Forest Talk

This month’s Environmental Forestry conference will focus on the immediate, practical needs of forest managers and planners.

While previous discussions in the sector have centred on the broad shift toward “applied solutions”, the 2026 event – taking place in Rotorua on 23-24 March – is specifically designed to answer the operational question: “What will you bring back to the office from this event?”

The programme addresses four critical pillars..... more

With decades of experience designing and building transport solutions for New Zealand conditions, The Patchell Group continues to focus on what it does best — producing robust, New Zealand-built trailers engineered to last.

The Patchell Group has always been at the forefront of design and technology, but recognises the benefits of aligning with other like-minded companies to be able to offer products that suit a range of transport solutions. It’s the..... more

The Forest Industry Safety Council has released an important Safety Alert following a yarder stabilising ram failure incident.

The Safety Alert relates to Thunderbird TY50/70 Towers and rope retrieval.

The forestry sector has long relied on Thunderbird TY50 and TY70 tower yarders — machines designed to be light, transportable and efficient. However, a serious harm injury has highlighted a critical safety concern that demands immediate attention..... more

Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 highlighted concerns around the impact of slash on waterways – especially around New Zealand’s East Coast. In November 2024, global forestry company Rayonier authorised the design and build of a large-scale grapple to help with the tidy-up. Blain Cox and his Hawke’s Bay-based crew, Cox Forestry Services, agreed to give it a test run.

The six-man swing-yarder crew uses an EMS Tether Winch machine, a John Deere 859 Feller Bunc..... more

The University of Canterbury’s School of Forestry is running a series of Forest Engineering Workshops in Rotorua this winter.

The one-day courses are designed to provide up-to-date information in a structured learning environment, for people actively engaged in the forest industry.

The courses are: Working on Steep Slopes with Winch Assist (2 June); Safe and Effective use of Mobile Tailholds (3 June); Managing Production for Cost-Effective Logg..... more

They say woodchopping is in the blood. For the Rasmussen-Wallace whānau of Ōtaki, that’s literally true.

When the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® New Zealand Men’s and the Tuatahi Axes New Zealand Women’s Championships take over Te Marae o Hine / The Square in Palmerston North as part of the Ford Ranger NZ Rural Games this weekend, three members of one remarkable family will be competing. They will showcase a legacy that spans generations, travels the country an..... more