Susie Thompson & Rob Danford, Hokitika, West Coast branch July 2014
This West Coast lifestyle property features challenging paki soils but Susie and Rob have planted a wide variety of trees for various reasons. A radiata block is for a retirement…
Warren Smith, Greymouth, West Coast branch July 2014
Warren Smith and wife Marilyn own two farms - a sheep and beef property which has been in the family for many years, plus a newer dairy block. Warren is…
Jack Davidson, Aharua Valley, Hokitika, West Coast branch July 2014
This small West Coast grazing and forestry block features a wide range of species including radiata pine, cypresses, eucalypts including ground-durable eucalypts, blackwoods, and poplars. Willows and poplar are grown…
Glen Crickett and Catherine van Paassen, Hokitika, West Coast July 2014
Glen Crickett describes the challenges of growing trees on paki soils near Hokitika. His property features Eucalyptus nitens grown for firewood and timber; blackwoods also feature, plus Glenn's new Peterson…
The Hokitika Conference - Some impressions from an Australian delegate (Access: unrestricted)
Carol Neal, August 2016
I was fortunate enough to attend the NZFFA Conference in Hokitika earlier this year. I was so impressed with the NZFFA structure and membership that I felt it important to…
Arahura Valley - where the soil may bring you to tears (Access: unrestricted)
August 2016
The morning of Wednesday saw us visiting Jack and Kay Davidson’s 70-hectare block which now has roughly 38 hectares in pasture, 25 hectares in forestry and seven in a QE…
Viaduct Creek (Access: unrestricted)
August 2016
The second part of the field day on Monday was to visit Viaduct Creek owned by Glenn Crickett and Catherine van Paassen. When they bought it the land was rough…
Matching the trees to the site (Access: unrestricted)
August 2016
The first of the Hokitika conference field days was at Susi Thompson and Rob Danford’s property. This was originally a 140 hectare grazing block which was purchased in 1988, with…
The West Coast - forests galore (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Orchard, February 2016
The national conference is only a couple of months away, staring on 21 April in Hokitika. If you have not already booked your place, do it now using the registration…
West Coast forest maps (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Orchard, November 2010
Forestry is a practical land based science, and tools to help in its management are essential. Aerial forest photographs or maps are one of the most important of these, as…
New land clearing and preparation for dairying (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Orchard, November 2010
Dairying is now the major industry on the West Coast, with an independent co-operative dairy company Westland Milk Products based in Hokitika. It is a multi-million dollar core industry of…
A passion for trees (Access: unrestricted)
Catherine van Paassen, May 2010
We have just over 17 hectares near Hokitika with about half planted in forest. Most of it is Eucalyptus nitens, some as shelterbelts and some thinned at 12 to 15…
Way down south at Whataroa (Access: unrestricted)
John Spencer, May 2010
John Spencer of South Westland has been a long term member of the Westland branch. He undertakes traditional farming at his property near Whataroa. It is a high rainfall area…
Down on the farm or forest (Access: unrestricted)
West Coast branch members, May 2010
West Coasters plant trees for pleasure, profit and keeping warm. An old adage here is − plant your first 10 hectares in radiata and you can put what you like in…
A physical description of the West Coast (Access: unrestricted)
David Eastwood, May 2010
The West Coast of the South Island is a distinctive region of New Zealand with unique geological, climatic, vegetation and social characteristics. It lies between 41 and 44 degrees south…
Farm forestry with a difference (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Orchard, May 2010
A history of trees With a history of gold mining then coal mining, sawmilling and forest clearing for agriculture, the West Coast has been very lucky to have had a…
The Hokitika Conference - Some impressions from an Australian delegate (Access: unrestricted)
Carol Neal, August 2016
I was fortunate enough to attend the NZFFA Conference in Hokitika earlier this year. I was so impressed with the NZFFA structure and membership that I felt it important to…
Arahura Valley - where the soil may bring you to tears (Access: unrestricted)
August 2016
The morning of Wednesday saw us visiting Jack and Kay Davidson’s 70-hectare block which now has roughly 38 hectares in pasture, 25 hectares in forestry and seven in a QE…
Viaduct Creek (Access: unrestricted)
August 2016
The second part of the field day on Monday was to visit Viaduct Creek owned by Glenn Crickett and Catherine van Paassen. When they bought it the land was rough…
Matching the trees to the site (Access: unrestricted)
August 2016
The first of the Hokitika conference field days was at Susi Thompson and Rob Danford’s property. This was originally a 140 hectare grazing block which was purchased in 1988, with…
The West Coast - forests galore (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Orchard, February 2016
The national conference is only a couple of months away, staring on 21 April in Hokitika. If you have not already booked your place, do it now using the registration…
West Coast forest maps (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Orchard, November 2010
Forestry is a practical land based science, and tools to help in its management are essential. Aerial forest photographs or maps are one of the most important of these, as…
New land clearing and preparation for dairying (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Orchard, November 2010
Dairying is now the major industry on the West Coast, with an independent co-operative dairy company Westland Milk Products based in Hokitika. It is a multi-million dollar core industry of…
A passion for trees (Access: unrestricted)
Catherine van Paassen, May 2010
We have just over 17 hectares near Hokitika with about half planted in forest. Most of it is Eucalyptus nitens, some as shelterbelts and some thinned at 12 to 15…
Way down south at Whataroa (Access: unrestricted)
John Spencer, May 2010
John Spencer of South Westland has been a long term member of the Westland branch. He undertakes traditional farming at his property near Whataroa. It is a high rainfall area…
Down on the farm or forest (Access: unrestricted)
West Coast branch members, May 2010
West Coasters plant trees for pleasure, profit and keeping warm. An old adage here is − plant your first 10 hectares in radiata and you can put what you like in…
A physical description of the West Coast (Access: unrestricted)
David Eastwood, May 2010
The West Coast of the South Island is a distinctive region of New Zealand with unique geological, climatic, vegetation and social characteristics. It lies between 41 and 44 degrees south…
Farm forestry with a difference (Access: unrestricted)
Michael Orchard, May 2010
A history of trees With a history of gold mining then coal mining, sawmilling and forest clearing for agriculture, the West Coast has been very lucky to have had a…
Forest Owners want genetic technology approved Thursday, February 16, 2023
The Forest Owners Organisation says New Zealand needs to concentrate on the safety of genetic technology on a case-by-case basis rather than persisting with blanket bans. The FOA wants approval…
Fieldays Forestry Hub to demonstrate that forestry is a solution Monday, November 28, 2022
A range of solutions to farmers’ current problems will be on display in the Fieldays Forestry Hub near Hamilton between 30 November and 3 December, says Farm Forestry Association president,…
Innovative uses of forestry and wood products unveiled at Fieldays Thursday, November 24, 2022
New and innovative uses of forestry and wood products will be on display at 35 stands in the Fieldays Forestry Hub near Hamilton between 30 November and 3 December, including…
Pine conspiracy needs reality check Thursday, November 10, 2022
Farm Foresters are saying journalists and commentators need to educate themselves about the reality of plantation forestry. The FFA President, Graham West says ‘Frequent anti-pine rants on Newstalk ZB and…
Farming’s forestry hysteria Sunday, October 30, 2022
Beef &Lamb NZ and Federated Farmers media release on recent results of an opinion survey on forestry offset adds to the misuse of information that’s building alarm and public hysteria…
Foresters ask James Shaw if the government wants more trees or not Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Foresters are saying a suggestion by Climate Change Minister James Shaw to centralise buying carbon credits in central government, and decoupling the Emissions Trading Scheme from forestry, is a message…
NZFFA submission on Industry Transformation Plan Thursday, October 06, 2022
The Ministry for Primary Industries has issued a draft Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan. This is a welcome contribution and appears to be well researched, but we feel…
RECOGNITION FOR FORESTRY’S HIGHEST ACHIEVERS IN 2022 Sunday, September 18, 2022
This week at an awards dinner held in Auckland the New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) announced the winners of its three most prestigious awards. The 2022 recipients are acknowledged…
Wooden cities key to cutting worldwide carbon emissions to combat climate change Tuesday, September 13, 2022
The Forest Owners Association President is predicting massive increases in the worldwide demand for engineered timber construction. Grant Dodson has told delegates at the Forest Institute Conference in Auckland today…
Forestry Transformation Plan could be ‘game changer’ Sunday, August 21, 2022
Forestry Transformation Plan could be ‘game changer’ for New Zealand economy and for combating climate change The Forest Owners Association says the Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan has…
New campaign launches to attract more people into forestry careers Wednesday, August 10, 2022
A new recruitment campaign called ‘Find Your Fit In Forestry’ aims to draw attention to the varied career opportunities available in the growing forestry industry. A sector-wide initiative, the campaign…
Trees on Your Farm – Pilot Workshops Friday, July 01, 2022
In May, members of the NZFFA held three pilot workshops in the lower North Island aimed at encouraging hill country farmers to grow more trees. The format was a day…
Federated Farmers struggling with both the law and arithmetic Thursday, June 30, 2022
The Forest Owners Association says Federated Farmers have got their sums wrong on the rate of forest planting and don’t understand the law on overseas investment either. FOA is responding…
‘Smart spade’ one of new technologies for forest silviculture project Thursday, May 05, 2022
A ‘smart spade’ which identifies exactly where to plant a tree seedling is just one of the new technologies in the seven-year $25.5 million Precision Silviculture development project. The newly…
Forest Owners call for forest trade mission to India Monday, April 11, 2022
Forest Owners call for forest trade mission to India following approval of new fumigant for log exports The Forest Owners Association wants a delegation of government ministers to urgently go to…
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