Farm Forestry New Zealand

Conference 2023 “The new normal. Opportunity or threat?”

NZFFA Annual conference, 30 March to 3 April 2023 Timaru

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Conference 2023 - find out more »

Saturday 25 March 2023 10am to early afternoon

Venue: 2400 State Highway 50 (same entrance as Trinity Winery)

Bruce Wills & Jo Blakely have offered their new property as a venue for our AGM. For those of us familiar with Bruce & Jo's former property, Trelinnoe, this will be something very different. The 58ha block includes vineyards, an olive grove, a restored wetland and stunning views over Hastings, Havelock North, the Gimblett Gravels and the Ngaruroro river.

We hope to get as many of our members along as possible. It will be a great chance to catch up and share stories from what has already been a far-too-eventful start to the year.

Bring/Wear: Solid Foot wear, sunscreen, and a hat. We will endeavour to supply tea and coffee, but you may wish to bring along a thermos for your morning tea and picnic lunch. Bring a few dollars for our raffle.

Sunday 26 March 2023

Time: 10.30 a.m. start. Finish when the last person, or owners, have had enough.

Venue: Gather at Papaiti Forest, 737 Papaiti Rd. Travel through Aramoho and Papaiti Rd.  Runs up the western side of the Whanganui River.

Bring: Lunch, good footwear and anyone interested in growing, using, or just enjoying alternative timbers.

With one of the country’s leading alternative timbers timber yard at our doorstep we are planning a March field day that will focus on a unique cradle-to-grave opportunity to look at all stages of NZ grown, specialist timber supply and use.

In the morning we will visit the 32 year old Papaiti Forest established by Laurel Stowell & Richard Thompson, (founder and co-owner of “MacBlack”). This is a permanent production forest of mostly C. macrocarpa and blackwood. We will see recent logging and milling activities and there will be a chance to discuss management issues around ETS obligations, harvest, thinning and dealing with canker.

We will head back into town, briefly stopping at the MacBlack milling and drying yard on the way.

At MacBlack’s main Peat St. yard we will have lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided.

After lunch we will look at the new drive-through retail facility with a 25 metre long set of timber racks for self-service timber sales. This area is also used to pack and despatch out of town orders. There will be a discussion about grading, (with examples), managing customer expectations and minimising waste. Then we will look at the new processing shed with a de- humidifying kiln, Woodmizer horizontal band re-saw and Woodmizer planer/moulder, (4 sider). There will be a processing demonstration.

Finally, we will look through the joinery workshop and assembly sheds where doors, benchtops, furniture and other products are manufactured from the business’s own timber.  Co-owners Rachel (Rose) and Richard will share some of their successes and difficulties in growing a complex business into a largely undeveloped but full-of-potential market.

Enquiries: Sharn Hainsworth, Secretary, MDFFA, sharn@lucmaps.co.nz

Saturday 15 April 2023 12:45pm

Field Day at Richard Wildens Forestry Property

41 Saddle Hill Road at 12.45pm gather.  Drive down the drive, past the house and park near the firewood heap off the track.

Starting at 1pm sharp ready to walk around the tree blocks.  We hope to complete the tour by 3.00pm at latest then AGM.

Richard Wilden is an Architectural Designer and strong proponent of using natural wood in new house builds. His work can be viewed on www.richardwildendesign.co.nz 

Richard has been a member of Mid Otago Farm Forestry Assoc for many years and has a real interest in planting a range of exotic and native trees.  He is keen on working collaboratively with others on tree trials and long term management options. He purchased the property in 1991.

In summary some of the key things we will look at include:

• Richards focus is on “Continuous cover forest management principles” -Selective logging.
• The 30.4ha total block is planted in approx 4ha native bush (some natural) and 26ha of a variety of species which are all included in the ETS Programme-carbon managed forest.
• 1500 Oaks planted (and Hybrid Oak) and 8000 Blackwoods (Acacia melanoxylon).
• Cypress trial with 10 varieties and Euc Trial with 10 varieties.
• Examples of other tree species such as Veronese poplar, Red beech, Italian and Red alder (20yrs), Oregon, Macrocarpa, Ash, and Redwoods to name some. Most of the species planted have a construction added value.

Please Note

1. Wear appropriate footwear for the walk which will commence at 1pm sharp.    

2. If inclement weather is forecast or occurs we will postpone the day until the following   Saturday 22nd April, same time.

PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE FIELD DAY !!!

It is important to register beforehand for the planning re vehicle parking and later AGM meeting arrangements.

 Register to Murray Harris at murray@landandforestconsultants.co.nz  Or call or TXT at 021 616 605.    

AGM  3.30PM to be held at the DCC Downes Room at 7 Hartstonge St Mosgiel (Opposite the NW Supermarket). Cuppa tea and coffee will be served.  All welcome to attend (No Charge).