Forest Talk

Mark Haughton, from Drummond & Etheridge’s Rolleston branch, south of Christchurch, took his second Construction & Forestry Technician of the Year title at the annual John Deere Technician Awards last month. 

Announced at a gala ceremony in Brisbane, Mr Haughton secured the top accolade from a field of elite technicians from across Australia and New Zealand, after first securing the title at the inaugural John Deere Technician Awards in 2021. more

While Waikato region has decreased its gross greenhouse gas emissions by three percent since the baseline Waikato Regional Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory of 2015/16, net emissions were higher due to a recent significant increase in harvest volumes.

The results of the 2021/22 inventory were presented to the Climate Action Committee earlier this month.

Given the role of forests in sequestration to offset emissions, and the increase in harvest vol..... more

Taumarunui engineer, Ron Cooke, accepted an invitation by Gough Gough & Hamer in 1972 to accompany one of their servicemen, Jeff Haskell, to Horokino for “a day in the sun” at the bush workings of Valley Logging Co. The 33-year-old fitter and turner was an enthusiastic hobby photographer who enjoyed recording events on film but was not experienced enough in those early years to put pen to paper to describe his observations and name those involved, but Ron ..... more

The Bay of Plenty region now joins several others in New Zealand to have full LiDAR coverage, following the completion of a project to map the area in 3D using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) elevation data, which is now available through Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand.

Made possible by the Provincial Growth Fund, the project has improved Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s ability to model natural hazards and climate change,..... more

“With the shifting climate, the risk of new pests and diseases increases. Investment in a new Plant Health and Environment Laboratory is critical to safeguarding New Zealand’s export potential and protecting the country from future biosecurity threats,” says Deputy Director General of Biosecurity New Zealand, Stuart Anderson.

With this in mind, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the new Crown infrastructure delivery company, Rau Paenga, ha..... more

The founder and sole director of the Forestlands group of companies, Rowan Kearns was sentenced to four months’ community detention and 100 hours’ community work with a 9pm – 7am curfew last month. 

This follows a prosecution brought by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) – Te Mana Tātai Hokohoko – filed in the Nelson District Court in September 2020.

In February 2023, Mr Kearns pleaded guilty to:

– one representative charge of mak..... more