An investigation of farm restructuring and sustainable land use - Tutira region, northern Hawke's Bay

Abstract

The severity of permanent damage caused by Cyclone Bola to an estimated 65 000 ha in northern Hawke's Bay is of sufficient magnitude to necessitate complete changes in land use over that region as a whole. Traditional responses to this problem have included a range of incentives which have been principally designed to ensure the continuation of the existing pastoral use. Recent studies have emphasised the need to rationalise land use on the basis of long term sustainability. The costs of facilitating and permanently establishing this change in land use will be high, and an appropriate sponsor must be found, as market forces and commercial enterprise alone will have insufficient incentive to effect the changes. Keywords sustainable land use, farm restructuring, Hawke's Bay