NZ Logger May 2024

May 2024 | 9.50

Plenty of grunt

Wicked power,

ISSN 2703-6251

Peak production Could pine be the answer to saving the kiwi?

Kuru Contracting to the roadbuilding rescue

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contents

MAY 2024

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FOREST TALK Failure to plan: Consider the whole supply chain; 10-year wood supply agreement for low emissions fuel plant; Strengthening NZ/China trade ties; MPI job cuts threaten primary sector; New President for FOA; 50year forestry battle; Unlawful hunters put bush workers at risk; Report ignores the benefits of forestry; For the industry, by the industry; Considering rare species in harvest planning; From slash to carbon storage; Working together for the environment.

SHAW’S WIRE ROPES IRON TEST Ollerenshaw Logging likes Sumitomos so much that they’ve got themselves seven machines. Our Iron test team takes a look at the third Sumitomo SH300LF-6 the company

38 has had in a felling role. Regular SH300LF-6 operator, Jared Melvin, says the dash six has wicked track power and wicked power in general.

Our team found out for themselves.

30

38

HARVESTING Native forest, pasture, sand dunes, snow... and, that’s right, plantation forests, can all be suitable habitats for kiwi. Save the Kiwi’s Craig Balsom says exotic species plantations, if well-managed, can be home to kiwis as well as commercial foresters.

ROADBUILDING When the road linking Tolaga and Tokomaru Bays was destroyed by Cyclone Gabrielle, it was Ricky Kuru and his team who came to the rescue, building a new road under their own steam in record time.

42 42

YOUNG ACHIEVERS As head breaker out for Skipps Logging’s two crews based in the Waikato, Noah Skipps is no stranger to hard work. But as a New Zealand Jetski Champion, it’s clear he is as comfortable at sea as he is in the bush.

DEPARTMENTS 2 editorial 44 fica 48 top spot 51 Greenlight New Iron 53 classifieds

May 2024 | NZ LOGGER 1

from the editor May 2024

Plenty of grunt

Wicked power,

Peak production ISSN 1176-0397

PHOTO: TIM BENSEMAN

| 9.50

Could pine be the answer to saving the kiwi?

Kuru Contracting to the roadbuilding rescue

Regular Operator, Jared Melvin, throwing trees down a hill in Ollerenshaw Logging’s Sumitomo SH300LF-6.

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2 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Not all bad news WITH OVERSUPPLY OF LOGS INTO CHINA, HIGH FREIGHT RATES, EXPORT prices down and the result that many harvest crews are parked up, the initial positive outlook for the new year has done a turnaround. Add to that job cuts nationwide and the country slipping into its second recession in less than 18 months according to Government figures, and it looks to be another gruelling year for the forestry industry.

Fortunately, forestry is a long-term game. Trees are patient and the market inevitably bounces back. In the meantime, we do what we do best, and that includes taking care of our forests. Not just the trees themselves but the various inhabitants that first laid claim to them. While many people assume kiwi live only in native forests, this month Save the Kiwi’s Craig Balsom explains why pine could be the answer to saving New Zealand’s national icon.

The native understory that flourishes beneath the pine canopy may be a manual tree faller’s nightmare, but it supports a plethora of bird and insect life, he says. As Craig explains, exotic species plantations, if managed sensibly, can support our native species and still be productive commercial forests.

Meanwhile, Ernslaw One is taking care of those less glamorous native species in a major fish translocation programme in its South Island forest waterways. A new technology that allows them to identify the genetic material of threatened species and move them out of harm’s way is proving successful.

On the opposite side of the fence, the windthrow salvage and mopping up activities after the sister Cyclones took a swipe at us, are finally easing up. But after all the poor PR for the industry, those on the ground making things better tend to get looked over. When Ricky Kuru and his crew saw a problem after the road linking Tolaga and Tokomaru Bay was destroyed, they stepped in without any guarantee of payment to build a temporary road, selflessly putting the community first.

Another story that speaks to the strength of will and hard work of those who are drawn to this industry is our look at a young man who has taken the work ethic he learned in the bush onto an international platform. At just 19 and already a champion jetskiier, when he is not working as head breaker out for Skipps Logging, Noah Skipps is as at home in the water as he is in the bush.

Plenty of good news if you know where to look.

Until next time, stay safe.

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forest talk

Failure to plan: Consider the whole supply chain

Story: Allan Laurie, MNZIF, Laurie Forestry OVER THE LAST MONTH, THE CHINA MARKET has settled down after a significant swing down with some key factors moving to the positive, albeit not stunningly so.

While New Zealand wharf gate prices have been negatively impacted over the last month, some of that has to do with shipping.

Despite the shipping cost indicator, the Baltic index, showing weakening freight rates internationally, the charterers of log vessels in New Zealand are suffering at the hands of more localised demand.

Of those factors I typically monitor in China, inventory and daily usage are the most important.

The Radiata log Inventory has been increasing marginally, as at mid-April sitting at around 4.2 million m3. This has generally been regarded positively with most expecting the inventory to start falling when the New Zealand Log supply juggernaut starts to slow.

Daily softwood log usage across the China Eastern Seaboard has been running at 60,000 – 65000 m3 per day, mostly the upper end and better than expected by most. This has been the primary reason for a slowed inventory build with New Zealand supply and usage very closely aligned.

The challenge going forward for New Zealand will be to maintain a lower production cycle. As China moves toward the heat of the summer, construction activity can be expected to slow down. If New Zealand does not match that, we can expect CFR prices to remain subdued.

I have stated before and I will not shirk from that which I believe to be true, the need to get the supply construct right for New 4 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Zealand Forestry Inc into critical markets like China has never been greater. The need for a collective discussion about how this might work needs to happen and without delay.

The New Zealand forestry sector is literally losing billions of dollars in export sales because of a failure to get in a room, sort it out, and work to a plan. And, as they say, the failure to plan is to plan to fail and that, thus far, we have done stunningly well.

We have harvest contractors and trucking companies on their knees with business failures inevitable. It is about high time we really do show we care about the whole supply change which some need to be reminded is made up of people. It is not computers, ships, logs or forests.

The current significant slowdown in Lake Taupo forests’ Cyclone Gabrielle harvest is gaining momentum - most not close to the action view this as positive. The downside is many contractors are reportedly not finding work back in hometown so casualties will be the order of the day. But the slowdown is very much needed by the rest of New Zealand to bring our daily national harvest rate down.

From our international informants, the appearance of reasonable volumes, once again coming out of the Pacific Northwest into China is not good news for New Zealand.

The recent kiss and make up between Australia and China is also seeing some pine shipment restarts to China, this also furrows the brow somewhat.

For New Zealand, the resumption of shipments of our wonderful Radiata logs to India is very good news. The challenge here will be for there not to be a massive

Allan Laurie. stampede to the India gate and we all beat ourselves up with price trying to get through it. For a normally positive person, why do I have an impending sense of doom about that?

The reduction in log trade to Korea is having its impacts through sales volume loss and shipping. Previously, many cargoes would include top-deck, one port discharge Korea and below-deck, one port discharge China. There were fumigation and logistics requirements in those rotations that ensured the use of lower-cost Handy class vessels.

The loss of Korea volumes now has New Zealand charterers targeting more costly Supra-max vessels, all below deck cargo, one port discharge China. This, in part, is helping to drive freight rates up for log exporters.

Meanwhile, New Zealand sawmill owners are continuing to provide stable pricing and consistently good sales for forest owners. A general sense of this key market suggests the list of forward orders is shrinking with margins also shrinking to maintain sales.

This is somewhat of a concern. Let us hope a more business-friendly government can help swell those order books.

As always, please remember the thoroughly important message, “despite the challenges, it remains, as always, fundamentally important, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet, is to get out there and plant more trees”! NZL

forest talk

10-year wood supply agreement for low emissions fuel plant AUSTRALIAN COMPANY, FORESTA, HAS SIGNED A 10-YEAR supply agreement with PF Olsen. The agreement will see 150,000 tonnes of logs, stumps and slash sourced from sustainably managed forests underpinning production for Foresta’s planned low emissions torrefied wood pellet manufacturing plant at Kawerau.

“This is another significant step forward for our manufacturing plant, with the supply representing around 61% of the total quantity of raw feedstock required for Stage 1AA and 1A of the plant,” says Foresta Managing Director, Ray Mountfort.

The plant will produce torrefied black wood pellets which are a seamless drop-in replacement for coal as a fuel source in boilers, without any loss of energy intensity while also significantly reducing carbon emissions. A recent Genesis trial at Huntly power station using similar pellets reduced emissions by at least 90%.

Foresta plans to invest some $300 million building the plant, which, at full production, will employ more than 100 workers.

“We’re excited to be partnering with such a respected and significant player in the New Zealand forestry industry,” says Mr Mountfort.

“The supply agreement represents another piece in the jigsaw which means, pending funding, we can proceed with confidence

with our plans to develop our manufacturing plant and begin construction later this year.”

Foresta recently announced the signing of a 30-year lease (with a 20-year right of renewal) on a 9.6 ha property in Kawerau with Putauaki Trust.

Foresta has also secured an off-take agreement with South Island energy distribution company, Tailored Energy & Resources, to supply 65,000 tonnes of pellets annually to its industrial customers and a harvesting contract with Silvertree Biomass Solutions.

The planned plant will also produce natural pine-based chemicals (rosins and terpenes) from pine trees which can replace petroleum-sourced chemicals. These are used in everyday items including flavours, fragrances, chewing gum, paint, ink and tyres.

Foresta expects to complete obtaining all consents and begin construction in the last quarter of 2024. Construction of the first production line is expected to take two years with Stage 1a of the plant opening in 2026.

The plant will reach full production three years after opening, with estimated production of 52,000 tonnes per annum of chemicals and 210,000 tonnes per annum of torrefied pellets. NZL

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forest talk

Strengthening NZ/China trade ties FORESTRY MINISTER, TODD MCCLAY, MET WITH MINISTERIAL counterparts in Beijing last month, in support of the New Zealand/China trade and economic relationship.

Mr McClay’s meeting with the administrator of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Guan Zhi’ou, was an opportunity to advance the bilateral forestry relationship, including areas of cooperation under the refreshed bilateral forestry cooperation arrangement.

“China is the top export market for New Zealand forest products, and New Zealand remains a strong supplier of softwood logs and wood products for the Chinese market,” says Mr McClay.

His meeting with Commerce Minister, Wang Wentao, reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, “with our Free Trade Agreement at its core”, Mr McClay says.

“We discussed progress made on implementation of the 2022 FTA Upgrade provisions, and areas of bilateral cooperation including in support of business environment reforms in China and intellectual property rights protection.”

Regional and multilateral trade developments were also discussed, following on a previous meeting on the margins of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi.

“I reaffirmed that China’s requests to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) are for members to consider collectively, and that consensus will guide these discussions,” Mr McClay says.

Forestry Minister, Todd McClay (left), with China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration’s Guan Zhi’ou.

He also met with Chinese Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tang Renjian.

“New Zealand and China have a long-standing and close agricultural relationship,” Mr McClay says.

“I welcomed the opportunity to meet Minister Tang to discuss our cooperation programmes, and to underline my commitment to strengthening the collaborative programme of work between our countries’ agricultural sectors.

“Growing our trade relationships and exports will boost New Zealand’s economy, and it is only through a strong economy we can lift incomes, reduce the cost of living and afford the public services Kiwis deserve.” NZL

MPI job cuts threaten primary sector GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSED CUTS OF 384 ROLES AT THE MINISTRY of Primary industries (MPI) are putting our primary industries at risk, says PSA National Secretary, Duane Leo. To start meeting the Government’s cost saving demands of 7.5%, MPI is proposing that 384 roles are disestablished. About 40% of the roles targeted for cuts are currently vacant, which means 218 workers will be potentially affected by the proposed cuts.

The proposal is only the first round of what are likely to be further cuts.

“MPI is the first line of defence for our whole economy. Taking 384 roles out of the system built up over many years to protect our $57.4 billion in primary industry exports is a reckless, irresponsible gamble by the Government to pay for tax breaks for landlords,” Mr Leo says.

6 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

“The roles that are being lost equate to about 9% of MPI’s workforce. That’s a big chunk to take out of the important forestry, biosecurity, farm animal disease control, food safety, fisheries and animal welfare work for which MPI is responsible,” Mr Leo says.

“Our export economy relies on world class biosecurity and disease control, and a robust food safety regime that is beyond question. MPI has played an important role in critical issues facing the country, from supporting rural communities in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle to protecting our cattle industry by eradicating mycoplasma bovis,” he adds.

“Worryingly biosecurity is the biggest area to be cut, with 131 roles to go.

“The cost-cutting will hit vital support for the primary sector and everyone else whose livelihoods depend on it.” NZL

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forest talk

New President for FOA

NEW ZEALAND’S PLANTATION FORESTS, AND THE FOREST owners that support them, will be critical to achieving a greener future, says new President of the New Zealand Forest Owners Association (FOA), Matt Wakelin, who replaces outgoing President, Grant Dodson.

“Our plantation forests sequester more than half the country’s annual carbon dioxide emissions and are the only real tool we have available right now to counter rising emissions and meet the 2050 targets.”

The sector also holds the largest role in supporting New Zealand’s emerging bioeconomy, Mr Wakelin says.

“Wood chip, pellets and other forms of wood fibre are progressively replacing coal as an alternative, eco-friendly source of fuel. Carbon intensive materials such as steel and concrete are being subbed out for quality, carbon-locking timber too.

“The innovative use of wood residues such as pine pollen in the likes of pharmaceutical and skin care products is also changing the way we see and use wood and has real potential to grow the sector,” he adds. “It’s an exciting time to be stepping in as FOA President and supporting the sector on that growth trajectory.”

Portfolio manager for New Forests, Mr Wakelin, has extensive experience stemming from a lifelong career in forestry – managing forest estates, port services operations, log supply and residues sales for log processing facilities and offering his sector expertise in an executive and corporate capacity.

At the FOA’s AGM last month, Chief Executive, Dr Elizabeth Heeg, acknowledged the leadership and support of outgoing President, Grant Dodson, during his two-year term.

“Mr Dodson’s keen observations, industry practicality and deep knowledge of matters outside forestry have become a valuable legacy for our industry as it meets the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

New FOA President, Matt Wakelin.

Kate Rankin (Wenita Forest Products ) and Darren Man (Ernslaw One) were also elected to the Executive Council, replacing Steve Chandler and Rowan Struthers respectively. Dean Witehira (Timberlands) will replace Tim Sandall as Vice President for the coming term.

“Mr Chandler and Mr Struthers have been a real asset to the Executive Council. Their commitment to representing forest owner interests, particularly their contributions to the sector’s training, careers and labour space, will have a lasting impact,” she says.

“We are excited to welcome our new executive members and look forward to seeing their skills, knowledge and fresh perspectives in action.” NZL

50-year forestry battle SOME 1800HA OF FORESTRY NEAR MITIMITI IS NOW FULLY BACK IN the hands of Te Puna Tōpu ō Hokianga Ahu Whenua Trust after settling a financial agreement with Summit Forests NZ. The trust was formed in the early 1970s as a way to attract investment for afforestation on ancestral land – a large portion of which was owned by the Crown.

Other surrounding blocks have been consolidated under the trust with 1500ha of the current landholding going to the trust under the proviso the land went into forestry – and the first pine trees were planted in 1975.

Japanese-owned company, JNL, took over the lease in the mid-80s, with Te Puna Tōpu o Hokianga Ahu Whenua Trust one of many Northern forestry leases re-assigned to JNL at the time.

The relationship between the Trust and JNL was volatile until around 2010 when JNL sold its Northern Forest interests to Summit Forests NZ, along with its leases.

The first rotation harvesting was completed in 2018 and the lease expired in 2022.

All the forest had been replanted except for 400ha, which was planted by JNL. The trust negotiated a value of those trees with Summit Forests NZ finalising the process started 50 years back.

The focus now is on how best to manage the forest and maximise its value for shareholders and beneficiaries. NZL

8 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

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forest talk

Unlawful hunters put bush workers at risk UNLAWFUL HUNTERS TRESPASSING DURING LAST MONTH’S roar put Southland forestry workers at risk. Rayonier Matariki Forests allows for organised hunting in its forests for registered hunting clubs and contractors.

However, Rayonier’s Southland Regional Manager, Hamish Fitzgerald, says unlawful hunting is common in its blocks, especially during the autumn roar season.

About 200 people work in Rayonier blocks and were being put at risk. While a logging operation is easy to identify, silviculture workers, scientists, inventory crews and Rayonier’s own staff are not so obvious.

There are daily reports during the roar of trespassing in the company’s blocks, whether for unlawful hunting or other illegal activities.

The Southland Rayonier Matariki Forests team manages 24,000ha of plantation forests in 26 blocks around Southland, with 70% of the estate in pine trees, while also managing 2000ha of protected native forest.

Hunters need to take extra special care out there, says NZ Deerstalkers Association Chief Executive Gwyn Thurlow: “I would like to remind all hunters to be particularly cautious at this time,

which is the busiest time of year in the hunting calendar. Be certain beyond all doubt when identifying your target and always assume anything you hear or glimpse in the bush could be another human until you have a 100% positive identification.”

The roar runs from late March through April, peaking early April.

It is the breeding season of New Zealand’s deer species. The roar lasts approximately four weeks, with stags being the most vocal in the middle two weeks. NZL

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forest talk

Report ignores the benefits of forestry

THE RECENTLY RELEASED NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC Research (NZIER) report, Pathways to Prosperity, fails to appreciate the economic, social and environmental benefits of production forestry says the New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA).

The report on New Zealand’s food and fibre exports, commissioned by the Helen Clark Foundation, “clings to forestry misconceptions” says the NZFOA. It claims the sector is “a pine monoculture”, producing woody material and sediment in waterways and having a negative impact on rural communities.

Forest Owners Association Chief Executive, Dr Elizabeth Heeg, says there is evidence to the contrary.

“Forestry shows the greatest growth potential of all primary industries, with an increasingly important role in strengthening our rural communities,” she says.

“A report from PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2020 found that forestry generated twice the number of jobs per hectare than hill country farming. That’s way outside any margin of error.

“New Zealand’s production forest estate is arguably also the only tool our country has available to meet its 2050 climate change targets.

“Our trees currently offset more than half of the nation’s total carbon emissions. These plantation forests have been solely responsible for reducing gross emissions from 76.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide down to 55.7 million tonnes.

“The lack of appreciation for the scope of worldwide demand for timber and timber products in the future is perhaps the largest failure of the Clark Foundation report.

“Not only will the worldwide demand for timber to replace carbon emitting concrete and steel, rise rapidly in the near future, but so too will the demand for wood-based biofuels and other plastic substitute products increase,” Dr Heeg says.

“This shift from log exports to higher value forestry bioproducts is anticipated to increase the sector’s export value by approximately $12 to $19 billion according to the 2023 NZ Product Accelerator Report.

The new report’s undue emphasis on popular forestry misconceptions also downplays the important role of trees in maintaining a healthy environment, she says.

“The widespread belief there is a monoculture of pines is simply not true.

“Both forestry and pastoral farming hold important roles in maintaining a mosaic of land uses and both are increasingly planting native vegetation along riparian strips, including sites where it’s too steep to plant trees or farm animals.

“Both industries have about 15 percent of their area in native vegetation. There is hardly any difference.

“Production forests are important habitats for supporting Aotearoa’s wildlife too,” Dr Heeg adds. “There is strong evidence that native birds such as falcons and kiwi, prefer plantation forests due to greater food availability and the lack of predators, making it a safer environment.”

“Forestry also has a unique role to play in minimising erosion and our forests effectively filter out water contamination from other land use.” NZL

For the industry, by the industry FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, NEW ZEALAND HAS A DEDICATED certification for fluid power engineering, providing new training and career path options to those in the hydraulics and pneumatics industries.

The Certificate in Fluid Power Engineering Fundamentals (Level 3) approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is the result of sustained effort by several key people in the industry and of a newly formed New Zealand Fluid Power Association.

The treasurer and former chairperson of this association is Natasja (Tasj) Paulson, Owner and Director of Gisborne Hydraulics and Hydraulink distributor. Gisborne Hydraulics specialises purely in fluid power, which includes oil and compressed air. The company services machinery for a broad range of industries, including forestry, agriculture, horticulture, roading, earthmoving, marine, aviation support vehicles, viticulture, process factories and more.

“After more than 20 years with Gisborne Hydraulics, I took over as owner in 2017 and found that it was difficult to attract the right staff because there was no formally recognised fluid power training,” explains Ms Paulson.

She and a number of like-minded people from the Fluid Power Industry worked alongside the Workplace Development Council to develop a certification that was for the industry, by the industry.

By the end of 2022, NZQA had officially accepted the certification, and much of 2023 was spent developing the technical elements of what the new course would look like.

Apprentice Training New Zealand took the lead in running the 10 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

new certification programme. By the end of 2023, everything came together, and the new certification programme was ready for 2024.

“It was an exciting time and the result of the hard work of so many individuals. Naturally, I wanted Gisborne Hydraulics to be the first to participate in the programme, and two of our employees, Mohammed Farook and workshop manager, Blake Thornton, eagerly signed up right away,” she says.

“The next steps are to consider adding a Level 4 and possibly a Level 5 qualification to further upskill people that want to take their qualifications to the next level,” she explains. NZL

From left: Mohammed Farook, New Zealand Fluid Power Association Chairperson, Tasj Paulson and Apprentice Training New Zealand National Manager, Ben Julian.

Photo: The Gisborne Herald.

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forest talk

Considering rare species in harvest planning ERNSLAW ONE IS UNDERTAKING A MAJOR fish translocation programme in its South Island forest waterways to protect rare and threatened species, using a relatively new technology – Environmental DNA (e-DNA). e-DNA is genetic material shed by organisms as they move in, through and around their environment. e-DNA sampling kits quickly and effectively identify species in waterways, which may otherwise be missed during conventional sampling.

Aquaculture Manager at Ernslaw One, John Hollows, says as early adopters of this new technology it has enabled a much more accurate assessment of life in its forest streams and forms a major part of operational planning.

“We have previously conducted fishing surveys with spot lighting, electric fishing and netting but it has not been foolproof.

With the e-DNA kits it’s either there or it’s not – the fish can’t hide.

“The result is, we’ve got confidence when planning our harvest operations that we’re not affecting fish or their spawning areas,” he says.

Using e-DNA technology, Ernslaw One has identified more than 20 fish species in its South Island forests. For one harvest, through water testing, brown trout were

identified above a culvert where Pomahaka galaxiids were also present. Ernslaw One approached Otago Fish & Game for help to remove the trout.

“In the first run just before Christmas, we moved about 70 trout downstream below the culvert. We will keep removing trout until e-DNA testing reveals there are no more above the culvert,” says Mr Hollows.

In terms of the galaxiids, the West Otago area has some of the most diverse galaxiid species in New Zealand.

“Some turn into whitebait – the adults lay eggs under rocks with the larvae drifting out to sea before returning as whitebait – while others can spend their whole life in a small stretch of stream,” explains Mr Hollows.

Otago has 15 non-migratory galaxiid species, of which 14 are threatened. With careful management, streams within Ernslaw One’s forests can become galaxiid refuges.

“There are a whole lot of native species that can be found in a small distribution area so it’s important to know what we’ve got and where,” says Mr Hollows. “We are building a database of what is found where so we can continue to protect them as part of our environmental work.” NZL

Above: Otago Fish & Game Council CEO, Ian Hadland, holding a brown trout.

Below: A rare Pomohaka galaxiid.

From slash to carbon storage

COMMUNITY PROJECTS IN AUCKLAND ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH adding carbon to their soils, thanks to an initiative supported by Soil Pro and the Mazda Foundation.

Made by upcycling surplus forestry slash, the project was initiated

by The Good Carbon Farm to produce carbonised organic matter – or biochar, as it is more commonly known. The biochar is being donated to Oke, which funds and builds school gardens; and Restoring Takarunga Hauraki, a community-led organisation involved with multiple environmental restoration projects.

“This project is repurposing underutilised biomass on our doorstep into something good,” says The Good Carbon Farm co-founder, Joany Grima. “When properly added to the ground, biochar becomes a longterm haven for beneficial microbes and nutrients, which plants love.”

Plants are rich in carbon, so when they die and decompose, carbon is re-released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and methane.

Converting plant waste into biochar is a circular system, capturing up to half the carbon that would otherwise have been emitted, while also creating a plant-enhancing product, she explains.

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Oke will distribute the biochar to some of its Auckland-based school gardens.

As well as enjoying international recognition as one of few negative emissions technologies readily available to reverse climate change, biochar increases yield from plants, improves soil and water quality, and reduces fertiliser and irrigation dependency.

Restoring Takarunga Hauraki began experimenting with biochar in its nurseries this year, in an effort to reduce fertiliser use and decrease watering. Chair, Anne McMillan, says, “Our native plant nursery has been operating for a few years now and found a permanent home about a year ago in Devonport. We were concerned about the emissions that fertiliser creates as well as their effect on fungi in the soil, so this collaboration with The Good Carbon Farm was an awesome solution for us. We are part of an Iwi and community nursery group always looking for innovation to grow better plants. We also want to look at using biochar to filter water that goes into our local streams as this is mostly runoff from roads and contains contaminants that can harm our native fish and invertebrates that live in streams.” NZL

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forest talk

Working together for the environment PEOPLE ACROSS THE FORESTRY INDUSTRY ARE FACING SOME of the toughest challenges in the past decade with weather, markets and regulations all testing even the best of our foresters. One way to make positive change in the face of adversity is to network with others and gain inspiration from sharing success stories that can lead to motivating others in similar roles and circumstances.

On 30-31 July FIEA’s third annual Environmental Forestry Conference will do just that. Foresters will come together with local regulators and national policy makers to debate and bring constructive change for production forestry and our environment, with a focus on practical actions and measurable outcomes.

A key role in supporting sustainability is fostering native species in production forests while carrying out harvesting and other commercial operations.

The New Zealand falcon/kārearea interacts with plantation forestry operations throughout New Zealand. Sometimes, the results of these interactions are negative for this threatened bird species.

Kaingaroa is reputed to have the highest known density of endangered kārearea on the mainland. It is especially important that nesting birds are protected within Kaingaroa so, to ensure this, Timberlands retains the larger, mature trees on the edges of the forest for nesting, with the adjacent plains being a common hunting ground for the birds.

Resident kārearea are tagged and monitored by the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust with the help of sightings by Timberlands staff and forest visitors.

Meanwhile a lesser-known falcon population has also been studied to monitor health and development in South Island forests, says Graham Parker, a specialist from Parker Conservation South.

Through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) many forestry companies are required to mitigate their impact on New Zealand falcons. However there is a shortage of data to guide improved mitigation practices for falcon and forestry interactions. Mr Parker and his team have worked with seven forestry companies in Otago to better quantify the falcon population and the nature of interactions, and provide updated management recommendations for use in FSC, and beyond.

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In 2023, Scion entomologist Carl Wardhaugh was rated top speaker by conference delegates. He provided insights into how beetle populations flourish in production forests with many co-benefits for both pine and native forest environments.

Other topics will include pest control, coordinating efforts with entities such as the Department of Conservation and Ospri’s TB Free Programme. Many forest managers such as Kaingaroa Timberlands engage pest control experts to target introduced species. The goal is for Kaingaroa to become predator-free at Timberlands’ own cost, rather than through government assistance Another speaker from Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP), Courtney Hamblin, is an experienced pest management specialist. In her role as Adaptive Management Director she works with teams on the ground.

Ms Hamblin’s presentation will be on the Predator Free New Zealand by 2050 (PFNZ) mission which seeks to eliminate predators from the mainland of New Zealand – a challenge beyond any scale attempted anywhere in the world. ZIP has been instrumental in innovating the tools and techniques to get there. She will highlight developments that are enabling predator elimination at scale, as well as the potential of this work to uplift the carbon sequestration of the country’s native rainforests To register for the conference visit: https://innovatek.co.nz/event/ environmental-forestry-2024 NZL

The New Zealand falcon/karearea.

Iron Test

Iron Tester, Alister Hudson, checks the Sumitomo SH300LF-6’s stability with a good stem and finds the machine very stable.

Story & photos: Tim Benseman

Wicked powe Peak prod

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Operator, Jared Melvin, likes the staggered cleats for better grip.

The view from the operator’s seat.

The Sumitomo with Duffy Engineering guarding is a strong unit. The small bend on the left is about the only damage from a tree that fell on the machine during a storm.

ABOUT 40 MINUTES SOUTH EAST OF DUNEDIN WE TURN ONTO A logging road to see a wide open, high volume, Sumitomo-heavy skid (there’s seven) spread out before us at Ollerenshaw Logging’s site with a couple of trucks on site and another one on its way in.

Kelvin Ollerenshaw has come a long way since he was manually logging pulp wood in Scotland. Manually as in chainsawing and then hand bunching postwood length thinnings for the forwarder, but more about that later.

This block lends itself to high production. It’s nice to see a crew in good ground for a change and the crew is taking full advantage, with nice wide haul tracks allowing that big six-wheeled Tigercat 635G skidder to quickly get large volumes of logs to that wide open skid. Olly’s are doing 15 to 20 loads a day. The terrain is mostly cruisy but there are a few very steep, tricky gullies which have needed the crew’s skills brought to bear, along with a keen eye on the weather, to log them.

We’re here today to test the third Sumitomo SH300 that Olly’s has had in the felling role. They like them so much they kept the last one as a spare and it’s still looking like a good frontline machine.

Regular SH300-6 operator, Jared Melvin, says the dash six has wicked track power and wicked power in general. Jared is also

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The right-hand Sure Grip controls.

Foreman of the crew and first got into logging at 15 after doing a Telford course of general requirements and after a bit of work experience his first day at work was with Chris Hurring, felling trees.

He worked there for about four years and then came to work for Olly’s and has been here 17 years.

“I’m part of the furniture,” he says cheerfully.

Jared has lived and breathed logging his whole working life and watching him throw trees down the hill and use the head to jump turn the machine with rapid familiarity it’s obvious we’ve got another maestro on our hands here. It’s the sort of thing you could watch for hours if you weren’t also trying to get out of the crew’s way so they can maintain production.

“I put my hand up to operate our first felling machine,” Jared says.

“That was a SH300-5 and the concept of machine felling was quite new back then but I was keen to try it out and I’ve done about 24,000 hours on them now, so I kind of know what’s going on.”

And that’s how you make a maestro – plenty of seat time putting in the hard work plus the machine having the power, speed and smoothness so the man and machine run as one like a hunting predatory animal.

Jared comments, “That first machine had a fell and trim head on

SERIOUS POWER BIG TIME LOGGERS

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Above left: (From left) Owner, Kelvin Ollerenshaw, Iron Tester, Alister Hudson, AB Equipment’s Hayden McCulloch and operator, Jared Melvin.

Above right: (From left) AB Equipment’s Hayden McCullock, Owner Kelvin Ollerenshaw and Iron Tester, Alister Hudson, head back to the skid with its six other Sumitomo’s and a Tigercat skidder bringing in another drag Below: Ollerenshaw Logging’s nicely laid out skid. Owner, Kelvin Ollerenshaw likes the basic L shape for multi-truck loading. it which I found pretty good. With this straight felling head we are towing a bit of excess weight out on the skidder and we end up with branches concentrated in one area, but in saying that, this head is pretty good and I wouldn’t go back to the fell and trim if I could help it.”

The Satco 630H directional felling head has a strong reputation with the first head made in 1999 now having clocked up more than 40,000 hours.

Keeping ahead While the felling machine is Jared’s main role, he is a jack of all trades and does a bit on all the machines including the tracked skidder. One of his favourite jobs is throwing trees downhill and he recalls a job in Lawrence where he got to throw whole trees off the top of a cliff beside the highway. “People were pulling their cars over and taking photos, it was quite neat, I felt like the cool dude.”

Jared is happy with the Duffy Engineering guarding package. “They do a good job and spend the time to get it right. The doors are built solid and the bars are well reinforced. We had a whole tree blow down in a storm and fall across this machine from behind, which pissed me off but it barely dented it. My previous felling machine up on the skid is still pretty tidy after 12,000 hours which is a testament to the strength of the guarding. In this job it’s just inevitable that things will fall on it so it has to be built to handle it. It does take ages to guard them up but that’s because they pretty much strip it of all the earthmoving grade panels right back to the engine and the pump

and then build new framing and thicker panels from there.

“One thing we have to be careful of in here is old fences. This is all ex farm land so when we encounter fences we have to coil them up where we can to stop the wires getting tangled in the final drives.”

Jared likes the staggered cleats on this machine: “We used the same kit on the track gear of the last machine. The staggering gives you a lot better sideways grip when sidling. If you just look at grouser plates you can see it’s just a flat surface so that’s prone to sliding. It’s actually quite amazing where you can take this machine with these cleats on it.”

The crew has been in this Glenledi Forest block for well over a year working for City Forests and has a good amount of work ahead which looks to be getting closer to home for them which is in Balclutha.

“Part of my job is to keep ahead of everyone as far as production goes,” Jared says. “ So I’ll come in here and walk this track first. I’ll push all the trees over with the Sumi 300, cut the root wads off and stack the stems to the side, then we’ll get a dozer in to sweep it. Then I’ll go to the back and start felling faces while the dozer is sweeping elsewhere, then I’ll move out of here and the skidder will come in while I go and fell faces on the next track. That way I get left to myself and we have machine separation to make it safer for everyone.

Another reason I need to keep ahead, especially at this time of the year is the Roar. I am away for about six days for that.”

Felling trees and felling deer, sounds like a tasty hobby. “Yeah I like the 300 WinMag. I’m a long range shooter, I prefer that to bush stalking now. My personal record is out to 883 metres to drop a deer.

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ALWAYS SWING A BIG STICK

EST EST 1909 1909 | TOCALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 20 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Above left: Owner, Kelvin Ollerenshaw, shows us his BOA hydraulic repair trailer before we head off.

Above right: The Satco SAT 630H directional felling grapple.

I like to sit in one spot where the deer come out near and shoot and collect to eat. It’s bloody good fun. I like to go dirt biking a fair bit too.

It’s good fun but I am a pretty cautious rider. I take the kids (17- and 10-years-old) along because they want to do it too.”

Logging in Scotland Jared is not the only hard worker on site. After crew owner, Kelvin, left school he worked at the National Bank for a few years. “My father was always a logger and so was my brother. Them and another couple of guys had started a contracting business working for Wenita so I did a bit of work for them and a bit of work for Mike Hurring Logging in the early 90s. Then I went for a season playing rugby in Scotland and did a bit of thinning work in Norwegian Spruce. We’d take every seventh row out, all by hand using chainsaws and a hand grapple and then

we’d take out one in every four of the smaller trees in the three rows beside you. We’d make piles of post wood two or three metres long and were paid by the bit. I worked in there with a few of the local lads which was quite good fun. The forwarder would then come in about once a month and straddle the stumps of the row we’d cut out completely and grab the piles of posts on the sides.”

Back in New Zealand, Kelvin worked for Mike Hurring for a while until he saw Mike had a crew for sale. “He had an old 528 skidder and an old Hitachi UH083 (about 20-tonne) with a three-man crew so off we went, bought that off him, or borrowed money to buy that off him.

That was 25 years ago.

“We only had two machines for quite a few years and then three, then went to a four-man crew and got an extra digger.

“About 10 years ago we went through a receivership with Southern

DIA DG I ANGONSO E S•E D•E D S IEGS N I G•N D•E D L IEVLEI V RER

Above from left: Iron Tester, Alister Hudson, fells some trees with the Sumitomo SH300LF-6 and Satco felling head in Glenledi Forest.

Right: The Sumitomo’s seat and lefthand control.

Cross which happened very suddenly. We heard on the radio at 4 o’clock one afternoon that Southern Cross Forest Products had gone into receivership and I thought, ‘that can’t be right, that’s who we’re working for’.

“We were about to start our next block with them of 40,000-tonne which City Forests had contracted them to do so we just made a new deal with City Forests and did that block, then went back into the private sector and each year we got a little bit more with City Forests, then seven or eight years ago we went full time with them and it’s been great. You know where you’re going each day and through the market downturns there has been a wee bit of a slowdown but they’ve been very good to us.

“Now we’ve got a Cat 324 as a spare loader, two Waratah’s on Sumitomo bases, two Sumitomo felling machines – 300s, three Sumitomo 250 grapple loaders, the Cat 527 dozer and the Tigercat 635G six-wheel skidder.”

Crew stability is exceptionally good at Olly’s with Mark on load out being with the crew 20 years, Jared’s been here 17, Kev on the Waratah has been here 13 years, Nash has been here 11 years and Poldark is coming up to seven years.

“That all helps,” Kelvin says. “It means we get our skid systems set up the same at each site. We always try to have that L shape so

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we can have two trucks getting loaded in the mornings. Keep to the same routine and it seems to work. The trees change and the terrain changes but we try to keep that same system in place with loading, processing and extraction.

“We try to keep our main trunk line covered with trees to protect it from heavy rain and wind. Those standing trees soak up a lot of the storm’s force so our tracks stay a lot better for a lot longer. And then when the weather is good, we harvest those steep areas and the vulnerable areas. We leave ourselves plenty of options on those shitty days to keep working. Seems to have worked anyway. You’ve got to learn as you go and we are still probably learning. We’re certainly always on the lookout for more efficient ways of doing things. ” Iron Tester, Alister Hudson, brings up the subject of new recruits and the current trend of getting into a machine without the usual chainsaw falling experience and how this can be an issue. Kelvin agrees: “Manual tree falling gives an operator a good grounding and they’re then able to understand how a tree is going to move, something an earthwork-only operator doesn’t bring to the field.”

Kelvin notes that some new guys may, for example, try to use the machine’s corner post to turn logs; “You’re better to reposition the log without doing that. Soon enough you get quick at that and your machine looks way better.”

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That’s like degrees of separation and having a safety margin, or to coin Kelvin’s phrase – keeping ahead of it. Having tried that corner post trick as a learner I realised it’s not long before dragging logs around corner posts becomes dragging them over the fuel tank and some of us know how that ends.

Kelvin continues: “If you crash something into your machine enough it doesn’t matter how well it’s built, eventually somethings going to start to give. You’re better to take production pressure off with new recruits and just have them be careful and be tidy and then you’ll have less downtime. It’s a hard industry at the best of times.

You’re swinging around big trees and sometimes they do funny things.”

Kelvin has had a good run out of Duffy Engineering for his guarding packages. “Just about every machine on the site has some of their work on it. We have had good results as far as longevity goes with

their work,” he says.

“We have had them fit various shrouds and mesh sheets to stop needles. We’ve had three Sumi 300’s in this role, two dash fives, the second one which we still have, then this dash six model and each time we figure out ways to improve the mitigation of pine needle ingress while harvesting. We have kept the design fairly similar but we did add a toolbox beside the corner post and a set of steps up to the bonnet with this one.”

The 300 is sitting on a 350 base and 40-tonne track chains and looks pretty staunch with a wide footprint at just over three-and-ahalf metres while also having decent ground clearance at 650mm.

Kelvin has installed pattern changers on his machines to make it fair for all his operators when they are changing machines and this makes it a lot better for Iron tester, Al, to get to grips with the new machine and he is soon cutting and throwing trees aside. He shovels

Above from left: The SH300LF-6 claims another tree and swings it around to bunch for the skidder; Operator, Jared Melvin, gets back to throwing trees down the hill; You can tell Jared gets a kick out of his job throwing trees around.

Below: Jared descends the slope to have a chat after felling.

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a few big stems off the track quite easily so Jared can get back to his felling face further along and then shuts down for a chat. You can read more about that over the page.

Stronger and faster We’ve never actually tested a Sumi 300 before but it’s good to note the improvements in this dash six model on the previous dash five to highlight how Sumitomo is making progress.

The first thing that caught my eye was the carrier roller cleaners which are a cool addition which will ensure those top rollers last a lot longer during the wet and muddy seasons ahead.

There’s an impressive 15% speed increase in cycle times and we see that at work as Jared cuts a tree up the slope, turns with it and throws it about 40 metres down the slope to the track with a satisfying Whumpf as the wind blows through the needles and branches on its way down. As we leave Jared to get back to work and head up the hill to the skid discussing the state of logging today there is the steady stream of Whumpfs behind us as Jared clocks up his six spare days to go hunting four-legged tree chewers.

In the fuel efficiency stakes Sumitomo has brought the fuel burn down by 10 percent. That’s done by harmonising the new 202KW Isuzu engine and the hydraulic system. Jared runs the machine wide open and says fuel burn sits around the 22-litre per hour mark.

Sumitomo has done some improvements in boom and arm rigidity with this model as well as strengthening the castings on the boom base and arm ends.

The days of greasing your machine every night seem to be over with Sumitomo’s Easy Maintenance System (EMS) meaning the stick end

pins only need greasing every 250 hours while the rest are stretched out to every 1000 hours. This is achieved by a solid lubricant embedded in high-strength brass which forms a layer on the bushing surface to prevent contact between metals, maintaining a lubricated state to reduce abrasion.

There’s a larger radiator and oil cooler. The in cab noise level has been reduced by 2 dB. And the foot space and seat space have both been increased by 50mm.

Before we leave, Kelvin treats us to a cup of his secret blend of bushman’s coffee and shows us through his BOA pod hydraulic trailer. It’s quite impressive with its solar powered hose saw, press and reels of hose all ready to go. “We keep a step ahead with the hoses as well by making up the commonly used spares which ride in the machines they’re made for. So when we have a breakage it’s five minutes of downtime and also there is a lot less stress knowing we can make any other hose up on site when required.”

The long history of Sumitomo Although Sumitomo made its first excavator in 1963, Sumitomo Corporation’s history and the philosophy that drives the company goes way back to the 17th century. Masatomo Sumitomo opened a shop in Kyoto, Japan, and wrote a document titled Monjuin Shiigaki (Founder’s Precepts), describing how a merchant should conduct business. This emphasised pursuing integrity and sound management rather than easy gains. Another gem from the company’s history is, “Planning imbued with a farsighted perspective”. There’s some strong similarities there with Kelvin Ollerenshaw’s take on business and operational procedures for sure.

Iron Tester: Alister Hudson

Plenty of grunt IT’S BEEN ABOUT 10 YEARS SINCE I was in Speirs road where Ollerenshaw Logging is working. It’s a block that we had thinned for Dunedin City Forests, and it is interesting just to see how much the trees have grown in that time.

I had hopped out of the harvester I run and spent a bit of time on the Deere 2656G/Duxson FX142 that’s in our crew doing the winch assist areas of our blocks, just to give me something to reference crew owner, Kelvin Ollerenshaw’s (Olly) Sumitomo against.

Operator, Jared Melvin, is chucking the trees around fairly comfortably when we get there so I can see it has plenty of grunt. The SATCO felling head is one that lots of people are familiar with, just with a couple of small changes in design from previous models to make it a little more user-friendly. It’s a good size head for this type of work, not so big and heavy that it

overpowers the carrier and not too small to handle a large tree.

Olly has already had the link arm beefed up, which is not uncommon to have done on those heads. The carrier and controls would be familiar to anyone that has operated a grapple loader, so transitioning a new operator to this setup would be reasonably straightforward.

The factory cab is quiet and roomy and I like the control – nice and smooth with the right amount of feedback but not too heavy.

Duffy Engineering has done a good job on the guarding, maximising visibility with a good view forward to the falling face and out past the front pillars to both sides and down to the tracks. The Auxiliary cooler is a nice touch too. Visibility out the back isn’t too flash but that’s what rear-view cameras are for. The tracks on the machine are good with plenty of power and the travel speed, even in low, is quite quick.

1. The fire suppression system installed by Firewatch and supplied by PSL. 2. The Sumitomo’s hydraulic pump bay and easy to service filters.

3. The air cleaner, battery and cooler bays.

Iron Tester, Alister Hudson.

Ground clearance is excellent and would probably be a match for a lot of purposebuilt machines, with no gap in the middle to get hooked on any root balls or rocks.

The face Jared is working on isn’t overly steep – it’s one we had thinned with the Deere wheeled machines – but I don’t want to be “that guy” as Olly puts it and damage a well-looked-after machine so I don’t get carried away on any slope.

4. Duffy Engineering’s attention to detail is impressive.

5. The 7.79-litre Isuzu engine.

6. The carrier roller cleaners are an improved design released with this new model.

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THE THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER SUPPLIER TOTO NEW TO NEW NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY

IFICATION

SPEC S SUMITOMO SH300LF-6 – SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE

DIMENSIONS (MM)

Isuzu GH-6HK1X Final Tier 4 turbocharged diesel 202kW (270HP) @ 2,000rpm Rated power Peak Torque 989Nm @1,500rpm 7.79 Litre Displacement

Width Height Ground clearance Max reach Operating weight

HYDRAULICS

FELLING HEAD

2x 257 l/m pumps 1x 28.5 l/m Pilot pump REFILL CAPACITIES (LITRES) Fuel tank Engine oil Hydraulic tank Cooling system

The machine feels very planted though, even at full reach, lifting some quite large trees around without even looking like going on tiptoe. Boom and slew power feel strong too and slewing trees off the stump and shifting them is pretty effortless.

3590 3330 650 10,670 39,700kg

450 41 147 32.7

Satco 630H Felling Grapple Weight Max cut Max opening Bar Chain

Like most established manufacturers, Sumitomo and SATCO have taken a good product and just made it a little bit more refined for the new model.

This is the third Sumitomo 300 that Ollerenshaw Logging has had on the falling

2,000kgs 950mm 1,400mm 43 inch ¾

face over the years, which says a lot, and they surely do know how to maximise its efficiency after all those thousands of hours – and it shows with the amount of wood on the deck waiting for that hungry Tigercat skidder to drag away. NZL

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Harvesting

Will Kahu, Save the Kiwi handler preparing a kiwi for translocation from Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.

Photo: Joshua Forrest.

IS PINE THE ANSWER TO SAVING NEW ZEALAND'S NATIONAL ICON? Story: Craig Balsom, Save the Kiwi forestry specialist

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ANY PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN I TELL THEM THAT kiwi can thrive in pine forests. The truth is, kiwi can live just about anywhere, as long as there’s adequate shelter, food, water, and protection from predators. Native forest, pasture, grassland, sand dunes, snow... and, that’s right, plantation forests can all be suitable habitats.

I recently visited Rosewarne’s Crew 83 in Summit Forest’s Whangapoua Forest to present a training session about how to identify if kiwi are present in pine blocks during harvest. Crew 83 is harvesting an area adjacent to Summit’s biodiversity block which is inhabited by, among other wildlife, Coromandel brown kiwi.

The crew mentioned that they had noticed an abundance of native birds while they were working, especially tūī and kererū.

This is a direct result of the steps taken to protect and enhance an existing population of kiwi in the Summit’s biodiversity block, especially their ongoing predator control regime. The work that is going on there not only helps to protect kiwi, but it also helps other native flora and fauna to flourish and then disperse into neighbouring areas.

I was also lucky enough to spend a large part of last summer on Ahuahu/Great Mercury Island. Approximately 600 hectares of the southern end of Ahuahu is covered in mature pine forest, surrounded largely by regenerating native coastal forest. In 2013, the owners of Ahuahu and the Department of Conservation worked together to eradicate mice, rats and cats, and in 2016 the island was awarded pest-free status. Sheep and cattle were 30 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

also excluded from the pine forest and regenerating coastal forest around the same time. Combined, this has allowed for some amazing gains for native biodiversity in and around the plantation forest.

The native understory that flourishes beneath the pine canopy is a manual tree faller’s nightmare, but it is incredible to see and hear the plethora of bird and insect life it supports. Tīeke/ saddleback, kākāriki and kākā – just to name a few – are in abundance. Although the plantation forest on Ahuahu will not be harvested, what is happening there is proof that exotic species plantations, if managed sensibly, can provide exceptional habitat for our native species and still be productive commercial forests.

Importantly, if we grow kiwi to abundance in our forests before they are harvested, the odd mishap during harvest will have far less of an impact on the overall kiwi population.

Understanding more about kiwi and pine To gain a better understanding of how kiwi and commercial plantation forests can co-exist, Save the Kiwi is undertaking an extensive research project into the effects of modern forest harvesting techniques on resident kiwi populations. This research project will track the movements of resident kiwi over five different harvest sites over the next five years in a ‘hands-off’ method, to understand more about how kiwi react to their pine plantation habitat being harvested.

Transmitters will be placed on resident kiwi and their movements will be tracked for six months before harvest begins,

to get a baseline of normal movement patterns. They will then be tracked during harvest, without intervention, then for six months after harvest to see how they utilise the post-harvest cutover.

Why? Disruptions due to mitigation measures to protect kiwi at harvest time can be frustrating, expensive and counterproductive.

Save the Kiwi wants to better understand if money spent on mitigation would be better invested in other measures like predator control and education of staff and forest stakeholders over the life cycle of the forest, to increase kiwi population to such robust numbers that the loss of a single kiwi at harvest is not a catastrophic event.

This research project has the support of the Department of Conservation's (DOC) Kiwi Recovery Group. We believe the last such research was done in the early 1980’s and, as we all know, harvesting techniques have evolved dramatically since then.

From endangered to everywhere Save the Kiwi is on a mission to take kiwi from endangered to everywhere, and plantation forest offers a unique opportunity to support this vision. However, we also believe that having kiwi in forest estates is an excellent opportunity for forestry companies to enhance the industry’s public image and bolster their social license.

There are many remarkable stories about biodiversity gains in forestry estates. In May 2023, Project Kiwi released the hundredth kiwi into Summit Forest’s biodiversity block in the Coromandel’s Whangapoua Forest: a remarkable achievement for both Project Kiwi and the forestry industry.

In November last year, JPA Logging harvested a 50-hectare pine block on Cape Kidnappers in the Hawke’s Bay. The block is also home to a high population of Eastern brown kiwi. Harvest operations were well planned from the outset, with landowners and harvest manager John Turkington consulting with Save the Kiwi to ensure a smooth and trouble-free harvest for both the logging contractor and the resident kiwi (see February 2024 NZ Logger).

Kiwi being released into a burrow at a recent translocation to the Taranaki Mounga Project. Photo: Tineke Joustra.

What forest managers and contractors can do The first step to take if you think you have kiwi present in your forests is to determine presence/absence of kiwi. Save the Kiwi can assist and advise on the strategic placement of Acoustic Recording Devices (ARD’s). These devices are left out in the forest for 10 nights and then collected. The data recorded will be analysed to see if kiwi calls have been detected. This could be

followed up by doing a call survey which involves having trained kiwi listeners spend a few hours over consecutive nights listening for and recording information about any kiwi calls heard. This method gives a more thorough picture of the abundance of kiwi present and sets a baseline for future surveys.

Stoats, ferrets and dogs are the three main predators of kiwi.

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Kiwi footprint. Note there is no back claw.

A logger from JPA Logging helping to move a kiwi who wanted to spend the day under a stock pile. Photo: Justin Anderson.

So, once it has been established that kiwi are present in a forest the next step would be to set up a fit for purpose landscape scale predator control regime and a sturdy dog management plan to control these three threats to kiwi.

Save the kiwi recently released an updated version of the Forestry Management Guidelines for North Island Brown Kiwi.

This has a wealth of information in it to help manage kiwi in a forest estate.

For the JPA Logging harvest, transmitters were placed on as many kiwi as possible before harvesting commenced so that telemetry equipment could be used to ensure there were no kiwi in harm’s way when harvesting operations began. This was carried out on a daily pre-start basis.

The birds were then ‘beeped’ before the crew started work each day and if any birds were present, Save the Kiwi was called in to do any kiwi handling required. (Only qualified kiwi handlers are allowed to handle kiwi.)

In addition, a ‘kiwi dog’ would search and clear each area prior to any tree felling. A map was distributed and if kiwi were present, they would either be temporarily relocated or continuously monitored throughout the harvest. GPS was used for the maps and telemetry for the daily beeping of the tagged kiwis.

While it certainly presented some challenges for the logging crew, the harvest was completed incident-free, successfully harvesting a pine block that is also a high-density kiwi habitat.

With a bit of planning, cooperation and the right people with the right skills on the job, logging kiwi habitat can be done productively and safely.

32 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Kiwi scat.

Getting rid of the nasties As mentioned, to protect existing kiwi populations, prepare an area to receive kiwi, or improve outcomes for biodiversity in general, one of the most important steps is to plan and implement an effective, best-practice predator control regime.

Only five percent of kiwi chicks born into areas without effective predator control make it through to breeding age, compared with 65% in areas with effective predator control. A 65% survival rate is enough to ensure the population grows.

A huge proportion of kiwi conservation revolves around predator control. Save the Kiwi supports local groups and interested parties with assessing areas and implementing efficient and effective predator management regimes. Through Save the Kiwi, Aratu Forests is currently assessing and planning a predator control regime to protect and enhance biodiversity in some of its East Coast forests.

Dogs a doggone problem for kiwi Uncontrolled dogs are another very real threat to kiwi in the wild and therefore a major focus for Save the Kiwi. Kiwi do not have breastplates and chest muscles to protect their internal organs like other birds do. This means that even a gentle inquisitive nudge from a dog has the potential to crush their delicate ribcage and internal organs.

It is instinctive and natural behaviour for a dog to investigate unusual odour and movement. Regardless of their size, breed, training or temperament all dogs have the potential to regress back to their hunting instincts and kill a kiwi.

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Above and opposite right: Public engagement is a great spin off from involvement with kiwi, here shown in Tongariro. Photo: Tineke Joustra.

Right: Yarder, forwarder and loader at Rosewarne 83 working in Whangapoua forest. Photo: Craig Balsom

The average lifespan of a kiwi is 40-50 years, but in Northland kiwi only live for around 13 years, mainly because of dog attacks. The easiest way to stop dogs from killing kiwi is to completely exclude dogs from areas where kiwi live. This is not always practical though, especially in forests where hunters are allowed to hunt using dogs. Other working dogs sometimes need to access areas where kiwi live too.

Kiwi avoidance training is a tool that reduces the threat of a dog injuring or killing a kiwi. However, kiwi avoidance training does not make a dog ‘kiwiproof’. It should only be used for ‘dogs with jobs’ such as hunting dogs or farm dogs that have to be in kiwi areas. All other dogs should be kept away from areas where kiwi live. Even if your dog has been kiwi avoidance-trained, it is recommended that you keep your dog on a lead when you take it into areas where kiwi live.

Pet dogs can be kiwi-avoidance trained, but only as a last resort. Instead, Save the Kiwi works to educate pet dog owners on how to ensure their dog never meets a kiwi, including keeping dogs out of areas 34 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Above centre: Ready for release. Photo: Sara Tansy for The Capital Kiwi Project.

Above right: Grapple carriage landing a drag at Rosewarne 83 working in Whangapoua Forest. Photo: Craig Balsom; where kiwi live, always keeping them on a lead if they must go into kiwi habitat, not letting their pet dogs roam, and obeying signage regarding dogs.

A partnership that could make a real difference By partnering with Save the Kiwi, the forestry industry could make an enormous difference to the plight of our national taonga, the

kiwi. With more than 1.7 million hectares of land under plantation forest across the country, the industry has the scope to help boost kiwi numbers all over the country.

Kiwi have an amazing ability to capture people’s hearts and imagination, and this creates an incredible way for forest companies to engage with the public in a highly positive and constructive manner.

Save the Kiwi is already working with the Forest Owners Association and the New Zealand Institute of Forestry, plus a few forestry companies including Rayonier, Manulife and Aratu are already engaged in this exciting work. But we need more forestry companies to put their hands up and partner with us in this important mahi.

Save the Kiwi’s vision is to take kiwi from endangered to everywhere. We would love foresters to help us get there.

For more information about how to take the first step towards introducing kiwi into your forest or protecting kiwi that already live there, contact Save the Kiwi at: enquiries@savethekiwi.nz.

About the author: Former Harvest Crew Manager, Craig Balsom is Save the Kiwi’s forestry specialist and is based in the Coromandel.

Craig’s wealth of knowledge and industry connections make him an ideal person to start conversations and develop relationships with forestry companies that are willing to join the cause to save the kiwi. NZL

36 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Above: JPA Logging’s Justin Anderson moves a kiwi from the roadside under supervision of a kiwi handler.

Photo: Tamsin Ward-Smith.

Below: The Forest Owners Association has shared its Forestry Hub space with Save the Kiwi at Fieldays for the last few years. Photo Maria Balsom.

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Roadbuilding

A D A O R E H T N O Story: Joe Akari

W

HEN CYCLONE GABRIELLE HIT THE NORTH ISLAND IN February 2023, its destructive force destroyed roads and bridges, including the one linking Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga and Tokomaru Bays.

The road closure isolated families and communities, and was particularly bad news because the closest hospital to Tolaga Bay is at Te Puia Springs near Tokomaru Bay, meaning people couldn’t get medical help quickly.

The scale of the devastation meant Waka Kotahi couldn’t even get machinery into the area to start repairs, and the towns faced the prospect of being cut off for months.

Into this situation stepped Ricky Kuru and his roadbuilding crew at Kuru Contracting. Over two weeks they built a temporary road, called Pourau Road, linking Tolaga and Tokomaru Bays. They did it using forestry road-building equipment they already had in the area.

The story behind the road being built reflects Kuru Contracting’s approach to supporting the wellbeing of its workers and community.

When the cyclone hit, the East Coast was devastated – there was no power, no phones and roads were closed so people were cut off from their whānau. Kuru Contracting responded immediately to support its workers and community.

Ricky says some of the company’s management team had a quick meeting and decided to do whatever they could to help people.

38 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

With the phones out, the only way for people to check on their loved ones was to drive to them. So, the company left the Tolaga Bay petrol station, which it owns, open so people could get fuel without having to pay.

Kuru Contracting also committed to keeping all of its staff (97 at the time of the cyclones, but this has now grown to 118) on the payroll despite forestry operations on the East Coast being suspended or severely disrupted for many months after the cyclone because of damage to forests and forestry infrastructure.

“We didn’t want our workers worrying about how they would pay their bills at such a bad time. We wanted to support them so they could help with the task of recovering from the cyclone,” says Ricky.

An important step in this recovery was reconnecting Tolaga and Tokomaru Bays.

Up to the challenge Ricky says the company talked to the local landowner at Pourau Station about building a temporary four-wheel drive road to reconnect the two towns, using the forestry road-building equipment already in the area. In addition to its forestry and log hauling operations, Kuru Contracting has a Civil & Traffic division, a Quarrying division, and a Bulk Haulage division. The company estimates it has built 1500 kilometres of forestry roads in the area over the past 30 years. It thus had the equipment,

AGAIN!

experience and skilled workers needed to do the job.

Pourau Station understood the devastation the community faced, so supported the project. With the landowner on board, Kuru Contracting then talked to the Gisborne District Council and Waka Kotahi. The scale of the devastation meant both those organisations were working flat out. So, rather than wait for a decision, Ricky decided Kuru Contracting would go ahead and start building the road – with no guarantee of being paid for it.

Building Pourau Road took two weeks. Ricky did much of the bulldozer work himself, with a team of about 15 coming in behind him to lay the metal and make the road fit for purpose.

“There were multiple challenges in building the road, which went through a relatively isolated rural area and was being built in the aftermath of a devastating cyclone,” he says. “This had an impact on power and water supplies, and communications. It also affected the speed at which materials could be delivered to site.

“The workers involved in the road-building had to contend with the region’s storm-damaged roads when travelling to work. Many of them were also dealing with damage to their homes or those of their whānau, along with the emotional toll the cyclone took on people in the region.”

Eventually the 2.2 kilometre road opened, and the Council and Waka Kotahi paid them for the work.

Ricky says he’s enormously proud of how hard his crew worked

Above: Kuru Contracting staff.

Below: Building the new road. Photo: Paula Lee.

May 2024 | NZ LOGGER 39

Roadbuilding

on the road, and what they achieved, safely, in such a short time.

To mark the first anniversary of the cyclone, Safetree made a video about the crew’s extraordinary effort. The community’s appreciation for their efforts is reflected in some of the comments on Facebook and TikTok. These include: “Great example of contractors and

wlandowners working together for the whole East Coast community. Keep up the amazing work.”

“Thank you for all your hard work. You Guys and Gals are amazing for making sure people on the East Coast can get where they need too. Appreciated much.”

It’s great to see the community thanking a forestry contractor in this way, particularly

Left: Cyclone Gabrielle damaged bridges and roads. Photo: Paula Lee. Below: Locals visiting the new road.

40 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

after so much negative commentary about the industry following the cyclones.

“Looking after the wellbeing of your workers and community is all part of running a good, resilient business,” says Ricky.

“Without your workers, your community, you haven't got a business. If you look after them, they will look after you.”

To see the story of the Pourau Road being built visit Facebook at https://fb.watch/ qCnq5XvJNp/) or the Safetree website at https:// www. sa fe t ree .n z /res o u rces / industry-stories. NZL

Above: The devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle was immense.

Photo: Paula Lee. Right: Kuru Contracting Director, Ricky Kuru, at the company-owned Tolaga Bay service station.

Grooved Drums and Sleeves

DIAGNOSE • DESIGN • DELIVER

Young Achievers

h s u b From a to se

Left: Noah Skipps (right) is head breaker out at Skipps Logging, pictured here with his trainee breaker out Cohnnah Pairama.

Right: Noah racing

A

S HEAD BREAKER OUT FOR ONE OF SKIPPS LOGGING’S two crews based in the Waikato, Noah Skipps is no stranger to hard work. But as New Zealand Jetski Champion for the Open class (modified fast Jetskis) and Number 1 in New Zealand for the naturally aspirated Jetskis and Number 2 for the Stock class – as well as recent first-ever New Zealander to win a P1 race in the USA – it’s clear he is as comfortable at sea as he is in the bush.

Just 19, Noah became involved in the family logging business “by default really”, says mother and Skipps logging Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director, Mandie Skipps.

“Like a lot of 16-year-olds he had had enough of school in the last lockdown and said he didn’t want to go back. Our agreement with him was that he was to work in the bush for us until he found a job. Given that forestry isn’t for the faint hearted, we thought he would find it way too hard and maybe go back to school. That plan backfired as he ended up loving it, so we put him on an apprenticeship,” she says.

Noah says what he really enjoys about working in the bush is the outdoors and the physical work, “even though some days I come home so shattered I just want to jump into bed and sleep”. He’s not complaining though, as “walking up and down the hills all day hooking up logs in all weather” keeps him fit for his sport too.

“You are constantly learning. No one day is the same and you meet a lot of legends in the bush, and I have been lucky to have been taught by a few. My Dad, Tommy, especially has taught me so much. He gets on the hill with me even now when it’s tough for him and lends a hand, showing me better ways of doing things. It’s awesome to be outside instead of being stuck indoors 42 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Story: Hayley Leibowitz looking at a screen all day.”

Noah adds that the physical side can be challenging too, “when you want to play more sport or train more and you just don’t have enough in the tank”.

“It’s also hard to handle when the market is on a downturn and seeing that impact and stress on Mum and Dad. That sucks and I wish it wasn’t such a seesaw of an industry,” he says.

As to the future, he says he would like to end up on the felling machine in the next couple of years and eventually take over from Dad in the business “or at least give dad some days off”.

He says he is very lucky his bosses are “Mum and Dad” who allow him to take time off for Racing Jetski when he needs to because he would “like to go professional in the sport, so would need to juggle forestry and racing, especially when competing overseas”.

A duck to water Just like logging, Noah took to jetskiing like a duck to water. Having been racing for only 15 months, and already a champion, he competed in the international jetski racing series at Daytona Beach, USA, for New Zealand last month, winning the P1 AquaX AM300 event. He is also competing in the Australian Watercross Nationals on the Gold Coast this month.

As a member of the New Zealand Jet Sports Boating Association and Jet Ski Racing New Zealand, he competed in the US under Farthing Racing, a professional jetski racing team led by Dustin Farthing, a 21-time professional national and world championships winner.

“I had always gone on the jetskis with my parents. I loved jumping waves when we lived on the coast of Tūtūkākā up north,” he says.

Above left: When Noah Skipps (right) started logging back in 2021, he was a trainee breaker out, pictured here with his foreman at the time, and also cousin, Caleb Skipps who did a lot of Noah’s training.

Above: Noah is the first-ever New Zealander to win a P1 race, competing in the international jetski racing series at Daytona Beach, USA, winning the P1 AquaX AM300 event.

Below left: Owner of Skipps Logging and Noah’s dad, Tommy Skipps holding the wire rope with Marc Johnstone at the back and Noah, doing a hauler shiftat the end of the day.

“We moved to Cambridge a few years ago and we jetski at Lake Karāpiro all the time. We saw there was an event called Jet Fest, a fun jetski event, and Mum said Dad and I should enter, so we did.”

Since then, he has entered “everything and anything I could”.

“I love racing so much. I race wherever the buoys are next.”

Of course, his favourite part is winning. Last year he raced at the Queensland State Titles at Atkinsons Dam with Eight 1 Racing and came away with the win.

“I want to see how far I can go with it.” That’s with the help of his sponsors of course – Shaw’s wire ropes, Yamaha Marine NZ, Family boats, Jet pilot and, naturally, Skipps Logging.

“Ultimately, my long-term goal is to become a world champion!” Noah says. NZL May 2024 | NZ LOGGER 43

FICA.ORG.NZ

your voice The voice of forestry contractors since 2002

A busy start ROWAN STRUTHERS, FICA CEO I officially started in my role as FICA CEO on 2 April 2024.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my predecessor Prue Younger for all the hard work she has done for FICA. FICA is a well-respected industry association and has a seat at the table in many places that make key decisions affecting our industry, our members and sponsors.

It has been a busy start visiting a number of major sponsors, being involved in meetings on industry training, hauler guarding, visiting specialist forestry accounting services, insurers, financiers, NZFM operations, machinery importers and manufactures, Government agencies, a number of forest managers and most importantly FICA members.

Unfortunately, many of my conversations have focused on the export market which is once again in a state of turmoil.

This is due to the NZ Forestry industry’s heavy reliance on commodity export prices in China and the decline of that market. NZ Forestry simply has too much capacity and not enough sustainable demand. See more in my market update that follows.

FICA membership renewals have recently gone out and given the current state of the market, we are seeing requests to cancel membership. Some are driven by businesses no longer trading but others are under financial stress or not believing they are getting value.

My goal is to ring each one of the members who have chosen not to renew to understand their reasoning. Some have changed their minds. To those that haven’t I have asked them to monitor FICA’s performance over the next 12 months and consider rejoining in 2025.

My view is that with the current state of the industry, a strong voice from FICA is required more than ever. We can’t do this without member support. To those members and sponsors who have signed up again, thank you for your support.

I can tell you that this year we are running a no-frills budget focused on delivering core value to members and sponsors.

In the coming months my objective is to start visiting the regions to meet with FICA members, sponsors and other key stakeholders.

I hope to meet you in my travels. In the interim, if you have any queries or advice please contact me. We have a wealth of knowledge in our membership and I would like to tap into that.

Thanks for your support.

Rowan Struthers CEO, FOREST INDUSTRY CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

44 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

MARKET UPDATE At the time of writing in mid-April, the spot AWG export prices are such that many forest owners in many parts of NZ are struggling to make positive stumpages, let alone a satisfactory return on investment. Unfortunately, contractors will be first in the firing line, but ultimately it will affect forest managers, owners and the value of assets they own.

This volatility is killing the industry.

As identified in the ITP, the FICA-inspired ‘reality check’ meeting held in Rotorua in July 2023 and the subsequent setting up of the Pan-Sector Group, NZ Forestry Inc has failed to develop sufficient alternative markets to Asian log commodity markets.

Some of the feedback I have had since taking on the role is that I have joined at the worst possible time, given the state of the markets. There is a saying that change doesn’t happen until the price of not changing becomes greater than the price of changing. I would suggest that 2024 could be one of the worst years in the forestry industry or it could be the year that we finally see real change and not just another industry group set up to discuss how we sort things out.

The recent announcement of the $300M wood processing plant in Kawerau is a step in the right direction. Why can’t the same be done in Tairawhiti?

To me it seems like a huge opportunity to solve a multitude of challenges in the region. It will take a willingness of forest owners, local and central Government, Iwi and other stakeholders to jump in the same waka and make it happen.

In time it would be good to see such a project appear on Ministers’ fast-track consenting process. I appreciate this may not deal with immediate issues, but you have to start somewhere.

FICA.ORG.NZ

WorkSafe Notifications and what they mean In our recent catch ups with WorkSafe, we have been discussing Contractors’ rights when dealing with WorkSafe. Here is some additional information around different times of communication from WorkSafe and what is expected in terms of compliance.

VERBAL DIRECTION An onsite direction given by an inspector, informing the duty holder that they are not compliant with a provision of the Act or Regulation. It is not a legislative tool therefore is only used where the risk is low. Compliance with a verbal direction is not followed up.

DIRECTIVE LETTER A written direction from an inspector, informing the duty holder that the inspector has established reasonable belief that they are not compliant with a provision of the Act or Regulation. It is not a legislative tool so is used in situations where the risk is relatively low. It is used where the inspector has a high confidence that the duty holder will voluntarily comply. Compliance is not always followed up, however it is recorded.

IMPROVEMENT NOTICE One of the most used tools for inspectors. They are written notices that require a duty holder to comply with a specific provision of the Act or Regulations. The notice sets out the contravention, or likely contravention, and sets a time period for the duty holder to achieve compliance.

PROHIBITION NOTICE A written notice that can prohibit the carrying on of an activity, either in its entirety or in a specific way. As a Prohibition Notice immediately stops the relevant activity, it is a tool that is only used when there is an immediate or imminent serious risk to workers or others.

SUSTAINED COMPLIANCE LETTER A written communication from an inspector, informing the duty holder that they were not compliant with a provision of the Act or Regulation when the inspector visited the site, but that the breach has now been rectified. It is not a legislative tool but is used to create a written record in situations where the breach would have resulted in a Notice if it was not able to be rectified. As no further action is required to achieve compliance, a Sustained Compliance Letter will not be followed up by an inspector. However, it is recorded and may be taken into account during their next interaction with WorkSafe.

CHALLENGING A DECISION - INTERNAL REVIEW If you disagree with an inspector’s decision, you can apply to WorkSafe requesting an internal review of the inspector’s decision. See more on how to request an internal review here. www.worksafe.govt.nz

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May 2024 | NZ LOGGER 45

EVERY CENT COUNTS As we head into another volatile year it is important that we focus on the things that we can control. Year end is a good time to reflect on your financial position and take the time to dig a bit deeper on where you could make possible savings. Every penny counts.

ACC 1. Register for MyACC for Business to manage your ACC account • With MyACC for Business, you can securely access information about your employees’ work-related claims, view and pay your levy invoice, opt in to get your invoices by email, or use LiveChat to talk to one of the team.

• To register, you need a RealMe, Microsoft, or Google account and your ACC or IRD number 2. Opt in to receive your invoices via email • Don’t wait for the post, check your levy communications preference is set to “email”, and update it in MyACC for Business.

3. Check your provisional payroll estimate for 2024/25 • As an employer, you’ll receive your ACC levy invoice from July. It’s a good idea to double check your details are correct ahead of your July invoice, so you get invoiced the right amount. This is especially true if your circumstances have changed over the last year.

You can check and update your liable earnings for the previous year, your business classification unit, and your employment status in MyACC for Business.

4. Familiarise yourself with ways to pay your levy invoice • You can pay your ACC invoice via credit card, through internet banking or by setting up a three-or-six month payment plan. Just log into MyACC for Business once you get your invoice to set it up.

• You can find more information on ways to pay your levy invoice on the ACC website.

INSURANCE 1. Make sure that the machines are insured for actual ‘market value’, not what you think they are worth or what they are valued at on your balance sheet.

2. Check with your insurance provider if the sum insured should be GST exclusive or GST inclusive (for most insurance policies the sum insured should be GST exclusive).

3. Depending on the level of your insurance premium, you may be able to add a ‘profit share’ premium adjustment to your Mobile Plant insurance policy. The addition of this extension may slightly increase your insurance premium, but at the end of the insurance period, if your claim costs are low, a credit premium amount may be earned to be credited against the following year’s insurance premium.

4. If you pay your insurance premium monthly, ensure that you know what the interest cost is, to ensure it's not over-inflated.

5. Check that your insurance broker has re-marketed your insurance programme, to ensure you are with the right insurer for a competitive premium.

CODING/ XERO/ MYOB In preparation for your end of year financials, make the job for your accountant as simple as possible to reduce your accountancy fees.

1. Check your balance sheet to make sure relevant loans match with the correct codes.

2. Profit & Loss – look over the last financial year and make sure coding looks correct. If something is sticking out, drill into the code and make sure it is where it should be.

3. Pre-empt any questions that your accountant will have around new asset purchases and make sure you have the right documentation to back it up.

4. Reconcile loan payments to loan statements so they match amounts.

5. If profit is low, talk to your accountant about deferring or recalculating your provisional tax. Terminal tax has to be paid but provisional tax is variable.

6. Make sure all current creditors and debtors are loaded.

MSD Support If you’re a contractor and don’t have any new work to go to, you may be able to help your staff by working with WINZ/MSD to either find them work in other industries, subsidise them into different roles, or at the very least help them fast-track accessing benefits. Although this may not be the ideal outcome contractors are pursuing or wanting, it may be a back-up plan to help employees.

The MSD team may be able to help you retrain and keep your staff on or support them to find a new job. It is best to contact MSD as early as possible, even if no decisions have been made yet.

46 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

MSD may be able to help by: • exploring options to support you and your business • providing advice to help make decisions • helping your staff plan ahead You can email MSD’s Early Response team RedeploymentSupport@msd.govt. nz, call their Employer Line on 0800 778 008 or read more about MSD support on the FICA website

FICA.ORG.NZ

your voice The voice of forestry contractors since 2002

3690_TLC_Insurance_FICA_Advert_2024_NZ Logger.indd 1

11/03/24 10:35 AM

FICA FICA Partners Partners

Thank you to all of the organisations who support FICA, which in turn works to promote Thank you to all of the organisations FICA, whichforestry in turn works to promote business growth and improved safetywho and support efficiency amongst contractors for business growth and improved safety and efficiency amongst forestry contractors for the benefit of New Zealand’s Forestry Industry. the benefit of New Zealand’s Forestry Industry.

STRATEGIC PARTNERS STRATEGIC PARTNERS

BUSINESS PARTNERS BUSINESS PARTNERS

GOLD PARTNERS GOLD PARTNERS

TO JOIN, CALL 0800 342 269 OR SIGNUP ONLINE AT FICA.ORG.NZ TO JOIN, CALL 0800 342 269 OR SIGNUP ONLINE AT FICA.ORG.NZ May 2024 | NZ LOGGER 47

Safety/performance/quality

Thin for value – a change of mindset?

THIN TO WASTE DESCRIBES THE PHYSICAL operation.

Thin for value describes the desired outcome.

To achieve this, we need motivated and skilled professionals.

As we have said previously, no disrespect to our harvesting folk but silviculturists create value, harvesters recover value.

If we don’t get the silviculture decisions and actions right (in this case thinning decisions), the results are reflected in harvest yield some 20 odd years further down the track.

By this time all you can really say is “it is what it is”.

So, what pushes thinners’ buttons?

The relationship between management prescriptions and physical operations can be key (i.e. what we say versus what we do).

During discussion with thinners our discussions turn to, “what would you do if these were your trees?”.

Often the response has been, “I wouldn’t do what the prescription says but if I don’t do what the prescription says I will get penalised”.

That is a big part of why the Thin For Value Best Practice Guide has been developed.

Understand the Value of Correct Tree Selection and the impact on the value of the forest and, understand and apply the correct skills to achieve this outcome.

This applies to managers, contractors, operators, training organisations and regulators.

The draft of this document will be out for comment soon.

Please, take the time to read it and provide feedback in a positive manner so the final document reflects the professionalism required and the important value creation these folk provide to our industry.

Critique is welcome but bring with it suggestions for improvement.

Ka mau te wehi! Awesome individuals, awesome teams and awesome people behind the scenes supporting them in what they do!!

48 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Sponsors – they don’t have to do this but they choose to!

Awesome companies, awesome people and awesome support!

They back you and your workmates to succeed as professionals, so why wouldn’t you support them?

They believe in what we do and what you do.

So, a big ongoing thank you to our Strategic Partners – STIHL and NZ Logger and sponsor SWAZI. The best way to keep our industry working is to get out and support those businesses that support New Zealand.

Participating companies This competition wouldn’t be what it is without our participating companies who have all participated in or continue to influence the way in which we operate.

We understand the commitment it takes from them to be part of Top Spot and value

their ongoing support and feedback.

Our ongoing thanks to: Rayonier/Matariki Forests, Wenita Forest Products, Ernslaw One, OneFortyOne New Zealand, Crown Forestry, Forest View Contracting, Makerikeri Silviculture (2020), Mitchell Silviculture, Puklowski Silviculture, Gutsell Forestry Services, Johnson Forestry Services, McHoull Contracting, Wayne Cumming Contracting, Howard Forestry Services, Inta-Wood Forestry, Heslip Forest Contracting, Otautau Contractors, X Men Forestry, Proforest Services, FM Silviculture, Tane Mahuta, Waikato Forestry Services, Rai Valley Silviculture, Thomassen Logging, Forest View Logging, Griffin Logging, Penetito Forestry, Pride Forestry, Mangoihe Logging, CMH Contracting, Kaha Logging, Roxburgh Contracting, Te Waa Logging, Mike Hurring Logging, Bluewood Logging, Storm Logging, Onward Logging, Down and Out Logging, Forest Pro Logging, Eastside Logging, Lahar Logging, Moutere Logging, JD Harvesting, Whisker Logging, Kimberly Logging, Dewes Contractors, Dempsey Logging, Aratu Forests, McCallum Harvesting and Swain Logging.

Into safety?

Into performance?

Into quality?

Contact Shane Perrett on 0274 781 908, 07 3483037 or at primefm@xtra.co.nz. NZL

Inta-Wood Forestry thin for value crew having their daily toolbox meeting.

Safety/performance/quality

Heslip Forestry Contracting crew.

X-men Forestry crew.

Heslip Forestry Contracting’s second thinning crew.

Penitito Forestry crew.

Otautau Contractors crew.

May 2024 | NZ LOGGER 49

Insurance solutions from experienced brokers Best fit now and for the future New Zealand wide - Kaitaia to Bluff

Longstanding supporters of the NZ forestry industry

Call Brenden or Steve today

• Wherever you are in the chain, we can help you • Standing timber, forestry consultancy, silviculture, saw-milling, harvesting, forestry loading, log transport • Cover for your assets, business interruption and liability

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Working with the forestry sector across New Zealand

Brenden: 021 853 840 Steve: 029 348 1634

0800 55 54 53 www.greenlightinsurancebrokers.co.nz

LG33637

VOLVO FLEET FOR ISO

NEW VOLVO PUT TO WORK

ISO has recently taken delivery of five new Volvo ECR220DL machines with a sixth on its way. The Volvo EC220DLs were built with a factory high and wide HD undercarriage and had an armoured ship loader guarding package/straight boom and grapple added. Machines sold and delivered by Ewen Satherley of TDX.

Jacob Kajavala has put a new Volvo L220H to work at his Kawerau operation, The New Volvo L220H came ex-factory as a log loader and was equipped with a set of Ensign log forks. Machine sold and delivered by Ewen Satherley for TDX.

SUMITOMO/WOODSMAN COMBO FOR LAHAR LOGGING

SUMITOMO/DUXON COMBO FOR LAHAR LOGGING

With the Red Stags in full rut in the heart of the Waimarino Forest, Director, Smiler Katene, and Lahar Logging’s Log 4 crew have recently taken delivery of a new Sumitomo 5040TLW paired with a Woodsman Pro 850 processor, complete with paint marking and Hagloff callipers to assist in slaying the CNI big wood. Machine sold and delivered by Jamie Hazners, AB Equipment.

Deep in the Manganui Valley, Simon Katene from Lahar Logging’s Log 9 crew has recently taken delivery of a new Sumitomo SH300LF-6 paired with a Duxon GX182HD grapple. With a sixtonne average piece size, the upgrade from the SH240 was calling. The SH300LF-6 will assist in performing fleeting and road lining duties. Machine sold and delivered by Jamie Hazners, AB Equipment.

May 2024 | NZ LOGGER 51

1 V

11

ANOTHER VOLVO L260H FOR C3

NEW CAT FOR OLSEN CABLE HARVESTING

The team at C3 have added another L260H wheel loader to the fleet. The L260H is equipped with factory guarding, auto grease and CDC joystick steering. The new Volvo has a set of Ensign log forks and Armoured engineering window guards. Machine sold by Ewen Satherley of TDX.

Sam Olsen at Olsen Cable Harvesting has added a Next Generation Cat machine to his Tokoroa-based operation with the arrival of this new Cat 336GC. The Cat processor features PFS guarding and a Southstar QS630 harvesting head. The operator says he is enjoying the combined Cat GC configuration and technology.

Unit sold by Mark Costello, Terra Cat Territory Account Manager Forestry.

HITACHI’S FOR DSB CONTRACTING Having clocked over 16,000hrs in the previous Kawasaki equivalent, it was an easy choice for Duncan and Shirley Brown of DSB Contracting to invest in the delivery of two new Hitachi ZW220-5B’s. Equipped with 1.7m2 Ensign high lift log forks, these 18-tonne units have been put to load out duties within crews of Jensen Logging based out of Rotorua. Long-time operators, Gordon and George, say they are impressed with the comfort and quiet operation of these units. Pictured on delivery of their second unit are Shirley, operator, George and Duncan. Machines sold by Brendon Billett, Cableprice Equipment Sales BOP & Central.

52 NZ LOGGER | May 2024

Ma

Kevin Graham Mobile: 021 811 057

sales@drdiesel.nz

ALL PRICES EXCLUDE GST 415 Lower Queen Street, Richmond, Nelson

1007 FX2 1003 Williams Valve WM318

1004 ¾ Harvest chain

1006 Wichita springs

1011 1115-000-001

1012 115-130-002

1013 1205-154-155

1018 VUH4304

1020 VM90DM

1037 Pucks

1008 Kobelt potentiometer

1009 1690-000-015

1010 17-025-012

1014 2117-001-013

1015 2200-000-003

1016 1102-070-081

1017 1107-003-121

1021 1062 SUS 2-00-2

1022 2000 SUS 2-00-2

1053 Thunderbird TSY 155

1026 ORV WOO-10101

1035 Madill 122-122 Maxibrake

1045 Twin disk clutch separator plate kit

1046 Straw drum pads

1047a Brake pedal

1049-1050 Lining bolts/nuts

1051 Madill 124

1052 Volume booster

1055 Fuller earth

1058 Humphrey

1077 Ensign 1500

1078 Bell V20

1079 Madill 123/124 GUY

1080 BE85 GUY

1081 Act 06

1082 BE85 M1

1084 22x5, 26x5, 26x7

1085 Wichita 18,19, 21, 24

1087 Wichita 21

1101a Detroit throttle switch

1107 Twin disc gear selector

1109 Detroit compressor

1118 Bell grapple

1121 Wichita 224

1025 Bendix Air Dryer

101529 Madill/Thunderbird accumulators

1124 1054 Waratah 626 All makes and sizes main drive motor

GEAR TAC 300 / 400 The ultimate replacement for black tack.

101656 Madill 124 swivel join seal kits

102023 Eaton 18&24 inch new and old style piston seal kits

102451 Water Brake and engine Treatment

102812 Madill 124 slew motor and box

www.drdiesel.nz sales@drdiesel.nz PLEASE NOTE ALL PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO THE EXCHANGE RATE

LG34296

102241 Madill water union rebuild kit

NZ LOGGER classified

Swing Units for Madill’s & Kenworth Logging Trucks Large Stocks of Heavy Alloy Cores & Completes Full Custom Build Service Fast & Efficient

sales@bopradiatorspecialists.co.nz

RADIATORS

$450,000 + gst

1995 Swing Yarder for sale Contact David davidbolsennz@gmail 021 162 7468

LG34227

Madill Komatsu CAT Thunderbird John Deere Hyundai Tigercat Sumitomo

CHARGE AIR COOLERS

WE CUSTOM BUILD -STOCK, OVERHAUL & REPAIR WE MANUFACTURE THE BEST HEAVY DUTY CORES IN NZ

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BOP Radiators Te Puke 07 5739109 Heat Exchanger Services Hornby Chch 03 3729240

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INTERCOOLERS

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STRONG & RELIABLE GRAPPLES STRONG && RELIABLE RELIABLE GRAPPLES GRAPPLES STRONG Made in NZ

Grapplesand andall allspares sparesinin Grapples stockwith withovernight overnightdelivery delivery stock

LG31252

SERIES852 852and and864 864 MMSERIES STRONG&&RELIABLE RELIABLE STRONG GRAPPLES GRAPPLES

Knight Logging Ltd

• M SERIES 852 AND 864 – STRONG & RELIABLE GRAPPLES • GRAPPLES AND ALL SPARES IN STOCK WITH OVERNIGHT DELIVERY • PROVEN AFTER SALES SERVICE

ProvenAfter AfterSales Sales Proven Service Service

ContactMarty MartyororBruce Bruce Contact Ph027 027324 3249091 9091 Ph 79Chambers ChambersStreet, Street,Tokoroa Tokoroa 79 enquiries@cdlloggrapples.co.nz enquiries@cdlloggrapples.co.nz

A DIVISION OF

May 2024 | NZ LOGGER 55

NZ LOGGER classified

POA

CAT 568 FORESTRY HARVESTER.

JOHN DEERE 909KH FELLER BUNCHER.

11,000 hrs. Southstar QS630 attached.

Good undercarriage. Located in Rotorua.

14,292 hrs. Waratah 623C attached.

Located in Hastings.

TERRY DUNCAN

027 285 1015

POA

POA

NICK CLARK

027 411 2330

POA

JOHN DEERE E400 FORESTRY CONVERSION.

JOHN DEERE 909KH FELLER BUNCHER.

US

12,374 hrs. Top rollers instead of plates, head refurb at 4k hrs. Includes Satco 630 felling head.

NICK CLARK

027 411 2330

Comes with Clamshell Package. Ready to choose your harvester. Located in Rotorua.

TERRY DUNCAN

Grabasub

brandt.ca/nz

027 285 1015

Call 0800 4 DEERE for current pricing.

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Wa

Nort Mec

Blen Ons

MYSTERY CREEK FIELDAYS 2024 Site location H6 Come on in and talk to one of the team

FL100 Felling Head Suitable for carriers in 30 ton + range. starting from $102,419.00 limited time only.

For more information contact:

New & Used Product Sales -

H6

North Island - Karl Christensen 021 192 6567 South Island - Gerard Crichton 0274 794 664

Waratah FL100 Felling Head

USED PRODUCT

Waratah 625C

Waratah 624C

Rebuild with new chassis, H16 compatible, Available Now

Complete Rebuild, available early 2024, $TBC

HEAVY EQUIPMENT REPAIR

New Zealand Stock NZ$ H290 Rebuild in progress, Available early 2024 TBC TBC H624C Rebuild available early 2024 H625C Complete rebuild, with new chassis. AVAILABLE NOW. H626 #109, As traded, working prior to removing, Danfoss Valve H626 #183, As traded, good working condition, Danfoss Valve H626-S2 #216, As traded, good working condition, Parker Valve H626-S2 #231, Low Hours, available mid-2024, Parker Valve H626 Full range of 2nd hand parts $POA H626 Ex-Trade-in’s available in various conditions

Otago Service Provider

Phone to discuss further.

Heavy Diesel Support - owned and operated by Sam Wilson, is based in Dunedin Central and has been servicing Waratah’s for over 10 years.

Get in touch with Sam and his team for Waratah service and support in the Otago region.

Ph 0800 737 569

Australia Stock H622B Complete rebuild H622B Partial rebuild H616B As Traded

10% OFF

10% OFF

5%

AUD$ $240,000.00 $165,000.00 $ 11,000.00

15% OFF

OFF

Delimb Covers 10% off Measuring Wheel Rebuild Kit

5% off Grease Nipple Kits

10% off Full Head Cutting Edges

Waratah Forestry Services 24/7 phone 0800 492 728 or +6 47 343 1550 Northland CNI, Waikato, Wairarapa Mechanised logging services Waratah Forestry Services

Hawkes Bay Forestry Maintenance HB

Gisborne AB Diesel

Nelson Tasman Heavy Diesel

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Dunedin Heavy Diesel support

Southland Heavy Equipment Repair

Southland Frontier Forestry Ltd

Greymouth SM Hydraulics

15% off Chain Sharpener Discs

Komatsu Xtreme Excavators

Komatsu PC270HW

Komatsu PC270HW

Komatsu PC300HD

Komatsu PC300FX

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Attachment Carrier

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Log Loader

Attachment Carrier

Komatsu PC270LL Log Loader

Attachment Carrier

Tractionline

Komatsu PC400HL Harvestline

The Komatsu Extreme models have been developed by collaboration between Komatsu Forest & Komatsu Osaka Factory to meet our tough forest conditions.

Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd 15C Hyland Cresent Rotorua, New Zealand John Fisken M: 027 771 5254 Paul Roche M: 021 350 747 E: info.au@komatsuforest.com

26238 Komatsu PC Range AFT NZL adverts D3.indd 1

27/10/2023 1:59 pm