23 December 2003 Media Release

Expediting the Land and History Alientation Database (LHAD) Project

Crown Forestry Rental Trust staff held a two day training hui last month to further develop ways of meeting the research needs of the Central North Island (CNI).

The LHAD project has been making good progress with the majority of the data for the Rotorua area now loaded. The next phase will involve linking that date to the Geographic Information System (GIS) so that claimants can see visually what events have happened in regard to their land. Events include public works takings, sales and transfers.

Last month a Whanganui LHAD research office was opened to assist Ngati Tuwharetoa to research its Treaty of Waitangi Claims. Staff who are based at the Maori Land Court are currently loading all relevant records taken from documents kept at the land court. It is hoped that this research will be completed by the end of March.

Additionally the Trust is outsourcing spatial data capture to assist with finalising the LHAD completion.

With the increase in resources the Trust is confident that all CNI inquiry districts research will be completed by June of next year including the majority of the GIS maps.