21st November 2022 Newsletter
PRESIDENTS COLUMN
Last week we made the longest submission we have ever undertaken on the National Direction for Plantation and Exotic Carbon Afforestation. The submission ran to 75 pages and is on our website Read submission. All members owe Kit Richards a massive debt of gratitude for the work he has voluntary put in here to get this document prepared ready to be submitted. Just reviewing it and putting it into our template took me over 5 hours so I am well aware Kit must have spent many days on this submission. Thank you Kit for your generous efforts.
We continue to be inundated with consultation, and I thank members who have put their hand up to help where they have expertise. However; I could count these members on one hand, and we have many many more members who I am certain could find some time to help the small group of volunteers who are becoming snowed under.
Last week we received written confirmation on the partial fee waiver for Registered NZIF members in regards to RFA applications. The partial waiver will be 90 percent of the Application fee and the Annual Levy, resulting in the actual fee required to be paid being $44 +GST and $32 + GST respectively.
In regards to further progress with standards, CPD requirements, practice standards, etc: we have nothing to report. We are of the understanding MPI have contracted PwC to undertake this work, but have heard nothing from them to date. Yes I am well aware time is ticking. Our advice remains the same, the safest and cheapest way to register as an RFA is to become NZIF registered. However please do not leave it until the last minute. Our registration board would struggled to process 100’s of applications in the months just before Aug 2023, at which stage you risk being fined if you provide advice and are not a RFA (or registered as a RFA by being a registered member of NZIF). We are working with MPI to enable all registered NZIF members who want to be a RFA to be ‘automatically’ registered, or at least registered in bulk via NZIF, and I am confident we will make this happen.
NZIF as well as FOA released a media statement rebutting some of the EDS and Pure Advantage’s claims our forest practices are out of step with the rest of the world. Whilst I understand why both of these entities wish to see native and not exotic planted, I have yet to have seen an economical model which show how we can plant native at the scale required. I also struggle to understand how native planted now will help us meet our 2050 targets. The anti-pine rhetoric has the potential to ensure NZ does not meet its commitments and we end up purchasing units from overseas. Personally I would prefer to see the money invested here in NZ. We will continue to point out poor understanding, generalised statements and flat out mistruths as we can, but I am afraid the media do not find our arguments are great for selling papers!
Council are meeting 01 December. If there is anything you wish council to consider or discuss please let me or the Secretary, Lania, know. We will be setting some strategic objectives and reviewing a first draft budget for 2023/24.
Once again, I wish to acknowledge Kit. The amount of work he is volunteering for you the members at present is immense. If you see him, buy him a beer, coffee or just say thanks. I can assure you he deserves it.
Thanks
James
FORESTRY EVENTS
The Central North Island Local Section invites members to attend our next speaker evening and the presentation of the 'Forester of the Year'.
* NZIF presentation of the 'Forester of the Year'
and
* Scion Economist Dr Richard Yao will be presenting “From assessing forests’ broader benefits to informing policy and investment decisions”
The NZIF Forester of the Year Award recognises an NZIF member who demonstrates leadership, excellence, and personal integrity in the field of forestry. The award is presented annually to recognise a member who has made an outstanding contribution to the sector. The CNI Local Section wishes to celebrate the achievements of the 2022 Forester of the year awardee Don Hammond who’s work over the last year has been fundamental in ensuring log export markets have remained open to forest owners in Aotearoa.
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Dr Richard Yao completed a PhD in Environmental Economics and an MSc in Agricultural Economics. He has worked at Scion for fourteen years as a research economist on the assessment of ecosystem services (e.g. timber, food, carbon, recreation, improved water quality, water regulation and biodiversity) and natural resource management. Richard has applied his key areas of expertise – econometrics, forestry economics, environmental economics and efficiency analysis – to New Zealand environmental and natural resource management. This research area includes valuing and accounting for both market (provisioning) and non-market values (regulating, cultural) values in policy and investment decision making. Richard has published in international journals and participated in key discussions on how to account for ecosystem services values in policy and decision making. Richard is a recognised expert in the assessment of ecosystem services and he currently leads long term research programmes and projects that involve the assessment of ecosystem services provided by planted and native forests as well as freshwater, marine and pasture ecosystems.
Date: 24th NOV
Time: 5:30 PM-9:00 PM
Venue: Toi Ohomai Forestry Building, Rotorua
Drinks and nibbles provided
To register Register here
