NZ Logger February 2022 by nzlogger

February 2022|

G N I R E W TO H G I H

ISSN 2703-6251

, d l o g n i h Somet w e n g n i h t some

Winch-assist: The evolution of steep-terrain harvesting

Young Kiwis take on forestry

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contents FEBRUARY 2022

4 4

FOREST TALK Red light, green light; Omicron: ‘when, not if’; Log market roundup; Methyl Bromide regulations tighten; Consider repurposing oil refinery for biofuels; East Cape wharf could boost logging industry; Natives versus exotics: the debate continues; Recognising forestry excellence; Seeing the forest for the trees; Top honours at Science NZ Awards; Scion puts Kiwi architecture on the map. SHAW’S WIRE ROPES IRON TEST It’s hard to remember the last time a brand new, high-production Madill tower hauler was sold in New Zealand –

44 completely new from the ground up. So, the arrival of Kuru Contracting’s all-new, all-singing-and-dancing Madill 172B calls for something of a celebration. Well, an Iron Test, at the very least. 34

BREAKING OUT The safety and productivity benefits of mechanical tree felling on easy country are well known, but the development of winch assist has enabled these benefits to be gained in steep slope harvesting operations. Winch-assist technology is now welltoo-established in New Zealand – but how did it come about? Turn to our Breaking Out feature to find out.

YOUNG ACHIEVERS More young New Zealanders are making forestry and wood processing their future. We take a look at a few of their journeys and their opportunities for the future.

DEPARTMENTS 2 editorial 48 fica 50 top spot 52 new iron 57 classifieds

February 2022 | NZ LOGGER 1

from the editor February 2022|

TOWERING HIGH

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ISSN 1176-0397

PHOTO: JOHN ELLEGARD

old, Something new something

Winch-assist: The evolution of steep-terrain harvesting

Young Kiwis take on forestry

The first Madill 172B tower hauler in New Zealand is working with Kuru Contracting on the East Coast.

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New year, clean slate WHILE LOG EXPORTS ENDED THE YEAR ON A LOW POINT, DOMESTIC LOG prices and demand ended strong. The backlog of log vessels has cleared, and forestry workers are back in the bush, ready to take on a New Year with a little more freedom thanks to the country’s traffic light system and high vaccination rates. The COVID playing field keeps changing but the one constant is the need for those in forestry to protect their businesses and workers from the impacts of COVID-19. High profile incidents like that of tennis player, Novak Djokovic may have become something of a joke and New Zealand has dodged the worst of COVID-19 so far, but some say we mustn’t get too complacent as we enjoy life in what could well be the eye of the storm before the Omicron variant takes its footing. Others believe this milder form of COVID-19 may be a good thing, as we are all likely to catch it at some point and develop further natural resistance to stronger strains. Milder or not, COVID-19 preys on the vulnerable and the gold standard is vaccination. At the very least Omicron will put workers out of action when they are sick or having to isolate, with the inevitable supply chain disruptions that follow. If you haven’t already done so, now would be a good time to talk to contractors, clients, trucking companies, and other suppliers about how you can work together to cope with disruptions over the coming months. Turn the page for more detailed information on what forestry companies can do to prepare for Omicron and how to cope when it gets here. Forestry workers are no strangers to adapting to a new environment, whether it be a virus or unusually steep terrain. Our feature on the evolution of winch-assist harvesting is testament to this. Over the past decade this impressive technology has resulted in significant improvements in productivity and safety over a wider operating range on steep slopes. And for some more light-hearted reading, what better way to start the year than with a look at forestry’s Young Achievers? They are reaping the fruits of their well-earned scholarships and working with wood in all its manifestations. New year, clean slate, a bit more to navigate – but when has that ever stopped this industry before? Until next time, stay safe.

forest talk

Red light, green light OMICRON LOOKS CERTAIN TO SWEEP across New Zealand over the coming months. Experience overseas suggests this highly infectious COVID-19 variant is going to disrupt supply chains and leave businesses without enough workers to operate, either because they are sick or having to isolate. That means now is the time to make any lastminute improvements to business continuity and worker wellbeing plans, including ways to reduce the spread of the infection and to help workers and businesses recover as quickly as possible. While forestry isn’t currently covered by the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement, all businesses need to do an assessment of the risks of people being infected at work, says Safetree’s Fiona Ewing. Experience in New Zealand and overseas shows that vaccination remains the most effective way to protect people, businesses and communities. To be specific the Government recommendation that covers forestry is worded: A business can also decide work requires vaccination Outside of Government vaccination mandates, businesses can assess whether specific work in their workplace requires vaccination if a risk assessment identifies this is necessary for work health and safety purposes.

4 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

FORESTRY VACCINATION CASE SCENARIO THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND HOPEFULLY IT HAS YOU THINKING ABOUT HOW WORK SHOULD HAPPEN GOING FORWARD, PREDICITING COVID INFECTIONS COULD HAPPEN BUT PUTTING STOPS IN PLACE TO REDUCE THE RISK. WE KNOW THAT VACCINATION IS OUR BEST SOLUTION AGAINST THE RISK.

Case X a young forester was out at the night club with the Case C (Covid Infected) last Saturday night so deemed a “close contact” on the Ministry of Health’s tracer scan on Wednesday the next week. Case X had been travelling that week with his crew mates in the conﬁnes of the company van to site each day Monday to Wednesday when the contractor receives the news that Case X is a close contact suspect. The whole crew is immediately told to isolate at home as “associated contacts“ and are tested, awaiting results 48 hours later. The business is required to shut down until they are cleared.

PAX

Further precautions are taken and all the families of these associated crew members go into isolation at home for 48 hours until their crew members results come back.

PAX

Tracing back the movements of the crew members and their families if you assume that they had all visited on average 4 places from Monday – Wednesday and the 20 children involved had been to four schools each with 400 pupils. This scenario alone would now effect a mega out break and close many more businesses. Further testing and association to the original case would go far and wide as those 52 people visiting 4 places of interests (assume 35 people at each place) and the schools.

8,800

PAX

8,800

Fortunately in this case all the crew were vaccinated and all received negative results. It got them thinking about how work should happen going forward, prediciting this happening and putting stops in place to reduce the risk. By the way we could also have added the truck driver and the supervisor from the forest company that came out to visit twice and then went back to their ofﬁces where they could potentially infect more people – that 8,800 could easily have gone to tens of thousands if it had gone the other way!

The Forest Industry Contractors Association’s (FICA) Prue Younger says, “In practical terms I believe that most contractors are working towards mandatory vaccination in their crews”. Ms Ewing adds that while the outdoor nature of harvesting and silviculture operations would appear to reduce the chances of forestry businesses meeting the threshold for a vaccine mandate, companies should be aware that this could be affected by crews travelling long distances together in vehicles. We also need to keep following the ‘golden rules’ that applied to earlier COVID-19 variants, including staying home if sick and getting tested, using the COVID tracer app, keeping your distance from strangers and wearing masks, and keeping plant and vehicles clean, says Ms Ewing. Working and travelling in ‘bubbles’ also means that if someone gets sick, fewer people will have to test and isolate. Safetree’s latest COVID-19 guidance, Forestry Work Under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (Traffic Light System) includes information on

how to assess the risk to workers, put in place controls to protect people (and your business) and what to do if someone at work gets sick (https://safetree.nz/resources/covid-19/). The guide includes links to official information about requirements at different traffic light levels. Safetree’s guide also includes a link to the government’s tool to help businesses decide if they should introduce a vaccine mandate. Under the tool, a business must answer ‘yes’ to at least three out of four questions before it would be reasonable to require vaccination for a particular role. In addition, everyone needs to be prepared for being sick at home, and the Government COVID-19 website has a checklist to download and use to help you prepare (https://covid19. govt.nz/). Advice from FICA on how to navigate the traffic light system and manage COVID-19 infection risk is illustrated in the flyers above. NZL

forest talk

Be TREE Mendous and Vaccinate for a mate THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND HOPEFULLY IT HAS YOU THINKING ABOUT HOW WORK SHOULD HAPPEN GOING FORWARD, PREDICITING COVID INFECTIONS COULD HAPPEN BUT PUTTING STOPS IN PLACE TO REDUCE THE RISK. WE KNOW THAT VACCINATION IS OUR BEST SOLUTION AGAINST THE RISK.

Contractors, you as a PCBU have the right to establish your own policy around vaccination so we believe you have three options:

Prioritise vaccination and make it mandatory

If non-vaccinated persons do come onto site then ask them for 24 hour notice in advance and ensure they wear all PPE and maintain 2m distancing Your staff can also wear PPE if working in close proximity ensuring they stick to all the guidelines under the Industry Protocols

If non-vaccinated persons do come onto site you have the right to request either PCR test results or Rapid Antigen testing before they proceed further

Extra controls to consider if workers, or visitors, are not vaccinated: • Increased surveillance of symptoms. • Maintain work and travel bubbles, managing carpooling appropriately. • Ensure that any concerns vaccinated workers have about working with unvaccinated people are addressed.

The stronger our immunity as a country, the broader and brighter our possibilities. Reaching high levels of vaccination will allow us to start paving the way toward reconnecting with each other and the world

Omicron: ‘when, not if’ AT THE TIME OF GOING TO PRINT, THE COVID-19 traffic light settings had been newly reviewed. This was in response to the worldwide surge in Omicron cases as well as the possible spread from an Omicron-infected MIQ worker in New Zealand. Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, says while New Zealand’s border systems are working hard to keep the new variant at bay, Omicron emerging in the community is a case of “when, not if ”. “The environment we’re operating in internationally at the moment is one of caution,” she says. “Omicron is rife globally and at some point we do expect that Omicron will reach beyond our border, and we need to be prepared.” When the Omicron variant enters the community, the whole country will shift to the toughest Red traffic light setting within 24-48 hours. Lockdowns are not part of the traffic light system, and while they are still an option if required, they won’t be used as they were in 2020 and 2021. This will allow businesses and domestic travel to stay open. The Prime Minister urges people to keep up to date with their vaccinations and get a booster as soon as they’re eligible. Government has already brought forward booster doses and pushed back the border reopening in response to the Omicron threat. Omicron is said to be highly contagious but with milder effect than the Delta variant. NZL

forest talk

Log market roundup Story: Scott Downs, Director of Sales and Marketing, PF Olsen. SHIPPING CONGESTION HAS CLEARED IN CHINA AND THE backlog of log vessels has been discharged without log inventory increasing. Reduced supply in December and January should lead to reduced inventory levels heading into the Chinese Lunar New Year at the start of this month. At the time of going to print, prices had risen by about 20% on November, however log demand in 2022 is still uncertain. The At Wharf Gate (AWG) prices for export logs remained unchanged in December, although there were price increases in a couple of ports where exporters managed to secure favourable spot deals for shipping. The CFR sale price in China bottomed at 130-135 USD per JASm3 for A grade. The PF Olsen Log Price Index remained at $110 for December, $12 below the two-year average, $13 below the three yearaverage and $14 below the five-year average. Domestic log market Log supply and pricing Log pricing generally remained flat towards the end of Quarter 4. Many harvesting crews took a three-to-four-week break over the festive season with sawmills taking this time to catch up on maintenance, so builders expecting a surge of stock to greet them in the new year will be disappointed. Sawn timber markets You don’t have to read too many papers in New Zealand to understand there is a shortage of building materials and builders as developers and homeowners grapple with rising costs. Sawmillers continue to report demand exceeds supply for sawn timber. There is plenty of demand from clearwood and structural to post and poles for infrastructure demands. On the export side, the Asia markets that buy the fall-down grades from framing production are oversupplied. The core larger size dimension sawn timber grades have held prices better. Export Log Market AWG prices While the AWG price range between exporters and ports remains varied there was some reduction in the range as exporters that had better shipping deals have seen those deals end and there is a more level playing field. A couple of exporters also managed to secure good spot deals on vessels which allowed them to increase AWG prices at certain ports. The drop in sales price in China was countered by the fall in freight costs and the NZD weakening against the USD. China The price for logs in China bottomed at 130-135 USD per JAS m3 for A grade logs. Softwood inventory levels dropped slightly to 4.5m m3 and daily offtake for December remained steady at 75k per day. This inventory level is about 40% higher than normal for this time of the year. Reduced log supply in December and into Quarter 1 is due to: • The New Zealand Forest Industry Contractors Association

6 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

says that in a recent survey of members only about 35% were operating at normal capacity. • Many harvesting crews stopped work for three to four weeks over the Christmas/New Year period. • Germany’s logging of bark beetle damaged wood is forecast to decrease from 60m m3 in 2021 to 43m m3 in 2022. Increasing domestic demand will further reduce the volume available for export to China. Log demand usually reduces heading into the Chinese Lunar New Year, then increases rapidly until construction activity is at full production until the hot sticky weather arrives in China in June and July. While we know log supply will reduce we don’t know how much construction productivity and log demand will increase after the Chinese New Year. This will depend on how successfully the Chinese Government restructures the property development sector while avoiding large scale sustained disruption to an industry that contributes a quarter of its GDP. The Chinese Government wants to see property development, but reduced speculation and the fact that President Xi is personally involved in real estate policies, means ministers won’t consider easing policies without his approval. Most economists predict a 10% decline in new housing starts in 2022 in China. This is a combination of falling house prices reducing demand, reduced credit, and the introduction of new taxes to curb speculation. Beijing is concerned about social stability if developers are unable to complete pre-sold projects (common in China) so officials will try to ensure existing projects are finished. In many of these projects the local government made significant sums of money by acquiring land to then on-sell the user rights to developers at a healthy margin, so they are motivated to see projects completed. India The South American logs sitting unsold at port, bonded warehouses, and on inbound vessels to Kandla has fallen from over 400,000m3 to an estimated 250,000 m3. Sentiment remains subdued in Gandhidham with lukewarm demand. The price of sawn timber from Uruguay logs is flat at INR 521 per CFT. The price for radiata sawn timber has fallen from INR 571 to INR 561 per CFT. Market sentiment is likely to remain subdued over the next couple of months as the unsold South American volume is sold off. Indian export remains constrained due to a lack of containers. Tuticorin had a good rainy season and log demand is limping back to normalcy. The local pine sawn timber price is about INR 651 per CFT. From January 1st, 2022, the use of methyl bromide for fumigation in ship holds will require a buffer zone of 900m and log exporters have said this is operationally impossible to ship logs from New Zealand to India. The Indian Phytosanitary Authority is likely to permit Ethanedinitrile and Sulfuryl Fluoride to fumigate logs and lumber. But given the regulatory procedures involved, it may take months, or even years, to get the necessary regulatory approvals at both ends. NZL

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forest talk

Methyl Bromide regulations tighten ADDITIONAL CONTROLS AROUND THE USE OF THE HEAVILY restricted log fumigant, methyl bromide, took effect on New Year’s Day. In August, a comprehensive suite of new controls were imposed by a decision-making committee of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The decision sets a roadmap to full recapture of methyl bromide, and several controls began immediately, covering ventilation, notification and reporting. Given that India and China require Methyl Bromide to be used on all logs they receive from New Zealand, in general terms, recapture means using technology to remove the methyl bromide gas from the fumigated enclosure, so that after use it cannot be released into the air. From 1 January 2022, stepped increases began, applying to the recapture of methyl bromide from containers and covered log stacks. “This phased approach allows the EPA to ensure that requirements are being met by industry at each stage,” says Dr Chris Hill, General Manager of the EPA’s Hazardous Substances group. There will also be larger buffer zones to prevent people from being in the vicinity while the gas is being used. In addition, local councils and affected parties, including neighbouring marae and other community facilities, must be notified before fumigation takes place. “We’ve been pleased to see ports getting ahead of the curve on these regulations. The Port of Tauranga required recapture technology to be used on all log stack fumigations from 1 January 2022, and Napier Port stopped methyl bromide use altogether from the same date,” says Dr Hill. A total ban on methyl bromide fumigation aboard ships takes effect

from the start of 2023. The decision provides a clear and structured pathway for industry to reduce the amount of methyl bromide emitted. The decision recognises the benefits associated with methyl bromide use, while also protecting human health and the environment, he adds. The EPA, WorkSafe, and local authorities all have responsibilities for compliance, monitoring, and enforcement activities relating to methyl bromide. NZL

Consider repurposing oil refinery for biofuels THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE MARSDEN POINT OIL REFINERY is to be closed without serious consideration of how the remaining equipment not used for import of petroleum fuels can be repurposed for production of biofuels is the result of poor planning by Government, says Brian Cox, Executive Officer of the Bioenergy Association. “The Government is talking of having to spend $6.4 billion to purchase international carbon credits when it is not prepared to spend a fraction of that amount on emission reduction solutions in our own country, which would also create new employment and be part of the emerging bioeconomy,” he explains. “In its recent Emissions Reduction Plan discussion document, Government says that its own draft plan is not adequate to reduce emissions enough, yet it is not prepared to investigate and work with opportunities which a repurposed refinery could provide and would fill that gap. “Government is about to introduce a mandate for use of biofuels in transport yet is not prepared to look at how the refinery can be used to reduce the cost of domestic biofuel production. The plant could be a biorefinery to produce biofuels for heavy transport, marine (InterIslander), rail and sustainable aviation fuel. Domestic biofuels production will face a significant barrier if a new biorefinery

8 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

has to be built from scratch. However with the refinery closed the most likely option will be that we simply import biofuels which are already high-priced because of world demand. “The maximum value of the refinery for future biofuels production would be achieved if the Government assisted Refining New Zealand to keep the facility operational, at least for a period in which to develop a future plan for repurposing the assets.” NZL

Marsden Point oil refinery.

forest talk

East Cape wharf could boost logging industry THE CLOSURE OF SH35 BETWEEN OPOTIKI AND GISBORNE due to flooding late last year, again highlighted the need for an alternative transport route for the East Coast. “As climate change makes events like flooding more common, it’s clearer than ever that this region needs the security as well as economic benefits of a deep-water wharf,” says Dave Fermah whose company Terrafermah is working with local landowners and hapu, Potikirua Trust, to build the wharf at Potikirua, between Cape Runaway and Hicks Bay. As well as being a boon to the East Coast’s logging industry and cutting carbon emissions, the multi-purpose wharf can provide alternative ferry or boat services to guarantee access to markets and essential services for some of New Zealand’s more remote communities, he says. The project received a setback when the Government’s funding agency, Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP), declined funding through its ‘Shovel Ready’ Projects fund last year. Instead, CIP has given a competing project $2million initial funding to progress its proposal to establish a barging operation for logs in Te Araroa. Mr Fermah describes the decision as “extremely shortsighted”: “We are disappointed for the region that CIP has chosen to progress a very limited and specialised barging operation. It provides a worse outcome for the logging industry and offers none of the wider economic, climate or transport benefits that a multipurpose port provides.” In addition, the proposed ferry service from the wharf can provide alternative transport options as well as backup during emergencies, he says. “Waka Kotahi NZTA tell us they have budgeted $300m over the next 30 years to maintain this stretch of road. It is geologically unstable and our proposal takes all logging trucks off it,” Mr Fermah adds. Potikirua Trust Chairman and local Coast Community Board Deputy Chair, Allen Waenga, adds, “Government planted our lands in pine forests in 1970, and in 1972 recognised we needed a new wharf and commissioned studies. Fifty years later they still haven’t built what was recommended by the then-Ministry of Works and our people are still paying the price, with logging trucks wrecking the roads and Māori landowners getting no returns on our lands from forest owners due to high transport costs.” Mr Waenga says his group is continuing to develop the wharf project and believes that its strong business case and wider community development opportunities make it an attractive investment for private or public partners. “Upgrading transport links is the key to our region prospering,” he says. “It is time the Crown fulfilled the obligations they promised in 1972. Get us the reports so we can get on with building our wharf.” NZL

forest talk

Natives versus exotics: the debate continues FISH & GAME NEW ZEALAND SAYS IT IS TIME FOR AN URGENT rethink on the rapid proliferation of exotic forests currently being supported by central government, refocussing instead on native plantings for better long-term environmental and social outcomes. Forest Owners Association (FOA) President, Phil Taylor disagrees: “We all love native trees. They are a natural part of our landscape, culture and history. Many of them have incredible wood qualities. There’s 8 million hectares of native forests in the D0C estate. But they lock up carbon very slowly. “So when Fish and Game, and the new Native Forest Coalition – comprising the Environmental Defence Society, Pure Advantage, Road Donald Trust, the Tindall Foundation, Project Crimson, Dame Anne Salmon and Dr Adam Forbes – start arguing that native trees are a much better means of meeting New Zealand’s greenhouse gas reduction targets than exotics, then that needs to be called out,” he says. “Pine trees, the majority of the plantation estate, sequester carbon at a great rate, as well as providing an income from timber on a forest rotation. “The sequestration power of pine trees is so substantial that without at least another 380,000 hectares planted in the next 15 years, then even more drastic and rapid cuts would have to be made to both agriculture and transport to get to carbon zero by 2050.” However, Fish & Game spokesman Ray Grubb says while the organisation is behind initiatives to address the climate crisis, “the current short-sighted focus on securing offshore carbon credits ignores significant long-term environmental and social problems . “A very real concern is the effect of pines on instream flows. Research has established rainwater run-off is diminished by up to 40% by pine plantations. Widespread plantings in catchments will be in direct conflict with the Government’s current objectives to improve freshwater,” says Mr Grubb. “Further, mass sedimentation events when exotic forests are felled have catastrophic impacts on instream biology and water quality,” he adds. Mr Taylor says Fish and Game’s criticism of exotic plantation forests doesn’t accord with reality: “Fish and Game is, quite simply, barking

10 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

up the wrong tree when it invents what it calls a ‘myriad of adverse impacts’ from exotic forests. “It is true that forests moderate rainfall entering waterways – which reduces the risk of floods. But that also applies to native trees – which Fish and Game wants a lot more of – as well as to exotics – which Fish and Game wants less of. “The same applies to water quality. Water emerging out of forests is cleaner than that flowing off farmland – irrespective of the type of forest or type of farmland.” Mr Grubb acknowledges that plantation forestry has a place in helping meet New Zealand’s climate change commitments, but says the proliferation of monoculture pine plantings in recent years has clearly been “out of control” and “ill-considered”.Offer A: “Look at what’s happening in the high country where the Department of Conservation and landowners are waging an ongoing and very costly war against wilding pines, which threaten the iconic landscape. Addressing biodiversity, Mr Taylor says “it is true that, by very definition, indigenous forests have more indigenous biodiversity than any other land cover”. “But if you look at the facts, there is a higher level of indigenous biodiversity in New Zealand’s exotic forests, than there is on New Zealand farmland. There’s more indigenous wildlife in any type of forest than there is in pastures,” Mr Taylor adds. “On top of that, there are the areas of mostly native bush in both exotic forests and pastureland. It’s about 19% in our forest areas. Beef + Lamb New Zealand estimates the same indigenous vegetation area on its farms is 13%.” Mr Taylor acknowledges that while “exotic forests are vital to transition our economy, we agree such an expansion cannot go on indefinitely. We would run out of land”. “In the shorter term though, if the projected modest exotic forest expansion was stopped now, and replaced by native trees, it would need, to absorb the same amount of carbon by 2050, taking over more than two million hectares of farmland and the cost to taxpayers would be tens of billions of dollars,” Mr Taylor says. “I would think that both the land, and the taxpayers’ money, could be used in much better ways to fight climate change.” NZL

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forest talk

Recognising forestry excellence

DIVERSITY, STRENGTH AND PROFESSIONALISM ALL CAME training. As a foreman on a high production ground-based harvesting to the fore in the 2021 Northland Forestry Awards which saw a very crew, Libby has transformed the culture within. Those who work with colourful James Wilson walk off with the top award as the Skilled her say she has reignited the fun in their work. The Sullivan Family from Forest Protection Services won the Forestry Professional of the Year. James, a breaker out for Rosewarne Contracting who is better known Family of the Year Award. They are celebrated as a family whose as JDubb Yo (featured in the February 2021 edition of NZ Logger) and strong desire to do things differently has been the driver behind their success in the industry. They have faced many loves nothing more than to spread positive a challenge that has seen the family become vibes through the industry, also won the even more committed to the industry with Breaker Out Excellence Award. He was a the second generation now well entrenched unanimous choice by judges Nick Jessop, in the business. Family is at the heart of Brett Gilmore and Mandie Skipps who were this business and those who have hired the impressed with the calibre shown amongst a company describe them as “just amazing”. solid number of nominations this year. Forest Protection Services also won the Judges described James as an “amazing Contractor of the Year Award. professional bushman” who is humble with an Judges added that it was great to see highincredibly high work standard and someone performing operators being mentors who who is always focused on health and safety. would only strengthen the industry for the He has done plenty of good for the wider future. industry and has led his team through some Northpine also put up its educational of the toughest country in Northland, keeping scholarship once more and the recipient, them all safe and morale high. He initially Hayden Bartlett from Bream Bay College, was contemplated a career as an engineer but successfully awarded, setting him up with soon changed his mind and followed in the funding to study the Bachelor of Forestry footsteps of his father into forestry. James Wilson, aka JDubb Yo, won the Science programme at the University of It was a great award for Rosewarne Skilled Professional of the Year Award Canterbury. Contracting with Scott Ringrose also winning and the Breaker Out Excellence Award. The Northland Forestry Awards, established the Harvesting Excellence crown, with the in 2016, were cancelled last year due to COVID other awards well spread across the region. Judges were excited to see an exceptional number of wood- and this year were postponed and then moved to a virtual platform, processing nominations and tipped their hats to the women in forestry, with comedian Jeremy Corbett hosting the online event on Friday December 3. saying some had to overcome a few extra challenges to do their job. Andrew Widdowson, chair of the Northland Health and Safety Group Leevon (Libby) Popata from Mold Logging won the hotly contested category. Libby was described as a woman with a real “can-do” and Wood Council thanked the 2021 judges for their time. “This is a attitude who balances a busy home life with her work. From modest really fantastic judging panel. It is such an important element of the beginnings, she has achieved notable success through hard work and whole forestry awards model and programme.” NZL

THE AWARDS • Skilled Professional of the Year (sponsored by Northland Forestry Health and Safety Group): James Wilson (Rosewarne Contractors) • Trainee of the Year (sponsored by Competenz): Jordan Whitehead (Rosvall Sawmill) • Training Company/Contractor of the Year (sponsored by UDC): Anthony (Shorty) Murray (FNR Forestry 2019) • Forestry Excellence (sponsored by Northland Forest Managers): Phil Cornelius (COC Fencing) • Roading Excellence (sponsored by Fortuna): Robert Schrafft (JSB Construction) • Harvesting Excellence (sponsored by AB Equipment – Tigercat): Scott Ringrose (Rosewarne Contractors) • Distribution Excellence (sponsored by Pacific Motor Group): Andrew Ward (C3) • Wood Processing Excellence (sponsored by

12 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Whangarei ITM): Ed Wilson (Northpine) • Breaker Out Excellence (sponsored by Terra Cat): James Wilson (Rosewarne Contractors) • Tree Faller Excellence (sponsored by Hancock Forest Management): Gary Wickman (Wickman Contracting) • Women in Forestry Excellence (sponsored by PF Olsen): Leevon (Libby) Popata (Mold Logging) • Log Truck Driver Excellence (sponsored by the Patchell Group of Companies): Reece Mist (Mike Lambert) • Emerging Talent of the Year (sponsored by North Tech Tai Tokerau Wananga): Dan Kawana Pool (Rosewarne Logging) • Forestry Family of the Year (sponsored by Northern Forest Products): The Sullivan Family (Forest Protection Services) • Contractor of the Year (sponsored by ISO): FPS Forestry • Outstanding Health and Safety Management

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(sponsored by Summit Forests): Daron Turner (Despatch NZ) and Grimmer Contracting • Outstanding Environmental Management (sponsored by Wise on Wood): Peter DaviesColley (The Tree People) SPONSORS 2021 • Gold Sponsors: Northland Forestry H&S Group, Summit Forest NZ, Woodbank, Northern Forest Products, ISO, Wise on Wood • Silver Sponsors: AB Equipment – Tigercat, Hancock Forest Management, Fortuna, Northland Forest Managers, Terra Cat, Competenz, Pacific Motor Group, UDC, Patchell, Finance NZ, WIDE Trust, NorthTec, Te Uru Rakau – NZ Forest Service, P F Olsen, C3, ITM Whangarei/Bay of Islands • Bronze Sponsors: Shaws, Trimble Forestry, Rayonier – Matariki, NZ Forestry, NZ Safety Blackwoods, Northpine, NZME, Deals on Wheels, FICA, Quest Hotel. NZL

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forest talk

Seeing the forest for the trees SCIENTISTS FROM TAURANGA’S PLANTTECH RESEARCH Institute are celebrating their involvement in two successful funding bids to the Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment’s (MBIE) Endeavour Fund, New Zealand’s largest contestable research fund. In this year’s round of funding, 69 new scientific research projects were awarded more than $244 million. A $9.6 million MBIE-funded project, led by Scion, Seeing the forest for the trees: transforming tree phenotyping for future forests, involves using PlantTech’s capability in hyperspectral imagery analysis to support research that will identify the best genotype to plant in different environments for commercial production and indigenous uses. This is in addition to a $1 million successful bid for a two-year international project, that will use airborne remote sensors to discover what is causing plant stress in kiwifruit orchards. The five-year project Seeing the Forest for the Trees, will explore the phenotype (characteristics) of trees to identify trees that grow well in specific environments. The research programme is focussed on forest phenotyping using remotely sensed data and advanced concepts in data science. Combined with genomic data, Scion expects to select and breed trees with traits such as high carbon storage and resistance to disease and drought. For example, in Gisborne it may become more important to use a drought resistant radiata pine if droughts increase in severity. Scion Data and Geospatial Intelligence Principal Scientist, Dr

Mike Watt, welcomes PlantTech’s participation in the project, citing its advanced capability in hyperspectral imaging technologies. PlantTech will use this technology to assess the attributes of trees that can’t be seen by the naked eye, such as the tree’s ability to deal with water stress or disease. “You can’t see those problems so easily with the eye, but hyperspectral imagery can be used to look beyond the visible wavelengths to characterise these traits,” Dr Watt says. By the end of the project, Scion plans to have a climate-based deployment guideline developed for radiata pine. Effectively, this will be a map showing where each genotype can be allocated throughout New Zealand to optimise productivity or resistance against water or drought stress. “We know that if you optimally allocate different genotypes to the right site, then you can get a gain of 20% in productivity. That translates into quite a bit of value for radiata pine,” says Dr Watt. Radiata pine is not the only focus of the programme. Indigenous forests will also be included, as Scion aims to explore the cultural links that Māori have to forests and taonga (treasure) species. For example, the researchers want to find out what cultural phenotypes are important to Māori, such as a trees’ potential for carving. It is hoped that cultural phenotyping could incentivise the planting of indigenous tree species, leading to more diverse forests and more opportunities for Māori to harvest indigenous trees for carving or other traditional uses NZL

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forest talk

The Scion and AgriSea team.

Top honours at Science NZ Awards WOOD NANOTECHNOLOGY, SEAWEED NANOCELLULOSE products and an internationally recognised microscopist were among top successes celebrated by Scion at the Science New Zealand Awards in December 2021. All seven Crown Research Institutes and Callaghan Innovation had awardees in three categories. Scion’s awardee for Lifetime Achievement was Doctor of Science, Lloyd Donaldson for his microscopist work, Scion’s awardee for Early Career Researcher was Dr Qiliang Fu – leading scientist in wood nanotechnology and functionalisation, and the awardee for the Team Award was the Agrisea NZ and Scion collaboration. Scion Chief Executive, Dr Julian Elder, says the awards showed the depth of talent across Crown scientists including Scion, which is recognised nationwide and internationally. “It’s wonderful to see a lifetime of significant work such as Lloyd’s being recognised, and the innovation behind the wood nanotechnology and the Agrisea partnership are examples of how cutting-edge the science here at Scion is.” Scion Forests and Biotechnology scientist Dr Lloyd Donaldson received one of eight Lifetime Achievement Awards for his influence as an internationally recognised microscopist specialising in plant anatomy and ultrastructure for the last 40 years at Scion. He has pioneered techniques in confocal fluorescence imaging of wood and biomaterials, with his methods forming a part of researcher toolboxes globally. With an h-index of 42 (Google Scholar), he has over 100 publications including sixteen books and book chapters, with his images selected four times as journal covers. An Early Career Researcher Award was made to scientist Dr Qiliang Fu who specialises in wood nanotechnologies, including various chemical treatment and functional approaches, applied to tailor and modify the nanostructure of bulk wood. Dr Fu has contributed strongly to developing this field globally. Dr Fu did the original research on transparent wood and transparent wood film, novel designs and multifunctionalities of sustainable materials. This work has led to breakthroughs in transparent, fireretardant, hydrophobic/lipophilic and opto-electronic applications. The Team Award was the third category and Scion’s awardee was the

14 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Scion and Agrisea NZ collaboration team which together are accelerating new nanocellulose-based business opportunities Scion’s wood pulping expertise and AgriSea’s 25 years in seaweed processing has resulted in a novel seaweed gel product. The team developed a method to produce nanocellulose from AgriSea’s seaweed waste stream without disrupting current products and processing. Their innovative approach enables the extraction, isolation and manufacture of high-value nanocellulose hydrogel and nanocellulose. Applications for these materials include performance biocomposites, biomedical engineering applications, wound care, cosmetics and drug delivery. The Scion technology to produce seaweed nanocellulose was licensed and transferred to AgriSea at the start of 2021. Manufacture of nanocellulose was successfully trialled at pilot scale (funded through the Bioresource Processing Alliance). An intergenerational whānau business, AgriSea is now upgrading its factory to include an industrial nanocellulose production plant in its hometown of Paeroa and employs local people in coastal regions to collect beach cast seaweed. The Scion team members involved are Dr Stefan Hill, Sean Taylor, Dr Yi Chen, Rob Whitton and Dr Marie-Joo Le Guen, working with AgriSea team members Clare and Tane Bradley and Dr Melodie Lindsay. NZL

Scion’s Dr Lloyd Donaldson.

Scion’s Dr Qiliang Fu.

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forest talk

Scion puts Kiwi architecture on the map

SCION’S INNOVATION HUB, TE WHARE NUI O TUTEATA (FEATURED in the April 2021 edition of NZ Logger), has won 14 domestic and international awards in 2021, making it an international timber architecture icon. The Rotorua building is believed to be a world-first diagonal-grid (diagrid) timber structure for a three-storey building, while also being embodied-carbon neutral. The name acknowledges the mana of the tupuna Tuteata, from whom Ngā Hapū e Toru descend and the connection to the whenua, Tītokorangi. The building was designed by RTA Studio in collaboration with Irving Smith Architects. In December 2021 alone, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata won two World Architecture Festival awards (World Best use of Certified Timber Prize; World Higher Education and Research), a New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) National Award (Commercial), and a Resene Total Colour award (Neutrals). A NZIA juror described Te Whare Nui o Tuteata as the “striking new public interface” of Scion, complimenting the “beautifully articulated timber framework”. Overall, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata has won 14 significant national and international awards in 2021. Scion Sustainability Architect and Portfolio Leader ‘Trees to High Value Wood Products’ Andrea Stocchero believes there are many compelling reasons why. “If you look from the outside, you see a simple building with fascinating colours that match the forest and at the entrance, engaging Māori carvings which tell the story of mana whenua. But, architecturally, it is when you walk inside that magic happens… the contrast between the simple aesthetic outside and the shock of entering a huge void hits. You see striking timber structure, architectural lines and natural materials in harmony with each other – that is what is so impactful,” he says. “The essence of the building speaks very honestly about Scion’s intent. It’s a Crown Research Institute for forest and wood products making a timber diagrid structure home, located amongst mana whenua’s Tokorangi forest. The symbolism is really strong. “We have a forest. We have a building. We have a purpose,” he explains. “But there is something more… and it is the important part for Scion. “The world is on a quest to decarbonise across many different sectors as we saw at COP26. Many people don’t realise New Zealand’s built environment is responsible for about 20% of the country’s carbon footprint. “Trees sequester carbon from the atmosphere while they’re

16 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

growing, and as long as the wood is in use that carbon is stored, so it’s not going back into the atmosphere. If the timber is sustainably certified it means that the forests are re-growing after each harvest, and the carbon sequestration cycle continues.” Te Whare Nui o Tuteata stores 418 tonnes of CO2-eqv for the life of the building, which is the equivalent of one person flying 160 times return from Auckland to London. “We calculated that the timber that we see here in the Te Whare Nui o Tuteata structure has been regrown in 35 minutes by New Zealand planted forests,” Mr Stocchero says. “This is a compelling story about the capacity of New Zealand forests to provide the timber we need for future developments. “I believe the reason why Te Whare Nui o Tuteata won all these awards, is because it showcases the opportunities architects have with timber, to design exciting buildings, beautiful buildings… buildings that are worth winning architectural awards, while using a locally-grown and manufactured material which is also helping to reduce our carbon footprint.” RTA Studio Executive Director, Rich Naish, says the team is honoured to have been recognised at the World Architecture Festival Awards: “In these weeks after COP26 the recognition of this building and the innovation it proposes for sustainability and carbon neutrality in the building sector could not be more relevant. We are proud to be able to make a global contribution to the climate emergency.” Irving Smith Architects Design Director, Jeremy Smith, says it’s wonderful to be recognised on the global stage for Te Whare Nui o Tuteata which sets new conventions: “Tackling climate change requires working together and this building provides an invitation to ‘come walk in our forest’ and see how we can all better participate with the environment.” Scion Chief Executive, Dr Julian Elder, believes the accolades have been wonderful, however admits there’s another part that resonates most: “From my perspective, the people we’ve had coming into Te Whare Nui o Tuteata this year – visitor, industry and community groups – those who wander into the café and spend their time here – it’s their positive and engaged feedback with the building which is important for Scion.” Other highlight awards in 2021 have included Property Council NZ Awards of Excellence, Best of Best Masterprize Award for Green Buildings at the USA Architecture Masterprize Awards, and The Building Award at the Indo-Pacific INDE Awards in Sydney. Te Whare Nui o Tuteata opened in January 2020 and was gifted its name by Ngā Hapū e Toru who hold mana over the whenua. NZL

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Iron Test

SOMETHING

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NEW Story & Photos: John Ellegard

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The first Madill 172B tower hauler in New Zealand is working with Kuru Contracting on the East Coast.

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THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER TO NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY

February 2022 | NZ LOGGER 19

The new Madill 172B is working in a variety of settings on this hill country station north of Tolaga Bay.

HEN WAS THE LAST TIME A brand new, high-production Madill tower hauler was sold in New Zealand – completely new from the ground up? I can’t think of one. And it’s probably got you stumped, too. There have been plenty of second-hand towers of all makes imported from North America and Canada in recent years and we’re always refurbishing existing ones in our fleet to keep them in service. But nothing new for ages, apart from the Koller mini tower brought in from Europe as a one-off experiment six years ago and the last of the BE70 towers built in Nelson by Brightwater going back even further. So, the arrival of Kuru Contracting’s all-new, all-singing-and-dancing Madill 172B calls for something of a celebration. Well, an Iron Test, at the very least. Madill is the last survivor of the big-name tower hauler and swing yarder manufacturers. After emerging from its own brush with

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corporate death following the Global Financial Porter Equipment workshop on the other side Collapse, the Vancouver Island-based of Hamilton to receive extra guard rails prior to company tentatively got back into business its Gisborne delivery trip. But we did eventually catch up with it, and with 124 swing yarder production and then, four years ago, announced it would return to boy were we impressed. The sight and sounds of a hungry tower making towers, with the 172B. Pacific North-West loggers rejoiced and perched high on a landing in full stem-recovery there was soon a waiting list, so it took Kuru mode is something to behold and I’ll bet this Contracting two years from placing an order one would bring a tear to the eye of even the to see its 172B finally dispatched from the most grizzled and grumpy logger, even as Madill now offers a Volvo engine option to the Nainamo plant. On hearing that it had landed here in lusty Detroit Diesel Series 60 in its yarders Godzone in the middle of last year, we were and towers. Owners, Ricky and Leanne Kuru, and their champing at the bit to get up close and team are happy that they were still able to personal. Unfortunately, the deadly COVID-19 Delta specify the Detroit, since it now matches the wave intervened, and the NZ Logger Iron Test power plant in their Madill 124 swing yarder team had to sit on our hands a tad longer. But that was imported brand new two years earlier. “We’re very happy that it’s got the Detroit what’s a few more months when we’ve waited because it means both our Madills have so long for such an opportunity? Especially as we had also missed out on the same engine, which is good for spares seeing the 172B make a surprise appearance and maintenance,” says Aaron Wallis, who POWER BIG TIME last LOGGERS joinedFOR Kuru Contracting year as Harvest as a showstopping exhibit at theSERIOUS 2021 Mystery Creek Fieldays before it headed off to the Manager.

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EST EST 1909 1909 | TOCALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 20 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

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Kuru Contracting has matched its new Madill 172B tower hauler with a locally-made Hawkeye grapple carriage.

A range of options The new machine is not just brand new to New Zealand it also marks a first for Kuru Contracting because Ricky and Leanne have never owned a tower hauler before and they now have a full set of recovery options – in addition to the Madill 172B and 124, the couple also recently took delivery of their first Harvestline yarder/loader, which Ricky says is “going great guns”. Given the complex nature of logging in the hills behind Kuru Contracting’s home base at

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Tolaga Bay, it makes sense to have a range of options available to ensure they can match machines to local circumstances. For instance, in the private forest where we’ve come to see the new Madill 172B working, the Kuru team is also operating the 124 swinger. The 2,500-hectare job on the Mangatarata Station encompasses a wide variety of hill types, from steep, broken country with multiple short hauls to long slopes separated by wide valleys. The Kuru team is tackling the whole job,

from road-lining and landing/skid building, to harvesting and even transporting all the wood on the back of their own trucks (they’ve got a fleet of eight now). “By adding the tower we can now do the whole forest between this machine and the swing yarder. It was always part of the plan – decided well before I arrived,” says Aaron. “The forest has mostly been road-lined and prepared, and the swing yarder has gone in and started harvesting the shorter pulls, so the tower is following to clean up the parts with the bigger spans that the swinger can’t reach. “The plan is to finish the job all in one go, which will probably take five-to-six years. The first road-lining crew went in two-anda-half years ago. There is still 12 months of road-lining, around 18 months for the swing yarder and then two-to-two-and-a-half years of tower work.” As we arrive on the landing where the new 172B has been set up, the crew is just getting into gear, having shifted from the opposite side of the valley the day before. It’s only their third setting since the Madill was delivered, so it all feels a bit new to everyone on site, not just to the NZ Logger Iron Test team. And it’s not the only new piece of equipment on show here, as the Next Gen Cat 538 log loader is also a recent acquisition. The Cat 568 and Woodsman processing head aren’t that old, either. All brought together to form this crew around the new Madill tower. It’s inspiring to see people like Ricky and Leanne splash out on modern machinery to keep their business moving ahead. They’ve pumped ‘squillions’ into Kuru Contracting in recent years, buying a heap of excavators, dozers, rollers and pavers for their quarrying and road building crews, as well as tip-top equipment for the forestry side and, of course, the new log trucks. Today’s focus is on the red and white tower that is already hauling up stems felled and bunched by the winch-assisted Cat 552 that is cleaning the final parts of the opposite slope. It does look impressive. Sure, it’s not the biggest of towers in the bush, especially compared to the 110ft Berger that Steve Dewes runs in the Mangatu Forest not too far from here. If anything, it looks very compact, even against other 70ft towers (the 172B’s

SERIOUS POWER BIG TIME LOGGERS

EST EST 1909 1909 |TOCALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 22 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

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actually measures 72ft). Aaron agrees – as does guest Iron Tester, Shane McGuire – pointing out that the compactness of the 172B tracked base is one of its most pleasing features. “It looks a lot smaller than you’d imagine, eh,” says Aaron of the 6.45-metre length of the body, which sits on a D7 track base. “That’s a really good thing, because we’ll get this into places you wouldn’t normally think to put a tower.” Shane McGuire also points out another interesting sight – the five guy lines supporting the fully extended 72ft tower. “Yes, that’s something Corey (Kururangi, the crew’s foreman) noticed – because he’s had quite a bit to do with a 171, which only has four guy lines,” adds Aaron. “Keeps it rock steady and it’s really easy to set up. About three hours to be working. We put it on the transporter yesterday morning and, with two people up there, it was working by 1pm.” For transporting, the cab folds down flat, while the tower telescopes and is lowered so that overall travel dimensions are just under 18.1 metres (60ft) in length and only 3.8 metres (12.7ft) in height. Foreman Corey likes the 172B and how

The Rotorua-made Hawkeye carriage has an Ensign 2270 grapple that can accommodate as many as four decent-sized butts. easy it is to move and then re-set, comparing the five guy lines to those of a Thunderbird: “It’s one of the easiest to set up that I have experienced.” He is relishing the opportunity to work with a brand new hauler and has already had a turn behind the controls when regular operator, Keanu Awatere, was away for a day, describing it as “awesome to drive”. But he cautions that it’s still early days, adding: “We want to try it out and see what it can do. Here, we’re only going out 200

metres, so we’re just north-bending right now.” This setting would be ideal for shotgunning, but at the time of our visit the crew ® had not yet trialled it – there is a switch on the overhead console that disconnects the haulback winch to send the main out. The skyline runs out to a Hyundai 290 on the opposing slope that provides a moveable backline so they can do sideways shifts to grab logs flanking the grapple on the Hawkeye carriage.

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Log 4 is a productive crew, able to churn out 300 tonnes a day on steep sites like this.

We discuss other options to make it easier to achieve that sideways movement, such as remote control of the backline machine, instead of relying on a crew member to physically go and move it. Or even employing a Live Dutchman setting that can offer lateral movement without the need to shift the backline. “I’m interested in trying a Live Dutchmen, we might have to give that a go,” nods Corey. “We do have a tag line drum on the machine so we can do that. It could work in the right setting.” The tag line offers 700 metres (2,300ft) of ½-inch rope on its drum, so that’s more-than enough length to play with. The tag is one of five working drums fitted to the 172B – there’s a main that offers 736 metres (2,900ft) of 7/8th-inch rope; a haulback with 1,675 metres (5,500ft) of 5/8th-inch rope; a strawline with 1,370 metres (4,500ft) of 3/8th-inch rope; and the skyline, comprised of 800 metres (2,600ft) of 1-and-1/8th rope. Achievable targets Fortunately, there is no pressure to hit big targets right now because the crew is on quota due to the softening of the Chinese export market. “Our target is around 300 tonnes a day, but the P size varies quite a bit, so it could be more or it could be less,” says Corey. “Our biggest challenge is going to be flooding the skid out, because it’s not that big and we need to manage that, as we’re only loading out once a week at the moment. It looks empty now, but it will get tight very quickly. We are waiting on another loader to come over and help.” Without the pressure of having to produce big numbers, there is

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also time for this new crew to adapt to being fully mechanised across all stages of the operation. Aaron says: “We’ve made good progress on falling mechanically but it’s taking the boys a little time to get used to the idea of ‘we’re not running strops on the hills’ and it might be a little bit less productive in some settings, to be honest. “But the goal is not to have people on the hills – to remove that risk – and as long as it’s priced accordingly, it works. I’m not saying it hasn’t been a struggle. There have been challenges. The first month or two the numbers weren’t that flash, but now we’ve got through those, it seems to be working.” Our discussion returns to how to make the best use of a grapple carriage running on a tower that doesn’t have the ability to swing from side-to-side, like a swing yarder. Even though there are three cameras mounted to the Hawkeye carriage that provide excellent visibility to the tower operator, it is limited by what the grapple can grab on the ground. “Apart from shifting the backline machine, we don’t have any other way of moving it laterally at the moment, such as using the tag line,” adds Aaron. “We can set it up that way, but we haven’t needed to do that so far. It’s been a learning curve getting to this point, so we’ve not been wanting to over-complicate things. “The grapple itself is an Ensign 2270 and it’ll fit four butts in there. The average piece size is two tonnes. It can pull good weights, but the biggest thing we’ve found is actually laying out the wood for it. Harvesting mechanically with a winch-assist means that if we can get it bunched or laid out better, that makes a huge difference.”

MADE IN CANADA FOR NZ CONDITIONS

EST EST 1909 1909 |TO CALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 24 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Up close We’re anxious to experience it ourselves, but before venturing up to the cab, we get Keanu to jump down and open up the bodywork so we can peer into the bowels of the 172B and capture the big Detroit Diesel. The 14-litre, 450hp, Series 60 Detroit has been a loyal servant to the forestry industry for many years and was the engine of choice for the Madill towers and swingers. While some buyers are embracing the new 13-litre Volvo, which also comes in Tier 3 specification for our market, the Detroit Series 60 has never wanted for power and performance and some just can’t go past it. And the signature sound will continue to be heard on the East Coast for as long as machines like the Kuru Madills survive. The big Detroit continues to run through the Allison 6-speed Powershift transmission – a partnership that has certainly worked extremely well over the years, and in its current guise provides the option of running full time in automatic or enabling the operator to change gears manually.

This might be a brand new machine, but and the grapple, operated through an up-tothe overall design hasn’t changed much date electric-over-hydraulic system that since the original 172 was launched back ensures smoother and more precise actions. in the 1990s, as a successor to the 171. Meanwhile, the water-cooled brakes Only 36 were built before the company operated by the foot pedals on the floor are went into receivership in 2008. Almost ten air-over-hydraulic. As a result, there’s none years passed before the 172 went back into of the jerking and clanging of old. The one drawback is that you cannot production. There have been lots of changes to the way go into the computer and change any of the latest Madill performs. This B version the settings if you find the controls too benefits from advances in electronics and heavy or too light. Interestingly, the first hydraulic systems that we’ve also seen Volvo-powered Madill 124 that was recently delivered to Ray Flavell does offer the ability adopted in the 124 swing yarders. Up in the cab, Keanu shows us how the to change the slew, throttle speed, reaction new set of controls has made the job of time and the like. In another nod to the technology age operating a tower hauler much easier these there is a mouse and track ball for Keanu to days. There are still clutch switches for the control the cameras on the Hawkeye grapple main, tail and skyline that need to be flicked carriage. There’s also a relic of the past situated on on and off situated on a panel to the left front of the operator. But most of the work is the pillar immediately to the left of Keanu – a handled through the regen lever on the right control pad for Fortronic auto chains, which (just like in the 124) to engage the clutch and may come in handy if the carriage has to be hold weight on the tail, along with controls/ taken off for any reason. POWER FOR BIGtoTIME Keanu came Kuru LOGGERS Contracting to do buttons on the left to govern SERIOUS speed, gears

BANNER BANNER BANNER 1 41

ALWAYS SWING A BIG STICK

EST EST 1909 1909 | TOCALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 26 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Facing page left: Two more stems are brought up to the landing by the Madill 172B. Facing page right: The tower on the Madill 172B, fully extended to 72-foot. Above left: Sitting on a D7 track frame, the compact dimensions of the Madill 172B mean it can shift into some tight locations. Above right: Colour-coordinated guy line drums for quick identification when setting up.

Performance and peace of mind Right now, it’s time for Shane McGuire to swap into the operator’s seat and give his verdict on New Zealand’s newest tower hauler.

Shane used to have an older Madill 171 working in his Mana Logging operation and currently runs a Madill 009 with a Hawkeye grapple carriage, so he’s been very keen to see how the new and more compact tower compares to his experiences. He spends some time up in the cab talking through the workings with Keanu before getting behind the controls himself, confessing that he’s not the most proficient hauler operator. But this is an opportunity too good to miss, he reckons. And Shane soon shows that he hasn’t lost his touch as he grabs a clutch of butts in the grapple and brings them back to the landing, sends the carriage out for more and keeps

LG32253

falling and QC in the swing yarder crew but has previously operated a 171, so got tapped on the shoulder to operate the 172B when it arrived. “That one (171) was pretty similar to this, similar controls and same set-up, a nice machine to drive – but this is something else, being brand new,” he says. The biggest change for Keanu is getting used to having a grapple carriage on the skyline, instead of straps/chains… and remembering what all of the 10 buttons on the Hawkeye’s control pad do (he does have a diagram stuck on the pillar as a reminder). “Trying to pick up logs that are just to the side of the grapple, that’s a headache, so I swing the grapple around to see if we can reach them when it drops – sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Then we have to rely on moving the backline,” he says. “It’s better when all the wood is nicely laid out so that it’s easier to pick up.” In spite of the challenges, having the carriage on the skyline makes a world of difference to wood recovery in many ways. Keanu says: “The speed, coming in and going out is fast. I can send it out in top gear and f*ck yeah, she runs. Can’t wait until we get into some really long settings to be able to use that speed, like in that first setting we did. But with only 200 metres out here it barely gets into 3rd. “When there’s trees in the grapple I start off in 2nd and chop up to 3rd once it’s running and then up to 4th if it’s a light drag. Never need to start in 1st.” Although Keanu could leave the six-speed Allison transmission in automatic, he prefers to change gears manually because he feels more in control. With his phone providing the music through the bluetooth sound system and the A/C pumping lots of cool air to keep the working environment pleasant, it’s not a bad place to be, reckons Keanu, although the lack of blinds on any of the windows is something that needs to be addressed. “Blinds would be good, especially in the back when the sun glare comes in through the window and I can’t see out,” he adds. In addition to Keanu and Corey, Aaron is also trained up to operate the new 172B, just in case the other two are not available.

Climbmax Equipment’s Gen 3 steep slope harvester being trialled by Kelly Logging. Productive trials have shown a step change in all round performance, combined with the advantages that level ability offers.

Enquiries: +64 (0)27 449 8480 – info@climbmax.co.nz www.climbmax.co.nz February 2022 | NZ LOGGER 27

repeating. It looks like we’re going to have a hard job prising him out of the 172B and you can read Shane’s impressions in the Iron Test column on page 30. We do eventually drag him away in order to return to Gisborne. But from the brief encounter we’ve had in this test, we can see why Ricky and Leanne invested more money in going with a brand new tower instead of a refurbished older one. There’s no having to cross fingers and hoping that it will put in the hard yards without breakdowns and if something does break or go wrong there’s a

factory warranty, which is overseen by Porter Equipment, with service technicians close at hand. So you’re buying peace of mind, as well as performance. It seems a shame that New Zealand loggers have had to wait for so long before they could actually buy a brand new Madill tower hauler. But after a prolonged drought we won’t have to wait much longer before this one is joined by another tower, because Porter Equipment tells us that a second Madill 172B will be delivered to a New Zealand customer soon. NZL

The tight landing will soon be filled at this rate.

BANNER BANNER BANNER 1 31 W

SERIOUS POWER BIG TIME LOGGERS

EST EST 1909 1909 |TOCALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 28 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

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iron test: Shane McGuire

ROLLS-ROYCE OF TOWERS T HIS NEW MADILL 172B HAS TO BE the Rolls-Royce of 70-foot towers. It’s a beautifully laid out machine. Everything is in its right place. Plenty of power. Smooth to operate. What’s not to like? I used to have a 171 and this new 172B has definitely come ahead, it’s the next generation in tower hauling in the 70-foot world. I only wish I could have spent more time in the operator’s seat. I was just starting to get used to the controls, but even with my short time, I found them good. Very soft touch. You expect that with electrics over hydraulics. It also means you are not going to get the wear and tear on your controls and clutches, because it eliminates that harshness and shock-loading. Everything is nicely located, all where they

should be. Having a 124, as well as an older 009 tower, helped me to find what I needed to use. The only little issue I had was with the throttle, as the springs get a bit sticky – when you want to let the throttle go you have to push the throttle off, otherwise it will stay in position. All it needs is a little bit of adjustment. After a couple of drags I kind-of got used to it. Keanu just had to remind me every now and then to let the throttle go. You take your hand off and it still keeps going. Other than that, it’s a beautiful machine. That Detroit has got a lot of power, you can feel it. We were only running it in second gear and with six gears it’s got sheer line speed that would be quite scary if you let it rip. Keanu does well with such a small landing, if he was running faster he would want more

1: The last Detroit Diesel Series 60 to go into a Madill machine. 2: Plenty of storage lockers for tools, spares and other items. 3: Operator, Keanu Awatere, will need to keep a close eye on the drums to prevent ropes from tangling.

Iron Tester, Shane McGuire. space to store the logs. Interesting that they’re running a Hawkeye grapple carriage with the tower. We’ve got the same carriage in my crew, but I’m not used to operating it myself. Again, it didn’t take much to get used to. Some might get flustered with all the buttons, but you’re only using the top four most of the time. The only

4: The switch panel for the various rope clutches and monitoring gauges is close at hand. 5: Iron Tester, Shane McGuire, gets to grips with the Madill 172B controls.

he Award Winning Fo Superseal® Superseal® Winning Forestr

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ombating the arduous terrain that loggers face in N Specifica Specifical rain that loggers face in NZ, Mainlin Specifica veloped a chain that has a special internal seal to Track hav Track a special internal seal to withstand Trackhav hav reater pressure than a comparable excavator seal. three tim three time THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER TO NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY mparable excavator seal. Our three tim hains use unique and patented seals made here in Supersea Supersea ented seals made here in superior New Zeala Supersea ed into an OEM chain guaranteeing perfor and asse ranteeing superior performance. and andassem asse

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30 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

r Specialist Ross French on 021 22 Call Call French on 021 228 5632 Call

IFICATION

SPEC S

SPECIFICATIONS – MADILL 172B TOWER HAULER ENGINE 6-cylinder, 14-litre, Detroit Diesel Series 60 common rail diesel, Tier lll, turbocharged & after-cooled 336kW (450hp) @ 2,100rpm Net power 1,966Nm @ 1,500rpm Torque

• Tagline: Capacity = 700m (2,300ft) ½”; Max pull 10,882kg; Max speed 1,284 m/min • Guylines (x5): Capacity – 76m (250ft) 1 1/8” rope; Max pull 1,305kg; Max speed 50m/min. TOWER

TRANSMISSION

Height 15.4 metres (50ft) retracted; 21.95m (72ft) extended

Allison S5620A Powershift, 6-speed

REFILL CAPACITIES (LITRES)

CONTROLS

Fuel tank Hydraulic oil tank

Control systems run electric-over-hydraulics

DIMENSIONS (MM)

DRUMS • Skyline: Capacity – 800m (2,600ft) 1 1/8” rope; Max pull 78,002kg; Max speed 985m/min • Main: Capacity – 736m (2,900ft) 7/8”rope; Max pull 54,874kg; Max speed 1,235m/min • Haulback: Capacity – 1,675m (5,500ft) 5/8” rope; Max pull 19,034kg; Max speed 1,244m/min • Strawline: Capacity – 1,370m (4,500ft) 3/8” rope; Max pull 9,072kg; Max speed 1,208m/min

challenge was getting adjusted to using the cameras. Cameras are very useful in helping to pick out the wood on the ground. A couple of the drags I got two or three stems in the grapple. Only managed to lose one of them. Couldn’t really feel them on there and they came up real easily. It will be interesting to see how it performs when they get to do some shotgunning. I reckon it will do really well. Good to see Keanu keeping a tidy cab. He runs it in his socks – mind you, part of that is because the feeling in those foot pedals

1,550L 347L

Transport length Transport height (cab folded) Transport Width Track length Track shoe width Machine Weight

18.1m (spar on) 3.8m 3.8m 5.4m 600mm 50 tonnes

is so soft. You wouldn’t feel much if you had boots on. The tower felt very solid on the landing with that extra fifth guy rope. The one thing I did pick up on is that it should have a bigger exhaust stack, as it’s a shame for a multimillion-dollar machine to be covered in soot. It needs to be extended up above the cab. But really, there’s not much to fault. Those things are minor and easily fixable. NZL

Operator, Keanu Awatere, at home in the cab of the new Madill 172B.

Superseal® The Award Winning Forestry Chain Superseal® The Award Winning Forestry Chain Forestry Chain seal® The Award Winning Forestry Chain eal® The Award Winning Forestry Chain stry Chain

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mainlinetrack.co.nz mainlinetrack.co.nz Call Our Specialist Ross French on 021 228 5632 mainlinetrack.co.nz mainlinetrack.co.nz Call Our Ross French on 228 1 228 5632 Call OurSpecialist Specialist Ross French on 021 021 2285632 5632 mainlinetrack.co.nz mainlinetrack.co.nz Call Our Specialist Ross French on 021 228 5632 mainlinetrack.co.nz mainlinetrack.co.nz Call Our Specialist Ross French on 021 228 5632 32 Call Our Specialist Ross French on 021 228 5632

ALWAYS SWING A BIG STICK

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Breaking Out

Winch-assisted harvesting, then and now

34 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Story: Keith Raymond, Forest Growers Research

Tigercat LS855C winch-assisted feller buncher with EMS TractionLine.

February 2022 | NZ LOGGER 35

Breaking Out

INCH-ASSIST TECHNOLOGY IS now well-established in New Zealand – but how did it come about? The safety and productivity benefits of mechanical tree felling on easy country are well known, but the development of winchassist has enabled these benefits to be gained in steep slope harvesting operations. Since 2006, new machines and systems were being developed by New Zealand contractors to mechanise felling and pre-bunching on slopes, with the aim of eliminating manual chainsaw felling in cable operations. In March 2009, researchers from Future Forests Research (FFR) visited Ross Wood’s operation in Nelson with a view to studying his steep terrain bunching operation. This was initially an old Komatsu roller crusher tractor, with a pre-tensioned winch drum brake, an “active system” with the winch rope moving up and down the slope as it was wound in or out to assist the feller buncher. At about the same time the second machine that had been developed back in 2009 was being tested by Nigel Kelly of Kelly Logging in Nelson. This was a Hitachi excavator with a Satco boom and felling head with a built-in winch to aid traction. This was a single machine system, a “passive system” as the winch rope is static as the machine

Ecoforst T-winch remote winch-assist. 36 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

FIGURE 1: THEORY OF WINCH-ASSIST HARVESTING moves up and down the slope, winding the cable in and out. This means less rope wear as it is not moving across the ground, and as the winch rope is tied off on stumps at the top of the hill, it does not require access to the back line or top of the slope. In practical terms So, how can a winch cable be used to assist the traction capability of a ground-based machine on a steep slope?

As shown in the illustration in Figure 1 above, the basic physics for retaining traction on a slope is that the Gravity Force pulling the machine downslope (Wg in red) should not exceed the Traction Force (T in blue) that the machine is able to develop on the ground surface. Otherwise, the machine will start to slide downslope. Put simply, the greater the Traction Force the tracks can generate in the soil, the steeper a machine can operate without slipping.

Investment/growth opportunity Expressions of interest invited:

Snatch-n-Grab grapple With patents already granted or pending in New Zealand, Australia, the USA and Chile, expressions of interest are invited to procure the technology and/or the rights to manufacture and sell this unique single line log grapple/bulk grab.

This robust fast-acting grapple (or bulk materials clam shell grab) is suspended from a single rope or chain connected to a winch or crane and can be used on land or below water. The prototypes are designed for retrieval of bunched or individual logs, however could be used for recovery of harvesting slash with minor alterations. The design provides a grab that is versatile and easy to connect to a variety of large pole hauler rigging arrangements. The grab does not require interlocked winch drums, a motorised carriage or changes to the skyline. The unit is simply connected to an existing standard rigging arrangement using a shackle or similar coupling connection, making it a cost effective and versatile tool that is fast to change out to suit the purpose or conditions.

LG32198

The Snatch-n-Grab does not require a separate external power source and utilises a wireless remote control to operate the mechanism that opens or closes the jaws as the unit is being raised. The grab is typically connected to a single main line used to raise and lower the unit, therefore allowing for faster movement and the ability to drop into deep and/or steep gullies without bridging. It can also be utilised in a north bend, rigging arrangement to enable recovery from a greater area than that immediately below the skyline. It is suitable for recovering logs or quickly cleaning up slash. The Snatch-n-Grab has a patented mechanism that opens or closes the jaws as the unit is being raised off the ground. Two separate wireless remote controllers

that switch the mechanism to ‘Open’ or ‘Close’ mode enable one controller to be used at each end of load transfer operations if there is a long or restricted line of sight. A camera may be installed into the mechanism to enable remote visual monitoring and more accurate positioning if required.

S P E Specifications C I F I C AT I O N S Snatch-n-Grab Size SW L Max jaw opening Max log/bundle diameter Min log/bundle diameter

Contact: Darrin Hawkes 027 2911093 Whakatane, New Zealand darrin@mainstreameng.co.nz

G1000 1500 kg 1000mm 400mm 0mm

G7000 7000 kg 2000mm 1050mm 300mm

Breaking Out

The benefit of winch-assist is that the Tension provided by the cable will add to the Traction Force of the tracks, and thereby greatly increase the operating range of the machine, without it reaching its traction limit. Traction Force is a function of the soil’s Coefficient of Traction, sometimes called Tractive Efficiency, for a given machine type (either tracked or wheeled). This is illustrated in the chart on the right of Figure 1. The slope limit is indicated where the Wg purple line intersects the Traction line for a given coefficient of traction. In this example, if the soil had a coefficient of traction of 0.4 (the blue line), a 37-tonne machine would start to slip on a 22-degree slope, without traction assistance. By adding a winch-assist with 10-tonnes of tension provided by the cable, C (represented by the black arrows) the Traction Force is augmented by the Cable Force, which extends the operating limit of this machine to about 37 degrees, a major improvement in operating range on steep slopes. Adapting to New Zealand terrain But winch-assisted harvesting is not new; with this machinery commercially available in forest operations in Europe since the 1990s. A number of different companies were offering cable winch products initially on forwarders and later on harvesters, to expand ground-based harvesting onto steeper terrain. The separate winch units were mounted to the rear of the machine as shown bottom right of Figure 2 below – and more recently for skidders (top right). In Europe, independent self-powered winch units were also being developed (as shown bottom left of Figure 2). However, New Zealand conditions include very steep slopes and unstable soils, in combination with large tree size - which has required larger felling machines with larger winches and bigger diameter wire ropes than were commercially available in Europe. So in New Zealand the tracked excavator winchassist systems were developed (top left of Figure 2). There is a wide range of winch-assist machinery. In Europe the most common approach was to mount the winch onto the chassis of the primary machine. Several manufacturers preferred the ‘bolton’ option to provide the opportunity to remove the unit when not required. The Ecoforst T-winch was one of the first independent self-powered remote winch

38 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

John Deere 909 winch-assisted feller buncher. units developed in 2012. In New Zealand the first commercial winch-assisted harvester was the ClimbMAX steep slope harvester, developed by Trinder Engineering of Nelson, with funding assistance from the Steepland Harvesting Primary Growth Partnership (co-funded by MPI). The ClimbMAX had an integrated winch, mounted into the track frame of a Hitachi excavator, with a Trinder boom and felling head. Electrical and Machinery Services (EMS) in Rotorua produced a dual winch system on an excavator base called the TractionLine. Rosewarne & May in Whangarei also produced the Remote Operated Bulldozer or ROB winch-assist, which is a dual winch

mounted on a hydrostatic drive John Deere tractor. And DC Equipment of Richmond, Nelson produced the Falcon Winch Assist, a single drum winch on an excavator base. In the US, Summit Attachments & Machinery, in Washington State, has produced a single drum winch on an excavator with a boom extension. And in British Columbia, Canada, T-Mar Industries produced the Log Champ remote winch-assist, an independent self-powered winch unit, similar to the Ecoforst T-Winch.

M T

Implementation of winch-assist Looking at some data from the Forest Growers Research (FGR) Benchmarking

Track Excavator Versatile and Cost Effective Compatible with Quick Attach System

TimberMAX Elevator Powerful self-powered winch unit High-performance. Flexible Powered by CAT 300 hp Tier 4 Final

4WD/6WD Wheeled Skidder Mounted to the front Fix mounted or tiltable

Wheeled Harvester Mounted to the rear Fix-mounted or tiltable

FIGURE 2: STEEP SLOPE WINCH-ASSIST HARVESTING APPLICATION

H C

9 to in b le

ROB, or Remote Operated Bulldozer, manufactured by Rosewarne & May, Whangarei.

database, run by Dr Rien Visser at the School of Forestry, from 2013 the database started to record operations on steep slopes using winch-assist. This early analysis in 2014, of only 13 mechanised felling operations compared to manual felling, showed operations on steeper slopes, with higher productivity and lower costs than manual felling.

A survey in 2016 found that over 90 winchassist machines had been manufactured in New Zealand. There are now four main New Zealand companies manufacturing winch-assist machinery – DC Equipment, E.M.S., ClimbMAX Equipment, and Rosewarne and May. Together they have reportedly manufactured more than 270 winch-

assist machines since the first commercial machine appeared in 2012. The Benchmarking Harvesting Cost and Productivity project has been running for 12 years now. And the data tells us that around 65% of cable harvesting operations now have access to winch-assist machines. That’s about 200 machines across the New Zealand logging industry.

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Breaking Out Safety and training With regard to safety, consideration of the actual tensions in the winch rope becomes critical if the machine is not stable on the terrain without the cable. From 2014, work at University of Canterbury Forestry by Hunter Harrill looked at winch rope tensions. From these studies it was found that average tensions during felling and shovelling were usually below Safe Working Load (SWL) of the winch rope, but tensions during machine movement often exceeded SWL for very short periods and during the moving phase only. Since 2016, the School of Forestry has been running Workshops on Winch-Assisted Harvesting, using information from FGR harvesting projects and the Benchmarking Database. Objectives are to undertake operational planning of productivity and cost, support contractors and operators in safe use of winch-assist, and to determine areas for further research and development The Workshops look at operating techniques. In New Zealand, most operators use trees or stumps to change the rope angle to facilitate better machine utilisation.

DC Equipment’s Tama Rakau.

40 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Summit winch-assist. When the feller buncher gets to the top of the ridge they go around the next stump and back down the hill to avoid shifting the winch-assist machine on every pass. Some manufacturers’ guidelines specifically allow for the use of these hold stumps. However

there have been issues with the winch rope pulling over trees, or cutting through the stump, causing hold stump failure. Also, on the subject of safe use of winchassist machinery, the workshops look at areas such as the connectors between the

winch rope and the felling machine: which are best, and how to inspect and maintain them. Studies underway Coming up to date, there have been numerous studies of winch-assist harvesting operations published over the last 10 years with several recent studies by University of Canterbury Forestry, of different applications with skidders, forwarders and harvesters. They include a skidder extraction, using a Falcon Winch Assist which took place at Speirs Logging’s operation in Gisborne. The winch-assist gave the skidder the ability to extract away from the riparian zone, hauling loaded uphill. The skidder was operating on slopes up to 33 degrees, with an average of 25 degrees. Utilisation of the winch-assist was increased when used by the skidder (80%) compared to just the falling machine (50%). In another study of a cut-to-length harvester/forwarder operation near Napier with Rayonier Matariki Forests in April 2021, a John Deere 1910 forwarder was operated supported by a T-Winch model 10.2

ClimbMAX Steep Slope Harvester, manufactured by Trinder Engineers, Nelson (first commercial New Zealand-made winch-assisted harvester).

Grooved Drums and Sleeves

DIAGNOSE • DESIGN • DELIVER

Breaking Out

EMS Tractionline working at McCormick Logging. winch-assist. In another operation the harvester used a TractionLine winch-assist for cut-to-length processing at the stump. Stumps are used to hold logs in place on the slope, and designated slash tracks are set up for the forwarder using processor slash to reduce ground disturbance. Delimbing on slopes, first mooted back in 2013 in an FFR study, is now a reality with the use of winch-assist. Future forward Winch-assist harvesting systems have seen rapid adoption and implementation in New

T-Mar Log Champ 250 winch-assist. 42 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Zealand, Europe and North America during the last 10 years and will continue to do so in other parts of the world. This technology is considered to be one of the major innovations in steep terrain harvesting in the early twenty-first century. There will continue to be more research undertaken looking at machine stability, safe operation, environmental impacts, and system productivity and costs, not only comparisons between winch-assist and conventional systems, but also between different winch-assist systems.

The substantial body of literature will continue to grow. The focus on mechanisation and modernisation of steep terrain harvesting systems across the industry over the last decade has shown significant improvements in both productivity and safety. A major step-change has been the development of winch-assist technology which has proven to be a robust, safe, and high-performance forest harvesting technology that has significantly increased the operating range of ground-based, mechanised harvesting on steep slopes. Implementation, and the understanding of its limitations, is continuing to grow, and FGR will continue to support this growth. This article showcases a significant technology innovation in New Zealand harvesting operations, coming out of the first Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) in Steepland Harvesting, managed by Future Forests Research (or FFR, the predecessor of Forest Growers Research), and co-funded by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), and the forestry industry, and supported by research at the University of Canterbury School of Forestry. The FGR project has been a collaboration between Forest Growers Research supported by the Forest Growers Commodity Levy and MPI through the PGP, the forestry company stakeholders, and the University of Canterbury (notably Dr Rien Visser at the School of Forestry) and New Zealand manufacturing partners. NZL

If the recent disruptions to the logging industry have reminded us of one thing, it’s that logging can be a volatile and stressful industry to be in. With the high levels of debt and risks associated with running a logging business, impacts of log price downturns to the Covid-19 pandemic have been huge. Reducing debt through leased logging equipment is one way to mitigate unnecessary financial risk, so here, we look at the benefits of leased logging equipment. It goes without saying that having reliable, quality equipment is key to hitting production and running a successful harvesting operation. But quality gear is expensive, and lots of loggers fall into the trap of purchasing less than reliable gear that ends up hurting their bottom line, with massive downtime and repair bills coming at them. Leasing logging gear is an alternative solution, that’s gaining more traction and reducing financial risk and stress for many contractors. Log Lease Director Ross Davis started out in forestry almost 40+ years ago, with a small ground-base crew. Since the early 2000’s, he’s been bringing gear into New Zealand, importing his first hauler from America. “As our numbers of haulers grew, it was a natural transition to lease out haulers to other contractors, which was the start of Log Lease, formalised in 2010,” says Ross.

With leasing, costs for insurance, breakdown and maintenance are covered. We also offer flexible contracts, so when there’s a downturn for example, you’re not stuck with a machine you don’t need.”

“Financially, a monthly lease payment is often more manageable, if contractors are asked to ‘gear up’ quickly to take on new contracts.”

“We treat our customer relationships like a partnership – we want to help and support these contractors to succeed. I have been a contractor and I know how hard this industry can be, so we are always wanting to support them however we can.” He encourages anyone thinking about reducing debt in their logging business or anyone starting out to check out the Log Lease website and get in touch. “Even if we don’t have something you need listed, you never know, we could have something lurking in the back. Get in touch and we’ll try to help or point you in the right direction.”

benefits of leasing • Less debt – In a volatile industry less debt can help reduce stress levels

Log Lease carries a range of specialist lease equipment for the logging industry, with a fleet of Haulers, Loaders & Processors.

• Maintenance – Log Lease Diesel Mechanics or suppliers are on-call to get machines repaired / operational asap

Ross’ daughter Sarah is the operations manager, while son-in-law Rob is the Fleet Manager/ Diesel Mechanic based in the Whangamata and Maramarua workshops.

• Reliability – we stock high quality equipment that is regularly serviced and reliable

As a team, they have broad and varied experience, plus, they’re all on the same page about the benefits of leased logging gear, which are becoming more well-known.

• Flexible terms – you can negotiate the terms and conditions of your lease so that you only have the machine for as long as you need

“Financially, a monthly lease payment is often more manageable, if contractors are asked to ‘gear up’ quickly to take on new contracts,” he says. “The model we’ve seen working well, is buying new gear to work alongside lease gear which means you have new reliable equipment across the board rather than purchasing older gear when starting out.” “The days of contractors fixing and servicing their own gear are gone.

• Expertise and knowledge – benefit from the experience and knowledge of a team who have been in the industry for yonks and who know what’s happening at a wider industry level

loglease.co.nz

Young Achievers

Learners keeping up with industry demand

HE SUITE OF NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY qualifications spanning across forest harvesting and silviculture operations has been updated and was officially launched towards the end of 2021, says Competenz. This comes as part of the NZQAmandated five-yearly qualification review. Coverage of some new operations has been introduced to keep pace with technology and changes in the industry and ensure updates to health, safety, and environmental regulations are followed. This includes programmes for the operation of mobile cable yarders, mechanised thinning, and mechanised land preparation machines. Updates have also been made to ensure health and safety, and

environmental regulations are followed. Forestry Account Manager, Ross Marshall, says the review and update of the qualifications was very important; as technology continues to evolve, so do we. “With new qualifications to keep up with the advancements within our industry, we’re able to match the demand for production and, most importantly, safety.” The suite takes a focused and robust approach, with each of the qualifications made up of core units that cover foundation skills. This knowledge is built on as learners progress through the programmes and diversify into specialised strands. Most of the task-based learning that previously existed remains the same, but

the programmes have been enhanced with the introduction of some of the more mechanised operations. “New qualifications will allow our learners to keep up with industry demand. They will be trained for tasks safely and to a high standard. Our industry is growing, and so is our knowledge to make working in forestry easier and safer,” says Mr Marshall. As always, the qualifications are open to anyone employed in the industry. All Competenz resources, learning support materials, and assessment guides have been updated to facilitate a seamless rollout and ensure learners and employers get the most out of these refreshed qualifications.

SNIWC scholarship winner THE SOUTHERN NORTH ISLAND WOOD Council’s (SNIWC) scholarship winner, Sophie Cusack, has been awarded $8000 towards her Bachelor of Forestry Science at New Zealand School of Forestry, starting this year. A former student of Wairarapa College, her family have a long history of working in forestry, so we’ll be seeing her out in the bush before long!

Forest 360’s Blake Jones (Chair of the SNIWC Board) presents Sophie Cusack with her swag and scholarship.

44 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Young Kiwis take on forestry MORE YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS ARE MAKING FORESTRY AND wood processing their future with seven more talented applicants joining the Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarship programme. “It is fantastic to keep seeing young people embarking on their forestry career. The growth in the sector means more opportunities for highly skilled people due to research, innovation and increased mechanisation,” says Debbie Ward, Director, Business and Spatial Intelligence, Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service. “The scholarship programme offers students a pathway to higherlevel study, where they gain the skills, expertise and capabilities which the forestry and wood processing sector needs now and into the future.” The successful scholarship recipients for the 2022 academic year are: Paula Tucker Camano from Hamilton, Phoebe Naske from Gisborne (featured right), Stephen Thompson from Rotorua, Emma Plomp from Invercargill, Joe Falloon from Masterton, Tyler Rowe from Wellington, and Whanarua Edmonds from Pukehina. The scholarship programme, now in its fourth year, aims to grow the capability of the forestry and wood processing workforce and encourage greater diversity in the industry. To date, 23 students throughout New Zealand have received scholarships since 2018, with the first students expected to complete their qualifications at the end of next year. In addition to the existing Bachelor of Forestry Science and Bachelor of Forest Engineering degrees offered through the University of Canterbury, Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service is funding three new scholarships this year for the Diploma in Forest Management at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology in the Bay of Plenty starting 2022. “We are proud to be partnering with Toi Ohomai to offer these new scholarships which offer another pathway to a career and opportunities in forestry,” says Ms Ward. “The diploma course covers a range of topics to prepare students

More young New Zealanders are making forestry and wood processing their future.

for roles, including business planning, forest health and management, supply chain and harvesting, and operations management. “We want to ensure our young New Zealanders see forestry as a sustainable and exciting career option, while adding to the skills and capability of our evolving workforce.” The scholarships offer up to $8000 a year for four years as well as paid summer internships.

All in the family A GISBORNE STUDENT HAS WON A FOUR-YEAR, NZ$32,000 scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming the first female forester in her family. “I have always been passionate about the environment but you don’t see a lot of female participation in this industry. That’s why I want to make a mark,” says former Gisborne Girls’ High School student, Phoebe Naske. Like her father, she is pursuing a Bachelor of Forestry Science at the University of Canterbury. Her dad loved the idea of Phoebe doing the course and getting a “hands-on” understanding of the industry just like he and Phoebe’s uncle did. “He keeps telling me stories about the field trips during his time at university,” she says. Phoebe’s parents were advocates for experiencing what the outdoors has to offer, and she has fond memories of hiking with her dad. She was also lucky enough to go on an Outward Bound experience in Anakiwa last year. “That’s probably where my interest in forestry comes from,” she says. Phoebe says she learned about the scholarship through an online course organised by GirlBoss — an initiative that creates programmes for a network of high schoolers. “My mum shared the Facebook link to the course with me and I took up the programme relating to the primary industry,” she explains. After the course she was given the opportunity to speak with mentors from the agriculture and forestry industries. “That’s how I got to know about the scholarship,” says Phoebe. The scholarship programme, now in its fourth year, aims to increase the number of those that identify as female or of Māori descent, encouraging greater diversity in the industry. She is hopeful that becoming a forester will encourage her younger sister to pursue a career which lacks a female presence. “It is important to see other women and people of Māori descent joining this industry to have more inclusivity,” she says. Source: Gisborne Herald.

Phoebe Naske. February 2022 | NZ LOGGER 45

Focus on rivers and tributaries WINNING WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL’S Roger Harris (Waihou Valley) Scholarship allowed forestry student, Liam Gilroy, to focus on his research investigating the turbidity levels of rivers and tributaries.

Whanganui Collegiate School student Jessica Johnstone with her award-winning dining chair.

Working with wood STUDENTS FROM WHANGANUI COLLEGIATE School took out four of the six top awards in the Secondary Schools Creative Woodskills Competition run by Middle Districts Farm Forestry Association and UCOL Institute of Technology & Polytechnic at the end of last year. Benjamin Poulton and Lucas Bishop claimed first and third place respectively in the junior category, while Jessica Johnstone and Sophie Michelson took out first and third in the senior category. Meanwhile Feilding High School’s Zac Brunton took out second in the junior category and Belle Longuet-Higgins of Longburn Adventist College was the runner up in the juniors. The awards were presented at a prizegiving event at Square Edge Creative Centre in Palmerston North, with Powertool Centre providing prizes. Running for over a decade now, this year’s competition saw the most entries yet – 26 entries from Whanganui Collegiate School, Feilding High School, Longburn Adventist College, and Awatapu College. Students entered projects they created in their woodwork classes throughout the year. The judges panel consisted of UCOL lecturers Andy Halewood and Richard Morris, and Open Polytechnic’s Marius Dryfhout. They assessed the entries based on the difficulty of the design, visual impact, finish, machining/sanding, and joinery. Senior category winner, Jessica Johnstone, says she felt amazed to win and

46 NZ LOGGER | February December2022 2021/January 2022

was happy that people liked her winning dining chair after she spent a year working on it. She was introduced to woodwork as a compulsory subject in Year 9 and has continued with it since. She is weighing up further training and a career involving woodwork. “I love woodwork. It’s my passion. I don’t know what I’d do without it,” she says. Competition organiser and UCOL furniture lecturer, Rowan Dicks, says the high quality finish on a lot of projects really stood out this year. “The entrants really upped their game on the finish. One of our judges, Andy Halewood, stresses the importance of finish each year and he was really impressed with what the entrants produced this time around.” Mr Dicks says the competition is a good way for UCOL to connect with young woodworkers and inform them about the institute’s Diploma in Fine Furniture programme. Each year at least a couple of competitors go on to do the UCOL programme, he says. UCOL is a part of Te Púúkenga. Te Pūkenga was established to better meet the needs of learners and employers by bringing together on-job, on-campus and online learning across New Zealand. By 1 January 2023, Te Pūkenga will create a unified, sustainable public network of regionally accessible vocational and applied learning.

Liam, who has just achieved his Bachelor of Forest Engineering with honours from Canterbury University, was awarded the Roger Harris Scholarship late last year. The former Morrinsville College student says he is grateful for the $6000 scholarship, as it enabled him to stop working part-time in the last term so he could focus on his dissertation to “achieve a greater outcome”. For his dissertation, Liam used satellite imagery to remotely monitor turbidity levels in rivers and tributaries, something that had only been previously done for larger bodies of water. Waihou Piako Flood Protection Advisory Subcommittee Chair, Stu Husband, says Liam was chosen as 2021’s scholarship recipient because of his studies in river and catchment management: “In his 2020 year, Liam was a summer student with the council’s Asset and Land Licencing Team, completing inspections of our leased land and stopbanks.” The Roger Harris (Waihou Valley) Scholarship was established in 1995 to mark the substantial completion of the Waihou Valley flood protection scheme and particularly to acknowledge the contribution of the late Roger Harris to the successful implementation of that major project. The scholarship is available to students undertaking post-secondary study in the fields of civil engineering or resource management, with particular focus on river and catchment management. Students whose families are resident in the Waihou Valley Scheme rating classification area are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

Wintec is delivering arboriculture training to upskill arborists at Treescape in Auckland. Photo: Treescape.

The fruits of collaboration AUCKLAND MAY BE A CITY OF MANY TREES AND OPPORTUNITY, but highly trained tree-care professionals are thin on the ground. Treescape, a leading New Zealand green asset management company is struggling to find certified arborists. The answer, says Treescape Training Coordinator, Ben Worth was to reach out to Wintec, New Zealand’s leading training provider in arboriculture, and form a collaborative partnership to upskill current and future staff. “There is huge demand in Auckland for arborists and limited access to training. By creating an ‘earn while you learn’ training opportunity with Wintec, we can employ and train arborists on the job,” Mr Worth says. “This means they are able to move into the field and get involved with the more technical parts of the job faster, which helps keep them engaged in the journey and enthusiastic about continuing a career in arboriculture. The great thing is, it’s not just Treescape that will benefit from this, there is a plethora of companies in Auckland that require skilled arborists.” A pilot is in place, and the first cohort of 11 students are studying Level 3 Arboriculture with Wintec at Treescape’s Õtāhuhu depot. Five of the students were existing Treescape employees who study part-time. Wintec Science and Primary Industries Horticulture Team Manager, Eric Haycock, says that arboriculture training in Auckland has been delivered by Manukau Institute of Technology at Level 3, and it has done a great job of breaking the ground for students, but the course is planned to be discontinued for 2022. “Wintec was approached by Treescape to fill a gap and so we created this pilot scheme,” says Mr Haycock, adding: “This industry partnership proves that working with employers and on location can better meet their needs and it helps to further careers within communities where the work is. In this case, it’s a first, we are delivering outside our region but we’re picking up where there is a gap in training availability, utilising Wintec’s longstanding expertise in arboriculture and horticulture training.” Arboriculture, the art and science of planting, caring for and maintaining trees, is delivered from certificate (Level 3) to diploma level (Level 6) at Wintec’s specialised campus in the picturesque,

58-hectare Hamilton Gardens. Mr Haycock says all students work two days a week in the industry, so the need for quality employer partnerships is vital to their success. Mr Worth is passionate about arboriculture and excited about the future of the collaboration with Wintec. He says this is the beginning of a future where advanced specialist training is accessible: “I’d like to think that this the beginning of a specialised arboriculture training delivery centre here in Auckland, it is something that has been needed in the region for well over 10 years. “Manukau Institute of Technology has done a fantastic job bringing arboriculture back into the eyes of the community as a new and exciting career. My hope is that with Wintec continuing this, with the wealth of knowledge and years of experience they have in delivering leading arboriculture programmes in New Zealand, we can encourage more people to become arborists,” he says. “Arboriculture is not just a job, it is an amazing career and a great lifestyle.” NZL

Trainee arborists at Treescape can earn while they learn with Wintec on-site. Photo Treescape. February 2022 | NZ LOGGER 47

www.ﬁca.org.nz

Welcome 2022! We all have great expectations that this year will result in a more stable environment, from social wellbeing to the workplace environment and any further COVID variants making the world a turbulent place to be right now. It would then not come as a surprise to know that FICA and FISC are going to be doing a bit in the space of good work design for the year, and gather information to provide sound advice and examples around good workplace design. Good work design enhances business success and productivity, and it addresses physical, biomechanical, cognitive and psychosocial characteristics of work, together with the needs and capabilities of the people involved. Good work design considers business needs, context and work environment. For our industry we are so aware that any good work design must consider environmental safety too. What is a safe design process? Safe design is the process of successfully achieving a balance of these sometimes-competing objectives, without compromising the health and safety of those potentially aﬀected by the product over its lifespan. There are some fundamental principles that should be considered while designing the process and these include: 1. Good work design gives the highest level of protection so far as is reasonably practicable. 2. Good work design enhances health and wellbeing. 3. Good work design enhances business success and productivity. 4. Good work design addresses physical, biomechanical, cognitive and psychosocial characteristics of work, together with the needs and capabilities of the people involved. 5. Good work design considers the business needs, context and work environment. 6. Good work design is applied along the supply chain and across the operational lifecycle. 7. Engage decision makers and leaders. 8. Actively involve the people who do the work, including those in the supply chain and networks. 9. Employ good risk management and seek continuous improvement. 10. Learn from experts, evidence and experience. There has been a lot of research managed around this topic which shows that good design can result in signiﬁcant reductions in work-related ill-health and injuries. Good design reduces damage to property and the environment, as well as related costs. Good design 48 NZ LOGGER | February 2022

Prue Younger, CEO Message enhances the health, wellbeing and productivity of workers. The most effective risk control measures are often cheaper and more practicable to achieve at the design or planning stage than managing risks later in the lifecycle. The design of plant or structures contributes to a significant proportion of work-related injuries, and solutions already exist for many of those design problems. It is more efficient and effective to manage risk in the design phase than to retrofit health and safety solutions. Good work design principles can reduce the need for retrofitting, personal protective equipment, health monitoring, exposure monitoring, and maintenance. Throughout the design process different people contribute ideas, solutions and knowledge to help manage health and safety risks. PCBUs involved in the design process must consult, cooperate with, and coordinate activities with each other, so far as is reasonably practicable. In general, the more influence and control a PCBU has over a health and safety matter, the more responsibility it is likely to have. Smart design of products can help provide a high level of protection for end users too and workers have the right to the highest level of protection, so far as is reasonably practicable. Managing risks in the design stage of a product is an effective way of providing the best protection. It is more effective than, for example, retrofitting a product later in its lifecycle. Eliminating health and safety risks before they happen makes good business sense for PCBUs. People who work in safe, healthy conditions are less likely to take time off work and will be more engaged and positive in their job. This may mean that productivity is increased in the long run. Good work design is also important for developing and maintaining a good reputation to win future work. It gives businesses the opportunity to become leaders in their industr y and become the most desirable places to work. If we can take the principles above and interweave them throughout the systems we have in forestry like Safetree Certification and the review of the Forestry Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) then the results will ensure business success and productivity for the future. When adversity hits, it is important that we have ensured our best in managing people, the environment and social wellbeing.

N OV E M B E R 2 02 2 | R O T O R U A

Sponsor Profile Thank you to all of the organisations who support FICA, which in turn works to promote business growth and improved safety and eﬃciency amongst forestry contractors for the beneﬁt of New Zealand’s Forestry Industry.

Strategic Partners

Business Partners

Gold Partners

To join, call: 0800 342 269

www.fica.org.nz

top spot

Safety/performance/quality

New year, new goals, new challenges!!! BUT BEFORE WE GET TO NEW CHALLENGES, let's celebrate the successes of 2021. We saw material improvement in many areas, capped off by top individual and team performances. This issue, we bring you the results for the final period of 2021 as well as our overall top individuals and crews. Our congratulations to all these individuals and teams and the folk who support and encourage all participants to achieve excellence in everything they do. If you are looking at these and thinking, “Why not us?”, then get on board. Sponsors – they don’t have to do this but they choose to! Awesome companies, awesome people and awesome support! They back you and your workmates to

succeed as professionals, so why wouldn’t you support them? They believe in what we do and what you do. So, a big ongoing thank you to our Strategic Partners – STIHL and NZ Logger and sponsor SWAZI. The best way to keep our industry working is to get out and support those businesses that support New Zealand. Participating Companies This competition wouldn’t be what it is without our participating companies.

We understand the commitment it takes from them to be part of Top Spot and value their ongoing support and feedback. Our ongoing thanks to: Rayonier/Matariki Forests, Wenita Forest Products, Ernslaw One, OneFortyOne New Zealand, Crown Forestry, Forest View Contracting, Makerikeri Silviculture (2020), Mitchell Silviculture, Puklowski Silviculture, Gutsell Forestry Services, Johnson Forestry Services, McHoull Contracting, Wayne Cumming Contracting, Howard Forestry Services, Inta-Wood Forestry, Heslip Forest Contracting, Otautau Contractors, X Men Forestry, Proforest Services, FM Silviculture, Tane Mahuta, Waikato Forestry Services, Rai Valley Silviculture, Thomassen Logging, Forest View Logging, Griffin Logging, Penetito Forestry, Pride Forestry, Mangoihe Logging, CMH Contracting, Kaha Logging, Roxburgh Contracting, Te Waa Logging, Mike Hurring

HARVESTING PERIOD 4 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS FUNCTION

CREW

PARTICIPANT

TASK

Breaking Out Cable

Dewes Log 3

Tahi Hiroki

BOC

PLACING 1

Breaking Out Cable

Dewes Log 3

Nelson Moran

BOC

Ground Base Extraction

CMH 61

Scott Mason

Forwarder

Ground Base Extraction

Forest Pro Log 1

Hamish Campbell

Forwarder

Ground Base Extraction

Te Waa 7

Laurence Teka

GBE

Ground Base Extraction

Whisker Log 2

Mark Turner

GBE

2 3

Ground Base Extraction

Whisker Log 3

Mike Jeffree

GBE

Ground Base Extraction

Moutere Log 14

Cameron Fairhurst

Shovel

Ground Base Extraction

Moutere Log 18

Cam McNaught

Shovel

Ground Base Extraction

Kaha Log 15

Corey Carmichael

Shovel

Machine Operation on the Landing

Whisker Log 2

Daniel Prujean

MOL

Machine Operation on the Landing

Moutere Log 7

Charles Wipaki

MOL

Machine Operation on the Landing

Te Waa 7

Scott Wise

MOL

Manual Tree Felling

Kaha Log 15

Chris Winter

MTF

Manual Tree Felling

CMH 61

Scott Mason

MTF