Economists have found Māori own more than a third of Bay of Plenty land, and the region has almost a fifth of the nationwide Māori asset base.
Waiāriki, the wider Bay of Plenty region, comprises 2,183,500 hectares. A report by BERL says landholdings of Māori entities' are approaching 685,000 hectares and if privately owned Māori land was included it would be higher.
The BERL economists say $7 billion of assets are owned by Māori Land Trusts and Incorporations, Māori business, Crown Forest Lease settlements, Te Ohu Kaimoana and other Treaty settlement entities in Waiariki.
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council Māori Committee chairman Tai Eru says several existing Treaty settlements are significant in the region and a further 13 iwi settlements are in the pipeline.
