23rd August 2021 Newsletter
PRESIDENTS COLUMN
Well we managed to time the conference to perfection (finally) and what a conference it was. I have received much positive feedback and I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the conference committee of Erica, Nikki, Jack, Scott and Peter along with Jay; who put on a great conference; whilst dealing with a large amount of uncertainty and the requirement to be flexible. I would also like to thank Raewyn for her helping managing the delegates and ensuring the conference ran smoothly and Liss for sacrificing her Sunday to take the minutes of the AGM.
For me the three loud themes were; we need to communicate better, not just between ourselves but to all Aotearoa; we are in for challenging times with the change in climate and the need to reverse this, but these times will also be exciting for the forester; and People People People.
One very enjoyable part of the conference for me was the awards dinner. Once again a fantastic night and I was very pleased to present Paul Millen with the Forester of the Year award. Paul was acknowledged for his diverse range of skills and experience. Paul’s hard graft and commitment at grass roots level to high level policy planning and execution and academic leadership made him a very deserved awardee.
From the conference straight into lockdown. I hope you are all doing OK. Fingers crossed lockdown won’t last too long; but I think we need to prepare for that eventuality, at least in parts of the country. The sector is holding regular meetings with MPI and TuR to ensure we can keep you fully informed as well as to ensure clarity over what we can and can not do. As per my email over the weekend I encourage you to follow the rules. Failure to do so puts the whole sector at risk as we move from level to level. While I know it is frustrating and sometimes the rules do not seem to be consistent; we need to get over this and ensure we can all get back to work ASAP and the best way to do this is to follow the instructions we are receiving from the Government.
As this drags on I expect we will see some stress and anxiety. Please check in on your mates and work colleagues. We are all in this together and you never know how a phone call could change someone’s day. If anyone feels they need help or to talk to someone you can call or txt 1737 any time, 24 hours a day and you will get to talk to (or text with) a trained counsellor or talk to a peer support worker. The service is completely free.
Please stay home, stay safe and stop the spread and if possible get vaccinated. Kia kaha members!
Thanks
James
NZIF FORESTRY AWARDS
NZIF FOUNDATION 2021 AWARDS
The NZIF Foundation announced education and research awards totalling $20,500 at the NZIF 2021 awards dinner in Masterton on 16th August. “We had a good number of quality applicants”, said Dr Andrew McEwen, the Foundation’s chair. “What is especially pleasing is the applicants come from a range of institutions and forestry interests, with research projects relating to the properties of Eucalypt timber, response of indigenous trees in urban forests due to climate change, corewood properties of radiata, control of the fungal disease Dothistroma, profitability of different species planted for carbon sequestration on hill country, effect on carbon sequestration of different stocking of radiata stands on dryland Canterbury.”
Vikash Ghildiyal a PhD student at the School of Forestry at the University of Canterbury. received a $10,000 Future Forest Scholarship for his research on improving the drying quality of Eucalyptus.
Katherine Yallop, a 4th year Bachelor of Forestry Science Honours student at the University of Canterbury School of Forestry received the $5,000 NZ Redwood Company Scholarship. Her honours project is quantifying the effect of differing initial stockings on above ground CO2 sequestration and carbon storage of Pinus radiata in the dryland Canterbury region.
The Frank Hutchinson Scholarship of $1,000 for 2021 was awarded to Ashleigh Mosen, a Master of Science in genetics student at Massey University. Ashleigh is investigating new techniques as an alternative to use of copper fungicides to control Dothistroma needle blight and potentially other forest pathogens.
The University Undergraduate Scholarship for 2021 and worth $1,000, was awarded to Jamila Milne a 3rd year Bachelor of Forestry Science student at the University of Canterbury School of Forestry.
Attendees at the NZIF Conference cast votes for the best student posters. The competition attracted entries from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology in Rotorua, and the School of Forestry at the University of Canterbury. All three prizes went to 2nd year Diploma in Forest Management students at Toi Ohomai:
- Dallas Collier’s poster “Money lost through production breakage”, received the first prize of $800;
- Kajal Chaudhary received the second prize of $500 for her poster “Comparison and valuation of Pigeon Valley standard regime vs the fire affected regime;
- Third prize of $200 went to Micheal Walmsley’s poster “Hovermap consistency analysis”.
Dallas Collier and Andrew McEwen
Kajal Chaudhary and Andrew McEwen
Micheal Walmsley and Andrew McEwen
The NZIF Foundation announced the awarding of two Mary Sutherland Scholarships, each worth $1,000, (instead of the usual one annual scholarship) at an event in June celebrating the recent publication of the biography of Mary Sutherland, the first woman in the world to graduate with a forestry degree (A Path Through the Trees: Mary Sutherland – forester, botanist & women’s advocate by Vivien Edwards, published by Writes Hill Press.
The two recipients, Pamela Purdie and Lily Marshall are both enrolled for the first year of a Diploma in Forest Management at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology in Rotorua.
“We were delighted with the number and quality of applications”, said Dr McEwen. “We congratulate the recipients of the awards and thank all applicants and encourage them to persist with their research and education and to make a career associated with New Zealand’s forests, which have a vital role to play in this country’s environment, economy and society.”
Contact: Andrew McEwen, Chair, NZIF Foundation
Mob 027 473 3262
Email foundation@nzif.org.nz
Website accessible through www.nzif.org.nz
Background to NZIF Foundation
The NZIF Foundation was established by the NZ Institute of Forestry in 2011. It is a registered charity and has its own Board of Trustees. Its purpose is the advancement of education in relation to forestry in New Zealand. This includes encouraging and supporting forestry related education, training and research through the provision of grants, scholarships and prizes; promoting the acquisition, development and dissemination of forestry-related knowledge and information and other activities.
The Foundation is funded through donations from individuals, companies and other entities who wish to support forestry related education and research in New Zealand.
INSTITUTE NEWS
Conference recordings
The Presentations from the conference and the AGM are on our website Read more
CPD's (Forest fire, Arbitration and Mediation) sessions will be available shortly, you will receive an email advising when and the cost.
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From the Registrar
SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION FOR REGISTERED MEMBER
The following Member is now a Registered Member:
- Iain McInnes of Gisborne
REGISTRATION REVIEWS 2021
The following members are due for 5-year review of their status as Registered Members during 2021 and have not yet applied;
- John Galbraith
- David Crawley
Alan Bell, Registrar
NZIF Registration Board
registrar@nzif.org.nz
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