Forest Talk

National Road Carriers Association (NRC) has welcomed the decision to prioritise freight carriers as part of the government’s updated Fuel Response Plan in the highly unlikely event New Zealand will move to Phase 4 of the plan.

The Government’s Fuel Response Framework has four escalating phases – 1 Watchful, 2 Precautionary, 3 Managed, 4 Protected, with the country currently in Phase 1.

Earlier this week, the government announced four categorie..... more

The New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) has welcomed the release of the Climate Change Commission’s 2026 National Climate Change Risk Assessment, particularly the recognition of forestry as one of New Zealand’s most significant climate related risks.

NZIF President, James Treadwell, said the report correctly recognises forests are already facing increasing pressure from climate change, including more severe storms, wildfire risk, drought, changi..... more

Over the last two decades, a lot of effort and research has focused on improving cable logging systems

This has been driven by the need to mechanise both for productivity and safety reasons, and also in recognition of the fact that, in many regions, harvesting has moved on to ever steeper terrain.

The list of improvements are impressive, with motorised grapples, winch-assist, mobile tail holds, advanced operating controls and even remote-contro..... more

Next month, Innovatek’s New Zealand and Australia WoodTECH conference series will bring industry leaders and technical specialists together to network and learn.  The focus is on getting the best from advancing technologies. With leading international experts there will plenty on offer. It’s all about new ways of improving wood products.

For 2026 conference sessions will include: Sawing technology developments, wood treatment product advances, k..... more

Autumn has been open day season for dealers and manufacturers across the central North Island.

First cab off the rank was Warataha’s Tokoroa factory. The open day doubled as the signing off of Waratah’s two latest design projects - the 628HX harvester head and the FL90 felling head, which were both on display.

Waratah is owned by John Deere and the parent company’s Vice President of Worldwide Forestry, Mary Pat Tubb, was there.

“The turno..... more

The recent Innovatek Environmental Forestry Conference highlighted both old and new environmental challenges faced by the forestry industry, from pest control to the impact, benefits and value of long term forestry experiments.

Pre-conference, there was a morning workshop looking at recent regulatory changes.

To start the conference proper, James Newman’s keynote address covered last year’s Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) r..... more