Last summer the family and I (Wood Matters Ed) at last took on the Timber Trail after hearing many people "rave" about it. This is one of mountain bike trails in the Rail Trails NZ series. Located mostly in the Pureora Forest Park just north-west of Lake Taupo, this 85km mountain bike trail is rated grade 3 for the first 40km and grade 2 for the last 45km.
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We live in this world at a time of fast moving technology and political change. Two years ago who would have predicted the restrictions on dairy exports to Russia and the flow-on impacts to milk solid payouts to NZ dairy farmers? Russia is a major competitor to NZ for log supply into China.
READ MOREThe log market diverged considerably in April as the domestic market continued its strong run and the export market softened with the Chinese New Year hang-over. Domestic pruned prices strengthened, export pruned and domestic unpruned prices flat-lined and export unpruned log prices plunged $10-$17.
READ MOREWood lovers now have scientific evidence to support what they already knew. Exposure to wood in your environment has tangible health and well-being benefits.
READ MOREDuring my ten year plus involvement in the New Zealand forest nursery sector and association with Australian forest nursery growers, I have observed a slow progression of Australian forest nurseries from bare-root to containerised tree stock production. Why isn't New Zealand following the Australian's and the rest of the world's lead into containerised production, or are we just starting to?
READ MOREOne of the most successful commercial methods of genetic improvement is controlled pollination. This involves taking pollen from a known "father" cone and using it to pollinate a known "mother" cone. This produces control-pollinated (CP) seed.
READ MOREIn April 2015 the Ministry for the Environment released the New Zealand Greenhouse Gas Inventory & Net Position Report for 1990-2013.
READ MORESawmills in Canterbury are struggling to procure enough logs to maintain full production. Wood products markets are buoyant with the Christchurch rebuild and the strong housing market in Auckland.
READ MOREThe Kaharoa Kokako Trust's focus for 2015 is a survey of adult kokako in their protected area.
READ MOREAs a businessman I only have so much energy and why waste it on a lost cause? By "lost cause" I'm not referring to the subject matter of lower atmospheric greenhouse gas levels.
READ MOREThe domestic log market continues to have strong demand for higher value pruned and unpruned logs. Some domestic mills are seeking more pruned logs than available and are having to make do with a proportion of unpruned logs in the meantime. The export log market moved sideways in early March impacted by the Chinese Lunar New Year and Spring Holiday although very favourable ocean freight rates and a weaker Kiwi dollar have supported NZ$ at-wharf-gate prices.
READ MORELiDAR images provide a very useful description of forests that could eventually be used to replace or complement conventional ground based measurements.
READ MOREParengarenga Forest, adjacent to 90 mile beach, was planted by the New Zealand Forest Service on Maori land leased from the Parengarenga Incorporation.
READ MOREThere have been no significant changes affecting forestry participants in the ETS. The NZ government is planning to review the ETS this year, but the timing for that review has not yet been decided.
READ MOREBetween squally showers and a stiff southerly in March, Peter Clark, PF Olsen's CEO, recognised Full Boar Logging for three years lost time injury (LTI) free. Dave Docherty, crew principal, received the award on behalf of the Southland crew who are based in Invercargill.
READ MOREThe 2014 NZ forest planting estimates were released by MPI on 4th February. These are based on a comprehensive survey of nursery treestock sales and a survey of large-scale forest owners. The estimate is 3,000 ha of new planting and 43,000 ha of replanting.
READ MOREThe New Year has seen steady demand and price for domestic logs and increased demand and price for export logs, especially pruned logs.
READ MOREThe theme "Beyond Tenure" for the upcoming ANZIF conference is very timely.
READ MORETwenty five PF Olsen staff and family members braved a windy and cold (initially) day in December last year to pull unwanted wilding pines from the slopes of Mount Tarawera. The day was a community service day whereby staff (and family) donate their time and effort for a good community cause or project
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