PRESIDENTS COLUMN

Last week the media made a mountain out of a molehill.  Encouraged by other players (including the metal industry) they attempted to blame the CHH supply to Mitre10 and others as an export log price issue.  Nothing could be further from the truth and I worked hard to convince the media otherwise.  I was especially angry to see John Anthony a Stuff reporter quote Metals New Zealand as saying log export prices were the issue.  This would be like asking me to provide a quote on steel, something I am have no experience in or knowledge of.  I have raised the issue with John and his editor and await a reply. 

The positive of the CHH announcement, is many reporters seem to have discovered forestry and are starting to understand the important role we play within and for New Zealand.  This is something I will attempt to build on; especially with good news stories.  However I could do with some help.  If any of you have great stories to tell, which you think the media may run, please let me know. 

I am determined to build on the positive words coming from this Government in regards to forestry.  Now is our time to make change happen.  There is a link to the PM’s speech within this newsletter but there are a few key comments from her speech I wish to highlight.

            “Traditionally in New Zealand, we’ve built large commercial buildings out of steel and concrete. This building showcases what can be done with trees.”

Let’s keep the pressure on this Government to build multistory buildings in timber.  It is depressing to see a small Government multistory building going up next to MPI in steel. 

            “Meanwhile investment in forestry has been, and continues to be, a big focus for our Government”

Let’s keep their focus on this.  Our forests (of all types) would benefit from further investment.  

            “Our forestry industry is a rich strategic resource and we see it playing a key part in                        growing and transforming our economy, especially once you value-add and innovate.” 

Let’s ensure we are.  

I encourage all of you to get involved, push our narrative, and tell the great story of what our profession can offer Aotearoa, not just financially but also as a job provider in rural areas,  providing clean streams, reducing our carbon footprint, improving well-being of all people, improving biodiversity and sustainability and many other positives.  

It is time we, as professional foresters, are heard.  We are responsible for the stewardship of all forests. We have the skills to grow the forests (all forests), to improve biodiversity, to protect environments, to add value, to provide jobs.  Let’s start speaking up, it is not up to the forest investors / owners to do so, it is up to us the professionals to provide understanding on all aspects and all types of forestry.  We know we are important to Aotearoa now let’s explain how.  

Thanks
James

James Treadwell (FNZIF, MInstD)
President

Registered Forester
President@nzif.org.nz

MEMBERS VOICE

Let’s play Simon Says

I was shaken at the NZFFA Conference on Thursday 26^th by Simon Upton, who suggested that both the He Waka Eke Noa team and the CCC were thinking about having a levy on agricultural emissions that could be offset with planting trees on farms.  A levy?  That suggests an agricultural carbon tax independent of the ETS, allowing totally different rigour in terms of measurement, compliance, penalties and rewards.  He further suggested that carbon forestry was bad, and in order to rein it in the Government might consider controlling the number of NZUs a grower could claim for each tonne of carbon stored.  He offered four possible mechanisms for doing this, including (for example) one NZU per two tonnes sequestered.  Good grief.

What Simon was suggesting was, in effect, different emissions treatments for different sectors.  Exploring that thought, I suggest there is nothing in the ETS that we (small forest owners) can rely on: it might be fluid and subject to policies that will be adjusted as other sectors do or don’t perform to expectations.  If Simon is right and the Government adopts fluid policy adjustment, there is no promise of a level playing field, equity across sectors or regulatory fairness.

What he said threw the ideas I had drafted in the CCC submission totally into disarray, as I had assumed (against gnawing doubts) that equity and fairness would be fundamental.  If they’re not, anything goes.  The loudest or most serious voice will get the most attention and the rest will have to suck it up, as in the Covid-19 lockdown when public health officials shut down the tourism industry.  We all agreed what they did was right, but there was no equity or fairness involved.

There seem to be three possibilities.  The first is, we can sit back and hope that what Simon says is nonsense.

The second is, if we don’t want to ‘suck it up’ as a result of someone else’s priorities, we might put aside equity and fairness and become the loudest voice in climate change response.  I don’t know how to achieve that, but I think that to get any traction at all we’d need to unify; make sure the FOA shared this understanding and vision and were prepared to lead; gather up any other sectors who supported us; and then find those arguments that most appealed to (or least offended) Beef+Lamb and Federated Farmers, to start to make change without raising an even louder voice against us. 

The third possibility is that I’m just paranoid.

Howard Moore
29 March 2021

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The giant Kawerau Mill

New Zealand National Film Unit presents Pictorial Parade No. 63 (1957) THE BIG MILL The giant Kawerau Mill now works around the clock, producing paper, pulp and timber from pine forests planted on the Kaingaroa Plains thirty years ago. The vast output gives proof of the success of the plan and establishes a new and expanding industry in New Zealand.

Watch film here

INSTITUTE UPDATE

IT IS NOW EASIER TO DONATE TO THE FOUNDATION

The annual call for scholarships and grants from the NZIF Foundation features in this newsletter.

$34,700 worth of scholarships and grants are available.

But where did the money come from?

The general policy adopted by the Foundation when it started nearly ten years ago was that funding of scholarships and grants should come from annual earnings on the capital fund, with donations each year being added to the capital fund to increase annual earnings.

We have also had some larger donations that required the Foundation to offer specific awards while the funds lasted.  But the ones we have are running out, which means we cannot increase the size of current awards and we cannot add new awards unless the capital fund is substantially increased.

So please, support your charity that supports the next generation of forestry professionals.  Remember you can claim a tax rebate for every donation of $5 or more.  There is a button at the top of the NZIF web home page that will take you straight to the donation page.

PLEASE DONATE TODAY, EVERY LITTLE COUNTS

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APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR NZIF FOUNDATION 2021 AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS

Applications are invited for the awards and scholarships offered by the NZIF Foundation for 2021.  The total value of awards offered is $34,700.

The awards open for application are:

• Two Future Forest Scholarship for post graduate research each of up to $10,000
• The New Zealand Redwood Company Scholarship of $5,000 for an undergraduate scholarship at the University of Canterbury School Forestry
• One or more Otago Southland Awards up to a combined total of $5,200 to assist a project or projects of relevance to forestry in the Otago/Southland region
• Mary Sutherland Scholarship of $1,000 for a polytechnic student
• University Undergraduate Scholarship of $1,000
• Frank Hutchinson Postgraduate scholarship of $1,000
• Student poster prizes at NZIF Conference (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prizes of $800, $500 and $200)

Applications are now open.  Further details and an application form are available on the Foundation web page (https://www.nzif.org.nz/about-us/nzif-foundation/ )

Applications must be received by the Foundation administrator (foundation@nzif.org.nz) no later than 5pm on Monday 31^st May 2021.  The awards will be announced at the Awards Dinner of the joint conference of the NZ Institute of Forestry being held in Masterton from 27^th to 29^th June 2021.

Enquires to the Foundation (foundation@nzif.org.nz) or phone +64 274 733 262

Please pass on this notice to your networks and to anyone you think may be eligible to apply.  Membership of NZIF is not a requirement for application.

About the NZIF Foundation

The NZIF Foundation was established in 2011 by the NZ Institute of Forestry to advance education in relation to forestry.  This includes encouraging and supporting forestry related research, education and training through the provision of grants, scholarships and prizes; promoting the acquisition, development and dissemination of forestry related knowledge and information and other activities that do not conflict with the charitable purpose.  For the purposes of these awards, forestry is broadly defined to include all those activities involved in the management and use of forests and their products, the objects of which are the production of wood or other forest benefits and the maintenance of the environment in its most beneficial form.  All forests in New Zealand, whatever their purpose, are encompassed in the definition.

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Registration Board member

Arthur (Ian) Page

After emigrating from the United Kingdom in 1966, Ian’s first role in New Zealand was spending four years as a frontline forester at Kaingaroa, responsible for re-establishment following harvest, seed collection and weed control.

After post-graduate study in Canada he joined the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Rotorua where he formed and led a multi-disciplinary team encouraging and developing mechanised techniques for growing plantations. After six years with FRI, Ian left to develop his own farm and forest enterprise just outside of Whangarei. With that established, Ian, his wife Sandy and a business partner built a forestry contracting and technical services company in Northland. In 1982, leaving this business in the hands of his partner, Ian (and family) spent a year with Chilean forestry giant Forestal Arauco developing establishment techniques, standards and management systems.

Ian joined Chandler Fraser Keating (CFK) in 1984 and was a director of the company at various times since then, setting up the Northland office of the company in 1985. As a general forester with specialist experience in plantation establishment and mechanisation, management audit and general resource studies, he led CFK valuation, due diligence and other projects in New Zealand, Chile, Uruguay and the Pacific Islands. He left CFK in 2011.

Ian has been active in the NZIF, spending time on the National Council and chairing a local Northland branch for several years in the 1980s. Before becoming a Retired Member a couple of years ago, he was the longest serving Registered Forester in New Zealand (registration No 3) and is currently in his fifth term on the NZIF Registration Board.

FORESTRY EVENTS

Autumn drinks

“Following on from the success of the pre-Christmas drinks, NZIF Otago Southland are hosting autumn drinks at 4 pm 15^th April at Emerson’s Brewery Dunedin.  All welcome.”

NZIF Otago Southland Committee.     

George Platts | Forest Manager

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Overseas Investment Office Presentation

Save the date........

Wednesday 21 April 2021, Hawkes Bay 

Venue: East Pier, Ahuriri, Napier 

Time: 5.30pm

Members of the Overseas Investment Office will provide an update on the overseas investment regime and how it relates to investment in forestry.

Sponsorship: Venue hire, sponsored by - FMNZ Ltd, Refreshments prior to meeting sponsored by - Colliers HB

RVSP by Monday 19th April to Raewyn at admin@nzif.org.nz or Bob Pocknall on bob.helanie@gmail.com or phone 021 914362

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NZIF 2021 Conference 

27th to 29th June 2021

Copthorne Hotel & Resort Solway Park
High Street
Masterton 

We are excited to be presenting a varied and inspiring lineup for our next conference to be held in Masterton in the mighty Wairarapa.  We all know how passionate our sector work force is about what we do, and we are seeking to showcase some of this pride with our lineup of speakers and CPD sessions. 

Read more

FORESTRY NEWS

Speech to opening of Te Whare Nui o Tuteata - Scion’s Innovation Hub at Rotorua

Scion’s striking innovation building, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata, was today officially opened by the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, Minister of Research, Science & Innovation, Hon Dr Megan Woods and 500 guests, heralding a new era in Scion’s evolution.

Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister speech to opening of Scion's Innovation hub Read more

For more information on the building Read here