NZ Logger August 2023

August 2023 | $8.00

G N I L K C TA TOUGH TERRAIN

ISSN 2703-6251

Strength, grip and lift

Is forestry in the doldrums?

Good people, good business

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contents

AUGUST 2023

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FOREST TALK Politically-driven policies detrimental; Emissions review erodes confidence; Economics the real climate change issue; Conservation forests prey to illegal tree felling; Protection or ecological naivety?; Reaffirming economic relationship with China; New leadership for biosecurity collaboration; Scion welcomes new Directors; Discover forestry; Earning and learning; Pulp mill upgrade; Recognising industry excellence; Fighting fire; Not just lip service.

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SHAW’S WIRE ROPES IRON TEST The Canterbury terrain is particularly challenging, but Sharples Logging soon found that it’s no match for John Deere’s new 959ML.

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SILVICULTURE KTM Silviculture’s Troy Mason talks about how he ensures the working relationship is successful for him and his Fijian workers.

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SPECIAL FEATURE: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY It would seem New Zealand’s forestry industry has hit the doldrums. Or is it just on a holding pattern until things turn for the better? Jim Childerstone investigates.

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TALL TIMBER After nearly five decades championing indigenous forestry, Scion researcher Greg Steward has retired. But we haven’t seen the last of him…

DEPARTMENTS 2 editorial 50 fica 54 top spot 56 Greenlight New Iron 58 classifieds

August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 1

from the editor August 2023 | $8.00

TACKLING TOUGH TERRAIN

ISSN 1176-0397

PHOTO: TIM BENSEMAN

Strength, grip and lift

Good people, good business

Is forestry in the doldrums?

John Deere’s new 959ML shovelling edge trees at Little River for Sharples Logging.

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2 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

A little ingenuity THE FORESTRY MARKET IS NO STRANGER TO UPS AND DOWNS, AND RIGHT now there’s no denying the market is in a downturn. It’s mid-year, it’s winter and following the events of the past few months, things are looking bleak for many. Proposed government regulations are raising hackles too. How did we get here, and more importantly, what can we do to turn things around?

Forestry stalwart, Jim Childerstone, attempts to answer that question in our Special Feature this month, as he investigates the state of the industry.

Carbon zero resources are on his radar and perhaps they should be on others’ too. The forestry industry is well placed to take advantage of new opportunities. It just takes a bit of out-of-the-box thinking.

He’s not the only one looking for options in different spaces. Problems finding labour? Look further afield. Troy Mason, co-owner of KTM Silviculture has brought in a team of migrant workers from Fiji. The old adage about treating others as you wish to be treated, has never been truer. Help with visas, housing, physical and mental health could not be more forthcoming. The result? Eager workers who give back as good as they get. Nothing like a win-win.

Sure, times are tough, but bushmen (and women) are tougher. It just takes a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work until the good times come around again. Take a lesson from this month’s Iron Test. The terrain may be rough in Canterbury, but one machine keeps on giving. John Deere’s new 959ML with factory fitted John Deere FL100 felling and shovelling head is surprisingly tough.

Our Tall Timber feature this month shows the fruits of hard work, or solid trunks in this case. Described as a tōtara himself, providing guidance, growth and refuge, Scion researcher Greg Steward has devoted 49 years of his life to the study of indigenous forestry – possibly New Zealand’s longest-serving indigenous forestry researcher. Starting out in the bush, planting and felling, he may be retiring but he’s making sure the next generation grows from his experiences.

And that’s what it’s all about, weathering the difficult times along with the good to create something better for the future.

Until next time, stay safe.

forest talk

Politically-driven policies detrimental THE FOREST INDUSTRY CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION (FICA) AND the New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) say government’s proposed forestry policies, introduced without any prior consultation or coordination with the industry, pose a significant risk to the sector’s stability and vitality. They estimate policy will incur a cost to the nation ranging between $1-2 billion, as New Zealand will fail to meet its carbon emission commitments and be forced to purchase offshore carbon units to compensate.

“Forestry contractors are already at breaking point with an unsustainable model. We’ve had a tough three years, and pressure is compounding with increased operational costs, staffing and employment issues, market instability and contractual challenges.

We are seeing widespread reduction of harvest targets and cancelled contracts,” says FICA CEO, Prue Younger.

“This policy will add to their burden, and we’ll see lots of businesses cease to exist and therefore lots of the workforce out of jobs. Not many can survive in this ongoing uncertainty with dire market conditions. A substantial number of jobs are at stake, threatening the livelihoods of 20-40% of the workforce.”

NZIF President, James Treadwell, adds, “The absence of consultation with the forestry sector, coupled with the lack of coordination among government entities, has given rise to investor concerns, leading to a detrimental flight of capital from the industry.

“Of particular concern is the government’s disregard for the advice provided by the Climate Change Commission (CCC), impacting the carbon market. The CCC’s current draft advice to restrict new planting is concerning, and it has been further emphasised by the National Party, while the Labour Party has introduced measures to limit new planting through local council control.

“In addition, the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) has released

a consultation document suggesting a complete overhaul of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), with the possibility of decoupling forestry.

“Forestry’s inclusion in the ETS is the only effective measure currently in place to address climate change commitments, offering a ray of hope in meeting our targets. Slowing down or halting this progress would not only harm every New Zealander but also hinder future generations’ ability to fulfill the Industry Transformation Plan, which includes investments in processing, such as biofuels, and the growth of the bio-economy.”

NZIF and FICA share genuine concerns for the workforce, the fulfillment of commitments, and the added burden these hasty policies will place on all New Zealanders.

“These policies are politically-driven and lack scientific or economic backing. Even if immediate actions are taken to improve investor sentiment in the forestry sector, it will take years to rebuild trust in stable government policies.” NZL

Emissions review erodes confidence

CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND FORESTERS say gutting the value of carbon credits from forestry would sharply reduce both the region’s forest carbon sequestration and its economy.

The government is consulting on the Emissions Trading Scheme, to reduce the area of exotic trees being planted.

The Central North Island Wood Council says its region is highly dependent on forestry and wood processing and negative signals from the government have caused industry uncertainty, just when confidence is most needed.

There are more than 500,000 hectares of exotic forests in the region, nearly a third of the national total.

The Port of Tauranga is easily the busiest of New Zealand’s forestry export ports, handling well over a billion dollars’ worth of logs and sawn timber exports a year.

4 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

CNI Wood Council Chair and spokesperson Colin Maunder, says the forests in the region sequester an additional seven million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year from the atmosphere.

“Put the economic and environmental contribution together and the region is a huge contributor at the national level – and vastly more so locally.

“We have a council in Rotorua which backs forestry with its Wood First timber use policy.

It’s a shame that the importance of forestry isn’t recognised in Wellington.”

Mr Maunder says because forestry is such a long-term investment, most of the effects of a low carbon price would take decades to show in a failure to reduce net emissions and lack of wood supply to local mills and the port.

“We’ve just got confidence to invest in planting and processing back again, after the national exotic forest area began shrinking 20 years ago. There’s an industry transformation

plan to add value to our harvest.

“But the signals we’re getting from the ETS review, and other recent government announcements, such as the plan to give powers to local government to artificially protect hill country farming from forest conversions, is the spectre that more exotic forests are something to be feared, rather than embraced.” NZL

forest talk

Economics the real climate change issue

THE NEW ZEALAND FARM FORESTRY Association’s (NZFFA) Graham West says the key to getting emissions down is to get emitters to appreciate the economic costs of not cutting back their pollution.

“While we bicker over small changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), He Waka Eka Noa, and five-year emission budgets, our leaders do not seem to realise they are focused on things that will make no material change to New Zealand’s climate.

“We know New Zealand’s contribution to global emissions is less than 0.1% and the world continues to emit about 40 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into our planet’s atmosphere each year.

“Yet our strategy is not to address global climate change, but to bicker about domestic emissions budgets. This is like playing marbles in the corner while the house burns down,” he says.

“What should be evident is that global

climate change will severely harm New Zealand’s economy and ultimately everyone’s standard of living.

“More intense storms, and probably severe droughts, will hit our primary industries and most types of infrastructure.

“The physical impacts of flooding, drought, and erosion are already becoming self-evident in primary production loss and infrastructure damage. Yet we seem to think we can adapt and live with these catastrophes, year on year.

Mr West says New Zealanders will steadily become poorer, borrowing more and more money from overseas to maintain a lifestyle that was previously supplied by a moderate and temperate climate.

“Our strategy should be to work with other similar countries on how to influence the larger emitters and make strong representation that their choice to continue to burn fossil fuels is hurting our lives and

the lives of many other small nations.

“Our only successful mitigation option, sequestration in forests, is about to be halted by our leaders.

“We seem to be prepared to accept a new climate without realising we’re accepting a significant drop in standard of living. I ask our leaders to do some critical thinking, connect the dots, and revise our strategy.

Our discussion on climate change must be international and not just a domestic game of marbles.” NZL

Conservation forests prey to illegal tree felling VISITORS TO THE CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND’S PROTECTED conservation forests are urged to report suspicious activity after a spate of illegal tree felling incidents.

Department of Conservation Principal Compliance Officer, Matt Davis, says dozens of trees and shrubs at sites in the Pureora Forest Park and Tongariro Forest Conservation Area have been removed or hacked down.

“It’s a breach of the Conservation Act to fell native trees on public conservation land, or remove native plants from those areas.

“No-one has the right to remove or fell native trees in this way.

In the Pureora Forest incidents, two rimu trees – one estimated to be up to 600 years old – were brutally felled and left at the scene. The trunk of the larger tree, measuring up to 25 metres in height, has been removed from the site by DOC. Elsewhere in Pureora, near the picturesque and isolated Waihora Lagoon, a 25-metre-tall matai has been felled, along with several smaller trees. These are all close to an unauthorised structure DOC staff have deemed an illegal campsite.

Removal of logs and other plant material reduces the habitat for fungi, invertebrates and other elements of the ecosystem and

lessens nutrient recycling within the forest.

Large native trees are also roost sites for colonies of native bats, and song posts for kokakō.

“By felling that single matai tree, these people have destroyed the habitat and homes of other species DOC and iwi and conservation partners work hard to protect,” Mr Davis says.

“It will take generations for that tree to be replaced.”

Further south, DOC staff have discovered up to 30 trees felled near Owhango on the western edge of the Tongariro Forest Conservation Area.

Tī koūka, māhoe, horopito, kamahi, puka and other trees have been hacked down and dumped at the site to create a clearing.

“Possible motivations for illegal tree felling include use of the timber for landscaping or firewood, or to create a clearing for hunting. None of these are acceptable,” he adds.

The illegal removal or harvesting of trees or plants from public conservation land can result in a fine of up $100,000 and two years in jail. If the offending continues, further fines of $10,000 a day can be imposed.

DOC is calling on the public to call 0800 DOC HOT if they see or hear trees being felled, or wood being removed. NZL August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 5

forest talk

Protection or ecological naivety?

FOREST OWNERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, GRANT DODSON, says the recent National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB) is “a classic bureaucratic formula of confusing ecological naivety” which will not help rare species and likely have the opposite effect.

The Statement is so vague as to what constitutes a Significant Natural Area (SNA), that it can incorporate any indigenous foliage at all and then be used to stop human activities around it, he explains.

“If the plant species is rare, it gets included. If it’s common, it gets included as ‘typical’ to the area. There are no gaps between typical and rare. And these are incredibly vague criteria for making rules which apply to both rural and urban landowners.

“We’ll have 67 local bodies coming up with 67 different interpretations of what this all means. The Ministry for the Environment says the NPSIB will bring more certainty. It will achieve quite the reverse.”

Mr Dodson says forest companies invest a lot of effort to protect endangered bird and animal species and many forests are long certified to international standards, such as the Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, which incorporate these values and enhancement programmes.

“We have companies who have made substantial investments in protecting kiwi in our plantation forests. In addition, the industry has commissioned a multiyear study in Otago on kārearea falcons, which has nearly concluded, so we will know exactly how far we need to keep harvesters away from their nests during the breeding season.

“One of the many troubles with the SNAs is that they assume these birds, or bats or lizards for that matter, stay in one place for years on end, so a local government official can draw a line around where they live, and imagine that’s where these birds and bats will stay put until the District Plan is revised a number of years later.

“There’s good evidence that both kārearea and kiwi are attracted to plantation forests because of their more abundant food sources.

“For kiwi, it’s the bed of pine litter. Insects feed on this and the 6 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

kiwi eat the insects. The kārearea, on the other hand, like to nest in the cutover after a harvest, because that is an ideal habitat for mice and other prey which the kārearea feed on.”

“The birds are transient as harvest areas move, but overall, the species flourishes and we know from years of independent scientific research that the density of kārearea in Otago forests, for example, is the same as the uninhabited sub-Antarctic islands.

“It’s ironic that critics of plantation forestry often claim that pine plantations are a ‘monoculture’ or an ‘ecological desert’, and often harbouring pests, which we know to be grossly untrue.”

“Now we are getting the reverse argument that plantation forests are of high ecological value and must be declared SNAs and activities restricted or controlled. Which one is it? It seems like forests can’t win!”

Mr Dodson emphasises that foresters are keen conservationists and responsible land managers.

“If they are signed on to FSC or PEFC, which most forest companies are, then they commit to a set of requirements on minimum indigenous biodiversity which they must maintain.

“But these National Policy Statement rules will just force foresters, who already have a focused and informed programme of indigenous species conservation, to flag their efforts away and hand over to the city bureaucracy.”

Forest & Bird Chief Executive, Nicola Toki, describes the Statement as “a significant and collaborative win for nature”.

“It’s the first time our country’s native species and habitats has had this level of protection and it’s been 30 years in the making,” she says.

“We have already lost too much and year by year native forests, wetlands and tussock lands have disappeared. The Statement aims to stop the slide into extinction for threatened species and prevent further destruction of native habitats.”

The NPSIB will help maintain indigenous biodiversity across Aotearoa by requiring councils to identify areas with significant indigenous biodiversity (Significant Natural Areas, or SNAs) and manage any negative effects on them from new developments and activities. NZL

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forest talk

Reaffirming economic relationship with China THE MEETING WITH CHINESE Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing “reaffirmed New Zealand’s significant relationship with China, including our strong economic relationship which is helping boost New Zealand’s economic recovery” says Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

“Our trading relationship is worth over $40 billion annually, and as we continue to grow exports into new markets like the United Kingdom and European Union, it’s also important we reaffirm the important economic connections we have with China.

Premier Li and the Prime Minister took part in the signings of a range of cooperative arrangements in forestry, agriculture, trade, education and science and innovation.

The Prime Minister also noted that New Zealand and China cooperate in many other areas beyond trade to advance the wellbeing of both countries.

“Addressing the effects of climate change are priorities for both Governments, and it was important to highlight our ongoing commitment to cooperation in this area.

“Tourism between our countries was high on the agenda. With air connectivity beginning to

return to pre-pandemic levels, we are seeing the return of businesspeople, students and tourists helping to boost our economic recovery.

“With borders now open our service exports, like tourism and international education, are recovering. We also progressed arrangements under our Free Trade Upgrade that may give New Zealand businesses improved market access compared to what they had pre Covid, and help the recovery of our service exports.

“Our strong people-to-people links, and the importance of cultural connections to our respective countries was also high on the agenda. China is an important market to the Māori economy, with exports to China worth over $360 million a year, and it was also important to reaffirm those connections on behalf of the businesses back home,” Prime Minister Hipkins says.

“It was also important to acknowledge areas of difference, such as over human rights. We engaged on these as well, as we regularly do in a respectful but consistent way that is aligned with New Zealand’s independent interests and values.”

A range of regional and global issues were also discussed, including the Indo-Pacific

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing. region, tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.

“I talked about how important it is that engagement in the Pacific takes place in a manner which advances Pacific priorities and supports regional organisations – in particular the Pacific Islands Forum,” Prime Minister Hipkins says. ”We also discussed the fundamental principles at stake in Ukraine, and I urged China to use its influence to encourage Russia to act consistently with its international obligations and cease its illegal war in Ukraine.” NZL

New leadership for biosecurity collaboration THE BETTER BORDER BIOSECURITY (B3) HAS WELCOMED A NEW Independent Chair, Melanie Mark-Shadbolt (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Te Arawa, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa). She replaces outgoing Independent Chair, James Buwalda, who has been involved with the science collaboration for more than a decade.

Ms Mark-Shadbolt is an indigenous environmental sociologist with significant experience providing governance, direction and support to a number of boards and groups. She has been a member of B3’s governance group – the Collaboration Council – for the past three years and was formerly the Deputy Secretary– Tūmatakōkiri (Māori Rights and Interest) for the Ministry for the Environment.

Mr Buwalda says she brings to the role not only broad experience in biosecurity, policy, and science leadership, but also a Tiriticentred approach to leadership and collaboration.

Ms Mark-Shadbolt says, “Our New Zealand economy, and the rapidly growing Māori economy, are underpinned by our environment, te taiao. Forestry, fisheries, farming, film, tourism and other industries rely on our natural estate, our freshwater, our flora and fauna. One biosecurity incursion could compromise all of that.

The challenge is to ensure decision makers understand that and value the amazing work happening across the biosecurity system.”

8 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

Mr Buwalda adds that B3 is in better shape now than at any time in its more than 15-year history of delivering biosecurity science solutions in partnership with government, iwi, international collaborators, and communities.

“A secret to B3’s success has been its clear and simple Melanie Mark-Shadbolt. focus on biosecurity threats to New Zealand’s plant-based sectors. The funding model has also been useful as it has meant there isn’t competition between funders for funding. Rather people have been able to focus collectively on what is best for New Zealand’s plant-based sectors.”

Some of the B3’s greatest successes include providing the science behind preparing for new threats such as the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Myrtle Rust, and Fall armyworm, while developing the capability to deal with long term challenges to the economy and natural environments such as the Queensland Fruit Fly and PSA. NZL

forest talk

Scion welcomes new Directors CROWN RESEARCH INSTITUTE SCION HAS appointed three new Directors to its Board.

Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall has appointed Nicole Anderson, Phil Taylor and Kiriwaitingi ReiRussell to the Board for a three-year term.

Board Chair, Dr Helen Anderson, says she’s delighted by the calibre of the individuals appointed.

“Their passion for sustainability, economic development and good governance aligns perfectly with Scion’s mission, and I am confident that their contributions will be instrumental in shaping our organisation’s future success.

“Our board firmly believes that effective governance is the cornerstone of achieving long-term stability and excellence. Their collective experience and expertise will ensure that as a board, we are well-positioned to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities ahead of us in the forestry and biobased sectors.”

Phil Taylor brings more than four decades of experience in commercial forestry to his new Director role at Scion. He has served on numerous boards and directorships, primarily focusing on research and development and community service organisations. He has gained international experience in forestry and governance and has held Chief Executive roles in forestry since 1999. Currently, he is the Managing Director at Port Blakely in Canterbury. In this role, he oversees all of NZ Forestry’s holdings. He also serves on the

board of both the New Zealand Forest Owners Association and the Forest Growers Levy Trust.

As a chartered professional director, Nicole Anderson (Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Te Aupōuri) has a proven track record in governance across a range of sectors, bringing experience in strategic analysis, business planning and commercial development to Scion’s Board.

She is a director at Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, Far North Holdings, Top Energy and is the Chair at Northland Inc, Northland’s Regional Economic Development Agency. After three years’ service she has also recently become Board Chair at International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ), the national authority for the accreditation of testing and calibration laboratories, inspection bodies and radiology services.

Kiriwaitingi Rei-Russell (Te Arawa – Ngati Whakaue, Tūhourangi Ngati Wāhiao, and Ngati Awa – Te Pahipoto) was born and raised in Rotorua. She has a legal and governance background with a strong focus on primary industries. An advocate for Māori economic and commercial development, she was the Chief Executive at Māori Investments for 10 years and is now the Head of Māori Alliances at Zespri based in Mount Maunganui. While being heavily involved in the kiwifruit industry, Ms Rei-Russell currently holds directorships on Ngāti Awa Group Holdings, Waiu Dairy LP and Putauaki Trust. She is also the Deputy Chair of the Māori Kiwifruit Growers and was the first woman appointed to the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union. She was also a Future Director

From left: Nicole Anderson, Phil Taylor and Kiriwaitingi Rei-Russell. to the Board of Auckland lnternational Airport from 2016 to 2018.

Scion Chief Executive, Dr Julian Elder, says he is looking forward to working with the new directors as Scion works to advance its strategy to 2030: Right tree, right place, right purpose.

“Having this strategy to drive our work is enabling Scion to make a difference to our economy, wellbeing and environment by helping transition New Zealand to a circular bioeconomy.

“There are challenges ahead but we are confident that Scion’s research has never been more relevant, especially as New Zealand looks to build a modern, futurefocused research system through the Te Ara Paerangi – Future Pathways programme.

“Amidst this evolving research landscape, we know that collaboration and diverse thinking are critically important. Together, we will continue to enhance New Zealand’s prosperity through trees, foster industry partnerships and contribute to the growth of regional economies.” NZL

forest talk

Discover forestry NEW ZEALAND’S EIGHT WOOD COUNCILS have joined forces to launch the joint forestry education organisation - Discover Forestry New Zealand.

Discover Forestry offers a range of programmes, and resources which will take to the road around the country. The Wood Councils have the regional connections and local forestry knowledge to provide volunteers and on the ground involvement.

Through community engagement and educational initiatives, Discover Forestry strives to foster understanding, appreciation, and support for the vital role of forestry in New Zealand’s economy and ecosystem.

The Councils have already been working

around the country with school engagement programmes Wood is Good (primary), and Grow Me (secondary).

Programmes provide local workplace connections with professional foresters and members of the forestry sector for young people, information and field trips, school presentations, careers materials, and student inspiration.

Wahine in Forestry is another branch of Discover Forestry. The purpose of this group is to encourage and empower women to succeed in the forestry industry through various initiatives such as workshops with other primary sector women’s groups, skills building with students, and linking woman across the New Zealand forestry sector.

School engagement programmes are well-received.

This year marked the first ever women’s only forestry conference. The event will run again next year in Christchurch. NZL

Earning and learning THE WHĀNAU HAS CERTAINLY PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN forestry apprentice, Neihana Brewer’s career choice. His father worked in forestry, so he “knew a bit”— and his uncle (Cuz Brown), a well-known Competenz Te Pūkenga assessor and career logger in his own right, also encouraged him to look at forestry as a career.

“It made it easy, and I also have a couple of good mentors inside and outside the company. Forestry is a good career. Being outside and the tree-felling side of things is the best job. It keeps you young and fit!

Fast Harvesting is a good company – everything is done right to keep us safe.”

He prefers though, to leave it up to others to speak of his attributes, including Graeme Benge, his employer at Fast Harvesting in Tokoroa.

Graeme says the 21-year-old is an example of a future forester passionate about the industry.

“Mr Brewer understands that by being adaptable and taking all opportunities that come his way, he shows he has what it takes to be a leader amongst his peers. He’s a valued member of the Fast Harvesting team because he is a good listener, a quick learner and has a positive attitude that has made him respected by his crew.”

Fast Harvesting has 55 staff and six apprentices on its books. Mr Brewer is one of those learners, already a highly-skilled machine operator and currently on track to complete his apprenticeship in Forest Harvesting Operations (Manual Tree Faller) (Level 4) qualification this year.

“Earning and learning while gaining experience and qualifications is invaluable, and people don’t end up with debt to repay at the end of their study,” says Mr Benge. “The opportunity to complete a forestry apprenticeship gives people a sense of achievement, pride and ownership. They’re the future of one of New Zealand’s primary industries.

“Apprenticeships add value to our business as any person at any age can achieve a higher level of education and qualification and have a feeling of self-worth.”

Competenz Te Pūkenga training advisor, Jan Nikora, describes Mr Brewer as very mature and willing to learn. “He’s not afraid to ask for help and has a good support system around him within the crew. They 10 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

allow him to do his assessments during work hours. He has integrated assessments and daily work training note-taking for maximum time management and gets paid for it - can’t get better than that, he reckons!”

Quarterly visits by Ms Nikora ensure Mr Brewer is keeping on track and progressing with his training plan. Ms Nikora is proud of her relationship with the people at Fast Harvesting. “It’s these relationships that help support Mr Brewer on his learning journey. I’m so privileged to watch these apprentices mature and transform over the time we work together. Mr Brewer has embraced the journey to becoming a wellrespected, professional forestry worker.” NZL

Forestry apprentice Neihana Brewer (left) with Competenz Te Pūkenga’s Jan Nikora.

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forest talk

Pulp mill upgrade WINSTONE PULP INTERNATIONAL (WPI) produces a range of timber and pulp products derived from renewable plantations of Radiata pine for both New Zealand and international markets.

The Karioi pulp mill – which produces wood pulp that is used for folding boxboard manufacture – has more than doubled its production capacity since it began in 1978, by implementing new plant, processes, and technology.

When the mill in Karioi, Ohakune (about 100km south of Lake Taupo) was experiencing usability challenges with its DCS, upgraded its Distributed Control System (DCS) to Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx. “Our existing DCS was coming to the end of its lifecycle.

It required highly specialised knowledge and was not easy to modify if our needs changed. It was not a cost-efficient or optimised way of running the pulp mill,” says Lindsay Rowe, Project Manager, WPI. WPI already had Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx DCS running in some areas of the plant, so the decision was made to convert the rest of the plant to PlantPAx, to create a unified DCS. “We wanted a true DCS to be implemented plant-wide – something that was user-friendly, with standard template that could easily be modified as our needs change in the future.

Importantly, we wanted a DCS that was simple to learn and to operate, to minimise the risk of an experienced maintenance technician retiring and leaving a knowledge gap in the company, for example,” adds Ms Rowe.

Prior to the upgrade, spare parts were more difficult to come by, and the legacy system lacked newer functionalities, which

presented further risks in a major shutdown scenario.

“We conducted a feed study for WPI, to provide a complete understanding of processes right from the outset. This helped shape our planned migration to PlantPAx, and optimised the outcomes for WPI,” explains Lin Han, Account Manager, Rockwell Automation New Zealand.

The feed study and documentation process involved interviews with engineers and operations personnel, to gain a complete picture of WPI’s operations, and of their customers’ needs.

Challenges and rewards The migration project commenced in 2020, when New Zealand was experiencing its strictest lockdowns and significant COVID19 outbreak.

To navigate these challenges, Rockwell Automation conducted remote tests, and employed careful contingency planning and assignment of resources. The team was able to commission around plant shutdowns to minimise any disruptions to WPI’s operations.

“Upgrading so many areas of a plant within a short duration is challenging enough, and that’s before adding the pandemic restrictions on top of it. But the commitment, technical prowess, and resourcefulness of the team shone through to deliver a satisfactory outcome for our customer,” says Bernard Ooi, Project Manager, Rockwell Automation New Zealand.

WPI has now converted the entire pulp production area says Ms Rowe: “Having one vendor, and one solution, makes our lives a lot easier. We no longer have to engage different system integrators

12 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

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each time we need to update our processes. Further, we can easily train new operators to use the PlantPAx DCS, so we’re never at risk of losing that knowledge if an employee leaves the company.

Plus, there’s ongoing service, maintenance and problem-solving for our complex requirements.”

Core principles As a ‘full-blown’ DCS, PlantPAx has everything from cybersecurity to streamlined workflows, intelligent analytics and a reduced footprint.

The system is based on four core principles: • Plantwide control and optimisation: The system uses a common automation platform for clean integration between critical areas of a plant. Benefits include common platforms, seamless

information flow, ease of management, and lower total cost of ownership.

• Scalable and modular architecture: A wide range of architecture options are provided for increased flexibility. This means easy integration without replicating data, faster time to market, and scalable system capabilities such as HMI, batch management and data collection.

• Open, information-enabled, and secure: The system is based on open communication standards leveraging Ethernet/IP as its backbone. As a result, secure real-time information is readily available throughout the enterprise for better business decision-making.

• Flexible delivery and support network: Users can select the optimal implementation and support team based on their needs. NZL

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forest talk

Recognising industry ents, for the excellence diameter. This heavy

Forester of the Year Carving

THE NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF FORESTRY (NZIF) RECENTLY held its awards dinner in Wellington to honour the winners of its most prestigious accolades. The recipients of this year’s awards represent a diverse range of skills and experiences, from dedicated grassroots efforts to impactful policy planning and execution, as well as academic leadership.

Te Kapunga Dewes of Ngati Porou, Te Arawa and Te Whakatohea was named the New Zealand Forester of the Year for 2023. This highly sought-after recognition, celebrates individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the forestry sector throughout the previous year. The awardee is presented with a unique carving, crafted by Lyonel Grant.

Mr Dewes has been actively involved in the growth and promotion of Maori forestry, ensuring the preservation of Maori land rights and fostering optimal land usage. During the award presentation, President James Treadwell praised him, saying “He has been an instrumental figure, navigating complex challenges and balancing divergent needs to improve the situation for all New Zealand foresters, not solely Maori foresters.”

Established in 2017, the Prince of Wales Sustainability Cup stands as a testament to exceptional young professionals in New Zealand’s forestry sector. This year’s winner was Grace Marshall of Hawkes Bay. This award recognises individuals who demonstrate a profound commitment to sustainable forest management principles, including policy development, planning, practice, and the responsible stewardship of land based on scientific knowledge.

Furthermore, awardees are expected to actively engage the public and foster knowledge exchange, with a focus on promoting the wise utilisation and conservation of forests and their encompassing ecosystems. Mr Treadwell emphasised the significance of this year’s award, saying, “It is particularly meaningful as it was initiated

by His Royal Highness King Charles, and this is the first time it is being presented since his coronation.” Ms Marshall is working on her PHD studies around transitional forestry, a topic which is today very relevant. She is passionate about and has a strong link to Iwi landowners, and is growing and developing her wider forestry and leadership capabilities.

David Evision and Don Hammond were appointed as Fellows, in recognition of their tireless contributions to the growth and advancement of the New Zealand forestry sector, exhibiting unwavering dedication over the course of several decades.

Mr Treadwell noted that the forestry industry’s efforts go beyond economic gains, encompassing social benefits such as carbon capture, recreational opportunities, clean water, biodiversity, and overall wellbeing. “We are fortunate to have a highly skilled cohort of industry professionals who set the benchmark for others to aspire to,” he said. “The NZIF takes great pride in celebrating the very best and championing the recipients of the NZIF’s awards.” NZL

at set it apart from

Above: Te Kapunga Dewes, 2023 Forester of the Year.

Below: Grace Marshall, 2023 Prince of Wales Sustainability Cup awardee with James Treadwell, NZIF President looking on.

ents, for the 14 NZ LOGGER | August 2023 diameter. This heavy at set it apart from

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Fighting fire WITH WILDFIRE SEASON STILL GOING STRONG ACROSS NORTH America, Fire and Emergency’s third deployment of firefighters to Canada was a joint effort between three agencies.

While Fire and Emergency is supplying 12 firefighters to Alberta and two shadow Incident Controllers to British Columbia in the 24-strong contingent, the deployment also features five firefighters each from the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Forestry Protection Services (FPS).

Fire and Emergency Deputy National Commander, Steph Rotarangi, says this inter-agency co-operation is an important feature of many New Zealand wildfire firefighting efforts, whether they be domestic or international.

“We often work closely with DOC and forestry industry crews during domestic wildfires, and this has also been the case with previous international deployments.

“This joint approach allows us to share knowledge and this international deployment will allow us to bring new knowledge to the collective approach to fighting wildfires in New Zealand.”

The two shadow roles are also important to continue developing Fire and Emergency’s wildfire capability.

The purpose of sending these people is for them to gain experience in an Incident Management Team (IMT) at large complex wildfire incidents.

They will be shadowing a Type 1 Incident Commander, which in a New Zealand context relates to a Level 3 Incident Controller at a National wildfire incident - the highest level of wildfire we have.

Ms Rotarangi says these two people will be able to bring back a greater understanding of managing a large-scale wildfire.

“Due to the effects of climate change, we are expecting to see more severe wildfires in New Zealand in the future.

“Having the capability to effectively manage such events is important for us going forward.”

The first deployment of 25 firefighters arrived back in New Zealand on 28 June while the second deployment of 21 firefighters remains in Canada.

“I want to thank those firefighters for their mahi in Canada, and also their friends and families for supporting them in being able to deploy and holding down the fort back home while they have been away,” she adds.

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Canada’s wildfire preparedness level remains at 5 – Extreme. At the time of going to print, across the country there were 410 active fires, with 198 of those deemed “out of control”. In Alberta where most of this deployment will be situated, there were 73 active wildfires: 13 out of control, 26 being held and 34 under control.

Rescue helicopter fundraiser Back home, the John Turkington Forestry Red & Blue Charity Ball raised an impressive $57,000 for the Grassroots Trust Rescue Helicopter. The event brought together members of the Manawatu and Whanganui communities in celebration of the vital work the essential emergency services do within the Whanganui and Manawatu regions. The funds raised will go towards supporting the rescue helicopter, which has saved countless lives over the years.

The highlight of the evening was guest speaker, Dan Jack’s moving account of his experience with the Grassroots Trust Rescue Helicopter. Dan shared his story of being injured while out mountain biking and how the rescue helicopter was crucial in his recovery. He spoke about how the skilled crew quickly transported him to medical care, saving precious time and ensuring that he received the best care he needed. NZL

Fire and Emergency Deputy National Commander, Steph Rotarangi.

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forest talk

TDX CEO Colm Hamrogue, together with Belinda Mathers, Chief Science and Advisory Officer of Toitū Envirocare, alongside a Volvo EC380EL hybrid excavator at the Volvo Demo Zone at TDX Head Office in Christchurch.

Not just lip service WITH TDX’S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED A TOITŪ carbonreduce certified organisation, Toitū will assist TDX on its decarbonisation journey as it actively looks at ways to reduce carbon emissions, lessen its impact on the environment and deliver a more sustainable future.

“We need more businesses and industries to step up. It’s great to see TDX is now Toitū carbon reduce certified. It demonstrates their commitment to measuring and reducing their carbon emissions,” says Belinda Mathers, Chief Science and Advisory Officer of Toitū Envirocare.

“As a prominent heavy machinery company operating in highemissions sectors, this sets a powerful example of holding yourself accountable and offering emission reduction options. Moving to lower emissions machinery is not the end goal but it’s a great starting place.

“This demonstrates that every company, regardless of its industry, can contribute to addressing the pressing issue of supply chain emissions. We’ll be monitoring closely to see how they lead in making improvements to reduce their impact with real actions,” she adds.

Toitū currently serves over 900 clients worldwide with a team of scientists and business experts that lead positive change through a system of robust carbon and environmental programmes that are internationally recognised and certified to an ISO 14064-1:2018 standard.

“Toitū will assist us in setting up our company baseline by first measuring our carbon output. The next step will see us setting 18 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

targets and actions to reduce our overall carbon footprint,” says Colm Hamrogue, CEO of TDX. “Rather than paying lip service to sustainability, we’re going to the next level and measuring our outputs then making a concerted effort to actively reduce our emissions using science-based tools and evidence.

“We’re doing our part to look after our local environment.

Ultimately it will benefit the greater good of everyone, from our people through to suppliers and partners, our customers, as well as people in the communities surrounding each of our 18 branches.”

To further demonstrate their commitment to the programme, TDX has employed a full-time Sustainability and Quality Manager, whose sole responsibility is overseeing the company’s journey toward emissions reduction.

“We want to be a true market leader in this space, which means talking the talk and walking the walk. It’s more than just making small changes such as turning lights out when leaving a room or an increased focus on recycling, we’re in the process of identifying areas in which we can make significant wins,” says Mr Hamrogue.

“We rebranded our business last year to set us up for the future and what sustainable energy sources unfold in the next few years.

The partnership between TDX and Toitū is the next step.

“Some of our customers are already leading with Toitū and our partners Volvo are driving change in the machines they manufacture.

“It’s now time for us to ramp up our focus in the environmental space, this is an exciting opportunity and we look forward to playing our part in reducing the carbon impact on our planet.” NZL

OUTRUN™ LIMITATIONS. GET MORE DONE, MORE EFFICIENTLY. The John Deere G-Series Forestry Swing Machine will redefine your expectations about what a swing machine can accomplish.

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Iron Test

Operator, Carl Erceg, uses the John Deere 959ML to assist Royce Sheffield on the skidder to get edge trees up the ridge.

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EST EST EST 1909 1909 1909

THE THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER SUPPLIER TOTO NEW TO NEW NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 20 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

TACKLING TOUGH TERRAIN Story & photos: Tim Benseman

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EST EST 1909 1909

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

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Above: The skid after twelve loads had been removed that morning.

Below: At 66 years of age, Dave Sharples is still fit to head off and fell edge trees, as Jason Huitema from Drummond & Etheridge bids him farewell.

THE TERRAIN THAT SHARPLES LOGGING ENCOUNTERS IN Canterbury is particularly challenging, with volcanic rock so hard that it snaps grousers off and will send a machine skating if you go over it in the same place more than once without a tether.

With many Canterbury forests sharing a boundary with farms there are also many more fences and edge trees to contend with than in larger plantations.

It was with this in mind that Dave Sharples and his wife Jill eyed up John Deere’s new 959ML with factory fitted John Deere FL100 felling and shovelling head. With dual tilt rams and dual rotator motors on it, this felling head is surprisingly tough and gets busy tilting whole stems on angles we are not used to seeing.

When the Iron Test team arrived regular JD959ML operator, Carl Erceg, was busy gripping the heads of two big edge trees and pushing them up a ridge while Sharples skidder operator, Royce Sheffield, had the butts in the grapple of the JD848L skidder.

It’s a beautiful thing to see two skilled operators working in concerted effort to make the job succeed.

Down at the skid, the crew owner, Dave, is loading the twelfth truck for the day, having risen at 3.15am to drive here, about an hour and 20 minutes from his home in Rangiora to this logging operation in Little River on Banks Peninsula.

The block is 60 hectares of moderate to steep ground. The Sharples crew has logged about half of it this autumn and is about to leave as winter sets in but will return to complete the rest next summer.

exotic forest as well as in native forest parks and reserves.

“North West Nelson was our Conservancy, basically from Westport through to Kaikoura and up to Farewell Spit,” says Dave. “I would walk the Heaphy Track (82kms) every year to do maintenance and expansion projects there.”

Being keen on rugby, Dave soon joined the NZFS rugby team and played in many tournaments around the country but one issue that arose was the cost to travel to these games. He and his teammates took on part-time jobs in logging crews and doing silviculture work in Golden Downs Forest and then eventually logging became a full time career.

Starting out in the forest service Dave started out working for the NZ Forest Service (NZFS) based in Nelson where he was trade qualified as a builder and built and maintained houses and huts in the 33,000 hectare Golden Downs

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Above: Assisting the 848L with another edge tree.

Below left: Drummond & Etheridge’s Jason Huitema and operator, Carl Erceg, discuss the FL100’s holding ability.

Below centre: Regular operator, Carl Erceg, in front of the JD959ML, ready for the last run of the day.

Below right: Sharples Logging crew, from left: Carl, Royce, Ross, Dave and Ryan.

Moving south and going ground-based Dave moved south out of Nelson to Canterbury for a three-year contract and has pretty much been here ever since. There are around 100,000 hectares of exotic forests in Canterbury, 15% of it Douglas fir and 75% pine. About 70% of the total forest area is traditionally harvested by ground based crews so Dave was servicing the smaller sector with a yarder.

In 1996 Dave flew to Canada and bought a Skagit GT3 swing yarder and a bulldozer at auction and brought these back to New Zealand. “We also bought a brand new wheel loader so we had a decent fleeting and loading machine,” Dave says.

After six years of use, the Skagit was sold and another trip to Canada followed to buy a Thunderbird 155 TSY right about when 9/11 struck with its associated travel difficulties.

It seems to be a bit of a trend for ground based crews to morph into hauler crews but Dave decided to go the other way in 2006 by selling the cable yarding machinery to become a mechanised ground based crew. He seems to be making a very good go of it with eight machines and four loyal crew.

“We have a dozer and a smaller digger with a quick hitch that is either loading-out or doing roading,” Dave says. “We offer the

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full package to our customers by putting in all our own logging roads, haul tracks and skid sites, logging the block and doing post-harvest environmental work before we leave. We have an older spare JD748H grapple skidder along with a JD848L which is our primary extraction machine, and that’s scheduled for replacement this year to a JD768L-II 6x6 bogie log skidder.

“We also have one of DC Equipment’s latest Falcon two-speed Gen 4 winch assist machines on a Hitachi 350 base which spends most of its time anchored to our JD959ML and will be used with our new John Deere skidder as well.

“We actually had the winch assist delivered with a single speed as they had no 2 speed winches in the country, but they have since been out and fitted the 2 speed and it is sitting there waiting for our next job. We will put it to use winching our skidder up slopes where it gets so wet that we can’t get up with band tracks on all tyres.

“We are downhill logging in that area but the trouble is we can’t get back up to the bunches with the skidder empty to grab them, so the Falcon winch assist will eliminate that problem.”

SERIOUS the POWER FOR BIGis TIME LOGGERS So, essentially Sharples crew transforming back into a hybrid cable crew with ground based harvesting, but with a lot

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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 24 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

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more capability and a solid base of cable experience to guide them through the challenges of pricing and logistics in the steeper ground.

The trees in this current block are a mix of pine and eucalyptus which is 32 years old. The eucalyptus that is over 400SED is going to a local mill for flooring while the smaller eucalyptus logs are going to a firewood merchant.

The piece size in here averages about 1.6 tonnes for the pine while the gum trees, being a lot denser wood, are around 2 tonnes.

“The gums are much heavier and more difficult to deal with,” says Dave. “They have to be debarked right away and the bark is stringy which tends to get tangled around the rollers on the processor, and then the logs are slippery afterwards, but we get through it.”

The JD959ML has done 2458 hours in its first year and a bit and Dave is very happy with it. It replaced a JD909KH, also with a directional felling head.

Dave says the reason he has committed to the John Deere product is the ease of serviceability, high uptime and low fuel consumption which equates to reduced daily operating costs as well as peace of mind when it comes to local dealer support.

Regular JD959ML operator, Carl, started out in his logging career 20 years ago with Nigel George doing part-time work with his brother while still at high school. He then started full time with Tony at Brand Logging in Canterbury running a Cat 320 fleeting and then went on to a bit of everything, a Cat 325/Satco feller buncher, Harvestline and the like, spending 11 years there all up.

“I worked for a few other crews after that and have been working in Dave’s crew for the last four years. I went from a JD909KH with a Woodsman multi-rotational fixed head up to the JD959ML and found it a smooth transition. All the same controls but everything is a bit better. Visibility would be one of the bigger differences I noticed with this machine. It’s got a wider field of view and better reach than the JD909KH. That and the FL100 head, it’s stronger and

Loading the eucalyptus saw logs into the bin truck for transportation to the mill.

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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 26 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

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a bit smoother than the old one. Plus it’s got greater grip strength,” says Carl.

Drummond & Etheridge Forestry Product Manager, Jason Huitema, says that impressive extra head strength comes down to the geometry of the grapple arms and large hydraulic cylinders, however the massive flow rate of the hydraulic pump, at 532 litres a minute, plays a pretty big role as well.

Some hard rock Carl says the old JD909KH had bigger, full length cleats, around 125mm. “That was great in some places, but this rock that we encounter around here would sometimes just break those grousers off. These grousers on the JD959ML are a lot shorter and tapered in an attempt to get some middle ground where they are big enough to hold the machine on clay hills when off the tether, but not so big that they snap off on the rock. And as for traction, you might get up that rock once but don’t try to come down it in the same place.”

Dave adds that the volcanic rock here is so slippery that it’s almost like it’s made of concrete or some kind of metal: “Not what you would expect to be driving over at all. Once you get on top of it in some places you just slide like a skating rink. And that’s where the tether comes into its own. The fact that we are shovelling down to the haul tracks; we need that ability to go up and down the same track more than once and you need that extra security. The topsoil is so thin on the surface, then it’s just sheet rock underneath it.

“The ideal scenario would be to have two sets of tracks, one with the shorter factory grousers for rock, and full length profile cut 125mm high grousers for maximum climbing traction in the dirt. What we have now is an acceptable compromise for the time being.”

So, what is this rock these guys are encountering? A bit of geographic investigation shows that Banks Peninsula is kind of what it looks like on the map, a big volcano. It’s actually two volcanoes that blew up more than five million years ago, one at

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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

August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 27

Above left: John Deere’s 9-litre engine powers the 959ML. Above right: the rear escape hatch.

Below (from left): Operators, Royce Sheffield and Carl Erceg with Drummond & Etheridge’s Jason Huitema, discussing the JD959ML’s performance.

Akaroa and one at Lyttleton, with the main rock being basalt with associated andesite and trachyte and smaller concentrations of rhyolite.

So Dave is correct when he says it’s like metal, as basalt is mostly iron and magnesium, the same stuff they make Stihl chainsaws out of.

Carl continues: “One block we were on last year at Port Levy had massive boulders the size of a ute. I’d be going along innocently thinking this is just a small rock sticking out of the ground that I could move if I needed to, but no, I had to weave my way around quite a few of them. You had to be really careful shovelling too, as those rocks are so slippery that they just send the stems flying down the slope at a hell of a speed. We were worried at one stage that some might end up in the harbour even though we were miles away from it.”

Dave had to set up a barrier at the bottom of the hill to stop stems getting away from them as a result of the rock, so it is a real challenge to safety and productivity to operate in this area.

A bright future Jason is excited about the future of forestry in the South Island with the conversion of multiple businesses to heating with wood and the move away from coal. “Dairy factories, universities and hospitals are all heading that way now so that is where I see the next boom for our industry,” he says.

Presumably part of that will be the use of more forwarders and mobile chippers but, more importantly, not being so reliant on the export market for taking the smaller part of the tree and the current roller coaster export market that we’re experiencing at the moment.

That 70-plus percent ground-based harvesting figure for the region also means the Cantabrians will be able to supply a large percentage of the forest harvesting waste required at an economical price and in relative safety.

Jason says the John Deere 959ML is one of the industry leaders at 26 degrees forward levelling and a look at the massive rams underneath controlling that tilt proves to be quite revealing. Both the JD959ML and FL100 are manufactured in the John Deere Dubuque

factory in Iowa, USA, and with the FL100 design being done under the same roof, it ensures best in class attachment integration with the base machine which certainly impressed our Iron Tester, Matt Lydon.

When the massive bonnet is hydraulically raised and swings out to the off side it reveals a vastly more open layout compared to the John Deere zero tail swing 859MH we tested in Kaingaroa last year, but then that extra tail swing and weight is required to counter the leverage of the extra 1.2 metres of reach on the boom. There’s also a lot more working space for mechanics under the hood and for the operator when cleaning out felling debris and dust from the radiators.

This model has the same Tier 2, 9-litre John Deere engine but it’s cranked up 30HP (10%) to 330HP. John Deere designed the FL100 specifically with steep slopes in mind and it shows. Key points are the outstanding grapple strength, arm durability, rotate/tilt power, plus ease of daily and routine service. The large capacity saw bar allows the FL100 to cut and handle trees from 110mm to 1000mm.

This Bonafide “jack of all trades” owns the steepest of slopes and shovels the heaviest of timber, all while getting better logs to the landing. Simply put, it’s a beast. And as the John Deere motto goes, it’s truly Built to Work.

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Iron Tester: Matt Lydon

STRENGTH, GRIP, LIFT AND LENGTH THE HEAD ON THIS MACHINE DOES seem to be really big at first but it doesn’t feel oversized when you’re swinging it around. Once you start handling wood with it though, it is out the gate in strength like I have never encountered before.

Climbing up into the cab, all the steps and handholds are mint and I see it has one of the jutting up sun roofs which is a first for me. You can see up quite a bit more which is good. Makes life a bit easier. The seat works adequately like you’d expect from John Deere including the factory fitted 4-point harness.

My regular job is just to fill in amongst the four crews at Brand Logging in north Canterbury whenever someone’s away. I also do the manual tree falling where the tether machines can’t get or if the trees are too big and rough.

I was real interested to have a play with the JD959ML/FL100 combination and found that the grip force is amazing, it just would not let go. On various machines we have had issues with grapple arms creeping open while machine assisting especially when pulling on trees really

hard but this thing just keeps on holding even to the point of pulling the digger right over rather than letting go.

Another thing that amazed me with this head was watching operator, Carl, reach about a quarter of the way out and with the head still on the ground – the head is strong enough that when you activate Harvester up, the tilt cylinders in the head can stand a whole 2-tonne tree up off the ground and swing it round.

This is awesome for turning trees on the hill or swinging them over fences. You can hold the whole stem up and turn it round.

I’ve never seen anything that would do that, it just blows me away that it would lift them up like that. It’s kind of like what you could do with a live heel. Real impressive. That’s a lot of power in the head to do that.

This machine has a longer boom than the John Deere’s at my work. It’s quite noticeably longer, maybe a couple of extra metres. That extra reach is real handy for the odd tree a bit further out of the way but you do get some rocking in the base so full reach work is kept to a minimum.

Iron Tester, Matt Lydon.

Other than that the balance is pretty good. The tracks have got extra cleats welded on so it sits and climbs well. Heaps of track power.

The saw is perfectly powerful and didn’t bog out on any of the trees I cut.

They’ve got a large corner post added to the machine guarding as well as additional guarding down by your feet on the front window. That’s a good idea to stop trees smashing in there.

I just ran this on Carl’s control settings rather than change it but I did use the speed control to slow all the controls down at first until I got a feel for it and then ramped it back up. Nice and simple controls. This would be a beautiful machine to run full time. NZL

Two edge trees being shovelled up the ridge track to assist the skidder with traction.

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S O I

© Li

IFICATION

SPEC S JOHN DEERE 959 ML – SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE

REFILL CAPACITIES (LITRES)

John Deere PowerTech-Plus 6090PSS 9.0Litre diesel.

246 kW (330 hp) at 2,000 rpm Gross power Peak Torque @1,900rpm = 246KW(330hp)

Fuel tank Hydraulic system (incl tank) Engine Coolant Engine Oil

HYDRAULICS Type Variable-displacement axial piston Main pumps Maximum Rated Flow 532 L/min. (141 gpm) Continuous Saw Pump Dedicated variable-displacement axial piston Maximum Rated Flow 114 L/min. (30 gpm) Attachment pump Attachment Pump Dedicated variable

displacement axial piston Maximum Rated Flow 135 L/min. (36 gpm) UNDERCARRIAGE Track shoe width Tractive effort

610mm 373kn

1080L 193Lts 48.9Lts 31.0 Lts

DIMENSIONS (MM) Track Length Width Height Ground clearance Felling and Shovelling Head Max cut Minimum tree diameter Operating weight including FL100

4.90m 3.30m 4.24m 770mm John Deere’s own, FL100 factory fitted 1000mm 110mm 41,500kgs

BOOM / ARM Model Max reach

John Deere 10.34m

Below from left: The John Deere FL100’s twin grapple rams; the protruding skylight is a good improvement and is only available on the ML machines; the view from the operator’s seat; the twin tilt rams on the FL100.

“

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Special Feature: State of the industry

FORESTRY IN THE DOLDRUMS?

Story & Photos: Jim Childerstone Forest Services

I

T WOULD SEEM NEW ZEALAND’S FORESTRY INDUSTRY HAS HIT the doldrums. Or is it just on a holding pattern until things, hopefully, turn for the better?

The export log price index was reported on a five-year low – hardly making the $85/JasM3 mark for top A grades. Then oops! Down another $2 in the export log price index in the July report. Earlier this year A grades were fetching up to $138 at wharf gate. Pruned grades up to $190 AWG. The domestic market was holding well, but the current downturn in housing stock development has put a damper on prices at mill gate (AMG).

We are told this is mainly due to escalating bank interest rates and high inflation – the investment appears to be drying up.

On top of that the Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) reports some logging crews are being stood down, and corporate forest owners have eased up on harvest volumes.

Along with extreme weather events and global market hiccups, conflagrations in Ukraine and Middle East, our forest industry is being hit.

Adding to the negatives affecting forestry is the general public’s vision, with some support from mainstream media, of landscapes covered in pine trees – the ugly sight of cutover harvest sites with debris awash over farmlands, rivers and beached after extreme weather events.

Plus there’s the monotonous green take-over of indigenous landscapes by exotic conifers of uncontrolled wilding spread, although they sequester carbon.

It’s proving something of an uphill battle for the industry to raise

Geoff Herbert’s chipping and firewood operation on a Wainakarua skid site for Blakely Pacific post-harvest.

34 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

the profile of forestry, but many forest owners are attempting to put this right.

Ernslaw One, which has taken some stick over the effects of the recent cyclones on the North Island East Coast, is now instrumental in the big clean-up.

Company CEO, Darren Mann, says although export prices have dropped considerably, “over the last three months Ernslaw has stayed true to our philosophy of valuing long term, and we have done this by keeping all our contractors working”.

This has meant easing back on production “slightly in areas of high exposure to the market, whereas in the Southern North Island operations we have continued to supply to our own mills at almost 100%”.

“In Southern Hawkes Bay we have continued to harvest at normal levels to ensure deck cargoes are available for our greater shipping programme, even though stumpages have been negative, and in Otago we have kept crews at normal levels where stumpages have been more positive than elsewhere,” he says.

Mr Mann explains that the company continues to review production levels monthly through the downturn.

“The company does not expect the situation in China to improve over the next few months. But we are hopeful that the demand for logs will pick up in response to the lowering supply and usual seasonal uptake.

“While there continues to be government stimulus in China to help reactivate the property sector by addressing liquidity gaps and lowering interest

Above left: Zero carbon resource: Essential oil distillation plant in action extracting from Douglas fir thinnings, Queenstown Lakes area.

Above right: Carbon retention: Writer, Jim Childerstone, cuts up Douglas-fir logs for Wakatipu builders on a Fernhill, Queenstown development, circa 1978. rates for first time home buyers, there isn’t a lot of likelihood that log prices will improve significantly before the end of the year,” he says.

Much the same sentiments were expressed by other forestry corporates such as Port Blakely, Wenita Forest Products, Dunedin City Forests and Niagara Sawmill.

One third of Niagara’s remanufactured products are being exported thanks to its upgraded plant, but production has levelled off.

Southland based Log Marketing’s General Manager, Greg Lindsay, explains that utilising and maximising domestic sawmill options along with working in with the Daiken MDF plant in Mataura for the lower end export option, and utilising pole markets as well, makes woodlots

economically worthwhile. It also helps if mills and processing plants are within close proximity to harvested blocks.

He believes current low export prices are “effectively unworkable”.

“Currently macrocarpa pricing and demand is strong, so that is another alternative as a gap filler for some crews. However it is a limited short-term option,” he says.

He explains that there has been a significant decrease in harvest production in the southern regions with harvest crews on 80% or less production, “or stopped altogether”.

“A big concern is trying to ensure that we can keep harvesting and cartage employees in the industry over the next few months,” he adds.

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DIAGNOSE • DESIGN • DELIVER

Special Feature: State of the industry

Above left and right: A two megawatt wood-chip boiler replaces a coal boiler, Christchurch Hospitals project.

Below left: Beech regeneration next to a Douglas-fir stand, Queenstown Lakes District.

Below centre & right: Steep slope afforestration on erosion prone Craigieburn Range Canterbury high country.

Forest Crown Research Institute 1960-70 trials.

Farm Forestry Association President, Neil Cullen, says the unfortunate situation we have now “is that the domestic market is easing off with high interest rates, and the export market is in the doldrums, so combining that with the uncertainty regarding the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the forest industry has few bright lights to guide it forward”.

Government tinkering with the ETS Government changes to the ETS could result in unintended consequences, curtailing forestry expansion, according to some stakeholders.

Some commentators are asking: Is the ETS really just keeping emissions from escalating? Really cutting back on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions?

Time is running out fast towards the ultimate possibility of animal, even human extinction.

However the government’s attempt to alter the ETS settings in July 2023 to cut emissions is causing “extreme concerns” among foresters.

So far forestry is the only climate change initiative that has been working to keep emissions low says the New Zealand Forest Owners Association (FOA).

That is while technology is developing to replace fossil fuels and other greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions.

So, apart from trees sequestering carbon, what are the other pluses to growing trees?

As a resource, the forest industry retains one of the lowest carbon

36 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

footprints of all other extraction and processing industries towards mitigating climate change.

This, compared with energy used in the extraction, mining, and processing of metals and rare earth minerals that form the basis for sustainable energy production such as wind, solar and battery storage for transport. An example being engineered laminated beams replacing steel in multistorey buildings for earthquake proofing.

Carbon retention can be maintained in multiple timber products – from timber framing to particle board, cladding, decking, feature decor, and furniture. New Zealand has the resources.

By-products such as wood resin processed into liquid fuel and solid biofuels from forest residues are replacing fossil fuels, albeit currently on a relatively small scale, but with huge potential.

Under research, the torrified wood chip experiment at Huntly Power Station to replace coal has been given the thumbs up by Scion Research.

Other projects include alternative biofuel/oil replacing fossil diesel oil for vehicle transport (Scion and other research organisations). And essential oil health-based essences extracted from wood residues (Port Blakely, North Otago trials, also Wilding and Co, Queenstown operation).

Ticking clock With only a calculated window of seven years before climate change reaches a critical peak in global warming, governments resort to some unpopular solutions.

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Special Feature: State of the industry

Above: Carbon farming on easy rolling Waitaki hill country – not popular with Beef+Lamb farmers.

Below: Zero carbon resource: Hector Egger factory, Cromwell, manufacturing all-wood housing components for Frankton development.

Hence the haste to increase the fastest growing and quickest carbon offsetting exotic conifers.

Pinus radiata, already established in New Zealand as production forests, is the principle species and the most cost-effective to increase plantings. Plus it’s the basis of our forest industry and vital to our national economy.

And carbon credits have added significant value for the grower. With the introduction of the ETS a couple of decades ago, New Zealand units were pegged at $25 per ton of sequestered carbon.

However these units have escalated to over $85/NZU when auctioned in the open market, and were predicted to hit triple digit numbers. The price has since dropped to between $35 to $37 per NZU. Thus, in the past few years medium and low productive farmland became a prime target by investors for permanent carbon farming. The only cost was getting trees into the ground, then left to do their own thing with nil other management regimes or harvest schedule.

38 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

The aim was to grow trees, surpassing livestock farming beef and lamb annual income per/ha (around $1500, year 2021 figures).

So, the spectre of land covered in a monoculture of pine trees resulted in adverse reactions from many quarters, led by Beef+Lamb farmers. This was also backed by conservationists and environmental groups.

The net result was that Government had to do something about it, hence the July 2023 ETS consultation document.

This lists four scenarios where potential land use restrictions may be mandated – none of which has found favour with forest stakeholders.

Seed selection has reduced radiata maturity to 25 years in some areas ready for harvesting. But with carbon farming, trees remain to grow permanently with no rotation factor, only to be replaced by indigenous forests at some stage i.e., nil log recovery.

Any forest expansion is now reported by the FOA as virtually being Continues on page 40

SO WHAT IS IN GOVERNMENT’S TOOL BOX TO BOOST THE INDUSTRY?

A

LEX WILSON, DIRECTOR FOREST ENGAGEMENT AND adviser Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service told NZ Logger about some of the existing work being carried out through MPI as a result of the two cyclones in the North Island, namely: • The Wood Debris Clean-Up Fund provides work to support out of work crews.

• The North Island Weather Event Fund helps isolated communities and time-critical industries with recovery.

• The North Island Weather Events Loan Guarantee Scheme.

“Working through all sectors of local communities we are building our forestry advisory service, supporting more tree planting, investigating joint ventures, transforming the ETS, helping grow the forestry and wood processing workforce and delivering the Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan (ITP),” he says.

Mr Wilson explains that global market pressures are exacerbating the challenges, “driving down prices for logs and demand for wood products. Currently New Zealand exports 60% of our harvested logs”.

The changing landscape has promoted the government commitment to the wood processing sector to meet emissions reduction and climate change with a $385.4m investment across a number of initiatives through Budget 22, he adds.

He says the ITP will drive the production of new low emission products and energy sources to underpin and support the transition to net zero emissions by 2050.

Goals include to grow the wood processing sector by 3.5 million cubic metres (25%) by 2030; to increase the use of domestic timber in construction by 25% by 2030; and grow export earnings from value-added wood products by $600,000m by 2040.

Also currently underway is consent activity of a collective in the Tairawhiti-hikuwai region to develop a bioenergy plant that turns woody debris into a mix of biodiesel and electricity to support the local community. Business models for continuous cover forestry as a viable alternative to clear felling are also being developed.

An allocation of $10.4m was given towards research into wood biomass from Budget 22 to look at slash recovery, transportation, processing methods and market options. NZL

DIA DG I ANGONSO E S•E D•E D S IEGS N I G•N D•E D L IEVLEI V RER

Special Feature: State of the industry

Above: Zero carbon resource: West Coast red beech being processed into products at Health Based Buildings’ Christchurch plant.

Left: Engineered wood framing on factory floor, Hector-Egger.

Right: Zero carbon resource: A wood chip boiler replaces Dunstan Hospital’s coal boiler.

Pictured is Richard Ireland of Pioneer Energy, Otago.

Continued from page 38 stopped in its tracks by the government’s consultation document.

The FOA believes the potential restrictions under the four recommendations will put investors off future plantings.

FOA President, Grant Dodson, says if any new regulations are implemented, this would “effectively wipe out any prospect of forestry contributing further to the New Zealand climate change targets”.

He goes on: “The 2024-5 plantings will be close to zero, jobs will be lost across the sector, creating a climate of great uncertainty where forest investor confidence is negative”.

The carbon uptake requested internationally by the IPCC Paris agreement, and locally through the Climate Change Commission (CCC), is to reduce overall CO2 emissions.

The CCC target is to reduce 2030 net emissions to 50% below gross 2005 emission levels. This will not happen under the new settings.

Right tree, right place?

Authorities need to distinguish production forests from permanent carbon farming forests before imposing regulations – the right tree in the right place mantra.

There is a strong lobby for replanting cut-over exotic forests with native vegetation – the transition option, natives replacing exotics.

Planting native trees takes longer time to maturity, has slower uptake of carbon and several times the cost to establish. Plus native trees tend to be site-specific.

Rules under the Sustainable Forestry Act allow forms of continuous cover or select stem harvest practiced in limited areas, such as beech forests in Western Southland and Buller.

Currently this is New Zealand’s only source of local hardwood.

The bulk is imported from possible unsustainable sources.

Prime polluters such as mining, manufacturing and fossil fuel extraction industries, could pay off their emissions through the purchase of carbon credits. Theoretically this balances greenhouse gas emissions through forestry CO2 sequestration.

The FOA emphasises the double whammy with the government’s consultation document causing potential decreasing forestry expansion.

Mr Dodson believes New Zealand will get even further behind its climate change targets. The net result? “The government spending even more than it needs to purchasing overseas carbon credits than if it 40 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

allowed forestry to expand in a sensible and measured way.

“Billions of taxpayer dollars wasted overseas buying carbon credits when the money could be used to build domestic forest investment and a more productive industry in New Zealand.”

This would include “more productive farms with diversified farming, forest and carbon revenues”.

“The overseas credits the government will buy will be 100% offsetting, totally against the CCC advice to incentivise emission reduction,” Mr Dodson explains.

The Farm Forestry Association’s Mr Cullen says the recent government announcement on land use restrictions for forestry may please some farmers who believe the ETS had tilted the pendulum too far in favour of forestry.

“However the repercussions of these policies, and the review options being considered for the ETS will inevitably include a reduction in demand and price for land which will impact on those farmers who wish to sell,” he says.

“We agree with the Climate Change Commission that New Zealand needs more forest, both exotic and native, but ideally this needs the right mix of incentives and control to achieve a steady level of afforestation in the right place which would be better for all parts of the industry.”

Mr Cullen explains that the forest Industry Transformation Plan (ITP), which is supported by all branches of the forestry industry, has proposed a road map “for our industry to improve value for both the grower and processing sector”.

“It also has an important part to play in enacting this plan, especially in the area of diversifying our forests,” he says. “This has to be aligned with our ability to process alternative species, and ensure architects and builders are looking closer to home for building materials.”

The Association wants the government to enact a promised Wood First policy for state-funded building to stimulate local processing.

“There are thousands of hill country farmers who want to do the right thing planting trees,” he concludes.

In the meantime Lammermoor Station owners, the Elliott family, have been run through the hoops for permission to plant about 70ha of a mixed pine wood lot at the back of their 5000ha property in Central Otago. NZL

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Silviculture

Good people, good business Migrant workers play an increasingly important role in silviculture. FISC CEO, Joe Akari, talked to KTM Silviculture’s Troy Mason about how he ensures the working relationship is successful for him and his Fijian workers.

T

ROY MASON RECKONS THE KEY TO SUCCESS WHEN employing migrant workers is to treat them like you’d want to be treated yourself.

Since July 2022 Troy has added 11 Fijian workers to his Mastertonbased silviculture crews. The co-owner of KTM Silviculture, with his wife Kelly, says the Fijian workers have helped him to continue to expand and build a high-production operation.

“I decided to bring them in because we had a huge workload and they’re reliable and hardworking guys,” he says.

Troy (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu) says he knew that, for the working relationship to be successful, he had to manage the social and emotional impact on his Fijian workers of being so far away from their families and communities.

“Being away from your family for such a long time is hard – I couldn’t do it. So I was aware that I had to make them feel 42 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

welcome, make them feel like part of our family.”

So he set about integrating them into his Kiwi crew and the local Masterton community.

“We got them involved in our local rugby club, Pioneer Māori Rugby. They’ve gone hunting and diving with me and the crew. The local community has been very accepting of them – they’re part of the whānau around here now.”

Troy thought it was important that the Fijian workers had somewhere to call home, rather than living in motels or camping grounds. So he’s taken long-term leases on two homes for them.

While all the workers had basic forestry training before they arrived, he’s continued to upskill them with additional training and assessments.

“Now they’re all competent across the board – something they’re proud of,” he adds.

Troy wanted to offer his workers a future in the industry, so he’s been supporting them to get three-year visas.

“An extra benefit of that is that, once they’ve got their three-year visas, we’ve been able to send people home for a couple of weeks to visit their families – which means a lot to them.”

Above: The KTM Silviculture crew starting work.

Below: Many of the Fijian crew are playing for Masterton’s Pioneer Rugby Club.

Respect both ways When asked about restrictions some employers place on what their migrant workers can do out of work time, Troy says his approach is to treat his workers the way he’d like to be treated.

“We don’t try and rule them. They’re human beings, they’re adults. Four of them have been to university, one used to manage a hotel, and another was in the navy. We respect them and they respect us.

“We try to make them feel at home here, so they have a community to socialise with, and good things to do after work and at the weekend like hunting or fishing or playing rugby. That way they’re not bored or lonely.”

One thing Troy’s workers really appreciate is how he pays them.

“All our workers start on an hourly rate. But as soon as their August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 43

Silviculture

Some of the Fijian crew members out fishing.

production outweighs that hourly rate, they go straight to a perpiece rate. That means they get paid for the extra work they do – it’s not me skimming off extra profit.”

Troy says he does this because it’s the right thing to do.

“You pay a man what he’s worth. If a man outweighs the hourly rate, he outweighs it. He goes on to a per-piece rate. These men send most of the money they earn home to pay for things like school fees or to get a new roof on their home. They’re good guys. They deserve to be treated fairly.”

But he also thinks it makes good business sense.

“There’s no incentive for someone to work hard if you hold them on an hourly rate. This gives my guys a real incentive because they know they can earn really good money.

“When they work hard my business benefits too, both financially and from building a good reputation. Forest owners know my guys are reliable, hard-working and produce good quality work.”

Walking the talk Troy’s approach to supporting his migrant workers aligns with his decision to become a Safetree Certified Contractor. He says it’s about ‘walking the talk’.

“It’s not enough to just talk about doing things safely, you actually need to put things into action and do them the right way. I found certification useful for that reason. For me it was about leading by example.”

That attitude and his care for his migrant workers, saw Troy selected as a finalist in the 2023 Wellington Gold Awards, which celebrate excellence in business.

His approach has been given the thumbs up from his Fijian workers too.

“There’s a lot about Troy but I think the best thing is that he’s a very family-orientated person,” says Niko Delai, originally from Nadi.

“He’s always asking about our families, which is touching because that’s why we’re here – to earn money to send to our families,” he adds.

44 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

Troy Mason, co-owner of KTM Silviculture.

“He cares about his workers. For example, when we arrived in July, we were just wearing our clothes from Fiji – we didn’t know it would be so cold! Troy and his wife Kelly came to the airport to pick us up and the first thing they did was take us to the Warehouse to buy us all warm clothes.

“Troy will notice if we are feeling homesick or down and he’ll say, ‘okay boys we’re going out hunting today’.”

These small acts of kindness mean a lot when you are so far from home, Niko says.

The rest of the crew were very welcoming too, says Mikka Varo, also from Nadi.

“They are very friendly. They made me feel at home, made us one of their own.”

Mikka says he also appreciates how open and transparent Troy is about money matters.

“He explained the contract to us, everything we are entitled to like sick pay and holiday pay. He encourages us to ask questions, to not be shy, and to talk about things.”

For Jimoci Vatunitu Seasea, from Nadi, playing for the Pioneer Māori Rugby Club has been a great way to get to know people in Masterton and feel more at home there.

“After training we have a meal at the club and talk and laugh.

It’s good.”

But the best thing about Troy is the way he pays his workers, Jimoci says.

“Our contacts said we’d be on an hourly rate for the first month.

But after two weeks we were already doing more work than should be done in an hour. So, after two weeks Troy started paying us by the tree.

“From that moment on, we were loyal to him. Even if someone else tries to get us to go work for them, nah, we’re loyal to Troy.

We’re planning to stay with him for the rest of our lives!” * A video made by Safetree about KTM Silviculture’s approach to its migrant workers gained more than 360,000 views across Facebook and TikTok. Watch it at: https://fb.watch/kzN0TlfPHD/ NZL NZL

Tall Timber

Greg Steward admiring a mature Agathis lanceolata, a conifer species related to kauri, during an exchange trip to New Caledonia with Sud Foret.

The champion of indigenous forestry A

FTER NEARLY FIVE DECADES championing indigenous forestry, Scion’s and possibly New Zealand’s longest-serving indigenous forestry researcher, Greg Steward has retired. He joined the New Zealand Forest Service as a trainee woodsman 49 years ago and went on to hone his expertise in managing kauri, tōtara and indigenous hardwoods in plantations.

Greg grew up in South Auckland and was first exposed to forestry when, after leaving school (and failing science) at 16, he joined the Woodsman Training School in January 1975. One of 50 trainees in his intake, he learned about silviculture with the idea that after three years, he’d be qualified to supervise forestry silviculture gangs.

His first two years were spent living in a hostel at Kaingaroa, felling trees and cutting logs. He says the worst jobs were planting young trees in the middle of winter or working in the nursery with bare hands during frosty mornings when temperatures plummeted to as low as minus four degrees Celsius.

By contrast, his favourite job occurred during his group’s first summer together.

“About 30 of us were driven out by bus to the 46 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

middle of Kaingaroa where there was about 200ha of dry cutover pine forest. We were given litres of diesel, boxes of matches and they told us to set fire to it all.

“We looked at each other and thought, ‘And we get paid!’ It was a teenage boy’s dream.”

He was one of four trainees who, in their third year, continued their training at what is now Scion. Exposed to different research areas, it was the Indigenous Silviculture research group that impressed Greg the most.

After completing his training, he joined the group and worked alongside indigenous forestry scientists in the field. He recalls how they’d spend Monday to Friday in forests like Pureroa west of Taupō, living out of huts and sleeping bags, only returning home at weekends.

“We were doing everything from indigenous production forestry research through to identifying reserves and mapping forest types. A lot of logging and planting trials; it was very physical work and I’d never been so fit,” says Greg.

Occasionally, it could even be dangerous work, he adds: “We were working in some of

the most remote forestry areas of the North Island. There shouldn’t have been anyone else around but occasionally you’d get the odd hunter come through poaching, most often during the roar. We were shot at by certain people who didn’t want us there.”

Having spent so much time in New Zealand’s indigenous forests, studying rimu, mataī, kahikatea and kauri, Greg has mentally mapped the landscape they grow in.

He recalls working in Minginui during selection logging trials when he and a group of science trainees challenged themselves to deliberately get lost in the forest: “It was pointless, we knew those forests so well that after five minutes of walking, we knew exactly where we were.”

Even now, he can be shown a tree on a computer that has been assessed using LIDAR technology and, just by its shape or the way its trunk swells, he’ll know it’s exact location, he says.

Reflecting on his career, Greg acknowledges the researchers who came before him who were generous in their support, allowing him to grow and take on new responsibilities.

“Almost everybody you come across adds to your store of knowledge, and it’s sometimes the people you least expect it from.

“The person I most want to acknowledge is Tony Beveridge who was a very kind and intelligent person – one of those oldfashioned gentlemen. He took me under his wing in my early days.

“He was very respected and knowledgeable about indigenous trees, having worked in Pureroa in the 1950s. But he was always interested in our observations as younger people in the forests as he knew that how we saw things would add to his observations.”

Passing the baton Greg’s legacy will be built on through the work of other scientists who are now ‘picking up the baton’ and championing the value of indigenous trees for their economic potential and special timber qualities.

But despite entering retirement, his expertise won’t be lost after he has agreed to serve as an Emeritus scientist – a mentoring role that enables him to keep sharing his considerable knowledge.

In becoming an Emeritus scientist, he will continue providing support to the next generation of indigenous forest researchers.

“As you get to a senior position, you shouldn’t become a roadblock to other people coming through with new ideas,” he says.

“Ki-Taurangi Bradford in Te Ao Māori at Scion and researchers within David Pont’s research group are all showing interest so

Greg Steward In his element admiring kauri.

I’m looking forward to mentoring those who are coming through.”

“We’re so pleased that Greg will be joining our growing cadre of Emeritus researchers who, while officially in a new phase of their lives, continue to serve our science community,” says Scion Chief Executive, Dr Julian Elder.

Principal Scientist, Dr Brian Richardson, adds, “Through Greg’s research, we’ve been able to appreciate indigenous trees for reasons other than conservation; to make that difference is amazing. It’s remarkable to see how that has benefited our organisation, New Zealand forestry and society.”

Scientist Dean Meason agrees, saying Greg’s passion for indigenous trees and for their timber is strongly evident: “When you spend time with Greg, it is very clear that everyone looks to him for his knowledge. He is hugely admired by iwi and the community wherever he goes. The findings of his

research trials and papers will benefit us for years to come.”

During his career, Greg authored and co-authored papers on indigenous tree species looking at their qualities, and timber production modelling, with specific emphasis on managing kauri, tōtara and indigenous hardwoods for production.

In 2020, his contributions were acknowledged with a Science New Zealand Individual/Lifetime Achievement Award.

His thesis on the growth and yield of New Zealand kauri awarded him with a Master of Forestry Science (Hons) in 2011 and dispelled many myths around the growth potential of plantation kauri. His research showed that kauri stands aged 20 to 60 years were 20 times more productive than natural stands – work that blew the estimated kauri crop rotations of hundreds of years out of the water.

Projects he has both led, and been

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August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 47

Tall Timber

Above: Scion General Manager for Te Ao Māori and Science Services, Hēmi Rolleston, presents Greg Steward with his special taonga carved from tōtara.

Below: Greg Steward, who failed science and left school at 16, has become Scion’s, and possibly New Zealand’s, longest-serving indigenous forestry researcher. involved in, have strongly influenced the position that indigenous forestry is now moving towards, as demonstrated in the successful Tōtara Industry Pilot programme in Northland.

Relating to that project, and as a parting gift from Scion, at a farewell function earlier this year, Greg was presented with a carved hoe (paddle) carved from tōtara

by Grant Hamarama Smith Marunui (Ngāti Hurungaterangi, Ngāti Te Kahu, Ngāti Rangiteaorere, Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Manawa and Ngāti Rangitāne) and Kawana Waititi (Te Whānau-a-Apanui).

General Manager for Te Ao Māori and Science Services, Hēmi Rolleston, says he was privileged to present the taonga as Greg “rowed off” into his next phase.

“A legend in indigenous forestry, Greg is a rangatira who has been dedicated to his work and is going out on top.

“Like the tōtara, he has weathered storms but stood strong and seen lots of growth around him. Because it is so highly valued, tōtara is a symbol of chieftainship and nobility in Māori culture, so it is very fitting that his taonga reflects those special values.

48 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

“And just as the tōtara tree provides shelter for all those who seek refuge under its branches, Greg has been a source of comfort and guidance for many people at Scion over the years. It’s wonderful that can continue in his new role as an Emeritus scientist.”

Unlocking potential After dedicating his life to his love of New Zealand’s indigenous forests – from his first days as a trainee woodsman in Kaingaroa, to being the driving force for indigenous forestry at Scion, Greg is satisfied that he’s stepping away from the coalface having left enough research for others to build on.

“There’s enough stuff out there now to go away quite confident that people should be able to harvest indigenous trees if they get good quality seedlings and look after them, that it’s something they can do within their lifetime.

“When I started we were talking in rotations from planting to harvest of about 250 years. We were trying to replicate the old forests because that’s what we thought we had to do.

“Then we started to do more intensive research. Now I would say relatively confidently that you can get down to 80 years, and with silviculture and breeding we can probably get down to 50 or 60 years to produce a harvestable tree and a useable product.

“We must unlock the economic potential of these indigenous species. In that way, people become more likely to invest.” NZL

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FICA.ORG.NZ

your voice The voice of forestry contractors since 2002

Model Contract Template ready to launch, 3 years in the making A MESSAGE FROM PRUE YOUNGER, CEO, FICA More than three years in the making, a new Industry Model Contract Template is about to be launched available to the New Zealand forestry industry.

A project led by FICA, with an advisory board made up from FOA, NZFFA, FISC, NZIF and Worksafe, the idea of an Industry Model Contract Template was born pre-COVID. FICA CEO, Prue Younger, says there was a widespread need to bring contracts up to date and fit for purpose. The initial step of reviewing contracts was an eye-opener and a good reason to pursue this project where essential clauses were completely missed out.

“While the forestry industry is dynamic and ever-changing, forest contracts don’t reflect the current contractual environment. Most contracts are made up of cut and paste versions and clauses, and they’re no longer fit for purpose,” she says.

Designed as a downloadable Word document template, the template can be used by principals and forestry contractors.

It is based on the NEC term service short contract and has been modified to fit the uniqueness of the forest industry, with flexibility to fit each different situation. The implementation of NEC contracts for some 15 years in New Zealand has resulted in major benefits in terms of time, cost and improved outcomes.

With a simple structure, simple language and an easy-to follow format, the model contract is designed to make the process of developing and agreeing on a new contract more collaborative and simpler for everyone.

Ms Younger says it’s about transforming industry relationships.

“Within forestry, stakeholder relationships in the supply chain have consistently been recognised as critical. While the dynamics can often be different between corporate and smaller-scale operations, the relationship between Principals and Contractors is critical to industry success,” she says.

“Contracts are the foundation for these industry relationships and it is essential that a strong culture between the two parties is maintained.”

While every effort has been made to involve forest principals in the development of the template, there have also been some disappointing setbacks while piloting the template.

Industry Advisory Group: 50 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

“We piloted the model contract template with a couple of key forest managers. Unfortunately, in both situations, there has been some disappointing pushback,” says Prue.

“Like many industry corporates, we have been advised that potential pilot companies would have to continue using their overseas parent company’s contract, which is really disappointing given there was an appetite and willingness at a local level,” she says.

Making it part of government contracts is also difficult as there is the sub-contractor model to convince through the supply chain. “The whole aim of this project is to make local contracts fit for purpose and tailored to our local industry.

Reverting back to an overly-complicated international contract is not ideal,” she says.

While not everyone will be able to use the Industry Model Contract Template due to these individual corporate requirements, it is hoped that overall it will make the process of developing and agreeing on a new contract simpler for some.

“We’re especially hoping some of those smaller players and woodlots who aren’t bound to these multinational corporate requirements will benefit from this templated approach,” she says.

“If we can make things a bit simpler, fairly respectful of both parties and fit for purpose, hopefully everybody wins.”

See more at www.fica.org.nz/model-contract-template/

Prue Younger CEO, FOREST INDUSTRY CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

Brady’s Safety Yarns As we all are aware, the state of the industry is pretty average at the moment, and we are all going through some tough times. In fact, the last few years since COVID have been tough for a lot of contractors and what we are experiencing now is almost the final straw for many.

With all of these factors in mind we need to be looking after our own and our mate’s mental health. You can do this by checking in with your mates. Create small network groups where you call/text each other daily to check in to see what’s happening. Send the funny pictures around the group to give everyone a laugh. Go down the pub for a beer or go and do some sort of activity away from forestry.

Fitness is a big thing. Just stop and go for a walk or a bike ride. Get out in the fresh air with the phone on silent for 30 minutes just to chill out.

If you are feeling down, make sure you reach out to a mate and have a yarn with them. And, remember, if a mate does reach out, respect the situation, as they respect and trust you enough to reach out for a yarn. Give your mate the time and listen to what they have got to say; you don’t need to give advice just listen.

Look after your staff. Use the tailgate meetings in the morning to gauge how your staff are. Are they their normal selves or do they seem a little quiet this morning? If the situation arises where someone is not their normal self, ensure you step in and have a yarn with them. Ask them if they are all good. Is there anything we can do to help? Have the conversation with your staff during tailgate or safety meetings setting the environment and creating the feeling where anyone can ask for help or speak up if they are needing to talk to someone.

It’s times like now more than ever we need to step up and look after our staff as best we can, and our mates. Having a good, positive yarn with someone regularly can do wonders for your and their mental health. And remember, tough times don’t last but tough people do!

Brady Clements HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSULTANT

Woodsman Pro introduces its new DFH1350 to the market The all-new DFH1350 is equipped with all the features you’ve come to expect from Woodsman Pro plus one new game-changing feature that makes harvesting on slopes faster, safer and way easier.

The tilt-angle lock feature of the brand new DFH1350 gives the operator the power to dial in, and lock in the exact angle of attack of the felling head making harvesting on any angle child’s play. The large capacity main saw will single cut all but the biggest (≤930 mm) stems, with a 60cc hydraulic saw motor delivering increased torque for fast, reliable cutting.

Weighing 2.4 tonnes, the DFH1350 is designed to be installed on any 25-40

tonne base machine and capable of high production felling, shovelling, bunching, sorting and loading of stems and logs with optimum operator safety and comfort.

The head also includes features such as sensors for recording diameter at breast height, saw bar position sensor for real-time display of the saw position, hoseless saw unit and auto chain-tensioning. All new heads come standard with the Loggic Felling Head control system that enables GPS positioning and PDF maps.

For more information head to the Woodsman Pro website or contact INFO@ENSIGN.CO.NZ

WOODSMANPRO.CO.NZ

August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 51

YOUR VOICE. WHAT DOES FICA DO? As the voice of contractors, FICA aims to partner with other forestry entities and work in collaboration to support the growth, capability and promotion of the forestry industry throughout New Zealand. Here are some of the latest programmes and initiatives FICA is delivering and/or contributing to.

GOVERNMENT ADVOCACY FOR CONTRACTORS AND WIDER INDUSTRY ISSUES

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING INITIATIVES INCLUDING BE A MATE IN FORESTRY NATIONAL PROGRAMME

INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION PLAN INVOLVEMENT

NATIONWIDE RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN

WINCH ASSIST / YARDER TOWER INSPECTION / HAULER GUARDING BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES (BPGS)

DEVELOPING BUSINESS MODEL OF SILVICULTURE

REVIEW OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (ROVE) INVOLVEMENT

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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.

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Safety/performance/quality

Thin to waste top performers VALUE ADD, THAT’S WHAT THE FOLK IN this category do, all day every day.

We’ve said this before and will restate it, all the value-add decisions are made by our silviculture contractors in the first ten years of the rotation, and these guys continue to set the benchmark against which everyone else is compared.

Apart from the headache it can cause in the competition, we are absolutely delighted with the results achieved by, not only the folk recognised in this issue, but a lot of the other participants who are running very close behind these guys.

The chart below illustrates just how close this is getting.

So, congratulations to all participants who, whether they realise it or not, push folk in crews all around the country to be better, every day!

This issue we have included photos of top thin to waste performers as well as more of our harvesting participants.

Ka mau te wehi! Awesome individuals, awesome teams and awesome people behind the scenes supporting them in what they do!!

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 Logging, Bluewood Logging, Storm Logging, Onward Logging, Down and Out Logging, Forest Pro Logging, Eastside Logging, Lahar Logging, Moutere Logging, JD Harvesting, Whisker Logging, Kimberly Logging, Dewes Contractors, Dempsey Logging.

Into safety?

Into performance?

Into quality?

Contact Shane Perrett on 0274 781 908, 07 3483037 or at primefm@xtra.co.nz. NZL

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.

THIN TO WASTE FIRST PERIOD 2023

Estate

Crew

Participant

Result

Port Blakely

Inta-Wood Forestry

Dion Kahi

1st Equal

Port Blakely

Inta-Wood Forestry

Paetawa Toko

1st Equal

Port Blakely

Inta-Wood Forestry

Aaron Motutere

1st Equal

Ernslaw One

X Men Forestry

JR Te Ngahue

1st Equal

Ernslaw One

X Men Forestry

Kalib Te Ngahue

1st Equal

Ernslaw One

X Men Forestry

Russell Te Ngahue

1st Equal

54 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

Safety/performance/quality

Mike Hurring Logging – Dave McKee.

Mike Hurring Logging – Kelvin Stratford and Tex van Rossen.

X Men Forestry – Kalib, Russell and JR Te Ngahue. (Lenny Pullan, absent).

Bluewood Logging – George Whyte and Clint McIvor.

The team at Inta-Wood Forestry – Aaron Motutere, Adrian Watson, Dion Kahi and Paetawa Toko.

August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 55

CAT FOREST MACHINE FOR REED CONTRACTING

JOHN DEERE FOR TRIMAX LOGGING

Chelsea and Scott Reed of Reed Contracting Nelson recently took delivery of a new Next Gen Cat 538LL forest machine that features the updated rear-entry operation station. Operator, Cameron, says he loves the safety, power, controllability, vision and onboard features of the Next Gen beast. Machine sold by Nelson-based Jayden Peek, Territory Account Manager Forestry.

Trimax Logging based in Rotorua has taken delivery of a new John Deere 3156G. Working in the Tarawera Forest for Manulife Forest Management, Trimax supplies stems to the Kawerau processing yard. The 3156G was set up with a high rear-entry cab and a custom Ensign grapple with a built-in cut-off saw. Machine sold and serviced by Brandt Equipment.

SOUTHSTAR FOR P J & D A STEPHENS

NEW CAT FOR CREW 33 LIMITED

P J & D A Stephens Logging Contractors have taken delivery of a new Southstar QS630 running the new Logmate 510 control system. Machine sold by Adam Aldworth from Quadco group NZ.

Crew 33 Limited has recently taken delivery of a new Cat 330GC into its logging operations in Tokoroa. This machine replaces an 18,000-hour Cat 324DFM and features guarding by Woodsy Engineering and an Ensign 1730 grapple. Operator, Phil, says he is very happy with the 330GC performance and smooth operation.

Machine sold by Mark Costello, Terra Cat Territory Account Manager Forestry.

56 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

50TH NZ SANY GOES TO FAST HARVESTING

NEW SANY FOR FAST FRONTIER

The 50th New Zealand forestry Sany has been delivered into the bush! Another SY330H for the team at Fast Harvesting and working out of Atiamuri, this machine has a full Ensign guarding package and a Woodsman Pro 750 harvesting head. Sold and serviced by Shaw’s.

The Fast Frontier crew in Tokoroa has taken delivery of a new Sany SY330H. This machine is fitted with an Ensign 1730C grapple and guarding package. Machine sold and serviced by Shaw’s.

NEW CAT FOR MAUNGAWARU LOGGING

WEILER SKIDDER FOR H & R HARVESTING

This new Cat 938K wheel loader is a recent addition for Maungawaru Logging. It features Ensign log forks and replaces an older 938H. Operator, Lane, was stoked with the new arrival and put the machine straight to work. He says the 938K is much smoother compared to the older loader. Machine sold by Mark Costello, Terra Cat Territory Account Manager Forestry.

This Weiler S550 skidder is a recent delivery for Rotorua-based H & R Harvesting owners, Rod and Ngahuia Hubbard. The S550 is being used in a ground-based crew showcasing speed and machine functionality through the cut-over. Along with low maintenance costs this new Weiler is proving to be a great addition, says the crew. Machine sold by Mark Costello, Terra Cat Territory Account Manager Forestry, Rotorua.

August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 57

Delivering the solutions

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With our 400 tonne hydraulic Track Press, we can service & rebuild any make or model of Excavator & Dozer Chains that need pin & bush turns or other track repairs!

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CALL US ON 0800 654 323 TO DISCUSS YOUR NEEDS Head Office: 32 Robertson St, Westport Auckland Branch: 14 Hobill Ave, Wiri

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27/02/23 9:15 AM

NZ LOGGER classified

FOR SALE

Cat 320DFM Log Loader: LL spec, logger boom, heel, Ensign grapple, 17,985 hrs

Cat 330B / EMS Winch assist: 2016 EMS Tractionline MK2 winch set

Cat 324DFM Log Loader: LL spec, logger boom, heel, Ensign grapple, 25,000 hrs

Cat 552 SeriesII Level Swing Feller Buncher: Woodsman FH1350 head, 5,350 hrs

Cat 325DFM Log Loader: GF spec, std boom, heel, Ensign grapple, 19,415 hrs

Cat 538LL Log Loader: LL spec, logger boom, heel, Ensign grapple, 9,645 hrs

Cat 336D / EMS Winch assist: 2018 EMS Tractionline MK3 winch set

Tige Grap 9,88

Bell Rece

Kob Mac Full 10,7

Cat 552 SeriesII Level Swing Feller Buncher: Satco 630H head, 4,016 hrs

LG33648A

Viewing Dates: 8th August to 14th August Location: Link Road, Taupo Acme Motorised Carriage Tenders close: 5pm Monday 14th August Lots can be sold prior and are offered “unless sold prior” Contact: Peter Wilson

60 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

Mobile: 0274 948 742

Contact: Robbie Fitzsimmons

M

NZ LOGGER classified

BY TENDER Komatsu D65P-12: Cab, sweeps, Komatsu winch, 16,445 hrs

Sumitomo SH350HD-5 Processor: Full guarding, Woodsman PRO750, 8,715 hrs

Bellis BE85 Tracked Tower Hauler: Recent refurbishment work set

.

Komatsu D85E-18: Canopy, sweeps, Komatsu winch

Kobelco SK300LC-10 Forestry Machine: Cat 336D2L Processor: Full guarding, H/W, linkage and bucket, Full guarding, Woodsman PRO850, 10,739 hrs 10,126 hrs

Komatsu PC400LC-8 Processor: Full guarding, Woodsman PRO800, 16,450 hrs

EQUIPMENT SALES Mobile:

027 635 5788

Contact: Phil Todd

Komatsu PC270LC-8 Felling Machine: Forestry cab, H/W, Woodsman FH1350 head, 10,505 hrs

BROKERS

Mobile:

0275 950 019

HIRE LG33648B

gn

Tigercat 635D 6 Wheel Skidder: Grapple arch, cleated rear chains, 9,885 hrs

August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 61

NZ LOGGER classified

2015 Active 60 Hauler

www.chains.co.nz

$525,000.00 (+gst)

(9000 hrs)

ENGINEERED WITH EXPERIENCE...

Clark Tracks from Scotland Single tracks Bogey Tracks 30.5x32 710/45-26.5 35.5x32 750/55-26.5 780/50-28.5

Chain Protection have been selling these brands of forestry Chains & Tracks for 20+years.

We carry spare joining links and tensioning tools We also have chains for cars, trucks through to graders

Chain Protection Services

Comes with all rigging, blocks, carriage and 5 electronic chokers. Machine is in excellent condition, ready to go to work.

Excellent service history.

Contact Rob bushlinefh@outlook.co.nz 027 5555 192

LG33490

Ph: 03 338 1552 E: info@chainpro.co.nz www.chains.co.nz

LG31497

Trygg Ring Lug Chains from Norway are available from 16mm to 25mm 23.1x26 30.5x32 24.5x32 35.5x32 28Lx26

STRONG & RELIABLE GRAPPLES STRONG && RELIABLE RELIABLE GRAPPLES GRAPPLES STRONG Made in NZ

Grapplesand andall allspares sparesinin Grapples stockwith withovernight overnightdelivery delivery stock

LG31252

SERIES852 852and and864 864 MMSERIES STRONG&&RELIABLE RELIABLE STRONG GRAPPLES GRAPPLES

Knight Logging Ltd

• M SERIES 852 AND 864 – STRONG & RELIABLE GRAPPLES • GRAPPLES AND ALL SPARES IN STOCK WITH OVERNIGHT DELIVERY • PROVEN AFTER SALES SERVICE

ProvenAfter AfterSales Sales Proven Service Service

ContactMarty MartyororBruce Bruce Contact Ph027 027324 3249091 9091 Ph 79Chambers ChambersStreet, Street,Tokoroa Tokoroa 79 enquiries@cdlloggrapples.co.nz enquiries@cdlloggrapples.co.nz

A DIVISION OF

August 2023 | NZ LOGGER 63

Swing Units for Madill’s & Kenworth Logging Trucks

Large Stocks of Heavy Alloy Cores & Completes Full Custom Build Service Fast & Efficient

sales@bopradiatorspecialists.co.nz

RADIATORS

GET THE RIGHT EXPOSURE THROUGH NZ LOGGER MAGAZINE AND CAPTURE THE FOREST INDUSTRY BUYERS DIRECTLY.

CONTACT OLIVIA TO ADVERTISE 027 685 5066

POA

JOHN DEERE 959MH. Approximately 8300 hrs. Southstar FD750 felling head attached, new undercarriage. Located in Whangarei.

US

AP32758

Madill Komatsu CAT Thunderbird John Deere Hyundai Tigercat Sumitomo

CHARGE AIR COOLERS

WE CUSTOM BUILD -STOCK, OVERHAUL & REPAIR WE MANUFACTURE THE BEST HEAVY DUTY CORES IN NZ

EXPOSE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE

OILCOOLERS

BOP Radiators Te Puke 07 5739109 Heat Exchanger Services Hornby Chch 03 3729240

LG32968

OILCOOLERS INTERCOOLERS

RADIATORS

CONTACT OLIVIA TO ADVERTISE 027 685 5066

Get the right exposure through NZ Logger magazine and capture the Forest industry buyers directly.

EXPOSE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE

NZ LOGGER classified

POA

POA

JOHN DEERE 909MH FELLER BUNCHER. 14,292 hrs. Waratah 623C attached.

Located in Hastings.

POA

JOHN DEERE 909MH FELLER BUNCHER. 12,374 hrs. Top rollers instead of plates, head refurb at 4k hrs. Includes Satco 630 felling head.

JOHN DEERE E300 FORESTRY CONVERSION. New machine with Ensign 1730c Grapple. Located in Rotorua.

brandt.ca/nz

Call Terry Duncan 027 285 1015 for current pricing.

Me

Wa

Nort Mec 64 NZ LOGGER | August 2023

Blen Onsi

FL100 Felling Head Suitable for carriers in 30 tonne + range.

Priced from $110,634.00 For more information contact:

New Product Sales Barry Gates 0272 727 496

Waratah FL100 Felling Head

USED ATTACHMENTS - Used product sales - Daniel Honore 021 531 376

Waratah 626

Waratah 626

#183 as traded.

Danfoss/TimberRite

#089 fully rebuilt.

Parker valve TimberRite

Waratah H290

WMAN750

To be refurbished

As traded. Less than 1000 hours. New edges fitted.

10%

10%

OFF

OFF

New Zealand Stock H626 As traded H626 As traded H626 As traded H626 As traded H626 As traded H626 Complete rebuild H626 As traded H626 As traded H626 As traded H625C As traded WMan 750 Near new H290 As traded Australian Stock H624C Complete rebuild H622B Complete rebuild H622B Partial rebuild H616C Complete rebuild H616B As traded

RRP $378.50+gst

NOW $340.65+gst

10% OFF

NZ$ 26,000.00 13,000.00 43,750.00 13,000.00 13,000.00 212,000.00 45,500.00 26,000.00 18,750.00 127,000.00 255,600.00 21,750.00 AUD$ 251,251.98 240,000.00 165,000.00 135,056.81 11,000.00

RRP $162.68+gst

NOW $146.41+gst

Delimb Covers Measuring arm spindle rebuild kit

All merchandise

Auto tension kit

Waratah Forestry Services 24/7 phone 0800 492 728 or +6 47 343 1550 Northland Mechanised logging services

CNI, Waikato, Wairarapa Waratah Forestry Services

Hawkes Bay Forestry Maintenance HB

Nelson Tasman Heavy Diesel

Blenheim Onsite Mechanical

Greymouth SM Hydraulics

Dunedin Heavy Diesel support

Southland Heavy Equipment Repair

Grease Nipple Kit

10% OFF

Komatsu PC300HW

Komatsu Forest’s Unique Forest Combinations The Komatsu PC270HW & PC300HW Extreme models have been developed by collaboration between Komatsu Forest & Komatsu Osaka Factory.

Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd 15C Hyland Cresent Rotorua, New Zealand John Kosar M: 0274 865 844 Paul Roche M: 021 350 747 E: info.au@komatsuforest.com