31st July 2023 Newsletter
PRESIDENTS COLUMN
Dear Members
Over the past few months, the forestry sector has been facing unprecedented challenges, and I wanted to share some insights and updates with you all.
During the last fortnight, I've been actively engaged in various activities, including attending a crisis Pan-Sector group, meeting with different sector organisations, discussing matters with the Minister, and addressing concerns from members and the media. It's evident the pressure is mounting, and many in the forest sector are struggling to survive.
The Government's actions, unfortunately, have not been supportive. Their poor decision-making, made without consulting those affected, has even been deemed illegal. However, I must express my gratitude to Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand for their valuable contributions in this domain. The situation has been made worse by some forest owners experiencing substantial losses due to selling NZUs at low prices, and uncertainty remains, with the MfE consultation suggesting Forest NZUs could only be sold to the Government.
To combat these challenges, NZIF, along with FICA, Nga Poua Tane, FFA, and FOA, united to express our concern. The MfE consultation process lacked proper due diligence and, given the court's ruling that Cabinet's actions ignoring CCC advice were illegal, we believe the Government must withdraw the consultation document immediately. We've already raised our concerns with the Minister, who has promised to discuss them with the Cabinet.
Despite the circumstances, we are pressing ahead with our submission, due in August. We recognise submissions carry more weight in numbers, so we urge all members to support the NZIF submission by signing and sending in a one-pager, which we will provide. Removing forest NZUs from the ETS could have dire consequences, jeopardising our efforts to tackle emissions and leaving future generations with an inhospitable world.
Additionally, we have reservations about the data and modelling used by the CCC to suggest overplanting in the sector. Beef and Lamb's own report, in contrast, seems to align more closely with CCC's requirements, showing an average of 35,000 hectares planted over the last 3 years, challenging the exaggerated claims of 85,000 hectares coming from MfE and CCC. If the Government separates forestry from the ETS, investment in new planting is likely to decline significantly, hindering progress towards the CCC's target of 32,000 hectares annually until 2030.
At the recent pan-sector crisis meeting, we generally agreed that collective action is essential for advocating on behalf of forests and forestry. The meeting brought together representatives from processors, corporate forest owners, farm foresters, professional foresters, contractors, financiers, and government bodies. Each association has its own specific areas of focus, but together, we must strive to combat poor decision-making, foster sector growth, and strengthen our lobbying efforts.
As we approach August 6th, I want to extend my gratitude to the Registration Board and the co-opted senior members for their tireless work in evaluating applications and registering qualified members as NZIF Registered Forest Professionals and adding them to the RFA register. Although many have submitted their applications at the last minute, the Board and their co-ops have been working diligently to process them. If you have any queries regarding your application or registration, please feel free to contact Raewyn (admin@nzif.org.nz) or the Register (register@nzif.org.nz).
I understand these are challenging times for many of you. If you have any ideas or suggestions on how we can better serve you and the sector, please don't hesitate to reach out. We remain committed to advocating for the forestry sector and setting the record straight in the media.
Together, we can pave the way for a sustainable and thriving future for our forests and the communities they support.
Thanks
James
INSTITUTE UPDATES
- "The Trees Come Back" - Mangatu Video
- Media Releases
- NZIF Foundation Awards 2023
- The New Zealand Institute of Forestry urges action over impending summer fire risks - NZIF AGM Draft Minutes and Video Recording
"The Trees Come Back" - Mangatu Video
Some of the worst eroded pasture land in New Zealand can be seen in the East Cape region of the North Island. This film explains in detail how the problem arose, starting with the European settlement in the late 1890s when the natural forests were destroyed to make way for farmland. This destruction, coupled with high rainfall and land that was naturally unstable, led to spectacular erosion. The film describes how the then New Zealand Forest Service established the East Cape forests of Mangatu and Ruatoria. The large plantation forests of radiata pine have helped to stabilise the land and provided employment for the inhabitants of the East Cape region. The film also shows that, by measuring land movement on planted and unplanted slopes, Forest Research Institute scientists have been able to produce geological maps and a system of land classification based on slope stability. 1981, 25 minutes (video starts after 20 seconds).
THE TREES COME BACK
Media Releases
The following media releases were emailed out recently and can be found on the NZIF Media page:
- NZIF Foundation Awards 2023
- The New Zealand Institute of Forestry urges action over impending summer fire risks
NZIF AGM Draft Minutes and Video Recording
As you are aware NZIF recently held its 75th Annual General Meeting on the 8th July 2023
MEMBER'S VOICE
-
ARE THE DRUMS BEATING ON THE ETS AS WE KNOW IT?
- Recent Loss
ARE THE DRUMS BEATING ON THE ETS AS WE KNOW IT?
(written prior to announcement on ETS earlier this week).
As a long-time participant and observer in the forestry sector I have always remained silent on the ETS, by choice not only because I have never fully understood it but because it has always challenged my fundamental decision to become a career forester all those years ago. For me it has always been about planting trees, improving the management of those trees and producing a hopefully increasing value product that can be utilised by our wood processing sector to produce wooden things and things from wood that society wants and needs.
One of my interests has always been on the costs and productivity of forestry supply chains and sadly neither are headed in the right direction on a national measure. My personal view is that the recent log price slump is the start of the demise of raw log exports and therefore contraction of options for all forest owners particularly those outside the larger scale CNI owned forests. The only question is whether it will be a catastrophic slump or whether we will have the opportunity to extract ourselves in a managed way while searching for and developing other wood products opportunities and limiting the unwanted impacts on our workforce.
The confused messaging from some politicians and sections of the public and media that we are all ogres and should only be growing forests out of sight on the more marginal land and then vesting control for regulating that land in the hands of unqualified local bodies is concerning. This will only result in higher costs and declining stumpage but also severe loss of confidence and therefore a collapse in both existing and new forest investment. Aside from the negative messaging impacts, we are seeing now the economics of forestry projects becoming very marginal on class 5-7 land beyond 100km from the customer’s gate. The economics of exporting raw logs, notwithstanding the work that needs to be done on management of our carbon footprint of associated logistics, are clearly tightening.
The introduction of the ETS all those years ago has resulted in a major diversion of time, effort and financial resources towards understanding, preparing submissions, defending and ultimately for many of us, participating in the ETS. At the end of the day, the views, opinions and importantly the science promoted by the people who control our sector i.e. us foresters who own the knowledge and expertise, have been diminished by pig-headed ideology of politicians and carried through official channels into a raft of many unworkable and quite frankly ill-advised rules and regulations. It seems that my initial sense of a scheme that might one day come back and bite us on the backside might be coming to pass.
The real point I want to press home with here is where would our industry be now had we invested all those resources, squandered on an ideologically driven ETS that seems to be headed towards ground-hog day, on funding more research and development of our wood processing and alternative wood products sector. I think we all acknowledge that extra tree planting and other smaller but temporary gains we might make through recognition of HWP will mean very little for long term mitigation of global carbon levels in our atmosphere and ultimately climate warming. However, we must continue doing these things as we are foresters and that’s what we do, we just have to do it for the right reasons.
Is there more to be gained by re-focused concentration on supply chain economics and mitigation of our own emissions profiles and leave the wider climate change stuff to the politicians and experts (so-called)? Is it time to have a long hard look at our business model that really has seen little change over the past 40 or so years.
Moving primary wood processing at least, as close to the stump as possible will not only improve forest growing economics but contribute to a reduction in our harvesting and transport emissions and positive long-term contribution to CO2 reduction. Can this be achieved by the creation of regional collaborations between growers, manufacturers and customers without having to be subjected to regulated government bureaucracy and control? If we clearly identify, acknowledge and enforce control of the things within our capacity to influence, the rest of the nonsense might take care of itself.
Is it time for our industry to adopt a new approach? Even that is probably not necessary, just get back to doing what foresters should be doing.
My ever-increasing levels of despair are hatching thoughts of irrational actions.
John A Schrider
FNZIF Registered Forestry Consultant
Recent Loss
We note with sadness the passing of the following NZIF Member:
- Brian Swale
A full obituary will be in the next journal published.
FORESTRY EVENTS
Annual Joint event with APPITA
WHO: ALL NZIF Members
DATE: Thursday 17th August 2023
VENUE: Copthorne Hotel, Fenton Street, Rotorua
PROGRAMME:
6:00pm Registration and Cash Bar – House Bar
6:30pm Buffet Dinner - Hotel Restaurant
TECHNICAL PROGRAMME – CONCERT ROOM
7:30pm “Understanding the Mysteries of Forest Hydrology in Planted Forests and its Role on the Hydrological Landscape”
Dean Meason, Forest Flows Programme Lead, Scion
8:00pm " The New Zealand Falcon and Plantation Forestry"
Debbie Stewart - Director and Founder, Wingspan
8:30pm "Recent Changes to Regulation and Certification Criteria and How This Will Impact Future Forest Management in New Zealand"
Sally Strang - Environmental Manager, Manulife
ORGANISERS:
Kim McGrouther, Scion - kim.mcgrouther@scionresearch.com
Hazel Honour, NZIF - hhonour@newforests.com.au
COST: NZIF Members: $50 Non-members: $60
(The following payment options are available by Appita only: direct credit to Appita NZ Section Acct, ANZ Rotorua 06 0413 0178800 00; cash; credit cards (Visa, Mastercard & Amex. NB: Amex payments incur a 3% surcharge); pre-arranged invoice).
REGISTRATION:
Please register by Monday 14th August 2023 by contacting
Karen Clark, Appita
E-mail : appita.nz@xtra.co.nz
Phone : 07 350 2252 Mobile : 027 231 6541
(People who register for technical meetings, but fail to attend on the night may be charged. Please advise Karen Clark before the day of the meeting if you can no longer attend.)
2023 ANZIF Conference
Date: Sunday 15 to Wednesday 18 October 2023
Location: Twin Towns Conference Centre, Gold Coast, QLD
Website: www.forestryconference.com.au
The 2023 ANZIF Conference, the premier Asia-Pacific Conference for forest scientists, foresters and forest growers will be held from Sunday 15 to Wednesday 18 October 2023.
The theme of the conference, Embracing Our Natural Capital: The Science, Technology and Art of Managing Forests For All Values, will facilitate conversation and collaboration – highlighting the need for active and adaptive management of our natural capital using evidence-based and emerging innovation, technology, skills and knowledge to support our forests and secure our future.
The program will facilitate both structured and informal dialogue and networking, and will incorporate a day of field sessions to explore the conference themes. The 2023 ANZIF Conference will also feature a number of social functions, which will enable networking and collaboration in an informal and relaxed environment.
The Conference is an exciting joint event from both Forestry Australia and The New Zealand Institute of Forestry – and it builds on the enormous success of the 2019 ANZIF Conference held in Christchurch, and Forestry Australia’s 2021 National Conference in Tasmania. In 2023, the ANZIF Conference will be based in the spectacular Gold Coast region, and will be held at Twin Towns Conference Centre on the border of Tweed Heads and Coolangatta.
We look forward to welcoming you to the 2023 ANZIF Conference!
REGISTRATION BOARD
From the Registrar 31 July 2023
SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION FOR REGISTERED MEMBER STATUS
The following Members are now Registered Members:
- Saulo Barboza of Auckland
- Karen Bayne of Auckland
- Alec Cassie of Mosgiel
- Russell Dale of Rotorua
- Te Kapunga Dewes of Rotorua
- Grant Dodson of Mosgiel
- Philip Elworthy of Auckland
- Loretta Garrett of Rotorua
- Joseph Graham of Dunedin
- Myles Guy of Whanganui
- Dean Meason of Hamilton
- Isaac Murphy of Wanaka
- Paul Quinlan of Kaeo
- Robert Radics of Christchurch
- Brian Richardson of Okareka
- Sandra Velarde Pajares of Rotorua
- Michael Watt of Christchurch
APPLICATION FOR REGISTERED MEMBER
The following Members have applied to become Registered Members:
- Melissa Nicol of Warkworth
- Aaron Laurie of Waimate
- Mike King of Rotorua
- David Chandler of Christchurch
NOTICE OF 5 YEAR REGISTRATION REVIEW
The following Members are due for their 5-Year review of registration in 2023 and have not yet submitted their application;
- Kirsten Stuart of Christchurch
- Brett Gilmore of Napier
- Rene Weterings of Taupo
- 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 (5 June 2023) of the notice in this newsletter, specifying the grounds for the objection.
Peter Gorman, Registrar
NZIF Registration Board
registrar@nzif.org.nz
+64 21 166 5938
RECENT FORESTRY ARTICLES
- Climate change: Just two in 10 NZ forest owners taking ‘direct measures’ to adapt, study finds
- Is the ETS really working for the planet?
- The carbon price jumps to news of successful climate lawsuit
- 'Critically endangered' kākāpō return to New Zealand mainland
- Fighting a losing battle’: waves of wildfires leave Canada’s volunteer firefighters drained
- From a high in 2019, emissions have fallen for three straight years
- With friends like these, does the Emissions Trading Scheme need enemies?
- Mill CEO urging big business to switch to NZ-made cardboard
- Māori foresters angry at ‘destruction of value’ in emissions trading scheme
- After court loss, ministers lift the lid on the cost to pollute
- Forestry sector pleased by Emissions Trading Scheme changes, but not confident
- ETS changes could open legal can of worms
- Climate extremes make NZ's supply chains highly vulnerable - it's time to rethink how we grow and ship food
- Labor push for publicly owned plantations to end native forest logging
- Labor faces internal fight over native forest logging despite emissions pledge
NZIF Administrator
Email: NZIF Office
Mobile: +64 22 653 3750
NZIF Registration Board
Email: Registrations
Mobile: +64 27 463 1118
Complaints
Email: Complaints
Appeals
Email: Appeals
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