Special Council
Meeting
Farm Forestry Model
President
Patrick Milne patrick@cypress.co.nz
-Nelson
-Marlborough
-North Canterbury
-Central canterbury
-West Coast
Vice President
Denis Hocking jdhocking@xtra.co.nz
-Waitomo
-Taupo & Districts
-Hawkes Bay
-Taranaki
National Executive
John Dermer dermer@inspire.net.nz
-Middle districts
-Tararua
-Wairarapa
-Wellington
Ian Jackson ijacko@xtra.co.nz
-Ashburton
-South Canterbury
-North Otago
-Sthn High Country (north)
Neil Cullen cullen@farmside.co.nz
-Mid Otago
-South Otago
-Southland
-Men of Trees
-Sthn High Country (south)
Dean Satchell dsatch@xtra.co.nz
-Far North
-Mid North
-Lower North
-South Auckland |
Apology:
There hasn't been a
newsletter since December, sorry have been busy with a major overhaul
of the NZFFA website. Your feedback would be appreciated on the "new
look", follow the link www.nzffa.org.nz
- Dean
Special
Council Meeting 26 March
(Notes from the meeting)
The Future
Looking at the future of our organisation, councillors saw our primary
role as generating and providing information and education, and
facilitating the recognition of farm forestry as an optimum landuse,
and getting trees in the ground. Our critical mass provides an
opportunity to get something done and be a proactive role model. This
includes advocacy, policy and lobbying. We need more political
influence both with central and local government.
Sharing knowledge
Providing education and information was seen as of primary importance.
Knowledge is an asset, and we are the organisation of choice for
information. We are the number one source of information for
sustainable land-use. The big question is "should our knowledge be
available to everyone, or just our members?"
Other points:
-Information on alternative species- radiata pine was seen as a bit of
a "dead horse" and we need to look into the future at a hugely changing
scene.
-More research into diverse species, using our funds to seed projects.
-Put examples of successful tree growing in front of people and support
wise land-use with the right tree in the right place. Sharing our
knowledge and enjoyment of farm forestry, particularly at a local level.
- Tap into our knowledge online, use the web.
- We need to work on reliability of sharing knowledge, an issue with
being a voluntary organisation.
- Information network.
-Add value for members and the organisation.
-Biosecurity and other core areas need resourcing.
How can we look after
members/branches and their needs?
Self interest was seen as important. People do join for selfish
motives- to learn and profit, then share that knowledge. Serving
interests of our members was seen to be partly fulfilled by advocacy
and technical information which leads to profitable activities.
The
advocay role: wise, integrated, sustainable land use was seen to be
fundamental to the organisation. We are very well positioned with tree
planting and sustainable land use coming to the fore. Advocacy means
trees in the ground, which leads to more members.
Declining membership
Loss of membership and revenue was not seen as a stagnating
organisation, but more a sign of the times and the current sector
environment. We need to regain focus and concentrate on the
organisation ahead of the focus on membership.
Other points:
-Grow a strong organisation and occupy the moral high ground with the
use of trees on farms.
-Knowledge will lead to better production and financial success, which
leads to membership.
-We need to define our product and source different revenue streams.
However we don't want to become a money making ahead of the
fellowship/inspiration/enthusiasm our organisation fosters.
Structure
We need political advocay in Wellington, but administration and our
office don't need to be in Wellington.
Strengthening branches with Councillors was seen as important- why
should Executive represent branches? However Council need to become
more involved, active and lively- after all, Council are the policy
makers, Executive the implementers- and Executive reports to council.
However, presently the executive make decisions by default. This needs
overhauling. A strong democracy is important. Councillors are the
strength of the organisation. The strength of regions needs to come
through as seamlessly as possible, possibly by reducing
Councillor numbers, perhaps by a ward system. Task forces could be
introduced- they are good motivators. Council needs a way of doing
things away from conference, possibly via the newsletter or online
forum.
Three executive members representing each Island is out of date.
People outside of executive working on issues is important.
Special interest groups are the cutting edge of new knowledge and need
special attention- they are also the hardest to muster, being spread
around the country.
Temporary taskforces could be set up on issues.
We need to think of a way to energise members involvement- people with
energy do what they do best rather than bogged down in admin. Salaried
positions should perhaps do donkey work eg newsletters.
Dean Satchell
Farm
Forestry Model
A concept page of the
Farm Forestry Model is online with a banner advert for Husqvarna.
Councillors views would be appreciated for publishing in the next issue
of the newsletter.
Your executive favours building a free online resource accessible by
anyone requiring information. This website will be a major development
and asset for the organisation. Revenue streams would be generated by
banner advertising (and numbers of visits). This concept follows along
the lines of Lifestyleblock.co.nz
and certainly fits in with what councillors have said above.
Comments please!
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