Prisoners could be put to work planting trees in the Bay of Islands as part of a major Northland tree-planting project.
The venture was launched with Northland iwi as part of the Government's goal to plant one billion new trees across the country.
"It's not just many millions of dollars, it's not just trees, but it's restoring provincial fortunes and is literally restoring the seeds of hope that will rehabilitate land and recover the local economy," Forestry Minister Shane Jones said.
Ngati Hine will run the forestry project - the first of many designed to pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the Northland economy.
"This is finally telling our shareholders we can now secure our future with a really good deal of both an annual return, but also a good percentage of the stumpage at the end," Pita Tipene, Ngati Hine's leader, said.
The iwi plans to plant half a million trees this year and two million more over the following three years.
The Government is giving Ngati Hine a $6 million startup fund, as well as promising them a reasonable return.
Ngati Hine said they have enough manpower to get the job done but Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says he's not ruling out putting prisoners to work.
"We have to get creative and stop wasting the taxpayer's money and get the people in the prison system out helping the country's economy," Mr Peters said.
Mr Jones said the Government is planting hope back into the community and the iwi agrees.
"I think we've cut a path and others can follow through," Mr Tipene said.
Twelve million trees have been planted so far as part of the new venture.
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