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Road engineering manual

New Zealand Forest Road Engineering Manual (pdf, updated February 2020)

The mobile friendly web version of the Roading Manual (2020) can be opened here »

Operators Guide

The mobile friendly Operators Guide for the NZ Forest Road Engineering manual can be opened here »

Earthworks Construction

• 1.1 Earthworks Construction – Planning and Design
• 1.2 Earthworks Construction – Clearing and Stripping
• 1.3 Earthworks Construction – Bulk Earthworks
• 1.4 Earthworks Construction – Fill Construction and Compaction

Erosion and Sediment Control Measures

• 2.1 Erosion and Sediment Control Measures – Water Tables
• 2.2 Erosion and Sediment Control Measures – Cut-outs
• 2.3 Erosion and Sediment Control Measures – Berms
• 2.4 Erosion and Sediment Control Measures – Road Drainage (Stormwater) Culverts
• 2.5 Erosion and Sediment Control Measures – Flumes
• 2.6 Erosion and Sediment Control Measures – Sediment Traps and Soak Holes
• 2.7 Erosion and Sediment Control Measures – Silt Fences
• 2.8 Erosion and Sediment Control Measures – Sediment Retention Ponds

Crossings

• 3.1 Crossings – Battery Culvert River Crossings
• 3.2 Crossings – Drift Deck River Crossings
• 3.3 Crossings – Ford Crossings
• 3.4 Crossings – Single Culvert River Crossings
• 3.5 Crossings – Single Span River Bridge Crossings
• 3.6 Crossings – Temporary Crossings

Tracks

• 4.1 Tracks – Track Construction and Use
• 4.2 Tracks – Track Rehabilitation

Vegetation to Manage Erosion

• 5.1 Vegetation to Manage Erosion – Grassing
• 5.2 Vegetation to Manage Erosion – Hydroseeding
• 5.3 Vegetation to Manage Erosion – Mulch
• 5.4 Vegetation to Manage Erosion – Slash

Harvest Slash

• 6.1 Harvest Slash – Managing Processing Slash on Landings
• 6.2 Harvest Slash – Managing Cut-Over Slash on High Risk Slopes
• 6.3 Harvest Slash – Managing Slash in and around Rivers
• 6.4 Harvest Slash – Slash Traps

• Harvesting Innovation Workshops
  G. West and J. Schrider, December 2019 (Access: unrestricted)
  From six workshops on harvesting innovation of small-scale forests, we have gained some very useful insights into recent developments. We have also updated a key group of levy stakeholders on…
• Report: Small-scale Grower Harvest costs and returns
  Graham West, June 2019 (Access: unrestricted)
  A previous survey of small-scale forest owners (SSFO) interests (reported in May 2017 Tree Grower) clearly showed a strong interest for more information around the harvesting and marketing segment of…
• Report: An alternative to clear-felling radiata pine
  Mark Bloomberg, Eric Cairns, Denny Du, Harriet Palmer and Chris Perry, February 2019 (Access: unrestricted)
  Background to the project Members of the project team all have a long-held interest in continuous cover forestry systems. In 2018 we obtained funding from the MPI Sustainable Farming Fund…
• When to harvest - That's the million dollar question
  November 2017 (Access: unrestricted)
  Determining the best time to harvest your woodlot can often feel like gazing into a crystal ball. We all know that the wood market can be volatile and naturally we…
• Are you harvest-ready?
  November 2017 (Access: unrestricted)
  Why being able to press go whenever you like is the smartest position to be in... If your forest is over 20 years old, you should be thinking about getting…
• What is the best way to sell my forest?
  November 2017 (Access: unrestricted)
  There is a lot of debate about the best way for forest owners to sell their trees/wood. The reality is that more than 90% of such sales in New Zealand…
• Forest Harvesting Engineering – making it work for you
  November 2017 (Access: unrestricted)
  Q1. I’ve got some gear – should I be building the roads and landings? Some forest owners like the idea of using their own gear, or friends or family to…
• Timber Harvesting in New Zealand
  Rien Visser, NZ School of Forestry, December 2016 (Access: unrestricted)
  Plantation forests occupy about 7% of the NZ land area and forestry and logging employ about 7,000 people directly. About 50,000 ha., or 25 million m3, is harvested each year.…
• Radiata harvesting
  Nick Kingsford, Northland Forest Managers, September 2014 (Access: unrestricted)
  Optimal time line to prepare for harvest: 2 years before harvest - begin the resource consent process (required if moving more than 5,000m3 of soil) 12-18 months before harvest -…

• Results of survey for small-scale forest harvesting
  Graham West, August 2019
  This project was aimed at improving the knowledge and investment experience of small-scale forest owners during the harvesting phase. The research used input from farm foresters and harvesting management consultants over…
• A new phase of science innovation
  Russell Dale and Harriet Palmer, May 2019
  Contributing to a low-carbon future for New Zealand, boosting forest productivity and health, reducing environmental impacts and improving worker skills and safety, are all behind a new science innovation strategy…
• Can target diameter harvesting work in radiata pine plantations in the lower North Island?
  Mark Bloomberg, Eric Cairns, Denny Du, Harriet Palmer and Chris Perry, February 2019
  In March 2018 a team of continuous cover forestry enthusiasts embarked on a feasibility study. It was funded by the Sustainable Farming Fund and was to investigate the potential for…
• New automatic coupler will cut harvesting costs for owners of small forests
  Keith Raymond and Harriet Palmer, February 2019
  A new harvesting tool – the automatic quick coupler – is almost ready for commercial use. It has been developed as part of the Steepland Harvesting Programme, and is particularly…
• Logging day demonstration
  Julian Bateson, February 2018
  On the last day of the conference was an extra field visit to Greenock Forest. This was a demonstration day about harvesting research work funded predominantly by the levy. Woody…
• Evolution or revolution in harvesting?
  Keith Raymond, November 2017
  As many small-scale growers prepare to plan to harvest their forests and woodlots planted in the 1990s, there is a quiet revolution being planned in how harvesting these forests on…
• Levy funded Transportation Committee
  John Robinson, November 2015
  The Transportation Committee has a work programme to complete on behalf of the wider levy paying community. This programme aims to represent the interests of all forest growers in matters…
• The CutoverCam hauler
  Paul Milliken, November 2014
  The CutoverCam is a new hauler system which provides improved vision of the working area for the hauler operator. It helps to improve safety and increase productivity by giving the…
• New harvesting technology for a safer future - Challenges of harvesting steep land
  Keith Raymond, November 2014
  The large areas of forest planted in the 1990s, now aged 15 to 21 years, are expected to reach harvesting age from 2018 onwards. As harvesting increasingly moves into these…
• Harvesting a private woodlot
  Darrin Collett, May 2014
  This article focuses on harvesting and marketing a woodlot at Kaukapakapa, north of Auckland. During my 23 years of experience in forestry I have found that harvesting and marketing private…
• After the harvest
  Graeme Flett, November 2013
  Congratulations. You have waited a long time for your harvest, but before you go off to spend the profits there are some things to consider. The first is what the…
• Harvest surprise
  Malcolm Mackenzie, August 2013
  We have recently harvested a woodlot planted in 1989. The planting regime chosen was as a result of a Waitomo branch farm forestry branch trip to the Bay of Plenty…
• A Wellington Regional Council perspective on harvesting
  Christina Schierlitz, February 2013
  Regional councils in New Zealand have a responsibility to look after the natural resources in their districts. This includes land, water, air, soil, minerals, energy, plants and animals. Harvesting trees…
• What to do when that arrangement with your contractor turns sour
  John Schrider, February 2013
  All farm foresters reach a point in their tree growing when they must decide to cut all emotional ties they have with the woodlot they have carefully established and nurtured…
• Harvesting mature macrocarpa – never judge a book by its cover
  Allan Laurie, February 2013
  This case study reviews a recent harvest project involving 17 mature macrocarpa trees harvested in south Canterbury. It is very much a story of being aware of what you are…
• Time to harvest that woodlot?
  Jeremy Waldegrave, February 2013
  Harvesting a farm woodlot is often the finale to years of input and interest given to your block of trees. The planning, the harvesting and marketing of your woodlot is…
• Once in a lifetime harvest of your woodlot
  Matt Hanna, November 2012
  Forestry is a long-term crop that gives forest owners the luxury of timing the harvest. However unlike most other crops, once the harvest is complete there is no next season,…
• Preparation for harvesting
  Ken Stephens, November 2012
  Quite a few years ago I was asked by a farm forester what the most important thing was when selling a woodlot. That really had me thinking for a while,…
• Increase profitability of harvesting - small-scale forests on steep terrain
  Keith Raymond, November 2012
  There are many challenges facing the forest industry due to decisions taken in the past. In the 1980s and 1990s the plantation forests in New Zealand increased significantly. Many areas…
• My trees have grown up – what should I do?
  Peter Gresham, November 2012
  This article is aimed at foresters who are contemplating managing their own harvesting and marketing. It is not advice about how to proceed or when to sell, rather it is…
• Harvesting radiata pine at Tinui
  Harriet Palmer, November 2011
  In April 2011 we harvested a 1.5 hectare block of 1985 radiata pine. The block was planted by previous owners of the land under guidance of Wellington Regional Council, and…
• Harvesting rules in the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry
  Elizabeth Heeg, November 2017
  This article provides an overview of harvesting activities in the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry. It is not intended to be used as guidance or as a replacement for…
• Evolution or revolution in harvesting?
  Keith Raymond, November 2017
  As many small-scale growers prepare to plan to harvest their forests and woodlots planted in the 1990s, there is a quiet revolution being planned in how harvesting these forests on…
• Continuous cover forestry
  Ian Barton, May 2009
  Continuous cover forestry is the management of forests using ecological principles which are patterned on natural processes so that the forest canopy is always maintained at one or more levels…
• Continuous cover forestry: Management practice
  Ian Barton, May 2006
  This is the second and final part of the article on continuous cover forestry. The first part was published in the November 2005 issue of the Tree Grower. Establishing the…
• Continuous cover forestry - an introduction
  Ian Barton, November 2005
  This article covers the basic principles of continuous cover forestry. The second part, due to be published in the February Tree Grower, will deal with establishment, silviculture and harvesting. Continuous…
• Log value recovery in a woodlot context
  Andy Dick, May 2005
  Commercial forest owners and forestry research organisations have over the years attempted to maximise returns by developing tools, processes and disciplines called log value recovery. If you have a good…

• Introduction to Continuous Cover Forestry: Eric Cairn's Blog, April 25, 2016
  Introduction The Wellington branch intends to run a series of articles and field days on Continuous Cover Forestry. Government policies, particularly in regard to Permanent Forest Sink Initiatives and in…
• Not all doom and gloom for alternative species: John Fairweather's blog, December 23, 2015
  The last issues of the North Canterbury branch newsletter covered some interesting issues associated with growing and harvesting alternative species. Two points stuck out to me. One was that there…
• Bare Hill's Hauler logging: John Purey-Cust Ponders, August 13, 2014
  A little while ago I went on a field trip to look at a logging operation at Bare Hill, a high and miserable pine plantation on the top of the…

• Trees for steep erosion prone land report released August 2018
  A report on alternative plantation forest species is now available on the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association website detailing the characteristics of a wide variety of tree species that are…
• Forest owners vow to deal with forest harvest slash June 2018
  Forest Owners say the industry is focused on measures to make sure a repeat of the recent floods transporting harvest debris out of forests and into Tolaga Bay isn’t repeated…
• Forest industry reputation damaged by mobilisation of forest harvest residues May 2018
  The successful prosecution of a forest management company by the Marlborough District Council has been endorsed by the Forest Owners Association. Merrill and Ring has been fined $39,000 and ordered…
• Forest industry backing judgment against forest companies April 2018
  Forest industry associations are supporting penalties imposed in the District Court against Bay of Plenty forest owner Whitikau Holdings and two harvesting contractors. The companies pleaded guilty to charges laid…
• Assessing the feasibility of a continuous cover forestry system for radiata pine in small-scale forests March 2018
  Wellington and Wairarapa Branches of the NZ Farm Forestry Association have received a Sustainable Farming Fund grant for a feasibility study to evaluate the potential for a continuous cover forestry system…
• National Environmental Standard a step up and forward for plantation forestry August 2017
  Forest Owners say the introduction of a National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry is vitally needed for better environmental outcomes. The government has just released the NES, to bring in…
• Timber Harvesting in New Zealand: A guide for Small Scale Forest Landowners February 2017
  This information resource has been produced by NZFFA with growers levy funding and is the first in a series of web-based information pages to be produced for growers. Timber Harvesting…
• Forest industry’s challenge to manage supply fluctuations August 2016
  The pan forest and timber processing industry organisation, the New Zealand Wood Council (Woodco) says there is a supply challenge for many regions in the domestic processing industry. Woodco Chair,…
• Council forestry rules a mishmash September 2015
  A forest owners’ spokesman says council rules for forestry are a mishmash which vary from district to district without good cause. Often they are also more stringent for forests than…
• Growing Confidence in Forestry’s Future (GCFF) Research Programme July 2015
  Updating you with the latest research from the programme Identifying the forest productivity gap, improved management of soil resources and efforts to study water quality in forested areas are a…
• National Environmental Standard –Plantation Forestry June 2015
  The NZ Farm Forestry Association is heartened to see that the proposed NES for Plantation Forestry was released for public consultation in Rotorua yesterday by the Dr Nick Smith, Minister…
• Forest standard will make it easier to be green June 2015
  Forest owners say they are thrilled that a National Environmental Standard (NES) for Plantation Forestry is within sight. Environment minister Nick Smith and associate primary industries minister Jo Goodhew announced…
• What science is the forest levy providing farm foresters? April 2015
  Growing Confidence in Forestry’s Future (GCFF) Research Programme: At the recent GCFF conference a wide array of results with direct relevance to farm foresters were presented by the scientists working…
• Media release: Remote controlled tree felling trial shows promise August 2014
  A successful trial in remote controlled tree felling could lead to significant advances in the safety of forestry harvesting operations. The trial was completed by the Steepland Harvesting programme—a partnership…