its novel clonal propagation programme and start collecting seed from its clonal seed orchards.

“This funding is a huge boost for us, “says Proseed’s CEO, Shaf van Ballekom. “We have already invested significantly in skills and facilities to support the NZDFI’s breeding programme and now we will be able to start to deliver the benefits of our eucalyptus breeding work. It’s very exciting.”

Read the full media release here

For more information, contact Paul Millen, NZDFI Project Manager – p.millen@xtra.co.nz