26 minute read
FOREST TALK
by nzlogger
Go-ahead for private death prosecution
THE FATHER OF A FOREST WORKER KILLED
in an accident on the job has launched a private prosecution after a WorkSafe investigation found insufficient evidence that an offence had been committed, and did not take the case forward for prosecution.
Niko O’Neill Brooking-Hodgson suffered unsurvivable injuries when a hauling rope became snagged while retrieving logs on a steep slope, then jettisoned a D-shackle and line towards him at high speed, striking him in the face and upper body in August 2016. Just 24, he was working in Esk Forest at Te Haroto, northwest of Napier.
An investigation cleared the logging company, DG Glenn Logging (DGL), of criminal wrongdoing but Richard Brooking, Niko’s father, has refused to accept the findings and believes multiple systemic failures led to his son’s death.
He says the lack of prosecution implies that his son was responsible for the accident which claimed his life and that he is determined to hold the company accountable and bring justice for his son – that he is fighting for change, improvement and to “uphold the mana” of his son.
The WorkSafe investigation found DGL had a duty to ensure the health and safety of its staff, and it was “reasonable to conclude” the company knew of the risks associated with snagged line retrievals “resulting in tension and release”.
However, it found DGL had “generic” safety controls in place and recommended no action be taken against the company. No charges were ever laid.
The family say the lead investigator lacked sufficient WorkSafe experience or expertise in the forestry sector and that crucial evidence may have been missed. They say the company has a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of its workers, including proper hazard identification and risk assessment, and proper training around safety protocols.
A judge has granted permission for a private criminal prosecution to proceed. If convicted under the Health and Safety at Work Act, DGL could be fined up to $1.5 million. NZL
Forest owners to cough up for Council
CENTRAL TARANAKI FOREST OWNERS ARE UP IN ARMS AFTER Stratford District Council mandated a roading targeted rate which will see them pay a share of $100 000 a year towards road repairs.
This comes after the Council reported a spend of nearly $1.5 million to repair logging truck-damaged roads used during pine harvesting.
Twenty six forestry blocks are affected by the controversial decision. While owners say it is “exorbitant”, Council roading asset manager Steve Bowden says Ruapehu District Council, which also introduced a rate, has been used as a basis. He says they chose a rate that was legally enforceable for council to collect.
Stratford District Council says the roads – some of which were designed for horse and cart – cannot cope with 50 tonne trucks and forestry operators need to contribute to their upkeep, but critics say the Council has had decades to fix them.
While the forestry owners say they may still challenge the new rate, the Council’s roading manager says those who own the 26 forestry blocks affected already had a chance to voice their concerns, as the rate went out for public consultation and was publicised, with only one forest owner arriving at the hearing in May. NZL
Do the math, says FOA
FEDERATED FARMERS HAVE GOT THEIR SUMS WRONG ON THE
rate of forest planting and don’t correctly understand the law on overseas investment, says the Forest Owners Association (FOA).
This is in response to claims made by Federated Farmers to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee that the rate of conversion of farmland to exotic forestry “will far exceed what the Climate Change Commission projected as a sustainable amount (25,000ha/yr)” and that will reduce employment in rural communities.
FOA President, Grant Dodson, says Federated Farmers owns figures which are between 2017 and mid 2021, producing an average new planting of 22,244ha/yr.
“My arithmetic tells me that just over 22-thousand hectares is actually less than 25-thousand hectares,” Grant Dodson says, “It does not ‘far exceed’ it.
“Moreover, it now appears that the government has abandoned its unrealistic goal of planting native trees at a similar rate.
“This will require a higher yearly planting rate for exotics close to 30-thousand hectares to still hit the zero-carbon target by 2050.”
Mr Dodson also points to the official statistics of the total planted forest area in New Zealand. In 2003 it was 1.827m/ha. The latest figure, as of 2021, is 1.74m/ha.
“I work out that the forest estate is 87-thousand hectares less now than it was in 2003. The area of plantation forest has actually shrunk.”
The FOA is also drawing attention to the law that prevents overseas investors buying farmland for conversion to carbononly forestry.
“Federated Farmers is complaining to a select committee about carbon-only forests which has nothing to do with the legislation under consideration.
“Overseas investors have to cover the cost of planting and managing their forests in strict accordance with the National Environmental Standards – Plantation Forestry, which governs a harvest rotation regime.
“There is simply no permission regime for overseas-owned permanent carbon-only forests.
“The Feds are inventing scenarios of an incredibly high price of carbon way into the future leading to those forests never being harvested.
“If that ever gets to happen it could only be the result of catastrophic failure of government policy to get greenhouse gas emissions down and consequent overreliance on forests to sequester carbon.
“In the meantime, farmers converting to production forests are making an investment in the future, both for wood production and for carbon sequestration.” NZL FOA President, Grant Dodson.
Grooved Drums and Sleeves
Stronger action needed on illegal logging
PROPOSED NEW LEGISLATION TO REDUCE THE RISK THAT TIMBER
imported into Aotearoa New Zealand is sourced from illegal logging is a positive first step but it should go further, the Green Party says.
The Forests (Legal Harvest Assurance) Amendment Bill, which has passed its first reading in Parliament, will establish a legal framework intended to ensure that timber logged overseas and imported into New Zealand can be verified as being legally harvested.
“The Bill is a positive step but it needs to be about more than safeguarding market access for New Zealand timber products. We need a robust assurance and enforcement regime that looks beyond official documents into the whole supply chain, to prevent deforestation and illegal logging of tropical and temperate rainforests,” says Eugenie Sage, Green Party Forestry Spokesperson.
“The timber we use must be taken legally from sustainably managed forests with full regard for climate change, biodiversity and the rights of customary owners and indigenous peoples. For 20 years, successive governments in Aotearoa have relied on voluntary measures to guarantee the trade in legally harvested timber – and it hasn’t worked.
“This Government is absolutely right to take action to prevent the trade in illegally logged timber. While the Bill is a significant improvement on the status quo, it does not go far enough.
“The Green Party will be looking for changes to ensure the Bill has a more robust regime for identifying what constitutes legal harvest. The Bill should also be strengthened to make sure Aotearoa is doing everything it can to stop human rights abuses, and the impact that illegal logging has on customary forest owners and indigenous peoples.
“The Bill also needs to be expanded to cover, not just timber products from illegally logged forests, but all forest products including palm oil and palm kernel expeller (PKE) – a supplementary animal feed.
“The expansion of illegal palm oil plantations into Indonesia’s national forest estate and protected areas has been described by Greenpeace as the ‘largest single cause of destruction of critical Indonesian rainforests over the last two decades’. New Zealand is the world’s largest user of PKE and contributes to the loss of those forests. NZL
PF Olsen sells significant shareholding
QUAYSIDE HOLDINGS (QUAYSIDE), THE
investment arm of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, has acquired 44% of PF Olsen, with Direct Capital selling its shareholding after 11 years as a shareholder.
Across New Zealand and Australia, PF Olsen manages 372,000 hectares of forest, harvesting 5.1 million m³ of logs each year as well as planting 14 million trees per annum. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
Quayside’s Chief Investment Officer, Brendon Barnes, says, “This transaction is the result of a thorough due diligence process. Quayside sees a number of compelling growth opportunities in the forestry sector and the investment in PF Olsen will be the catalyst for many of these. PF Olsen is a household name with a long legacy. We are excited to work alongside the strong management team to grow the company for the benefit of our community and New Zealand”.
As a result of the investment by Quayside, PF Olsen will continue to focus on its key markets, customers and developing growth possibilities. There will also be further employment for the region, as well as opportunities for iwi and other community groups, with a strengthening of community relationships, says PF Olsen CEO, Ross Larcombe.
Quayside will appoint two Board Directors with complimentary skill sets to the PF Olsen Board. NZL
KOMATSU FOREST AB IS FINALISING
the acquisition of Bracke Forest AB, headquartered in Bräcke, Sweden, which develops, manufactures, and sells applicationspecific attachments for silviculture.
As a business, Komatsu engages in harvesting and forwarding as well as silviculture and forest management. The company also works to mechanise dangerous work, facilitate wide use of forestry machines that contribute to safety, and promote smart forestry that analyses drone and satellitebased data for forest management.
Tree planting is expected to expand worldwide for lumber production, along with environmental concerns such as the promotion of carbon neutrality. At the same time, the need for mechanisation is growing, with tree planting being labour-intensive work, with an increase in planting in remote areas, and a decrease in the workforce.
With extensive knowhow of silviculture, Bracke develops, manufactures, and sells application-specific attachments for use in silviculture processes. Since 2014, Bracke and Komatsu have engaged in joint development by sharing respective technologies and experience accumulated over the years, respectively in forest and construction machines.
After the acquisition, Komatsu will continue to incorporate Bracke’s technologies and expertise in the field of planting in order to accelerate its pace of mechanisation. The company says it will also work to generate synergy for smart forestry and provide higher valueadded products to enhance the safety and productivity of customers’ job site operations and make carbon-neutral contributions. NZL
Komatsu takes on silviculture manufacturer
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Forestry in the spotlight
From left: Nick Pyke (Chair AGMARDT), Minister Meka Whaitiri, Vivian Hahipene (TM Kaumatua), Wini Geddes (TM Co-Director), Simon Geddes (TM Co-director), Ray Smith (Director-General MPI) and Marama Moses (TM Kaihautū, Pastoral Care).
TĀNE MAHUTA NZ HAS MADE THE FORESTRY INDUSTRY PROUD,
taking the Māori Agribusiness Award at the recent 2022 Primary Industries Good Employer Awards. The Bay of Plenty-based contractors were also finalists for the Supreme Award.
Hosted by MPI, the Good Employer Awards recognise employers who drive good employment practices by putting their employees’ health, welfare and wellbeing first.
Tāne Mahuta NZ Directors, Wini and Simon Geddes, were in attendance to accept their award for Māori Agribusiness.
Speaking about their win, Simon and Wini said: “We congratulate the Tane Mahuta team in making this achievement possible. From our Rangatahi Kaimahi in the Ngahere to the administration team supporting each one of us. They are testament to what can be achieved by believing in the Kaupapa.”
With more than 45 years of expertise in the forestry sector, Tāne Mahuta’s kaupapa is to “train, qualify, and employ rangatahi to work on their own whenua”.
In 2014, the company launched a youth-focused programme for rangatahi who were not only unemployed but also facing major social issues including drug addiction, criminal activity, violence, and relationship-breakdown with whānau, hapū, and marae.
The programme has successfully reduced psychosocial issues that affected the ability of rangatahi to be employed and engage in healthy, positive whānau, and community activities and relationships. To date, Tāne Mahuta has trained, qualified, and employed over 450 rangatahi.
Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) CEO, Prue Younger, says it’s “awesome” to see one of its members doing forestry proud.
“Tāne Mahuta have got their people at the forefront of their business, and it shows in the results they’ve achieved through their innovative programmes,” says Ms Younger.
“It’s great to see this positive forestry story on the national stage – they deserve all the recognition and FICA congratulates Directors, Wini and Simon.” NZL
TAURANGA CITY COUNCIL’S NEW OFFICE BUILDING AT 90
Devonport Road is set to be the largest mass timber office building in New Zealand and will target a net zero carbon footprint for the building’s construction process.
Property development and investment company, Willis Bond, has worked alongside Warren and Mahoney architects to design the 10,000 m2 building, which will use engineered timber in place of most traditional concrete and steel elements, with a view to reducing embodied carbon – carbon emitted through the manufacturing, transportation and installation of building materials and components – to its lowest possible point.
The building will also feature rainwater harvesting, electric vehicle charging and facilities that encourage active transport options. The building is targeting the highest 6 Green Star – Design and As-Built NZv1.0 – Design Review Rating, demonstrating world leadership in sustainability.
Willis Bond Executive Chair, Mark McGuinness, says the project will set a new precedent for innovative and sustainable building design in New Zealand: “Our goal is always to keep as much carbon in the ground as possible and to walk with a light footprint. What makes this project unique is the scale at which we will be able to achieve this.”
Tauranga City Council last year confirmed the leased building will accommodate all council administration staff under one roof for at least the duration of the 15-year lease.
Construction of the building is expected to commence in late-2022 with completion before the end of 2024. NZL
Let’s innovate!
YOU’VE GOT UNTIL AUGUST 5TH TO REGISTER YOUR WINNING
idea with the Forestry Micro Innovation Challenge!
Micro innovation improves work through design at an operational level. It focuses on finding technical or engineering solutions to problems and risks workers face performing tasks.
Innovating at this level can be difficult, with the onus typically placed on the least resourced group – frontline workers and contractors. Most people do not have the money or networks to develop and build functional products, says Challenge Administrator Brionny Hooper. The Challenge, endorsed by the Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) and funded by WorkSafe, seeks to remedy this.
“We know our forestry industry is where it is today largely due to the clever onsite problem-solving of our workforce,” says Ms Hooper. “This is about capturing and supporting such micro innovation in a structured, accessible way.”
Workers can register their innovations easily on the www.betterwork. nz/forestry website using their phones. They can then develop good ideas into great ones by engaging with other innovators online and responding to specific questions and suggestions, she says.
Eight finalists will be chosen by an industry review panel. These ideas will then be resubmitted to the website forum on August 22nd. “Our forestry community will have two-weeks where they can jump back online to give feedback, suggestions, comments, and vote for their favourite innovations,” says Ms Hooper.
On September 2nd, grants of $25,000 will be awarded to three winning innovators to make their idea a reality. They will have 10 weeks to develop their concept and build a prototype to test. Any intellectual property is kept by the innovator and the prototype will be showcased at the Fast & Forward Forestry Expo in Rotorua, in November.
“As we face the intensifying pressures of our profit-driven value systems, the need to explore approaches that prioritise wellbeing over revenue generation is greater than ever.
“We are keen to see if we can build a more caring economy by channelling investment to our capable and practical workforce, who have been overlooked and unsupported as potential agents of change and growth,” says Ms Hooper.
Research has shown that a perceived lack of control at work can lead to stress, and that stress, in turn, can increase vulnerability to adverse events in the workplace. Supported micro innovation gives workers the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to their work environment. Such a process affords our workforce a profound experience of control and input that produces positive effects on wellbeing, she adds.
Though the innovations will generally be aimed at a niche market, thus lacking the potential to produce big returns, the social impacts have huge implications for health, business development, reputation and safety across our industry, she says. NZL
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Choosing woodchip over coal
Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan (right) with CODC Property and Facilities Manager, Garreth Robinson, inspecting the new woodchip burner at the CODC headquarters in Alexandra.
IT IS A SIGN OF THE TIMES. THE CENTRAL OTAGO DISTRICT
Council (CODC), one of the few rapidly expanding councils in the South Island, has installed a woodchip-fired boiler to replace the older coal-fired boiler used to heat the council’s Alexandra offices in Dunorling Street.
This was not just a random decision. According to CODC Mayor, Tim Cadogan, it was one small part of the programme designed to reduce Council’s carbon footprint: “Council declared a climate crisis in September 2019 and followed that up by endorsing a plan last year to reduce its carbon footprint by 55% over five years. Getting rid of the old coal-fired burner is great to see, and initiatives in other areas, especially in waste, are going to see us achieving that goal.”
CODC Property and Facilities Manager, Garreth Robinson, says the system allowed the Council to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as save money. According to Mr Robinson, it is cleaner, lowemission and more sustainable than its predecessor — up to 93% energy efficient compared with the estimated 60% efficiency of the old coal burner.
Mr Robinson says, “We’re reducing our carbon footprint as well as saving money. The coal price is subject to carbon tax, and this is rapidly driving up fossil fuel prices. And as we know, coal is a non-renewable fuel, with high dust emissions. It also requires regular manual de-ashing and the grate being raked out, which is a labour cost. The ash must be disposed of to landfill, with a disposal cost. Not only that, coal is unpleasant to handle and exposure to coal dust has potential respiratory risks. Making the conversion to the Alexandra ETA HACK wood chip boiler, which was installed by EcoTec, one of New Zealand’s leading wood energy solutions providers, was a win-win.”
He also points out that wood chip fuel is at present not subject to carbon tax. It has very low dust emissions. The Alexandra system is fully automated. The automatic heat exchanger cleaning system maximises efficiency, and the automatic ignition with ceramic heat gun uses very little electricity. Wood chip fuel will be sourced from Otago plantation forests and is therefore fully renewable and carbon neutral – carbon released during combustion is absorbed as new trees are planted in the forest to replace those chopped down.
“The other efficiency is that the ash is automatically removed into the ash bin. Premium wood chip fuel from pine wood has very low ash content. Ash is organic and may be used on our property grounds to help fertilise shrubs and plants (best mixed in with some bark of wood chips),” explains Mr Robinson.
The boiler only requires two scheduled services per year (if used in the winter season only), and the boiler controls are connected to the internet, allowing for remote monitoring to maximise “up-time” and facilitate staff assistance if required.
“This is the start of a cleaner, greener chapter for us with new efficiencies. Sustainability is a key outcome for the Council and our community,” says Mayor Cadogan. NZL
Fending off fentanyl
UNFORTUNATELY STRONGER DRUGS LIKE FENTANYL AND OTHER
opiates are becoming more prevalent in New Zealand workplaces says The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), which processes over 250,000 drug tests a year. The Agency says there are five top points to know about fentanyl: 1. TDDA has seen limited and low testing for the drug in the past, but given its explosion in places like the USA and Australia, the company has been anticipating the rise of fentanyl for some time. 2. Opioids, such as fentanyl, are incredibly addictive and widely available. Employees struggling with an opioid addiction pose several risks to a workplace, and may exhibit behavioural changes, rapid mood swings, confusion, paranoia, shallow breathing, anxiety, and depression. 3. Fentanyl can be legally prescribed or illegally taken. But, someone on fentanyl shouldn’t be working in a safety sensitive area, driving, or operating heavy machinery. 4. Ensure your workplace substance-use policy is up-to-date and covers prescription medications as well as fentanyl. And ensure your drug testing partner screens for fentanyl with modern drug testing technology. Not all testing devices screen for fentanyl. Drugs such as tramadol, fentanyl and benzodiazepines including alprazolam, triazolam and clonazepam, do not cross-react with certain screening devices – a test can return as a non-negative, or simply an unclear result. That means it may be missed by the tester and the employer if the drug screening is not sent for laboratory analysis or further investigation. 5. A person may produce a positive drug test and have a legitimate prescription for that drug. In these cases, it is recommended that a Medical Review Officer (MRO) is consulted to confirm the drug test result is consistent with the dosage as prescribed by a doctor. NZL
Hassle-free harvesting
WARATAH FORESTRY EQUIPMENT’S NEW HTH618C SERIES-III
harvester head is well-suited for mixed diameters. It offers a variety of new features paired with a compact and durable design. This new generation of the HTH618C is built for increased productivity, reliability, uptime and more.
“The HTH618C Series-III is highlighted by a new valve that delivers more responsiveness and operating efficiency,” says Brent Fisher, Product Marketing Manager for Waratah. “Additionally, with new twin-diameter measuring and improved hose routing, servicing and guarding, we’re looking forward to delivering another head that is truly Built To Work.”
The new head features twin lower delimb arms and a highperformance valve for delimbing with agile and responsive log control – tackling a wide range of harvesting jobs. The maximum delimb opening of 660 mm can handle larger stems. Improved cutting performance and tilt control also contribute to increased productivity.
Low-powered base carriers offer good processing output and productivity with better feeding performance and feed motor options.
With a new valve that simplifies serviceability, along with improved hose routine the HTH618C Series-III features enhanced valve cover assembly and easier access to make quick work of servicing. Likewise, hose protection helps keep the head running and increases durability.
Easier access to the rear of the valve near the head module as well as inlet hoses also helps increase uptime while a larger oiler filler improves ease of filling bar and chain oil.
The Waratah HTH618C Series-III is currently available to customers in New Zealand, Australia, Asia Pacific, Europe, the United States, Canada, Brazil and Latin America. NZL
Expanding on excavators
UNDER A NEW GLOBAL AGREEMENT, JOHN DEERE AND WACKER
Neuson will collaborate on the development of excavators less than 5-metric-tonnes, including battery electric excavators, that will be manufactured by Wacker Neuson. Additionally, John Deere will have control of the design, manufacturing, and technology innovation for the 5-9-metric-tonne models.
“Excavators are an integral part of our customers’ job sites, and we anticipate growing demand to continue,” says Domenic Ruccolo, Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing, and Product Support, Global Construction Equipment, John Deere. “As we look to the future of our excavator line-up, this agreement will allow us greater flexibility, including through North America.”
Jerred Pauwels, Vice President, Excavators, Strategy and Business Development, John Deere, adds, “We’re excited about the expanded agreement as it supports our goal of bringing productivity-driven features and industry-leading technology to customers with greater agility. Through this relationship, we’ll innovate faster, and offer additional features and performance differentiation for our customers,” he says.
Distribution, parts, service, and support will continue through the John Deere dealer network.
The Wacker Neuson Group is an international manufacturer of compact and construction machines, for 0-9-metric-tonne excavators, headquartered in Germany. NZL
tdxltd.co.nz/ourstory
The new name for TransDiesel
Environment first
Sarah Pitcher-Campbell from Eagle Technology speaking in the Tech Talks session.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY INDUSTRY
leaders as the greatest challenge to our social license to operate. With this in mind, the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) recently hosted its first-ever Environmental Forestry Conference on opportunities for improving environmental forestry practices in New Zealand.
Issues raised during the event ranged from the role of corporate and regulatory governance to ways for people and communities to make positive change.
This inaugural forestry technology and best practices conference was well-attended with 200 delegates attending in person or watching online despite the intrusion of COVID and the flu for some. Delegates included forest managers, harvesting managers, monitoring specialists and regulatory managers from local government. A wide range of speakers brought insights in the form of challenges to the industry to perform better in the face of changing and deteriorating climate conditions, with increased frequency and intensity of rain events up and down the country.
FIEA introduced a new feature for this event in the form of a panel of young foresters supported by the Future Foresters national group whose members provided their views on the path to 2050 for improving environmental performance as an industry.
Strong support for the event was evident from the NZ Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) and the International Erosion Control Association. NZFOA President, Grant Dodson, delivered the keynote address highlighting the contrast between how the forestry industry views its environmental credentials and how the public is invited to portray the landscape. He emphasised that this can be more acute following largescale harvesting of hillsides along highways. Recent weather events have added to the poor image and post-harvest erosion and debris movement issues.
At the same time forestry provides New Zealand with the greatest opportunity in carbon sequestration and Mr Dodson expressed concern at the potential for complications if local government is given consent control over new forest establishment. He said the industry has plenty of work to do in this space.
Te Uru Rakau’s Dr Susan Secker gave a presentation expanding on the company’s wilding pine pre-conference workshop held the previous day. She highlighted the constant communication challenges her team faces in dealing with the issue of interpretation of National Environmental Standard for Production Forestry (NES-PF) matters relating to erosion and sediment which she said can be poorly understood and interpreted by Council teams.
Sally Strang, Environmental Manager for Manulife Forest Management (NZ) (formerly Hancock), outlined the challenges for specific environmental matters in more detail. As Chair of the NZFOA Environment Committee, Sally offered insight into the issues needing clarification and communication in policy and practice. One example she highlighted for clarification was regarding indigenous forestry, explaining that often forestry companies also manage significant areas of native forest within their production forestry estates.
Zivana Pauling, from the Northland Regional Council shared a case study of best practice communications through a sector-wide group including industry and regulatory representatives. The Northland forest industry has been driving this initiative since 2001. The group is proactive in carrying out field visits and inviting case studies from industry for all group participants to be a part of and learn from. This case study was well received by delegates, resulting in a significant Q&A session.
A number of interesting case studies, both from larger corporate forest owners and smaller woodlot operations, were shared on guidelines and innovative operating practices that have been developed and adopted to minimise the environmental impact from forest establishment, roading and wood harvesting operations.
A common theme throughout the event though was the real need for the industry to improve communications and coordinate its messaging to the wider community on the advancements being made by forest owners and contractors to ensure that the environment – onsite and downstream – is being protected. Sally Strang pointed to the conundrum that there was concern in the public domain in 2006 to 2008 about deforestation, while now rural communities’ concerns have reversed.
A late addition to the programme was a case study on relocatable bridges from the team at Farman Turkington Forestry using their innovative Blaze-It bridge design. This practical solution demonstrated how concepts can be put into action for the better of the environment. NZL
The Blaze-it bridge in action.
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