Forest Talk

Priority investment in road improvements and projects in the north and south of Auckland will eventually ease major freight and transport bottlenecks, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA).

Further public transport funding commitments in the east and west of the city will also help take pressure off already heavily congested road transport corridors, says EMA Head of Advocacy, Alan McDonald.

"The more than $2 billion committed ..... more

The estimated 1.5 billion-plus global audience for this year’s Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup will witness not only spectacularly fast races from the AC75 competitors, including Emirates Team New Zealand, but also a showcase of the New Zealand engineering skills supporting the biggest-ever programme of Cup races, also including women’s and youth events.

“What people see on the surface, with yachts such as Emirates Team New Zealand reaching speeds o..... more

Don Hammond joins the Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of New Zealand (WPMA) as the new Independent Chair this month. He was appointed after a thorough process involving several strong candidates. He is known to many within the wider forestry sector and has a strong background in all facets of the supply chain. 

He brings a wealth of knowledge and governance experience to the new position, having served in various leadership roles a..... more

Forestry Minister, Todd McClay, has announced the establishment of the ‘Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group’ to expedite wood clean-up in Gisborne and help implement best practice for forestry.

“This is an important next step to ensure the ongoing clean-up of wood and mitigation of future risk across the Tairāwhiti region,” he says.

“The Government announced an additional $27 million in Budget 2024 for further removal and treatment of wood debris ..... more

Loggers, Gods and soldiers are awake early to get the day started, as writer, Colin Smith, discovers waiting in the carpark of the Pan Pac mill, just north of Napier, at 3.30am on a chilly Monday. 

He continues: “We’re meeting Platoon Sergeant Storm Harrison from the 5/7 Battalion NZ Infantry Regiment Army Reserve. And his two stand-out log trucks named Tāne Mahuta (God of the Forest) and Tūmatauenga (God of War).

“The military and logging..... more

“It's interesting to see how Eltec has designed the Eltec FBL277L B series - compact/zero tail version of the bigger 317 model that we tested a couple of months ago in Southland. At 47 tonnes gassed up and with the head on, this is still a big machine but Eltec has made it more manoeuvrable while retaining excellent servicing access under the clamshell. Seeing Iron Tester Tony Hill moving through the trees in this unit, you can see it is able to slip throu..... more