Last week I watched the first train depart Bathurst, in central western NSW, loaded with 42 containers of Radiata pine logs destined for China – the culmination of two year's work to create an alternative market outlet for private forest growers in the region in the absence of significant domestic market options.
READ MORERichard Cook commenced as SNI Branch Manager of our newly created Wellington branch on 28th July.
READ MOREPF Olsen has been a strong supporter of the Kaharoa Kokako Trust (KKT) in recent years and has provided valuable sponsorship to the Trust since 2012. KKT is very excited that PF Olsen have just confirmed this sponsorship is set to continue for another 3 years extending the relationship between the two organisations.
READ MOREAs part of a drive to improve safety outcomes in its business in general, and address unacceptably high levels of injury in the forestry in particular, PF Olsen has developed a range of targeted initiatives. One such initiative is a project called the Zero Tolerance Scheme, aimed at increasing safety of log loading.
READ MORERoss recently was asked to attend the safety review meeting in Wellington by FOA. He completes all SBO's, audits and he runs Skyline's safety meetings. He is Skyline's safety rep and is at every PF Olsen meeting, asks questions and is not afraid to speak his mind. Ross is an outspoken advocate for safety and a believer in zero harm.
READ MOREGraeme Robinson was well rewarded from the harvesting of his 6.5 hectare woodlot at Tangye Road, West Taupo. Being harvest-ready meant Graeme could respond to the strong market earlier this year and achieve a good return.
READ MOREWith Rotorua as the centre of New Zealand's largest area of commercial forest and the high number of forestry businesses and forestry employment in the region, it seems entirely fitting that the Rotorua District Council (RDC) becomes the first local authority to adopt a Wood First policy.
READ MOREForest owners who own more than 100 hectares of first rotation forest planted since 2008 (or yet to be planted) have an opportunity to obtain an annual income from lending the post-1989 forest land carbon credits to a subsidiary of NZ Forest Leasing Ltd. This company is associated with New Zealand Carbon Farming Ltd.
READ MOREReleased this month from the NZ Environmental Protection Agency is the 2013 Facts and Figures report summarising actions of the Emissions Trading Scheme for the period 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013, as well as the longer annual report under section 89 and section 178A of the Climate Change Response Act 2002 for the period 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013.
READ MOREAfter several months of preparations, planning and consultation, PF Olsen was pleased to be able to add six new forests from the Nelson area to PF Olsen Ltd's FSC Group Scheme.
READ MOREIn September and October 2013 two major storms hit the Canterbury region with wind gusts up to 200 kph.
READ MOREAugust has seen a reversal in the dramatic four month slide in export log prices – at-wharf-gate prices were up around $9/JAS m³.
READ MOREI've been thinking about how we can re-organise our log sales in New Zealand to avoid the violent log price swings that we have at the moment.
READ MOREThe rapid deterioration in the export log market continued in July with export log prices down an average of $12/JAS m³.
READ MOREWelcome to Dan Phillips who started as Project Engineer in Rotorua office.
READ MOREThe Future Forests Research Limited (FFR) Harvesting programme has now released the HARVESTNAV on-board navigation app and has made it available to the whole industry free of charge.
READ MOREDuring May and June this year we have seen a flurry of trading activity in the New Zealand ETS on the back of NZU price rises following the tabling of the The Climate Change Response (Unit Restriction) Amendment Bill (as reported in last months edition of Wood Matters). However the market has since settled with very little trading occurring.
READ MOREAs well as readying itself to commence packaging and delivery of its containerised tree stocks to customers across New Zealand for planting out this winter, PF Olsen Nursery is also establishing a series of field trials on a range of selected sites. The objective of these field trials is two-fold.
READ MOREThis month I have two significant events to comment on. The Independent Forestry Safety Review (IFRS) panel has released its initial report for public consultation, and we have witnessed a massive decline in export log prices, arising from oversupply to China.
READ MOREJune saw another significant fall in export logs prices. This downturn, which is more severe than initially expected, is having a big impact on forest harvesting.
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