Farm Forestry New Zealand
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Tree Grower articles
- The training needs of small-scale forest owners (Access: unrestricted)
Eric Cairns and Julian Bateson, February 2024
In 2023, the NZFFA was granted funding from the Forest Growers’ Levy to investigate the training needs of small-scale forest owners. Our target audience also included pastoral farmers interested in… - Does the Forest Growers’ Levy give value for money? (Access: unrestricted)
Stephen Franks, February 2024
Do you get value for money from the commodity levy on harvested wood? That was the editor’s real question when he asked me to explain what the Forest Growers’ Levy… - Substituting imported wood with New Zealand timber (Access: unrestricted)
Karen Bayne, Jonathan Harrington and Harriet Palmer, February 2024
A recent study by a Scion team looked into New Zealand’s timber imports, analysing the demand for timber from overseas. The study was instigated partly because of rising awareness of… - The final cut for grant projects in 2024 (Access: unrestricted)
Julian Bateson, February 2024
The Forest Growers’ Levy has been reasonably kind to the NZFFA in recent years, approving a number of grants which have enabled work to be carried out to benefit small-scale owners.… - New multi-species calculator (Access: unrestricted)
Mark Kimberley and Michael Watt, February 2024
A new multi-species calculator has been developed to help a tree grower make decisions. The calculator predicts growth for even-aged plantations of eleven different species. It also provides annual estimates… - Transforming forest management The precision silviculture programme (Access: unrestricted)
Claire Stewart, November 2023
The precision silviculture programme is the most recent addition to the Forest Growers Research programme, complementing the five other government and industry partnerships already under way. The programme is just entering… - Applications for money from the Forest Growers Levy and Te Uru Rakau for projects in 2024 (Access: unrestricted)
Julian Bateson, November 2023
It seems only a short time ago that I last wrote an article about grant projects for small-scale forestry. If you check the May Tree Grower, you will see it… - Mechanised thinning pine to waste - An option for small-scale forest growers (Access: unrestricted)
Jack Palmer and Sam Taylor, August 2023
Thinning radiata pine is a standard silvicultural practice. Traditionally the work has been undertaken by manual crews but as forestry becomes more mechanised, these crews are increasingly scarce. Forme Consulting… - Opportunities from trees (Access: unrestricted)
Dougal Morrison, August 2023
The NZFFA ran some pilot forest extension workshops in 2022, funded by Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service. After some very positive feedback the NZFFA were asked to… - A visit by Australian durable eucalypt growers and processors (Access: unrestricted)
Marco Lausberg and Harriet Palmer, May 2023
A group of Australian durable eucalypt growers and processors have been in the South Island recently, visiting research, development facilities and trial sites. The group from the eastern seaboard of… - Grants which will benefit small-scale forest owners (Access: unrestricted)
Julian Bateson, May 2023
We all know about the Forest Growers Levy, or we should do. For every log sold a levy of 33 cents a tonne is taken and the money used for… - Mapping wind risk for New Zealand’s plantation forests (Access: unrestricted)
Les Dowling, May 2023
New Zealand’s plantation forests appear to be facing increasing climate-related risks. Wind damage is the most important natural non-biological risk, affecting nearly twice as much forest area as fires. To… - Managing research and development funded by the Forest Growers Levy (Access: unrestricted)
Paul Adams and Harriet Palmer, February 2023
Forest Growers Research is the forest industry owned company which manages research funded by the Forest Growers Levy. In 2022 a new precision silviculture programme joined the major research partnerships.… - A versatile traction-assist option for small-scale harvesting on steep slopes (Access: unrestricted)
Jack Palmer and John Schrider, February 2023
Large-scale harvesting operations now routinely use winch-assist or traction-assist systems to increase productivity and safety on steep slopes. The costs associated with incorporating specialist machinery such as these winch-assist or… - The Forest Growers Levy Board grant applications for 2023 (Access: unrestricted)
Julian Bateson, November 2022
Previous Tree Grower articles have outlined the annual application system for grants from the Forest Growers Levy Trust. As we know, money is collected by the levy from every harvested… - Snippets from the levy Transport Committee (Access: unrestricted)
Vaughan Kearns, November 2022
I have been sitting on the levy funded Transport Committee for 12 months and wanted to share with NZFFA members some of what goes on within. I originally joined to… - A new quick coupler for woodlot harvesting (Access: unrestricted)
Rob Prebble & Keith Raymond , November 2022
A quick coupler which lets harvesting machine operators rapidly change machine attachments has been on the radar of the Forest Growers Research Automation and Robotics Programme for some time. Small-scale… - Advances in cypress research A summary of the activities of Specialty Wood Products (Access: unrestricted)
Marco Lausberg and Harriet Palmer, August 2022
The Specialty Wood Products research programme draws to close in 2022. Species included are Douglas-fir, cypress along with durable and non-durable eucalypts. This article is about the results of the… - Predicting the shape and volume of Eucalyptus globoidea heartwood (Access: unrestricted)
Daniel Boczniewicz and Euan Mason, August 2022
What do eucalypts have in common with sauvignon blanc? Why will durable eucalypt posts be a critical part of New Zealand’s vineyard landscape in future and how do taper and… - Douglas-fir research Specialty Wood Products Research Partnership (Access: unrestricted)
Marco Lausberg and Harriet Palmer, May 2022
This article contains more detail about research on Douglas-fir carried out by the Specialty Wood Products Research Partnership. Work on new products and their application has laid foundations for future market development,… - Forest extension road shows (Access: unrestricted)
Hamish Levack, May 2022
In April last year the Minister of Forestry, Stuart Nash, announced that he was funding Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service to lift its planning and advisory capabilities, to help with… - Mechanised production thinning of radiata pine - A viable option for small-scale growers (Access: unrestricted)
John Schrider and Jack Palmer, February 2022
This article is the third in a series looking at mechanised harvesting options for small-scale forest growers. It is on a work study carried out to assess the productivity of a… - Grants for 2022 from the Forest Growers Levy for small-scale forest growers (Access: unrestricted)
Julian Bateson and Howard Moore, February 2022
Each year the Forest Growers' Levy Trust collects around $9 million from the levy raised on the sale of every tree harvested. The amount varies as you might expect, but the… - Research on non-durable eucalypts Specialty Wood Products Research Partnership (Access: NZFFA membership)
Marco Lausberg and Harriet Palmer, February 2022
The Specialty Wood Products Research Partnership is a seven-year programme which draws to a close in June this year. The programme has focused on four species and groups – Douglas-fir,… - Developing a strategy for the cypress forest industry (Access: unrestricted)
Marco Lausberg and Harriet Palmer, August 2020
The cypress industry in New Zealand is at a critical juncture. Macrocarpa remains a favourite timber and one of the few alternative species timbers which is certain to find a market.… - The Forest Growers Levy and the small-scale forester (Access: unrestricted)
Don Carson and Bart Challis, November 2021
Up to 40 per cent of the current national forest harvest of 34 million tonnes is from small-scale woodlots. There are an estimated 300, 000 hectares of production forests on farmland. Of these,… - 22 year old untended Cypress shows promise (Access: unrestricted)
Dean Satchell, August 2021
Cypress plantations have traditionally been pruned and thinned to produce the "holy grail" of appearance products, clearwood lumber. Surprisingly, there is general consensus on how to produce cypress clearwood -… - TreeFarmer to help with woodlot harvest decisions (Access: unrestricted)
Graham West, May 2021
TreeFarmer is the latest of a series of levy-funded projects aimed at improving a small-scale forest grower’s woodlot harvesting experience. TreeFarmer does this by raising the grower’s awareness of the problems and decisions they… - A forwarding solution for harvesting small forests (Access: unrestricted)
John Schrider and Jack Palmer, May 2021
In the February Tree Grower we reported on a harvesting system using a Valtra agricultural tractor with a log trailer driven by power take-off. The second system evaluated is a harvesting… - Establishing an industry group for New Zealand's small-scale sawmilling sector (Access: unrestricted)
Paul Millen and Harriet Palmer, February 2021
A report for the Hawke’s Bay Region published in the Tree Grower in November 2020 led to the idea for an industry association to increase the capability of the small-scale sawmilling… - A forwarding solution for small-scale forest growers (Access: unrestricted)
John Schrider & Jack Palmer, February 2021
A project to find some solutions to the challenges of small-scale forest grower harvesting is underway, led by members of the NZFFA. One element of this project is an evaluation of… - The current value and future potential of the small-scale sawmilling sector (Access: unrestricted)
Paul Millen and Harriet Palmer, November 2020
New Zealand’s current small-scale sawmilling sector is made up of a diverse mix of businesses and individuals who produce specialty timbers for high-value markets. This includes a small number of… - Is sex still relevant in 21st century propagation? (Access: unrestricted)
Michelle Harnett, November 2020
Detailed genetic data, automation and robotics look to be the future of radiata pine propagation. Does this spell the end for pollen wafting on the open breeze? The first radiata pines… - Growing, processing and marketing smaller durable hardwood logs Australian style (Access: unrestricted)
Mark Wright, Jon Lambert and Harriet Palmer, August 2020
In the May 2020 edition of Tree Grower, we reported on the progress of the NZ Dryland Forests Initiative in developing short rotation regimes for selected durable eucalypt species. The anticipated markets… - Durable hardwood peeler pole plantations - A new growing regime for eucalypts (Access: unrestricted)
Paul Millen, Clemens Altaner and Harriet Palmer, May 2020
After 11 years of research and development, growers are eager to begin planting genetically improved durable eucalypts. The good news is that improved genetic material developed by the NZ Dryland Forests Initiative… - How to harvest and market your woodlot for profit (Access: unrestricted)
Glen Murphy and Harriet Palmer, May 2020
Always a hot topic, and offering plenty of puns to bright sparks, wildfire was been on people’s minds over the summer. Images of the extreme Australian bushfires filled our television screens and… - Fighting fire with fire (Access: unrestricted)
Michaell Harnett, May 2020
Always a hot topic, and offering plenty of puns to bright sparks, wildfire was been on people’s minds over the summer. Images of the extreme Australian bushfires filled our television screens and… - Growing a new hardwood industry is not just about planting trees (Access: unrestricted)
Paul Millen, Clemens Altaner and Harriet Palmer, February 2020
In 2020 the NZ School of Forestry celebrates its 50-year anniversary. The School of Forestry was established in 1970 to educate professional foresters needed to expand and develop New Zealand’s forest sector… - Getting more out of your radiata pine woodlot Mid-rotation fertiliser use (Access: unrestricted)
Graham Coker and Harriet Palmer, November 2019
Owners of small forests who grow radiata pine stand to benefit from levy-funded research into tree nutrient balances and the cost-effectiveness of applying fertiliser at different times throughout a rotation. The research… - Forestry training and careers update (Access: unrestricted)
Alan Reid, August 2019
A year ago we noted in a Tree Grower article that there was a renewed focus on forestry training and careers, along with the re-emerging direct government support for forestry.… - Pigeon Valley fire - New methods put to the test (Access: unrestricted)
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… - How can I make my forest more productive and what does the latest research say? (Access: unrestricted)
Michelle Harnett, August 2019
Research. Some think it is essential, others think of it as a time-consuming, cash-devouring black hole. The people who have been working on the research programme Growing Confidence in Forestry’s… - Results of survey for small-scale forest harvesting (Access: unrestricted)
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… - Good news for eucalypt growers - The approved release of Paropsis charybdis bio-control agent (Access: unrestricted)
Toni Withers and Michelle Harnett, May 2019
The approval to release the parasitoid wasp Eadya daenerys to control eucalyptus tortoise beetle Paropsis charybdis by New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority is the culmination of work that started at Scion in the… - Major Specialty Wood Products partners lead the way (Access: unrestricted)
Harriet Palmer and Peter Berg, May 2019
The Specialty Wood Products Research Partnership is a government and industry partnership which aims to develop high-value markets for timber from alternative, or specialty, species. The partners include several major large-scale… - A new phase of science innovation (Access: unrestricted)
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… - The real value of the Forest Growers’ Levy (Access: unrestricted)
Hamish Levack, February 2019
Six years ago the future of the NZFFA was looking uncertain. By 2012 membership had fallen from its peak of over 4,000 in 1996 to around 2,000. The boom in… - Forest growers research conference 2018 (Access: unrestricted)
Julian Bateson, February 2019
In October last year the regular conference on the research projects funded by the Forest Growers Levy was held in Tauranga. The registration list showed over 120 attendees had registered… - Controlling and predicting red needle cast (Access: unrestricted)
Harriet Palmer, February 2019
Red needle cast is now a widespread needle disease of radiata pine, most evident in northern New Zealand. It is caused by a fungal-like organism, Phytophora pluvialis. Growth losses of up… - New automatic coupler will cut harvesting costs for owners of small forests (Access: unrestricted)
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… - Track record of forest levy - in good stead for the vote (Access: unrestricted)
Don Carson, February 2019
The Forest Growers Levy Trust was pleased at the support for the levy at a series of regional meetings held in late October and November last year. A total of… - The Small and Medium Enterprise Committee (Access: unrestricted)
Neil Cullen, November 2018
This article is about one of the joint committees funded by the forest grower’s levy. The article is part of the series in the Tree Grower outlining some of the… - Trichoderma research shows great promise (Access: unrestricted)
Helen Whelan and Harriet Palmer, November 2018
Trichoderma are naturally occurring fungi which attach to and enter plant roots. Some Trichoderma can improve tree growth rates and disease resistance in nurseries and the forest, and have the… - Testing the strength of Douglas-fir cross-laminated timber (Access: unrestricted)
Minghao Li and Harriet Palmer, November 2018
Douglas fir is New Zealand’s second most popular plantation species with a total current planted area of around 104,000 hectares. Renowned as a structural timber, Douglas fir has been generally overlooked… - The levy on harvested wood after five years (Access: unrestricted)
Geoff Thompson, August 2018
Forestry is in the spotlight now but for a long time was an industry taken for granted and largely banished from bureaucratic interest. During that time there was a grumbling… - New technology for targeted pest detection and control (Access: unrestricted)
Tara Strand and Harriet Palmer, August 2018
Most small-scale forest owners spend a good deal of time keeping their fingers crossed that their trees will survive to harvest age. While crossing fingers is about all that can… - New radiata pine calculator (Access: unrestricted)
Harriet Palmer, August 2018
Farm foresters can now test out different management options for existing or planned radiata pine plantations with a new on-line calculator – the Forecaster Radiata Pine Calculator. This is a… - Levy funded Forestry Training and Careers Committee (Access: unrestricted)
Alan Reid, May 2018
In bygone times colourful posters on lamp posts and walls, featuring bronzed sailors and exotic seascapes, exhorted young people to join the navy and see the world. Nothing has changed… - Radiata pine for the next generation (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Watt and Harriet Palmer, February 2018
Finally, payday is approaching for many forest owners, as woodlots and forests planted in the 1990s reach harvest age. For growers planning to replant with radiata pine, and any new planters,… - Logging day demonstration (Access: unrestricted)
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… - The levy-funded Forest Resources and Environment Committee (Access: unrestricted)
Don Wallace, November 2017
The Forest Resources and Environment Committee, commonly known as the Environment Committee, is one of several joint NZFFA/NZFOA committees funded by the Forest Growers Levy. It is chaired by Peter… - Soils underpin the future of our forests (Access: unrestricted)
Simeon Smaill and Michelle Harnett, August 2017
Soil forms the foundation which supports the forestry industry. Managing the mix of minerals, microbes, moisture and organic matter which make up soil to get the greatest tree growth while… - Update on recent biosecurity problems (Access: unrestricted)
Peter Berg, August 2017
Eucalyptus variegated beetle and myrtle rust On 8 March 2016 a eucalyptus foraging beetle new to New Zealand was collected by SPS Biosecurity as part of the forest owner’s levy… - Improving small plantation and woodlot inventory using remote sensing - how you can help (Access: unrestricted)
Jonathan Dash and Michael Watt, May 2017
Small plantations and woodlots comprise around 36 per cent of the total New Zealand plantation estate. Growers of these woodlots include an estimated 14,000 small-scale and medium-scale forest owners and… - Eyes in the Sky (Access: unrestricted)
Michelle Harnett and Jonathan Dash, May 2017
Lit up like a Christmas tree is a good description of a laser-generated image of a forest. Stunning images aside, research in New Zealand and overseas is showing that the… - The Forest Industry Safety Council report (Access: unrestricted)
Allan Laurie, February 2017
The work of the Forestry Industry Safety Council (FISC) continues to gain momentum under the Chairmanship of Dame Alison Paterson and the management of National Safety Director, Fiona Ewing. I… - Levy funded research conference (Access: unrestricted)
Julian Bateson, February 2017
In mid-October last year, the Forest Growers Research Conference was held in Napier. It was a two-day event with the first day devoted to talks and presentations and a field trip… - Helping owners of small-scale forests know more about the forest growers' levy (Access: unrestricted)
Glenn Tims and Bruce Bulloch, February 2017
In this page: Roadshows begin Portrait of forest growers' levy information session The NZFFA receives some funding from the Forest Growers Levy Trust to communicate with all small- scale forest… - Timber Harvesting in New Zealand (Access: unrestricted)
Rien Visser, NZ School of Forestry, Reports
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.… - Forest biosecurity surveillance: What does GIA mean for the little guys? (Access: unrestricted)
Bill Dyck, August 2016
Commercial plantation forestry has entered a new era with a Government Industry Agreement on biosecurity incursions. The NZ Forest Owners Association was the formal signatory for the forestry industry when… - The Forest Industry Safety Council What is it up to? (Access: unrestricted)
Ian Jackson, May 2016
On March 16 at the Forestwood conference in Auckland, on behalf of NZFFA, I signed the charter for the Forest Industry Safety Council. This was signed on behalf of the… - Scion Rural Fire Research Group – Understanding extreme fire behaviour (Access: unrestricted)
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,… - Special purpose timbers research project (Access: unrestricted)
Peter Berg, February 2016
Scion’s diverse species programme came to an end a year or so ago. At this time a number of people in the forest growing community became concerned that initiatives in… - Road shows about the forest grower levy (Access: unrestricted)
Hamish Levack, February 2016
The forest grower levy was established at the beginning of 2014 and has had a significant effect. Before the levy was introduced the few large corporate forest owners contributed voluntarily… - Levy funded Transportation Committee (Access: unrestricted)
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… - Douglas fir and Swiss needle cast (Access: unrestricted)
Patrick Milne, May 2015
Douglas fir, with upwards of 110,000 hectares planted, is New Zealand’s second most commonly planted forest tree. Often referred to as Oregon pine, it is now mostly planted on higher altitude… - Forest research in the levy environment (Access: unrestricted)
Patrick Milne, May 2015
The forest commodity levy of 27 cents a tonne of harvested wood has been collected since the beginning of 2014. In the first year approximately three million dollars or half… - The forest growers’ levy and how it is working (Access: unrestricted)
Geoff Thompson, May 2014
For those of us harvesting since the beginning of January there is a new line item in the reporting invoice. A levy of 27 cents a tonne is deducted from… - Management of forest growing research and development - The levy at work (Access: unrestricted)
Russell Dale, August 2014
With the introduction of a compulsory forest growing levy in January 2014, much of the industry-good research which was previously funded by voluntary contributions from industry members is now funded… - Forest biosecurity committee (Access: unrestricted)
Bill Dyck, November 2014
With over 1,000 pests and pathogens worldwide which can attack radiata pine, and thousands more that can affect other New Zealand plantation species, it is critical that the forestry sector… - Standing up for the small-scale grower (Access: unrestricted)
Roger May, February 2013
Since the mid-1980s when the government sold most of the taxpayer-owned forest plantations and placed most of Crown-owned indigenous forest into the Department of Conservation, the New Zealand forest industry… - Forest growers’ proposed commodity levy (Access: unrestricted)
Ian Jackson, November 2012
A proposal to introduce a compulsory commodity levy on logs and other forest products at the time of harvest is expected to be voted on by forest growers during March…
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