New Zealand limits forestry conversions on productive farmland

The New Zealand Government has passed the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme Forestry Conversions) Amendment Bill, announced by Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Todd McClay and Minister of Climate Change Simon Watts.

• Main action: The Bill places limits on converting productive farmland to exotic forestry, including limits on exotic forestry registrations for LUC classes 1–6, flexibility for farmers to plant and register up to 25% of productive land in forestry, exemptions for certain classifications of Māori owner land, two annual ballots allowing up to 15,000 hectares of new exotic forestry on LUC 6 land, transitional provisions for investors who acted in good faith before December 2024, and a review of the annual hectare limit in 2028. The legislation enters into force October 2025.
• Background and details: The Bill is presented as protecting food production and rural communities while maintaining confidence in the ETS; Ministers said it provides certainty for foresters and farmers. The Government acknowledged calls to strengthen pest, weed, and fire management plans for forests and said work is underway to improve forest risk management and practices.