The forestry and wood products industry is well-ready to challenge exaggerated or unsubstantiated claims about the environmental credentials of non-wood building products (like steel, concrete and aluminium) – and so it should! We call this "green-wash".
READ MOREThe Future Forest Research (FFR) Steep Slope Harvesting program, supported by government's Primary Growth Partnership fund, is progressing well and achieved all of its objectives in the first year. The program aims to improve worker safety and reduce the costs of harvesting on steep slopes.
READ MOREBeing a Manawatu kid (having grown up in Palmerston North) the editor couldn't help himself but include this impressive and disturbing photograph of a massive slip across SH3 through the Manawatu Gorge between Palmerston North and Pahiatua.
READ MOREThe publication of the Federated Farmer's Election 2011 General Election Manifesto piqued my interest in how the Federation now views the Emissions Trading Scheme and specifically the role of forestry planting as a means of both neutralising farm stock emissions and making money.
READ MOREBuilding an enterprise-wide software solution to replace manual systems, spread sheets and an aging accounting system is the kind of challenge that software development company Integral thrives on. Over the past fifteen years they have been doing just that with PF Olsen's core accounting and business systems.
READ MOREThere are two key dates approaching for post-1989 forest owners thinking about ETS registration.
READ MOREPF Olsen is at the forefront of the application of new LiDAR technology (Light Detection and Ranging) to both lower the costs and improve the quality of harvest planning.
READ MOREOctober was a month of two (very different) halves; at the beginning of the month there was mixed sentiment (but some optimism) in the export market, a wide spread of prices and full order books from many buyers. In contrast, the end of the month saw cancelled orders, massive price drops and widespread negative sentiment.
READ MOREThe original banner was a stop-gap measure and we have finally gotten round to getting one professionally designed.
READ MOREThe Government announcement on Friday 30th September of a proposal to ban certain industrial gas Certified Emission Reduction (CER) units from the NZ ETS is positive in a number of respects.
READ MOREPF Olsen has been busy processing pre-1990 NZU allocations for clients. Please note that the deadline for allocation applications closes 30 November 2011. We continue to be surprised at the apparent inaction from some pre-1990 forest owners in regard to these applications.
READ MOREThe Ministry for the Environment's initial cost/benefit analysis (CBA) was not favourable to implementation of a National Environmental Standard (NES). This has strengthened the forestry sector's resolve to ensure resolution of some outstanding issues that are diluting the potential benefits to the forest industry.
READ MOREAt a recent Future Forests Research (FFR) members meeting in Wellington Chris Phillips and Mike Marden from Landcare gave a superb presentation on erosion prevention.
READ MOREOctober is characterised by a faltering nascent recovery in the export log market and continued difficult trading conditions for domestic log purchasers.
READ MOREOpen Buildings and World Architecture Festival, a website celebrating interesting and innovative buildings across the word, have joined together to create the World of Architecture Festival.
READ MOREClarky's Comment in Wood Matters Issue 34 caught the attention of Entomologist John McLean (Ph. D., MNZIF).
READ MOREThis month marks the 40th anniversary of the commencement of the PF Olsen business. See PF Olsen Celebrates 40 years of Business. I'm reflecting on significant changes in the structure of the forest industry in New Zealand and some future opportunities if we choose to work together to make them happen.
READ MORESunday the 4th of September saw the joint launch of the Bay of Plenty Regional Forestry Strategy and the opening of the PF Olsen Forest Industries Expo 2011 in Rotorua.
READ MOREIn 1970 when John Spencer built the Caxton Paper Mill, he approached the NZ Forest Service to develop a resource of radiata pine to supply the mill. However, Peter Olsen, the Principal Forester at Kaingaroa at the time, had to tell John that this was beyond the mandate of the Forest Service.
READ MOREIt's been busy start to the month in Rotorua with a wide range of activities linked to New Zealand's three-day Forestry Festival, FI2011.
READ MORE