Will New Zealand Turn to Native Restoration or Pine Forests? The Pros and Cons

In this video, I take a look at Pinus radiata, the most widely grown exotic tree in New Zealand. I walk through a pine forest in Waiuku and then visit a native tōtara forest in Manukau, comparing the differences between these two very different forest types. We also take a deeper look at the incentives and disincentives that influence the choices made by private landowners, and how these decisions could shape New Zealand's future. With many farmers choosing to plant pine forests for financial gain, will New Zealand become a country dominated by pines? Finally, we examine New Zealand's carbon credit system and the financial incentives available to those who plant trees. Which forests receive the greatest rewards, and does the current system fairly recognise the wider environmental benefits of native forests?