Forest Talk

Trail-blazing technology to test for disease and environmental issues out in the field has won the Supreme Award at the 2023 Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards, held at the Marlborough Events Centre last month.

Blenheim company, DNAiTECH,  has developed DNA sampling and analysis that gives on-the-spot results for a quick response and action, rather than waiting for samples to be sent to a lab for analysis. 

The software and equip..... more

Alan Forbes is a name synonymous with the forestry industry. Not only did this forestry legend grow a large and successful log transport business from humble beginnings, but he was also there when the Log Transport Safety Council (LTSC) was formed and continues to ‘learn’ with the Tour of Learning (TOL) group.  

Having sold his business two years ago, in our Tall Timber feature this month, he takes us through the challenges and rewards of his ye..... more

A converted 20-tonne CAT938K loader and Beach Preparation Extraction Vehicle (BPEV) have been successfully trialled as beach landing equipment in an overseas environment for the first time by the New Zealand Defence Force.

Operation Mahi Tahi, recently concluded in Fiji, involved military sealift vessel HMNZS Canterbury, trained personnel for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support in the Pacific, practising air, sea, and amphibious train..... more

Scientists at Crown Research Institute, Scion, have found a way to quickly detect myrtle rust days before plants show signs of infection, providing hope that nurseries in the future can start control treatment much sooner and stop disease outbreaks in their tracks. 

Working in a containment laboratory, the Scion team, led by data scientist Elizaveta Graevskaya, used high precision equipment to detect myrtle rust infection in leaves of rose apple..... more

The 3.4% unemployment number coupled with ongoing rises in wage rates highlight that the pressure remains on the employers, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA).

"When you link those numbers back to our recent Skills Shortage Survey, it shows we are still very short of people and skills in New Zealand," says the EMA’s Head of Advocacy and Strategy, Alan McDonald.

"Those skills and people shortages are a significant handbrake o..... more

The Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa Report, Outrage to Optimism, released last week, with nearly 50 recommendations post the cyclone devastation has elicited strong responses on all sides.

The recommendations are wide-ranging with potential major impacts on the forestry industry. They include: a call for an immediate halt to wide-scale clear felling of forestry, to be replaced with ‘a mosaic’ of staged logging; to transitio..... more