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NZFFA Conference 2024 “Resilient Landscapes”

NZFFA Annual conference, 9 - 13 April 2024

If ever there was a year that called on resilience, it was this one, so it is only fitting the theme of the 2024 New Zealand Farm Forestry Association Annual Conference is resilient landscapes.

The national conference will showcase examples and initiatives to help farmers improve sustainable land use, increase biodiversity and champion a resilient environment.

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Alternatives to Pine on your farm - free field days

Want to grow some trees on your farm, but not pines?  Come and see some great examples at free field days starting in March.

Learn about the benefits of planting alternative species.

NZ Farm Forestry members will share their experiences of what grows well and where, success and failure, costs and returns.  They are showcasing farm forestry in 20 locations across the country.

Hosted by the NZFFA, with support from Te Uru Rākau – NZ Forest Service, the first 3-hour field days will be held on:

14 March Balclutha
16 March Greymouth
21 March Gisborne
21 March Whanganui
21 March Waikanae/Paraparaumu
23 March Rangiora
23 March Winton
24 March Taupo
27 March Te Puke
28 March Masterton
20 April Nelson
April TBA Lower North
11 May  Bulls
May TBA Havelock North
5 May Otorohanga
30 May Marlborough
1 June Kerikeri
8 June Raethihi
TBA Mid Otago
TBA Ashburton

 

Enrol here. Everyone is welcome.

Further Information here

NZIF Webinar

Tuesday 19 March 2024 7.30pm

Forest Management Controls in the Pacific North West and their relevance to New Zealand

Presenter: Richard Cook - Head of Forest Summit Forests

Following Cyclone Gabrielle and its devastating impact on the East Coast of the North Island, tighter controls on forestry, many based on restrictions in place in the Pacific North West (PNW), have been proposed.

In response, Richard Cook, Head of Forests at Summit Forests, led a company study tour to the PNW in late 2023 covering British Columbia, Washington and Northern California, to gain an understanding of the conditions there, the planning controls in place and the appropriateness of those controls in the New Zealand context.

Richard will present a well illustrated and informative talk on the study tour addressing the forestry situation in the PNW, the nature of the planning restrictions, their impact and their relevance in New Zealand. The feedback from this visit will be of value to NZ foresters in responding to calls for greater controls on forestry by government and local authorities. 

Cost: ($NZD)

  • $10 NZIF Members
  • $10 Australian Forestry Members (please quote membership number in 'note to administrator')
  • $30 Non Members
  • Free: NZIF Student members only

REGISTER HERE

Ticket Sales close: Tuesday, 20th March 2024 at 3:00pm NZDT.

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Forestry Harvesting Field Day - Riverhead Forest

Wednesday 20 March 2024 10am - 1pm

Perrin Ag and Auckland Council would like to invite you to a field day that we are hosting with the Auckland Forestry Liaison Group on 20 March in the Riverhead Rayonier Matariki Forest.

We encourage you to come along if you’d like to learn more about the different forestry harvesting methodologies, technology and best management practices, make sure you register your interest at consult@perrinag.net.nz to ensure we know how many to cater for.

The field day will run from 10am to 1pm with a light lunch provided – details about the day are in the attached flyer. Please feel free to share the information with other forest or land owners in the area who might be interested.

Perring Ag Field Day

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FGR - Field Demonstration: Automatic Quick Coupler - Kinleith Forest, Tokoroa

Thursday 21 March 2024 

You are invited to attend the field demonstration of the Automatic Quick Coupler in Kinleith Forest, Thursday 21 March 2024. 

What: Forest Growers Research has been working with Synergy Equipment Ltd, AB Equipment Ltd and Total Hydraulic Solutions Ltd to develop the Automated Quick Coupler which allows a base machine to  change attachments quickly and safely in just a few seconds without the operator leaving the cab.  This project and the field demonstration of the Automated Quick Coupler is part of the Automation &  Robotics Primary Growth Partnership.  

When: 8:00am on Thursday 21 March 2024. 

This field demonstration is hosted by Manulife Forest Management (MFM) and Brian Rutgers of  Loggabull Ltd. The Quick Coupler on the Sumitomo SH300-6 base will be operated by Ivan Quin of  Loggabull Ltd. Brian and the team at Loggabull has been involved in the field testing and production  trials of the Quick Coupler in 2022-2023. 

Benefits: With the constant focus on production costs this development provides the opportunity  to increase utilisation of your machinery and reduce costs, if one machine and operator can do multiple  tasks, such as felling, log processing, sort and stack, truck loading, tracking and road building.  

Who should attend:  

  • Logging contractors, machine operators and employees of logging contractors. • Forestry company operations managers and harvest planners  
  • Staff of New Zealand forestry companies 
  • Forest owners and managers (especially owners of small forests). 
  • Forestry equipment suppliers 
  • Contractors who run quick change hydraulic attachments

Cost: There is no cost for people to attend the field demonstration. The field demonstration is  subsidised by the FGR Automation & Robotics Primary Growth Partnership co-funded by Forest  Growers Levy Trust and the Ministry for Primary Industries, and the project collaborators, Synergy  Equipment Ltd, AB Equipment Ltd and Total Hydraulic Solutions Ltd, who have worked together to  develop the Automated Quick Coupler.  

Transport: FGR will arrange bus transport to the site from two main pick-up points: Bus transport departs from Distinction Hotel, Trigg Avenue, Rotorua, and travels to Kinleith Forest.  The second pick-up point is the junction of SH1 and Old State Highway 1. No private vehicles will be  permitted into the forest. The bus returns to the pick-up points at the end of the day.  

What to bring: As this field demonstration is an operational logging site, you will need to wear  sturdy covered footwear, high-viz clothing, and a safety helmet. As it is still in the summer season, you  are advised to wear sunscreen and bring a water bottle. If rain is forecast, bring wet weather gear.  

What is provided: FGR will provide transport from the pick-up points, and the project team  Synergy Equipment Ltd, AB Equipment Ltd and Total Hydraulic Solutions Ltd will provide BBQ lunch and  drinks (fruit juice, soft drinks, and water). A hand-out with information on the development of the  Automatic Quick Coupler and results from the recent production study will also be provided.  

 Register here:  Register early as numbers may be limited. 

 RSVP:  All registrations close at 5:00pm on Monday 11 March 2024. If you require more information, please contact: Keith Raymond at Forest Growers Research Ltd (m: 027 438 5233;  e: keith.raymond@fgr.nz).  

Automatic Quick Coupler Demonstration Itinerary

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Tree Growers Tairawhiti - Gisborne/East Coast Branch AGM

Sunday 24 March 2024

Please note in your calendars that the Tree Growers Tairawhiti (NZFFA Gisborne/East Coast Branch) AGM will be held on Sunday 24 March 2024 at Wensleydale Station.

More details to follow.

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South Otago Branch Field Day & AGM - Lawrence

Wednesday 27 March 2024 1pm

South Otago Branch next field day will be at the farm of Julie and Hamish Dalziel, 1167 Athenaeum Road, Tuapeka West, 1 RD Lawrence.  The date is Wednesday 27 March.  Meet at the woolshed at 1 pm for a 1.30 pm start.

The Dalziels are the winners of the 2023 Joyce and Vic Stephens Award for Excellence in Farm Forestry.
The focus of the field day will be on the economics of small block harvesting.  There will be a couple of guest speakers, including Paul Marshall our Forestry Advisor from MPI.

The tour of the farm will be followed by the SOFFA AGM at 5 pm - all welcome - and then a BBQ.

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B&LNZ Trees within farms workshops – how to take advantage of the carbon market

March 2024

Trees are an important part of pastoral-based farming systems.

Beef+Lamb have partnered with  Te Uru Rākau New Zealand Forest Service to run workshops to broaden famers understanding of the value of trees within farms and how to take advantage of carbon market opportunities.

32 workshops are being held in all regions across NZ.

Topics

During this workshop thanks to the support of Te Uru Rakau discussions will be had to cover the following: 

  • Meet your local Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand forest service representative.  
  • Hear from experts on opportunities to offset emissions.  
  • Understanding the Emissions Trading Scheme.  
  • Gain a clear idea of options relevant to your farm. 

Registration essential.

To find a workshop near you and register visit beeflambnz.com/events

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Waikato Branch Field Day & AGM - Karapiro

Saturday 6 April 2024 9.30am

271 Barker Road, Karapiro, Cambridge.  Last farm on the left end of Barker Road.

Farm visit and tour followed by a discussion with the Waikato Regional Council on the effects of plan change one on forestry.

Below is part of an article written by Graham Smith for the branch January 2023 newsletter:

Stu and Hinemarie Kneebone farm 110 hectares of which 70 is leased to the dairy farm next door. The farm is situated in the Maungakawa range with an elevation ranging from 150 to 250 metres. Soils are Tirau Ash type, generally not prone to slipping, however the consistent rain experienced this summer has created a number of erosion issues in areas around the district, generally in areas that are not afforested. The contour is rolling to steep with many short but steep faces dropping into small waterways. The farm is the head water for the Mangaotupua stream which is a tributary of the Karapiro stream.

No cattle are kept on the 40 ha farmed by Stu, but the piece leased is of better contour and runs dairy cows and youngstock. Seeing that the land is fragile Stu runs 60 Wiltshire breeding ewes. This suits his workload as he is also a Waikato Regional Councillor and Hinemarie is a contract IT software specialist.  The farm was purchased in 1994 and early photos show a run-down dairy farm with sidlings of gorse and few trees. Stu got into the gorse and sprayed and burnt it and then planted 10 ha in pine, through 1996, ’97 and ’98. It was all harvested in 2021 apart from one small block. For a block with minimal pruning the returns were good, yielding $2000.00 net per hectare per year. Replanting has been a challenge and the area will be sprayed twice to combat the prolific weeds. So, the winter of ’23 will see 8 of the 10 ha replanted with radiata at 800 stems per hectare, and the remaining 2 ha that was difficult to harvest will be planted in native by Stu over the next few years. He has worked with Wood Marketing and has found them good to deal with for the radiata harvest.

Trees are in the Kneebone blood with his father John a past member of Waikato FFA and his grandfather Harold a member of what was then the Acclimatisation Society. Essentially Stu has looked at the land and if a fertiliser truck cannot drive over the land, then it’s probably better off planted in trees. Stu with two friends started a local catchment group Whitehall Landcare back in the late 90s and this led to his involvement with the regional council.The group also initiated a local community possum control group which is now managed the Regional Council, and covers over 17,000 ha. All of the waterways on his farm are fenced except for the bits of the farm that run sheep only, and he prefers one or two wire fences as they provide a lot more flexibility and are easy to repair. There was virtually no remnant native when he bought the block and although he has exotics his focus is on native planting.

Exotics show up upon entering his drive with a nice stand of Redwoods leading to the house. Across the gully from his house is a stand of 100 Japanese cedar and a few Oak trees and a couple of Douglas fir. His Lusitanica block also planted in ’96 is a stand of 500 trees with the outer ones doing well but the inner ones suffering from overstocking, which Stu plans to rectify. Due to the wet gullies Stu has used three species of Swamp cypress which look good. They have been interspersed with Flax, kanuka, wineberries, coprosmas, karamu and cabbage trees. Totara, Rewarewa, Kauri and Kahikatea have been planted to suit the conditions. Stu has not planted these trees with the view to an income but to enjoy how they look and to do a land stabilisation job. However he is managing the Totara with a view to the option of being sustainably harvested one day in the future.

In ’98 he planted 500 Tasmanian Blackwoods. The interior trees are showing good form and Stu intends to thin these as well, however he says it’s not a stand of trees that he gets that excited about.

His biggest problem is Fallow deer which roam in large numbers, and which have been difficult to control. He is experimenting with leaving his blackberry uncontrolled and planting in wells within the clumps to protect the young trees from the deer. Stu estimates he has lost up to 25% of his natives from the deer at times.  

Farm Forestry - Headlines

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