Farm Forestry New Zealand
Official website of the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association
Wind, Fire and Snow Risk
- Forest owners’ liability insurance
Jo McIntosh, February 2014
As we look forward to some sunny days, owners of standing timber might also want to give some thought to the increased risk which a hot dry summer brings. If…
- Risk and opportunity in forestry
Geraint Bermingham and Kevin Oldham, August 2012
If the last few years have taught us anything it is the notion that risk and uncertainty are a reality for anyone interested in future value. Some things may have…
- Risk management A farm forester’s perspective
Anders Crofoot, August 2012
Trees are a crop, and as with all crops there are a variety of risks. The risks vary not only with the season, but with the age of the crop.…
- Risk issues associated with the ownership of forest land
Blue Hancock, August 2012
This article will look at some of the more prominent and unusual risks associated with the ownership of forest land. I have a 30-year background in rural land valuation, specialising…
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Tree Grower articles
- Pigeon Valley fire New methods put to the test
Grant Pearce and Harriet Palmer, August 2019
The February Pigeon Valley fire near Nelson was New Zealand’s largest forest fire in more than 60 years. The fire burned over 2,300 hectares and caused the evacuation of more…
- The levy funded Fire Committee
Geoff Cameron, August 2017
The NZFFA has been represented on this committee for a number of years, giving small growers a say on a small but important component of forest and land management at…
- Scion Rural Fire Research Group – Understanding extreme fire behaviour
Richard Parker, Veronica Clifford, Tara Strand, Grant Pearce & Lisa Langer, May 2016
The Scion Rural Fire Research Group is New Zealand’s only provider of specialist fire research expertise in forest and rural landscapes.We develop science and technology to protect life and property,…
- Rebuilding after the Onamalutu fire earlier this year
Ket Bradshaw, August 2015
Marlborough forester Ket Bradshaw lost large sections of her Nikau Forest in a fire in February 2015. Here is her experience and the lessons learned in the aftermath. Wednesday 4…
- Forests, farms and fire
Michelle Harnett, May 2015
The most severe fire season for a decade is a reminder of just how vulnerable forests and farms can be to fire. Awareness, prevention and preparedness, with a little bit…
- Drought and fires ? another challenging time for forest owners?
Jo McIntosh, May 2015
It has been another hot dry summer which once again has increased the risk of fires in rural New Zealand. There have been some recent high profile fires which caused…
- Insurance for forest and rural fire liabilities
Jeremy Manks, February 2015
All individuals or businesses are exposed to liability for damage or personal injury caused by fire. However the Forest and Rural Fires Act imposes extra liabilities within rural fire districts.…
- Drought and the increased risk of fire
Tony Gouldson, February 2014
It has always been difficult to insure against the direct effects of drought. But it is less difficult to insure the increased risks of fire triggered by a period of…
- Fire management for small forests
Gary Lockyer, May 2012
Small forests are considered to be anything from a few trees to over 1,000 hectares. Whether you own or manage an exotic or indigenous forest, protecting it from fire is…
- What is risk management?
Jane Marsick, May 2012
All farms face risks which can potentially affect the assets or income. In terms of a small forest, many of the risks are fairly obvious such as fire or storm…
- Learning from Australia’s fires
Stuart Anderson, November 2010
When summer turns up its heat once again, we are often reminded of the bushfires that created such tragedy in Australia in February 2009. Although fires on that scale are…
- The levy funded Fire Committee
Geoff Cameron, August 2017
The NZFFA has been represented on this committee for a number of years, giving small growers a say on a small but important component of forest and land management at…
- Fire weather: The science behind the signs
Grant Pearce, February 2009
At this time of the year people often take more notice of the fire danger signs that appear along New Zealand’s rural highways. These half-grapefruit dials indicating low, moderate or…
- Information for Fire Response Protocol
Dave Gratton, February 2008
Fire danger is always a worry for forest owners during summer months. You can always minimise the possibility of a fire outbreak by using commonsense actions during those hot months,…
- Hot tips for fire readiness
Vivienne McLean, November 2007
With the headlines dominated by the Californian wild fires at the start of our fire season, rural fire prevention has assumed an even sharper focus than usual. David Hammond, the…
Fire and emergency New Zealand
- Rural fire and Safety
Fire and Emergency New Zealand has prepared the following material on rural fires and safety: Fires can start from the…
Other sources of information
- Rural Fire Guidelines (for farmers, woodlot owners, and contractors)
December 2019
- Guide to New Zealand fuels, A technical guide for selecting the most appropriate fuel type for Fire Behaviour Prediction
Clifford, V. R., H. G. Pearce and S. A. J. Anderson (2013).
- A field guide to New Zealand fuels
Clifford, V. R., H. G. Pearce and S. A. J. Anderson (2013).
- A manual for predicting fire behavious in New Zealand fuels - 2nd ed.
Pearce, H. G., S. A. J. Anderson and V. R. Clifford (2012).
- A manual for predicting fire behaviour in New Zealand fuels - 1st ed.
Pearce, H. G. and S. A. J. Anderson (2008).
- Fire Management Guidelines for Small Forests
National Rural Fire Authority. (2003). Fire Management Guidelines for Small Forests. Napier, NZ: National Rural Fire Authority.
Small handbook with some useful guidelines on fire prevention, preparation for a fire, and managing fire risks
- Fire behaviour as a factor in forest and rural fire suppression
FRI Bulletin No. 197-5, Alexander, M. E. (2000).
- Fire behaviour and firefighter safety implications associated with the Bucklands Crossing fire burnover of 24 March 1998
FRI Bulletin No. 197, Forest and Rural Fire Scientific and Technical Series, Report No. 4, Pearce, H. G., R. W. Hamilton and R. I. Millman (2004).
- A flammability guide for some common New Zealand native tree and shrub species
FRI Bulletin No. 197-6, Fogarty, L. G. (2002).
- A case study of grassland fire behaviour and suppression: The Tikokino fire of 31 January 1991
FRI Bulletin No. 197, Report No. 2, Rasmussen, J. H. and L. G. Fogarty (1997).
- Having a fire?
Whangarei, Kaipara, and Northern rural fire authorities
Brief guidelines on fire prevention and management
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Articles
- Blowing in the wind – trees on the Coromandel
Jeanette Fitzsimons, November 2014
There have been a few severe storms in the past year and the aim is to get some accounts of the damage to trees and forests from these storms as…
- Storm damage and obligations under the Emissions Trading Scheme
Ollie Belton, August 2014
The last twelve months has seen a series of major storms across New Zealand, and if climate science predictions prove correct we are likely to see increases in storm intensity…
- Wind damage to forests and the consequences
John Moore, August 2014
The Easter storms resulting from the remnants of Cyclone Ita reminded us of the destructive power of wind. Damaging storms are nothing new in New Zealand and historical records have…
- Canterbury’s big wind causes severe tree damage
Nick Ledgard, November 2013
The night of September 10 was one which many tree growers in north Canterbury will never forget. I returned to my home in Loburn, just north of Rangiora, at around…
- Sapstain
Forestry diseases
Storm damage and sapstain, estimating the salvage period in pine plantations From Forest Health News 223, March 2012. The recent windy weather and the associated uprooting and stem breakage in…
Other sources of information
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- Importance of snow damage in New Zealand forest management
John Wardle, August 2012
The heavy snow fall in Canterbury in June this year, along with the heavy snow of August 2011 causing damage to some forests in the Wellington and Upper Hutt area,…
- Snow damage in mixed age plantings
Eric Cairns, May 2012
The August 2011 snow storms in the southern North Island caught many by surprise. It was not the usual graupel, but large flakes that stuck to things. Many local houses…
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- Rural Fire Control Charter signed August 2017
FOA and FFA have signed a Charter with Fire and Emergency New Zealand, to cover the period between the disestablishment of the Rural Fire Services and the fully integrated urban…
- Fire and Emergency New Zealand May 2016
The NZ Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA ) welcomes the Minister of Internal Affairs’ (Peter Dunne) announcement that Budget 2016 will include $303m to modernise and combine New Zealand’s urban and…
- Forest Fires and Chainsaws - Discussion document March 2016
New Zealand has experienced a number of forest fires over recent years where chainsaws may be the ignition source. There has been talk that one factor may be that newer,…
- Fire risk spreads with wilding conifers December 2015
Wilding conifers have long been considered a risk to our ecologically significant highland regions, but they may also significantly increase wildfire hazards The invasion of unwanted wilding conifers throughout highland…
- Scion scientist helps control recent Marlborough fire February 2015
Modelling systems developed by Scion were used during the recent Onamalutu forest fire to effectively and safely manage fire fighting efforts. Wildfires are a significant risk to New Zealand forests.…
- Don’t go down to the woods today February 2015
With the risk of forest fire now very high or extreme in many parts of the country, the public is being cautioned not to enter plantation forests without permission. For…
- Research at Scion: What do fire danger signs mean? January 2015
New research shows that the iconic fire danger signs may need to be updated to better promote fire safety across New Zealand. The familiar multi-coloured fire danger signs are a…
- Growing Confidence in Forestry's Future (GCFF) Research Programme: Wind, snakes and forest production in South America January 2015
John Moore reports on a wind impact conference and provides his observations of intensive plantation management in South America. The effect of extreme wind events on plantation productivity is an…
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