Forest Talk

Researchers have identified hotspots for the conservation of maire tawake or swamp maire in the Wellington region, hoping to save this threatened native tree from the deadly myrtle rust disease.

Swamp maire is thought to have been common in the wetlands that once covered the Wellington region. However, farming and urban development have significantly reduced its numbers. The arrival of myrtle rust in 2017 added a new threat and the tree has a conserv..... more

The felling of the Valley Road pine forest earlier this year will result in Whakatāne District Council’s greenhouse gas emissions almost doubling in its audit for the 2024-2025 financial year.

In the final environment, energy and resilience committee meeting for the current council term, earlier this month, staff updated the committee on its progress toward meeting the targets of its community climate change strategy, Our Climate Pathway.

This ..... more

Wood products in the timber industry come in different shapes, sizes and weights, making them tricky to handle. From lumber frames to long pieces, these bulky loads often need special treatment. Regular forklifts struggle with this variety, sometimes requiring extra forklifts or operators lifting loads unsafely to avoid obstacles. Which is why Combilift designed the Combi-CB70E, a multidirectional, forklift all-rounder.

Irish-based manufacturer, Comb..... more

A decline in road freight transport workplace injuries, shows industry commitment to health and safety improvements says Transporting New Zealand.

Recent data released by ACC shows that annual injury claims have fallen by 35% between 2018 and 2025, showing a consistent decline in workplace injuries despite growth in the national freight task. Claims fell across all 16 regions, with Northland and West Coast recording the largest percentage drops (56% ..... more

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha|University of Canterbury (UC)  researchers are using drones and satellite remote sensing to track the health of eucalyptus trees from above and protect the future of New Zealand’s plantation forests. 

PhD candidate, Shiva Pariyar, is breaking new ground with remote sensing research that could help reduce economic and environmental losses caused by pest damage in non-native eucalyptus species. 

“We know that in Ne..... more

The New Zealand Forest Service had ’Training Schools' for many skills - hunters, timber cruisers, timber graders, woodsmen and forest rangers. 

For over 30 years, boys leaving school were invited to learn the ‘Skilled Crafts of forestry’ and they attended a number of Woodsman Schools throughout the country.

The work was hard, the pay low, the food often terrible, but they thrived on learning new skills, which included everything from plant..... more