In the Tasman District near Nelson, PF Olsen is running a high-efficiency harvesting operation at the Moturoa/Rabbit Island Forest. The block, owned by the Tasman District Council, has been under PF Olsen’s management for nearly three decades. Currently, harvesting efforts are producing around 300 tonnes per day, using a four-machine crew – feeding a network of domestic mills including Kaituna Sawmill, Taylor Timbers and Southward Export in Motueka, as well as export customers.
Josh Tansey, Senior Harvest Manager for PF Olsen’s Nelson office, oversees the operation.
About the forest
The Moturoa Forest was originally planted in the early 1900’s across 1,000 hectares. Initially developed for erosion control, the forest now supports multiple uses including commercial timber production and public recreation. It features sandy subsoils with a high water table and minimal topsoil, making for a low-risk, high-growth environment. Trees exhibit excellent height, diameter, and are wind-firm – traits Josh attributes to the soil profile and consistent access to groundwater.
In recent years, the site has also incorporated a biosolids programme. As Nelson Tasman’s regional sewage facility reached capacity, treated biosolids began being applied to young stands.
“This application has increased volume yield by up to 25%,” says Josh. “The extra nutrients encourage growth, supporting a tighter stocking and higher overall volumes at harvest.”
Contractor operations and products
Troy Andrews Contracting (TAC), a smaller woodlot harvesting crew, is conducting the field work. TAC is relatively new to PF Olsen’s contractor network but has proven adaptable across multiple jobs.
The site is managed under a prune regime. The first six to seven meters of each stem is pruned to produce clearwood for high-value appearance-grade sawmills including the OneFortyOne Kaituna Sawmill, Taylor Timbers and Southward Export in Motueka.
Above the pruned section, logs are sorted for structural or utility uses. Domestic-grade logs with desirable knot size and form are delivered to local processors such as Nelson Pine Industries (LVL production), Carter Holt Harvey, South Pine and Eurocell Wood Products.
“Any lower-grade or unallocated material is carted to Nelson Port for export,” Josh says. “We aim to optimise grade recovery by matching product specs to the best-suited customer.”
Nelson Pine also receives low-grade logs for use in MDF manufacturing.
Integrated dispatch
Dispatching is handled by Borlase Transport, a regional carrier with in-house dispatch systems fully integrated with Trimble technology (see following article). This enables real-time visibility and adjustments, to manage daily, weekly and monthly deliveries versus product targets.
“We use Trimble to track movements, confirm loading status, and make proactive decisions,” says Josh. “If a truck leaves, I know when the next one is due. It helps us maintain consistent uplift with minimal wait time.”
This real-time access is essential when managing delivery to multiple sawmills with varying capacity and intake schedules. “Our main KPI is delivery consistency. Trimble’s integration with Borlase lets us manage that daily, weekly and monthly.”
Operational success
For Josh, operational success is defined by system visibility and minimal interruption: “A good day means no unexpected phone calls. I monitor...
