30th January 2023 Newsletter

PRESIDENTS COLUMN

2023 has started where 2022 left off. More submissions and major questions from the media and public on our social licence to operate. Whilst we all know there is more to the East Coast story than just Forest Practices, getting the media and public to understand this is difficult. The positive takeout of this is the sector organisations are working well together with lots of communication between NZIF, Māori, FICA, FOA and FFA. Whilst we won’t agree on everything to have a robust discussion and agree where to hold the line has been useful and is very different from years of old.

Council are considering how to respond to the East Coast situation and will make a call on this latter this week.

We continue to work with TuR on the RFA scheme and you will see they have put another consultation document out for discussion. If you find time to read this it may give you a sense of how much more needs to be completed before we can confidently sign up to the scheme. So much is still unclear and our advice to members is the same. Don’t sign up yet as you have no idea what you are signing to.

Saying that I encourage those who think they will be caught under the RFA scheme (and there are a lot of you!) to become NZIF registered. This will ensure you are covered for when we decide the TuR scheme is fit for purpose. Your RFA registration fees will be reduced by 90% and we have been told we can sign you up to the scheme in bulk (if you are NZIF registered), meaning you won’t need to go through the process. Furthermore NZIF registered members will be highlighted and recommended to anyone looking for advice.

It came to my attention this week some members believe they have a years grace from Aug 2023 to register if they are giving advice. Let me correct this now, the years grace started Aug 2022 so we only have 6 months before we could face fines for providing advice and not being registered. You will see latter in this newsletter becoming NZIF registered can take months so I strongly encourage you to start the process now.

If you give advice to a board you need to be registered.

If you give advice to a member of the public you need to be registered.

If you give advice to a contractor you need to be registered.

Advice includes providing planting or Silvi advice to a forest owner.

Advice includes ETS recommendations to a forest owner.

Advice includes harvest planning plans for clients or council.

Advice include forest fire protection to a forest owner.

If you are unsure if you need to be registered call me.

Council meet next week and we will attempt to finalise the 23/24 budget. There is so much uncertainty currently the budget is likely to need adjustment before the AGM. Nevertheless we will publish the budget on the website for members to view.

As this year the conference is a joint ANZIF conference being held in Coolangatta in October https://www.forestryconference.com.au/ we will be holding our awards dinner, AGM and CPD session in Wellington sometime in June / July. More on this once we have some dates locked in. If you wish to sponsor the ANZIF conference or our AGM and Awards Dinner please contact me.

This year we hold elections for the Fellows Committee. If you are a Fellow or Honorary member please consider putting your name forward. The Fellows committee plays an important part in the institute, not least being their role in exercising a casting vote if there is a draw in the vote for President, but also to provide advice as requested.

Finally I wish you all a prosperous and successful 2023. As always if you have anything you wish to say or get off your chest make use of the members forum in this newsletter or feel free to contact me.

Thanks

James

INSTITUTE UPDATES

Calling for Fellows committee nominations

The NZIF secretary is calling for Fellows committee nominations x 3. Please email nzifsecrectary@nzif.org.nz with your nomination by 5pm, 28th February 2023.

For nomination form and Rules View here

Australia and New Zealand ANZIF Conference

REGISTRATION BOARD UPDATES

Message from the Registration Board

Please help us to help you – Consider applying for Registered Membership NOW.

On 13^th December 2022, all NZIF members were sent an email from the NZIF Registration Board regarding the opportunity for NZIF registered members to benefit from a substantial discount (90%) on the fees otherwise payable if you are required by law to become a registered forestry adviser  (RFA) in the statutory scheme administered by Te Uru Rakau (TuR) – New Zealand Forest Service. Please note if you are required to be an RFA then by law you should have applied by now, however there is a years grace period until 06 August 2023, after which TuR will start imposing fines and taking complaints.

NZIF’s recommendation to members to not register into the TuR scheme still stands, as we have grave concerns with the scheme.  Registering in the NIZF registration scheme in the meantime will ensure you need not to register into the TuR scheme, as we will do it for you once we believe the scheme is fit for purpose. 

By now, all NZIF members should have determined if they are required by Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service to register under the statutory scheme See here.  It has been suggested to the Board that a very significant proportion of NZIF members (perhaps 200-300 or more) will have to and that those members will choose to take up the opportunity to benefit from the discounted fee. NZIF intends to, prior to 6 August 2023, to enrol all its Registered Members (who wish to be enrolled) into the Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service scheme,  as one large batch on behalf of those NZIF members, we would pay the discounted fee which we will add to your NZIF members’ fee.

But, if you are not already one of the 100 NZIF registered members, time is running out to apply for NZIF registration and have it granted prior to 6^th August 2023.

The NZIF application form for registration is on the web site Register here

The Board generally allows about 3 months to process an application for registration.  This period starts from when a complete application has been received by the Registrar and includes placing a notice of the application in the two-weekly NZIF newsletter advising all NZIF members that they can object to the application within 20 working days of the first appearance in the newsletter.

In addition to the time the Board needs (and remember that most Board members have day jobs, and that some Board members are providing their services on a voluntary basis), it will take you, the applicant, some time to complete an NZIF application, including gathering and submitting the documentation you must provide.  The documents include:

• A declaration of eligibility for registration, which you need to sign in front of a JP or solicitor
• Certificates and transcripts of your qualifications
• An up-to-date and detailed CV
• A completed form regarding professional indemnity insurance, real estate involvement and your adherence to the Code of Ethics
• Your conflict-of-interest policy

In addition, you need to have:

• Made sure your personal details on the NZIF web site are up-to-date
• Entered your CPD record on the web site
• Have asked three referees to send a reference to the Registrar and stressed the need for prompt action.

The Registrar will not initiate further action on your application if anything is missing or incomplete when you submit it.  That will lead to further delay.  You are encouraged to apply ASAP.

The Board also suggests you make yourself familiar with the following documents:

• NZIF Code of Ethics see here and its associated guidance note see here. You might find the guidance on conflicts of interest helpful when you come to the conflict of interest question on the application form
• The NZIF Continuing Professional Development Policy see here sets out the terms used when entering your CPD record and also the requirements for registered members and applicants for registration
• The NZIF Guidance Note the NZIF Exemption see here, for help understanding what Real Estate Work is when you answer a question in the application form.

Please bear in mind the potential impact on the individual members of the Board if you and others only decide to apply for NZIF registration at the last moment.

DON’T DELAY, PLEASE START TODAY

Peter Casey

Chair

NZIF Registration Board

From the Registrar

APPLICATION FOR REGISTERED MEMBER

The following Members have applied to become Registered Members:

• Te Kapunga Dewes of Rotorua
• Timothy Ross of Auckland
• Yannina Whiteley of Christchurch
• Sebastian Klinger of Rotorua
• Dawoon Park of Rotorua
• Euan Mason of Christchurch
• John Eckford of Auckland
• Peter Weblin of Rotorua

NOTICE OF 5 YEAR REGISTRATION REVIEW

The following Members are due for their 5-Year review of registration in 2023;

• Steven Croskery of Masterton
• Erin Jeffrey of Rotorua
• Bob Pocknall of Napier
• Gareth Buchanan of Rotorua
• Julian Kohn of Gisborne
• Angus Malcolm of Richmond
• Kirsten Stuart of Christchurch
• Brett Gilmore of Napier
• Rene Weterings of Taupo
• Don Hammond of Rotorua
• Simon Rapley of Taupo
• Jeremy Waldegrave of Auckland
• Dennis Neilson of Rotorua

Any member of the NZIF has the right to object to an application. Any objection should be lodged with the Registrar registrar@nzif.org.nz within 20 working days of the first appearance (30 January 2023) of the notice in this newsletter, specifying the grounds for the objection.

Alan Bell, Registrar 
NZIF Registration Board

registrar@nzif.org.nz

+64 27 444 7779

30 January 2023

MEMBERS VOICE

News of approaching cyclonic weather and its potential impact on the East Coast always raises fears about what the fall-out will be for the forest industry. And so, it has come to pass yet again where the fully understandable emotion of the event, stoked by a media intent on sensationalism seems to take precedence over the pragmatism and science of just what has happened.

There is no disputing that forestry practices have contributed significantly to the devastation experienced by downstream communities, I have seen that with my own eyes as well as listened to the heart-breaking stories of families impacted. Ironically the root cause of these East Coast events has very little to do with forestry or the forestry sector. Land development initiatives in the late 19^th/early/mid 20^th century promoted by successive Government incentives where large catchments were cleared for pasture and a resultant booming agriculture economy in this region are the cause.

Widespread damage from floods over the Gisborne Plains has been reported on numerous occasions over the past 150 years of which only those of the past 60 odd years have occurred during any significant presence of exotic forests. Widescale afforestation was implemented as a remedy to stabilise the catchments and seemingly assisted temporarily as is evidenced by historic photogrammetry contrasting damage on pastoral and exotic forested country e.g. following cyclone Bola.

You are probably wondering where I am going with this and I can’t help wondering myself but the galling issue for foresters is that we, and only we, seem to take the brunt of the fallout and criticism and eventually we need to stand up and focus on the remedies, not tinker with the sticking plaster approach of just trying to mitigate effects. Forest companies must by now be grappling with the wisdom of investment decisions on much of the East Coast country affected by these storm events and having to continually bear the cost of the carnage that follows. At some point this cost will likely become untenable as appears to be occurring with the demise of neighbouring remote pastoral farming units because of marginal economics and viable farm succession.

My personal observations are that significant areas of the region now covered in radiata production forest are both unsuited to holding crops of heavy wooded vegetation, exotic and even native species if it were even possible to establish such cover, and eventual harvesting. Equally, strong arguments can be mounted for exclusion of pastoral farming from significant areas of currently farmed blocks I have seen that border these forests. The problem seems unsolvable and even locking up this country in perpetuity will come with a hefty price tag.

So, is it time to draw a line in the sand and investigate the option of an all-encompassing review of land use in these volatile catchments?

I have heard calls for commissions of enquiry and given Governments role over the years in encouraging land clearance and then afforestation, is this something that could only occur through a government led initiative? Maybe a diversion of TUR-NZFS funds and resources from a nice to have forest advisor registration scheme and establishment of a TUR-NZFS consultancy team, to get the ball rolling might be considered?

A long-term vision to take us through the next 100 years at least to deal with this issue seems a worthy objective. Although somewhat nervous in saying this, I think it can only be achieved through Government leadership to engage with all affected landowners and support industries, probably on a catchment-by-catchment risk analysis and real focus on long term remedies. This must involve the science-based disciplines of geology, botany, ecology and others as well as agriculture and forestry sector specialists, an importantly consider the views and solutions for downstream communities.

I can envisage significant challenges around legislative instruments that currently manage land tenure issues such as property rights, CFL’s, transition to Waitangi claim settlement provisions etc so any type of review will require significant political, scientific and legal clout, maybe a bridge to far for the politicians and bureaucrats to get their head around at this juncture.

NZIF members will have their own views, but some sort of coordinated push initiated by NZIF could be a worthy objective.

John Schrider

RECENT FORESTRY ARTICLES

NZIF hits back at claims of negative impacts from foresty planting

Fish & Game concerned over the impacts of carbon farming on recreational access and freshwater health

Natural and Built Environment replaces the Resource Management Act: What you need to know

Stop burning trees to make energy, say 650 scientists before Cop15 biodiversity summit

Carbon capture: Firm wants to remove millions of tonnes of CO2 from the air in New Zealand

From pasture to biodiversity on a Whanganui farm

Witness to paradise being lost: my year in the dying Amazon

Tesco's warning to New Zealand farmers

Goodbye, concrete and steel? Why timber towers could be the future

Seven reasons to be cheerful about the Amazon in 2023 – and three to be terrified

'Cautious optimism' as the Government offers some changes to plan for agricultural emissions pricing

Agri emissions: What farmers won and lost in the Government's plan

Ten of the world's most enchanting forests

Researchers hope to build New Zealand's biofuel industry

The Whole Truth: Are New Zealand farms the world's greenest?

Tairāwhiti flooding: 'Our whole property was underwater' - Damage after logs block river

‘We need trees’: green vision struggles to take root in Europe’s cities

Revealed: more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest provider are worthless, analysis shows

Climate change: Invest in technology that removes CO2 - report

No need for inquiry into forestry practices following Cyclone Hale, minister says

Tairāwhiti locals launch petition seeking changes to stop forestry 'carnage'

Tairāwhiti flooding: 'Our whole property was underwater' - Damage after logs block river

Large 1080 operation to help save rare species delayed months by bad weather

The Whole Truth: Are New Zealand farms the world's greenest?

Native plant nursery and charity passes red tape 'nightmare' to expand facilities

The mystery behind the oldest living thing in Australia

New pest traps designed in Inglewood

Jair Bolsonaro accused of acts of genocide against Amazonian group

Wood banks emerge as vital source of heat while US gas bills still on the rise

Carbon offsets are flawed but we are now in a climate emergency

EU ban on deforestation-linked goods sets benchmark, say US lawmakers

NSW forests could become net carbon emitters in coming decades, report finds