PRESIDENTS COLUMN

Last week council held a meeting in Wellington and on zoom. Minutes of the meeting will be available soon but one topic discussed was diversity. What can / should NZIF be doing to encourage diversity. Added to this, does NZIF have a support role when people are marginalised due to their race, sex, religion, gender identity etc.

NZIF has information on male / female split of our membership. However we do not have information on any other communities. While it will be no surprise we have a very small percent of our membership who are female; it is encouraging to see of the last 70 applicants 32% are female. One question council need to solve is should we be collecting data on other communities; and if we do what should we do with it?

Of greater importance to me is what is our role in offering support to our members who may feel marginalised, and how would we offer this support? I would love to hear from members either directly or via ‘members voice’ on the questions above and diversity as a whole.

Council also discussed how we can have our people recognised more broadly for the amazing work many of you do. It was noted FENZ are very good at getting their people nominated for national awards and we (the forest sector) have been a bit slack at this with only 2 -3 people recognised we could think of. Therefore we are encouraging the Fellows committee to lead the charge on getting nominations in for national awards. If you feel someone you know deserves an award then please let me or Peter Clark know. The process of nomination (and acceptance) takes at least 12 months and often twice as long. It would be fantastic to see foresters recognised for the excellent work many of you are doing not only for your companies but also for benefit to NZ, our environment, our recreation, our biodiversity etc etc.

Promoting our people, allows us to promote our sector, highlighting it as a career path which offers many different opportunities as well as the ability to give back to Aotearoa. If we can promote this; perhaps we can appeal to some of the communities we have mentioned above and help improve diversity. After all, greater diversity results in better decisions 99.9% of the time.

As always I look forward to hearing from you the members. Please keep your thoughts flowing in. Discussion and debate will ensure we make good decisions.

To those of you in Auckland and Waikato in lockdown my thoughts are with you. Can I encourage all members to get vaccinated and for you to encourage your co-workers and communities to get vaccinated. I strongly believe the only way we can avoid future lockdowns is to have a very high percent of the population vaccinated. The vaccine works, this is proven within the numbers of cases; and is safe, again proven by the millions of vaccines given out with very little complications. So please cajole, encourage, and help those who are hesitant to get vaccinated.

Thanks

James

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James Treadwell (FNZIF, MInstD)

President

Registered Forester

INSTITUTE UPDATES

Salary Survey 

The 2021 salary survey is completed and on the NZIF website

Read more

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Were you unable to attend the CPD workshops at the 2021 Conference?

FORESTRY EVENTS

The Hawkes Bay local section invites you along to The East Pier Hotel to hear an informative presentation from Murray Dudfield.

Climate Impacts for Fire Management in the New Zealand Forest and Rural Landscape

Murray Dudfield FNZIF ONZM

The management of fire in the forest and rural landscape is both an art and a science. As a forestry professional what are the key elements and knowledge which then empowers us to contribute to the efficient and effective management of fire in the forest and rural landscape. Understanding the impacts of climate is one of the keys which is sometimes lost in this debate. The presentation by Murray will highlight the history of the key fire indicators for the past sixty years and look at projections out to 2040. In addition a number of future concerns will be outlined for a group discussion. Future decisions need to take account of the uncertainties and risks, and opportunities that may be the consequences of these decisions.

Doors open at 5.30pm for a drink and a yarn and the presentation to commence at 6pm

Date: Thursday 14th October 2021
Venue: Breakwater Room at East Pier Hotel
Drinks: 5.30pm
Meeting starts: 6.00pm
RSVP: Raewyn NZIF admin@nzif.org.nz by the 12th October

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Your invitation to a NZDFI Marlborough Field Day, November 10th

Developing a sustainable hardwood industry in Marlborough

Field day, November 10th 2021, Blenheim

9.00am – 3.30pm

The NZDFI invites you to a field day: ‘Developing a Sustainable Hardwood Industry in Marlborough’ on Wednesday 10th November 2021.

Join us for a series of site visits to see plantings of durable eucalypts of different species and ages; also how trees can be converted into posts and utilised in vineyards. We have guest speakers, and there will be plenty of opportunities for discussion.

The field day is by registration only. There is a registration fee of $20 inc GST to go toward organisational costs.

Register here

The event aims to raise awareness of the NZDFI’s vision of developing a sustainable multi-regional hardwood industry based on durable eucalypts. NZDFI have identified the potential for 60,000 hectares of durable eucalypts to be planted in twelve regional wood supply catchments (5,000 hectares per catchment) based on future processing sites, between now and 2050.

Come along and learn more about NZDFI’s research and development focus on tree breeding to improve growth, form and wood properties. Also site/species matching, site productivity modelling, and research into the potential for producing posts and veneers by the University of Canterbury School of Forestry. Work by Scion into the technical and economic potential for developing regional industries based on durable hardwoods will also be covered.

Marlborough is the home of the NZDFI and has always been a priority region for the Initiative. The NZDFI was established here in 2008 in response to a market opportunity for sustainably grown, naturally durable hardwood posts as an alternative to CCA-treated posts in vineyards.

NZDFI’s numerous trials in different environments in Marlborough and throughout the north and east of New Zealand indicate that durable eucalypts offer farmers and existing forest owners an option to diversify their land-use and forestry.

This year the first generation of NZDFI’s improved ‘XyloGene’ planting stock has been established. The NZDFI wants to work with landowners and people engaged in land management in its priority regions to raise awareness of its vision and the opportunity for planting regional wood supply catchments.

For more information on the NZDFI’s vision for regional wood supply catchments, and an example of what a wood supply catchment in Marlborough could look like, visit our website.

Transport and social distancing

We propose travel by car to the various field sites and will adhere to the appropriate Covid-19 Alert Level social distancing rules on the day. Travel distances are short as we will stay close to Blenheim.

We will provide an update nearer the time about where we will convene and how we will travel: we hope to car-pool if this option is available to us.

Please bring your own lunch and refreshments.

We look forward to seeing you on November 10th.

Paul Millen

Project Manager, NZDFI

OBITUARY

Obituary

Graeme Kent Hall

Graeme Hall passed away peacefully at his home in Tokoroa on the 8th of September 2021. He was in his 87th year.

Graeme worked in Kinleith Forest (based in Tokoroa) in a career extending over 50 years. He began as a labourer in the forestry department of NZ Forest Products Limited (NZFP) in 1956. He progressed steady through the ranks until he was appointed to the staff position of Forest Supervisor in 1966. Kinleith Forest was expanding rapidly at this time. By the late sixties he had been promoted to the position of District officer South East. His district was located mainly south of the Waikato River and included the forest blocks known as Tahorakuri and Tatua. He remained in this position until 1990 when he was promoted to a newly created position as Manager Lands and Leases. In this position, Graeme was responsible for lessor relations with the owners of the various forestry leases NZFP had in the central North Island. The majority of these leases were either on Maori owned or Crown owned land. Graeme with his calm and professional manner was able to develop strong, respectful and lasting relationships with all of the land owners.

In the early 1990’s NZFP began another forest expansion phase. Graeme was responsible for negotiating and completing at least ten new forestry rights with landowners in the King Country, Western Waikato and Taupo areas. In 1994 NZFP was purchased by Carter Holt Harvey Limited.

Graeme remained in this position until he retired in early 2017 following Graeme Hart’s sale of the Carter Holt’s North Island Forests to Taumata Plantations Limited.

He was a member of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry for 40 years.

Graeme was first appointed on to the Putaruru Timber Museum Trust in April 2005. During that time he served 2 terms as President  and then in 2014 took over the role of Treasurer which he held until, due to ill health. he resigned in 2016.

Graeme will be remembered by his former colleagues and forestry contacts as a thorough professional gentleman with a great sense of humour.

He is survived by his wife Genny, son Stephen and daughters Val and Sue.

Compiled by Hugh Ford with assistance from Gerry Portegys and Genny Hall

CAREERS

WorkSafe Engagement Lead Role

Please see this link regarding the WorkSafe Engagement Lead Role - applications close 29 September 2021

https://careers.worksafe.govt.nz/jobs/WKS-1565677

Please circulate to your networks; or shoulder tap anyone you think would be suitable for the role.

Stay connected Stay well

Nga mihi

Fiona

Fiona Ewing  National Safety Director

Forest Industry Safety Council

Level 9, 93 The Terrace PO Box 10029 Wellington  6143

M: +64 27 502 8065

Email: fiona.ewing@fisc.org.nz