It's hard to ignore the stark contrast between the log market now and this time last year. Domestically, last December we were facing the unknown, but daunting, repercussions of a major global financial crisis.
READ MOREFollowing the resignation of John Rogan in November, Mike Hodgson is due to take over the role of Regional Manager, Southern North Island in January 2010.
READ MOREWe have discovered some confusion about what is post-1989 forest. You must look at when the land was originally planted, not when the current tree crop was planted.
READ MOREThe following are some important points regarding pre-1990 deforestation exemptions.
READ MOREMAF, in their latest Sustainable Forestry Bulletin, updates key changes in the legislation relating to the recently passed Climate Change Response (Moderated Emissions Trading Scheme) Amendment Act.
READ MOREIn response to two key questions from PF Olsen, MAF provided the following answers (slightly modified by PF Olsen).
READ MORESome solid detective work by Hew McKellar, President of the Western Farm Co-operative Forestry Company Ltd and Hunterville-based farm forester, has revealed an important opportunity for some forest owners to spread their harvesting revenue over five years.
READ MOREWe know that concrete, steel, aluminium and synthetic composites all compete with wood and fight for market share. Well, we have come across a breakthrough innovation in applications for wood. Might need a little refining to get a lot of uptake (good for mother-in-laws perhaps?)
READ MOREDuring the month, Peter Clark, PF Olsen's CEO presented the Key Note address at the ForestTECH 2009 technology showcase in Rotorua in early November.
READ MORESome Observations and Management Implications
READ MORELittle change to report this month. Export log prices firmed slightly this month based on a rise in China-side log prices.
READ MOREUnder the heading MAF Updates PF Olsen on the Emissions Trading Scheme in Issue 14 of Wood Matters we have found an error.
READ MOREAlthough still subject to Select Committee review and final legislation, the Maori Party support for National's ETS amendments has provided a clear incentive for the planting of new forests. Our calculations suggest a strong domestic demand for forestry credits after 2012, which cannot be met from existing post-1989 forests, even in the unlikely event that all post-1989 forest owners did enter the scheme. But who will plant new forests?
READ MOREAt present, a laden heavy vehicle that does not have a special permit must not weigh more than 44 tonnes nor exceed 20 metres in length. Under proposed new rules the maximum weights of laden vehicles with special permits will be increased on suitable highways and district roads linking forests, mills, processing plants, ports, railheads and customers.
READ MOREThe PF Olsen FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Group Scheme continues to grow, keeping Kit Richards and other PF Olsen staff busy. The most recent addition is the 5,400 hectare Selwyn Plantation Board estate in Canterbury, which previously had its own FSC certificate.
READ MOREThe latest statistics also show a growing global trend in environmental certification of forests and forest products. FSC now has 118 million hectares and PEFC (Programme of Environmental Forest Certification) 224 million hectares of production forest land under each certificate world-wide.
READ MOREAndre de Freitas, FSC International's Executive Director, recently visited New Zealand and attended a NZ forest industry presentation and tour.
READ MOREA crucial enabling capability behind PF Olsen's FSC Group Scheme is its IT–based Environmental Management System (EMS) a sub-system of FIPS. FIPS is a full enterprise management system which integrates data and forest management and business processes across all of PF Olsen's business and the forestry businesses of PF Olsen clients.
READ MOREPF Olsen is collaborating with Opus International Consultants Limited and Andy Woolhouse (of EMTS Limited) to improve management of forest engineering operations, through on-site workshops (or Dirtshops). The on-site workshops will be attended by PF Olsen operations managers and forest engineering contractors and are aimed at minimising environmental risk associated with planning and execution of earthmoving and harvesting operations.
READ MOREA common source of ire for forest owners is that despite forestry providing society with a range of eco–services (such as soil and water protection, carbon sequestration, species diversity and enhanced amenity/recreation), it is sometimes portrayed as an environmental villain.
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