NZ Logger April 2025

April 2025 | 9.50

ISSN 2703-6251

l l u f In

An ecological survey turns into an adventure

Biomass: new directions for forestry

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contents

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FOREST TALK Build safety into contract management; Positive step for timber and lumber trade with India; Another sawmill closes; Dramatic growth in Māori economy; Council to manage forestry blocks; Funding for wilding conifer control; Overseas investment act breaches penalised; Protecting Canterbury’s rivers; WPI closure, Cyclone Gabrielle among factors impacting KiwiRail; Pricing raises questions; Search for elusive Forest Manager; Consolidating forest operations; Times gone by; Conference coverage: Making predictions and pushing boundaries.

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SHAW’S WIRE ROPES IRON TEST The first and only operating Tigercat 180 swing yarder in New Zealand which is working at Bay Forest Harvesting is big, smooth-running and stable. Our Iron Test team has been champing at the bit to get a look at this machine for quite some time.

LOOKING BACK A New Zealand Forest Service Ecological Survey in 1964 turns into an adventure for Ross Lockyer and his mates, involving bushwacking, a stubborn dog, plenty of rain and a plethora of goats in this excerpt from his book An Accidental Bushman.

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BIOMASS Jim Childerstone asks if forestry is really as bad as the headlines will have us believe, focusing on new potential and innovation in the biomass and timber sectors.

DEPARTMENTS 2 editorial 42 fica 46 top spot 48 Greenlight New Iron 54 classifieds

April 2025 | NZ LOGGER 1

from the editor April 2025 | 9.50

ISSN 1176-0397

PHOTO: CLAIRE OGILWY

In full

An ecological survey turns into an adventure

Biomass: new directions for forestry

Bay Forest Harvesting’s Tigercat 180 swing yarder working south of Wairoa.

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Start with connection FEELING DOWN? GO INTO THE WOODS THEY SAY. HAVE SOME QUIET TIME. Just breathe. And sure, there are days in the bush where it feels like the best office in the world, but other days, well… it’s hard. This month I’m thinking about mental health. Too many stories of our young men taking their own lives are touching our own.

We’ve all heard the statistics. Forestry had the highest fatality rate of any sector in 2024. And that’s the external potential harm. What about the experiences and thoughts we are internalising? The impact of the practical stressors of the job, working hours, work relationships, conflict, home life, demands and expectations (to name a few) all take a toll. Not to mention the invisible darts that are thrown at us every day in the form of the tumult that is going on in world politics, wars, and the knockdown effect of the financial implications and stressors they represent.

So, what do you do when it all just becomes overwhelming?

Start with connection. Talk to someone you trust. Or, if it’s easier, pick up your phone and talk to a stranger. There are resources out there. Use them. Because yes, cowboys do cry and it’s okay to be vulnerable; to find the road back to good mental health. Remember, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Things will get better. They always do.

Check on your children too. Kiwi culture doesn’t shout from the rooftops but that doesn’t mean there isn’t shouting going on inside.

One group of adventurers who knew how to make the best of a bad situation were the men who took on an ecological survey back in 1964, featured in our Looking Back segment this month. They braved it all and came out smiling. That’s what connection and shared experiences can do.

From the old to the new, over the page we take a look at developments in renewable energy and potential uses of wood that are no longer being overlooked.

Because, if the wood we throw aside today has the potential to power our homes tomorrow; if we face the emotions we throw aside and work through them, we’ll be better for it tomorrow.

Until next time, stay safe.

NZ Logger Magazine

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www.nzlogger.co.nz Official Magazine of

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NZ LOGGER MAGAZINE AN ESTIMATED

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forest talk

Build safety into contract management FORESTRY HAD THE HIGHEST FATALITY RATE OF ANY SECTOR IN 2024, with 16.58 deaths per 100,000 workers. Under its new strategy, WorkSafe is turning some 15% of its targeted frontline activity to the forestry sector because of the high rate of harm, particularly for Maōri.

A recent investigation found a forestry subcontractor was failed by poor risk management from the two businesses above him, both of which have been sentenced for their inaction.

39-year-old Misha Tremel was killed while manually felling trees on a small block at Clevedon in June 2022. The qualified tree feller had been brought in by Turoa Logging, which was harvesting 7,800 tonnes of pine on behalf of the forest managers, Pulley Contracting.

The trees being manually cut by Mr Tremel were windthrown, bent and damaged. WorkSafe strongly recommends that such trees are harvested using machines.

WorkSafe’s investigation found Turoa Logging had not properly reassessed its harvesting plan after nearby trees were cut by machinery,

and had not ensured safe felling practices were followed. Pulley Contracting did not do enough to identify the ongoing risks to workers and should have been auditing Turoa Logging more thoroughly.

“Businesses must manage their risks and cannot contract their way out of responsibility. Contractors on smaller sites like this are owed the same level of care as those in large-scale operations,” says WorkSafe’s area investigation manager, Paul West.

Mr Tremel was a much-loved husband and father who was originally from Ukraine. His death continues to be a shattering loss for his young family to process.

“Businesses must consult, cooperate, and coordinate as part of a contracting chain. WorkSafe recommends health and safety is always built into contract management,” says Mr West.

Turoa Logging and Pulley Contracting were sentenced at Manukau District Court last month. Both companies were ordered to pay a combined total of $335,680 in fines and reparation. NZL

Positive step for timber and lumber trade with India “AS WE LOOK AT REBUILDING OUR forestry exports to India, it is important that we develop strong relationships with key Indian agencies,” says Chief Executive of the Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of NZ (WPMA), Mark Ross.

This, in reference to the signing of a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) for forestry between New Zealand and India as part of the Prime Minister’s delegation visit to India last month.

“Connecting on values and demonstrating a clear focus on mutually beneficial areas of interest will be critical to the Indian Government opening the door to a longer-term trading relationship in forestry products, such as timber and lumber, with New Zealand,” he adds.

In contrast to what should be happening, New Zealand wood and forest 4 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

product exports to India have decreased from a high of $326 million in 2019 to an estimated $76.5 million in 2024, he says.

Although export opportunities remain for a range of timber and lumber products, the bulk of the export volume and receipts have previously been driven by India’s demand for New Zealand logs.

“With a recent ruling from the Indian government stipulating that federal housing schemes include ‘a greater mix’ of wood, there are new opportunities opening, for example, in the Indian residential market for our sustainable wood products,” says Mr Ross.

“Under brand New Zealand we have a leading story to tell as to the value our timber and lumber products have in addressing climate change and sustainability challenges, which reflects the direction of the Indian government.”

The MOC lays the groundwork for co-operation in areas such as sustainable forest management, research and innovation, capacity building, and certification. NZL

WPMA Chief Executive, Mark Ross.

forest talk

Another sawmill closes Story: Brendon McMahon

A DOZEN JOBS HAVE BEEN LOST IN AN EAST OTAGO TOWN AS Hewvan Timber closed last month after nearly 40 years.

At its peak, Palmerston’s privately owned sawmill and timber merchant, Hewvan Timber, employed 25 people.

Proprietor, John Millar, says he made the difficult decision to wind down the business, with the loss of 12 jobs, because of tough economic times.

Mr Millar says the balance tipped while weighing up the substantial upgrade costs he faced to meet WorkSafe requirements.

“Things aren’t viable, and I’ve had WorkSafe in here and the amount of money they want us to spend bringing it up – it’s just not worth doing. I’m coming up 67, and I’ve made the call. It might have been different if I were 20 years younger.”

He says it has never been tougher for small sawmilling enterprises – driven by declining export returns for bigger players who had returned to supply the domestic market in the face of that.

Mr Millar says Hewvan could not beat “the big boys” on price point for domestic framing timber with much larger North Island mill operators, particularly, offering standard building framing timber at $2.25 a metre.

“We can’t ever produce that,” he says, adding that Hewvan’s niche had been producing, “the stuff that the big fellas didn’t want to do”.

“We’re just too small to compete against the big boys... Now with the overseas market not being good, they have come back into the domestic market.”

At the same time domestic building is being squeezed and “there’s just no activity there”.

The cost to update systems at the mill was the final nail.

“Working out what it was going to cost me, at my age, I just couldn’t be bothered.”

He says the decision was sad in one way but he can now retire “and do my own thing”.

“To be honest, the community has been awesome. Most of the people in the community who have supported us over the years, they’re very sad to see us close down.

“I’ve met a lot of good people in this industry. That will be the sad part of leaving.”

He says the company had already lined up alternative employment for its “very hardworking” staff, all in East Otago.

“We’ve found jobs for all the staff. All the ones that have worked here have been really good workers, so no trouble at all.”

The business began in 1987 initially with four partners. It grew from a job for four people to what it was to become,” Mr Millar says.

First published in the Otago Daily Times. NZL April 2025 | NZ LOGGER 5

forest talk

Dramatic growth in Māori economy

WITH MĀORI COLLECTIVES OWNING AROUND HALF OF ALL OF New Zealand’s forestry, agriculture and fishing assets, Māori contributions to the economy have far surpassed the projected goal of ‘$100 billion by 2030,’ a new report shows.

The report conducted by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Te Puni Kōkiri, Te Ōhanga Māori 2023, shows Māori entities have grown from contributing $17 billion to New Zealand’s GDP in 2018 to $32 billion in 2023, turning a 6.5% contribution to GDP into 8.9%.

The Māori asset base has grown from $69 billion in 2018 to $126 billion in 2023 – an increase of 83%.

Of that sum, there is $66b in assets for Māori businesses and employers, $19b in assets for self-employed Māori and $41b in assets for Māori trusts, incorporations, and other Māori collectives including post-settlement entities.

In 2018, $4.2b of New Zealand’s economy came from forestry, agriculture, and fishing which made it the main contributor.

Now, administrative, support, and professional services have taken the lead contributing $5.1b in 2023, with the primary industries remaining the highest asset-rich sector.

Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira manages political and public interests on behalf of Ngāti Toa including political interests, treaty claims, fisheries, health and social services, and environmental kaitiakitanga.

Tumu Whakarae (CEO) Helmut Modlik says they are not focused on making money, but on “those who need it most”.

Ngāti Toa invested in water infrastructure and environmental projects, with a drive to replenish the whenua and improve community health. Like many iwi, they also invest in enterprises that deliver essential services such as health, housing and education.

“We focus on long-term benefits rather than short-term gains, ensuring that our investments contribute to the sustainable development of our community,” says Mr Modlik. NZL

Council to manage forestry blocks FOUR FORESTRY BLOCKS OWNED BY WHAKATĀNE DISTRICT Council have been scheduled under a management plan.

These include the Valley Road block that is currently being harvested, one on Eagles Hill Road, Waimana, which was harvested in 2022, one in Mangamate, Galatea, due for harvest in 2027 and one in Onepū due for harvest in 2044.

Apart from the Eagles Hill block, the forests are on land that was already established in either exotic or indigenous forest before 1990. This means they fall under the rules of the Emissions Trading Scheme and the council is required to replant them in forest cover within four years of harvesting. Failure not to do so would result in having to pay New Zealand Units of about $170,000.

The council is planning to replant the 3.8 hectare Valley Road block in native vegetation over the next four years, for which budget will need to be allocated.

At a meeting last month, Councillor Andrew Iles asked what the council was doing to mitigate against flooding caused by slash left behind from the harvesting on Valley Road.

Open spaces manager Ian Molony said staff were working 6 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

closely with Bay of Plenty Regional Council in terms of meeting its requirements for the consent for harvesting.

“With the helicopter operation that you’ve seen as well, they will be going in there afterwards with a grapple, picking up a lot of that slash and taking it down to the lower reserve areas. We will be looking at chipping it as well.”

The Eagle Hill block is only 0.9 hectares and the council plans to replant it in natives with help from community groups and retain it as a community asset.

The Mangamate block is 26ha and the council expects to receive some income from it following harvesting. Post harvesting the council plans to replant it in native vegetation and seek to revert ownership to the Crown.

The largest of the forestry blocks is in Onepu, with 30.3ha adjacent to Military and Grieve Roads two kilometres west of Te Teko.

The block is expected to provide an income to the council when it is harvested in 20 years’ time. The council plans to explore short-term multi-use opportunities to make it more of a community asset in the meantime. NZL

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forest talk

Wilding pine seedlings in Tarndale, Molesworth.

Funding for wilding conifer control EFFORTS TO TACKLE WILDING CONIFER INFESTATIONS HAVE BEEN supported by $400,000 from the Government’s International Visitor Levy fund.

“This investment is a recognition of the importance of our ongoing battle against wilding conifers. We estimate total funding of $7 million annually to restore Molesworth to its original state.

Our programme has funding for $1.37 million this year, which is helping us slow the spread, but we cannot afford to let the problem escalate,” says Environment and Planning Committee Chair, Gerald Hope.

He says the invasive pines have broader implications that will affect our environment and economy: “If left unchecked, wilding

conifers seriously threaten local biodiversity. These invasive trees can significantly decrease water flow at the headwaters of the Wairau, Clarence and Awatere catchments, as they consume large amounts of water. This will inevitably impact vineyards and agricultural productivity.

“Molesworth holds immense value as an iconic part of New Zealand’s high country landscape, benefiting tourism. Controlling wilding conifers will pave the way for the return of critically endangered native species, enhancing our natural heritage.

I’m impressed by the Government’s investment in this vital programme, and I encourage it to work with Council through longterm funding to restore Molesworth.” NZL

Overseas investment act breaches penalised FOLLOWING AN INVESTIGATION INTO EIGHT FORESTRY BLOCK sales in Gisborne and one in Rodney, Auckland lawyer, Andrew Jarvis, has been ordered to pay $275,000 in penalties for breaches of the Overseas Investment Act 2005.

The High Court penalty judgment follows an investigation by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) into two overseas individuals who purchased forestry blocks in Gisborne and Rodney without overseas investment consent in 2011 and 2014.

The individuals set up company structures and used local associates to hide their ownership of the forestry blocks and have separately been ordered to pay almost $1.7 million in penalties.

During the investigation, LINZ uncovered evidence that Mr Jarvis, acting for the investors, structured the transactions and gave legal advice that resulted in the investors acquiring interests in sensitive land without consent. Mr Jarvis admitted that his actions were reckless.

LINZ Acting Compliance Leader Pedro Morgan says, “Lawyers and advisors play a crucial role in supporting our overseas investment 8 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

regime by providing investors with the right information and advice.

“Good legal advice helps the regime work effectively and supports New Zealanders and overseas investors to have confidence in it.

“The vast majority of advisors help their clients to understand the law and make the right decisions, which is why it is so disappointing that in this case, overseas investors have been enabled to break the rules by a legal advisor.”

The High Court said that Mr Jarvis ‘devised and implemented the structures that were used by their companies to avoid those requirements’ and that ‘his conduct was reckless because he facilitated the transactions without having carefully reviewed the restrictions imposed by the Act.’ “The penalties awarded in this case reflect the seriousness of the breaches and should send a warning to anyone seeking to undermine the rules, and also reinforce the need for investors to seek advice from lawyers who are familiar with the overseas investment rules,” says Mr Morgan. NZL

forest talk

Protecting Canterbury’s rivers THE CANTERBURY REGIONAL COUNCIL HAS VOTED TO MAKE PLAN Change 7 and consequentially the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan fully operative, providing greater protection for habitats of freshwater species.

It also considers Ngāi Tahu values in more activities, enables the use of managed aquifer recharge (a technique to improve river flows) across the region, and provides a revised nutrient management framework for commercial vegetable growing.

Following extensive community engagement, Plan Change 7 also introduces new frameworks for freshwater and nutrient management in the Orari Temuka Opihi Pareora (OTOP) and Waimakariri zones.

The last appeal by Rayonier New Zealand and Port Blakely

concerned rules proposed in PC7 for the management of Commercial Forestry operations in Canterbury/Waitaha, with respect to their potential effects on freshwater.

Environment Canterbury Chair Craig Pauling says, “This is a significant milestone that’s followed years of work, so I’m really pleased we’ve found an agreed way forward on this.

“This is a great outcome for all parties concerned. We now have a fully operative Land and Water Plan, which provides clarity for the public, for industry and for the staff who administer the Plan.”

Plan Change 7 has been partially operative since September 2023, at which time there was one outstanding appeal. The Council decision follows on from the resolution of that final appeal against Plan Change 7 in December 2024. NZL

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forest talk

WPI closure, Cyclone Gabrielle among factors impacting KiwiRail A NATIONAL FREIGHT DOWNTURN IN A SOFT DOMESTIC ECONOMY, and a series of one-off events, have been cited as contributing to a fall in KiwiRail’s bottom line in the half year to 31 December 2024.

However, good progress was made in delivering on the company’s transformation plan and investments.

KiwiRail recorded an operating surplus of $25.8 million for the half year, $14.7m behind the same period last year. On top of the challenging commercial environment, one-off impacts included losing freight volume as a result of the closure of Winstone Pulp International (WPI), the Tawhai tunnel collapse, a delayed start to re-opening the North Auckland Line which was damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle and redundancies as the company “better aligned” itself to the markets it serves.

“As a key part of New Zealand’s supply chain, KiwiRail quickly feels the impact of any economic downturn,” says KiwiRail Acting Chair, Rob Jager.

“Overall, rail freight net tonne kilometres were down 7% over the half year, consistent with the general freight market reduction of 7-10%. Normalising for one-off events, KiwiRail’s freight volume was down 2-3%.

“However, we are working hard internally and with customers to improve our service levels and to ensure that when confidence returns to the economy, we are in a position to attract more freight to rail.

The reinstatement of the North Auckland Line after Cyclone Gabrielle and Fonterra’s return to rail, the steady long-term demand outlook for forestry and dairy, and the reinstatement of Tawhai tunnel and resumption of the coal programme are all positive.”

After losing volume with the closure of WPI, KiwiRail worked with logging operator Ernslaw One and other parties on a transport solution that was sustainable for Ernslaw One, KiwiRail and Rangitikei District

Council. As a result, Ernslaw One is now moving its logs to Port of Napier by rail, instead of by road, unlocking the safety and road maintenance cost benefits of rail for regional ratepayers.

The partnership with Coca-Cola, KiwiRail’s fourth largest domestic customer, to design and deliver a rail siding extension at its Mount Wellington Distribution Centre enables a reduction of up to 7000 truck movements per year through Central Auckland and North Island highway.

“It is heartening to be delivering new infrastructure and substantial upgrades to New Zealand’s rail freight and commuter networks. There is no getting around that much of the 3800km national freight network is old and has been under-funded for too long. But as we deliver on the recent investments, we will also harness the benefits for KiwiRail, our customers, and for New Zealand,” says KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy.

“For example, since 2017, more than $1.8 billion has been invested in the Auckland metro network alone – mostly to help prepare it for the opening of the transformational City Rail Link next year. We have just seen the successful re-opening of the line between Papakura and Pukekohe which has now been electrified so people in south Auckland can enjoy all the benefits of the metro network. In Auckland and Wellington, people made 12.8 million trips on the metro rail networks.

Even people who do not take the train benefit from all those trips being made by rail, instead of road.

He adds: “Along with the Interislander upgrades, infrastructural improvements on the rail network, alongside a rejuvenation of our rolling stock including the first of 66 new locomotives arriving, and new wagons rolling out of the Hillside workshops, sets us up well to deliver an improved performance for our freight customers. Reducing carbon emissions is also increasingly important to our customers.” NZL

Pricing raises questions THE RAIL ADVOCACY COLLECTIVE’S (TRAC) HAS BECOME AWARE that KiwiRail doubled the charge for hauling logs on the Napier to Wairoa line which effectively killed the operation and caused the cessation of rail traffic on that line, says National Coordinator, Niall Robertson.

“This is a scandal and an insult to the people of this region and the rail customers that were keen to use rail,” he says.

He adds that the rail rebuild was paid for through the Provincial Growth Fund which was put in place to aid the provinces to grow their economies: “Isn’t this what this government wants? After that investment, why did KiwiRail sabotage the entire project and waste all of that money and work? Did they decide on their own, or were 10 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

they told to do this by the government or treasury?” TRAC believes that these questions need answering and that Government should commission an external inquiry regarding this.

“TRAC needs to know why this area is getting kicked in the guts and who is doing the kicking. TRAC feels this region needs a break, some respect from the government and some transparency around the neglect that this region has suffered.”

The University of Otago study’s Lead author, Dr Alice Miller says, “Policymakers need to carefully consider the vested interests of the different stakeholders they interact with, and more questions need to be asked about who is really in control of our Transport policy decisions”. NZL

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forest talk

Search for elusive Forest Manager IT SEEMS THAT HIRING A DEDICATED MANAGER FOR NELSON’S forests is not so clear-cut.

The city council first advertised for a Forest Systems Manager in October 2024 but, five months later, the role is still empty.

The role was born from the council’s decision to transition away from commercial forestry to create a well-managed continuous canopy amenity forest.

The Forest Systems Manager would take the lead in implementing the council’s new strategic direction and managing its 10,000-hectare forest estate.

A LinkedIn advert for the job, which closed on 11 October 2024, offered pay of $129–$143,000 per annum and sought someone with “experience in the natural sciences and project management, excellent understanding of forest transition management, and financially savvy”.

The role was advertised for two weeks nationally and locally across Seek, LinkedIn, and the council’s website.

But the council was experiencing, in the words of the mayor,

a “recruitment issue” and the spot remained unfilled despite receiving 42 applications.

The difficulty in recruiting a forest manager comes as residents of Marsden Valley have expressed concern about the bare, deforested slopes behind their neighbourhood potentially having a negative impact on both their local natural and built environments if a storm hit the area.

The council’s Group Manager Infrastructure, Alec Louverdis, says the council is continuing the recruiting process with the aim of hiring “the right person for the role”.

In the meantime, Louverdis continues to have oversight of the city’s forestry, with governance direction from a forestry transition working group made up of elected members.

“This oversight includes continuing with operational issues, working on wider strategic matters and managing the transition away from commercial forestry,” he says.

He added that transition plans have been developed to address winter planting in the Maitai and Marsden Valleys. NZL

Consolidating forest operations AS OF LAST MONTH KOMATSU FOREST NEW ZEALAND (KFNZ) is the authorised dealer for Southstar, Quadco, and Logmax.

Southstar and Quadco became subsidiaries of Komatsu in January 2018, and formed a combined operation with Logmax which has been a subsidiary since 2016.

The strategic consolidation of these brands form part of Komatsu Forest AB’s acquisition strategy to expand its forestry attachment business. The aim was to meet the growing demand for Full Tree Length (FTL) solutions in North America while complementing the existing and successful Logmax Cut To Length (CTL) operations, says Komatsu. The global market for forestry machines, including attachments continues to grow and with FTL being the dominant method in New Zealand the consolidation is the obvious direction.

12 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

“By integrating these product lines, KFNZ can now offer a comprehensive range of solutions to meet the diverse needs of New Zealand loggers, especially following the recent addition of the Komatsu Xtreme excavator range and Timberpro as a subsidiary since 2019. This transition will streamline the full suite of Komatsu Forest products and ensure continued high-quality service and support for all valued customers,” says Managing Director Komatsu Forest, Brett Jones.

“The dedicated teams from Quadco and Southstar will join KFNZ, ensuring their customers continue to receive the expert support they are accustomed to. All current contact numbers have been transferred to Komatsu Forest NZ to help facilitate a seamless transition,” he adds. NZL

forest talk

This Pacific P10 was a forest workhorse in the NZFP era.

Times gone by

Story: Colin Smith

THE LATEST HIGH-TECH LOG TRANSPORT INNOVATIONS AND some of the historic gear from 60 years ago stood side-by-side in the Tokoroa sunshine recently.

A truck and trailer display was one element of the NZ Forest Products (NZFP) Truckies, Loggers, Garage and Engineers Reunion weekend, which saw 260 registered guests attend.

The event brought together staff and contractors of NZ Forest Products between 1957 and 2000, and organiser, Bruce Nairn, says the weekend was very successful.

“All of the plans fell into place, and we had a lot of people who hadn’t seen each other for quite a few years,” he says.

“We took four bus loads out into the forest where they had a bush crew working on the Saturday. It was a chance to see the modern equipment at work – for some of the older guys it was the first time they had seen an anchored loader in operation.

“One of the comments I heard was, ‘How much things have changed over the years – from having a lot of people on the ground to it now being about having machines on the ground’.”

The display of trucks was coordinated by Graham Sheldrake and featured a range of loggers and transporters – old and new.

“I contacted all the guys to get a good range of the old and new,” he says.

“We wanted to display some of the history next to some of the latest innovation in the industry and all the guys were happy to help out.”

“Without NZFP and people working the mill, Tokoroa probably wouldn’t have been as big and prosperous as it has been.

“At one stage, I know we got to about 19,500 people living there, it was quite big in those days, you know, like for a small community middle town, it was nearly at city status.”

The line-up included the very first Kenworth (an 848) imported to New Zealand for NZFP and recently restored for the Kenworth 100 event in early 2024. The 848, Log Truck 57, is now a permanent exhibit at the NZ Timber Museum in Putaruru.

There was also one of the iconic Pacific P10s and a couple of ‘work-in-progress’ restorations were trucked in on transporters, including a Kenworth L923 that joined the NZFP fleet in 1967 as Logger #42.

Matamata’s Bradley Scott is in the process of restoring the L923 and piecing together its history. After its stint at NZFP the L923 was run by logging contractor Billy Moore and was later owned by Alan Forbes.

J Swap Contactors supported the display with a classic Terex 82-40 bulldozer and its restored International R190, which had been part of the NZFP transporter fleet until Swaps bought the truck in 1973.

There was also a classic International logger on show, the immaculate R.I & J.D. Ellis (Hamurana) International RD195.

At the modern end of the timber timeline there were some innovative new trucks on display. Among them was a Scania S770 unit featuring the new Safe-T-Loader technology which allows it to self-load it’s trailer.

The pioneering design incorporating ramps and a powerful winch is the vision of Aztec Forest Transport Developments director, Peter Phillips, working alongside forestry company Manulife Investment Management and constructed by Patchell Industries.

Rotorua Forest Haulage also had its new Kenworth K200 self-load trailer solution on show while the latest bin-in-bin truck-trailer design developed by Rob Dahm and built by Mills-Tui showcased new ideas in scrap wood collection.

Local firm, Sheldrake Haulage, showed off its new Kenworth W900 SAR Legend and its 1984 W924 logger.

It’s the second time an NZFP reunion has been held in Tokoroa, the first being in 2012.

“We’ll have a wrap-up and work out where we go from here,” says Mr Nairn regarding any future plans.

“All of the material from the event will go to the Timber Museum at Putaruru. They’ll have everything from the 2012 and 2025 reunions, but one of the jobs is to get the stuff from 2012 onto USB because it was originally saved on CDs.” NZL

The original Kenworth 848 from the New Zealand Timber Museum in Putaruru, alongside a modern-day and fully-loaded RFH Kenworth K200.

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WoodTECH25

Making predictions and pushing boundaries

14 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

He raised a number of questions too: Will the rebuild of Ukraine and Gaza draw timber from Europe away from Australia?

Will an end to the war in Ukraine swamp the market? Will pine beetles inadvertently help the New Zealand market with wood flows out of Europe hampered? Will the beetles find their way here?

Other questions he posed had more definitive answers, like whether climate change will make wildfires worse and if more frequent fires could impact supply to mills (yes and yes). He spoke too about the nature of consents and their true impact, and how lower New Zealand migration weighs on building activity both directly and indirectly through lower economic activity.

He urged the industry to lobby government to make it easier for foreigners to own a house (as Red Stag is currently doing) and “get strategic about getting investment and fuelling the property market”.

Tools of the trade While our mills seem to be in as much turmoil as the rest of the world, for those mills that are still running, several speakers made it very clear that the sawmill of the future is powered by Artificial Intelligence.

But even AI needs the tools of the trade.

Tony La Salata, Director Product Development, USNR and Matt Ballantyne, Chief Mechanical Engineer-Breakdown

Group CEO and Chair of the Red Stag Group, Marty Verry.

Systems, USNR (United States) spoke on Advances in Shape Sawing Technology.

With its origins in the 1900s, one would think shape sawing couldn’t be further removed from modern advances but as the move from curve sawing to arc sawing and shape sawing progressed, more possibilities opened up to provide the perfect melding of old and new. With no change in cant orientation, vertical shape sawing now allows for better control and virtual pivot shape sawing has no fixed pivot and an infinite range.

This shape sawing evolution is ultimately moving towards working to compress the length of the overall processing line so there is less processing anomaly and less maintenance, allowing for even further optimisation of the technology, said the speakers.

It seems the future of wood processing is only limited by our imaginations. As John Eisenhut, Key Accounts Manager of Thode Knife and Saw (and a stalwart who has seen it all in his 54 years in the industry) said, “Push boundaries, ask questions – the biggest cost is if we need more logs”. NZL LG35192

IN THE FIVE YEARS SINCE INNOVATEK last ran WoodTECH with its focus on wood processing and sawmilling, there have been plenty of new developments. From machine learning to AI, the growing acceptance of mass timber and robots populating our mills, there have been significant advances both in management and technology.

But who would have thought we were futurologists too?

At the recent conference in Rotorua, keynote speaker and Group CEO and Chair of the Red Stag Group, Marty Verry, changed his presentation title from a rather tame Transformational trends and opportunities to 2030, to NZ Timber investment considerations in the most tumultuous decade in world history. Well, he got that right. And it remains to be seen if he’s right on the megatrends he has identified that will impact those considerations.

Ranging from tariffs and wars, beetles and increasing wildfires, to migration, interest rates and government policy, there was certainly plenty to think about. He said, tariffs, for instance, are unlikely here since New Zealand has a trade deficit with the USA and sends relatively little timber (or drugs and illegal migrants as far as we are aware) and, in fact, if not tariffed, New Zealand margins could increase due to lumber price rises in the USA, thereby inadvertently helping.

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Iron Test

In full

Story & photos: Tim Benseman

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The Tigercat 180 swing yarder with a honking drag, working at Bay Forest Harvesting.

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Iron Tester, John Reid, dragging in the first log with regular operator, Dave Mouatt, observing.

WHEN DAN MOUATT FIRST GOT INTO LOGGING IT WAS JUST supposed to be for a few weeks on his brother’s crew. He was given a pair of Canadian climbing spikes and sent up a bunch of old crop pines to rope them up so they could be pulled back.

“I struggled to walk for a few days after that,” he says with a smile.

That sort of all-in attitude has taken him far as he now runs two crews and his brother works for him.

“Revenge is sweet,” he jokes but it is clear he holds his brother in high regard as he is running the first and only operating Tigercat 180 swing yarder in New Zealand, which we are here to test today south of Wairoa.

When we drive up to the container for sign-in we can see the 180 is about 150 metres away in the cutover on a two-staging operation and it doesn’t look that big but at 409 horsepower it is up there between the two Log Champ yarders and is definitely more of a purposebuilt yarder than a yoder. It has the manoeuvrability and more straightforward design of the latter though. And when we get up next to it there is definitely a surprise as to how big it is, how smoothly it is running and how stable it is as it fishes logs out of the gully below us.

The Iron Test team has been champing at the bit to get a look at this machine for quite some time but the stars hadn’t really aligned due to various issues and on Test Day we endured a few trees blown over across the river from us in a squall along with an associated downpour. That was no problem for Iron Tester, John Reid, though as he was tucked up inside admiring the superiority of Tigercat’s outthe-gate window wipers. But more on that later.

The Bay Forest Harvesting (BFH) story began a few years after Dan’s tree climbing “few weeks” that turned into six years’ logging in Taupo, Otorohanga and Remutaka – the latter two being Dan’s introduction to haulers.

“My father logged back in the day in Taupo and Northland too,” Dan says.

There was a brief stint with Wayne Lowe and then logging stems with Ribbonwood in Kaingaroa, he says: “That was an education. I did three years there back in the early days of stems, then it was off to

The stack of traffic at Waikare Bailey bridge.

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SERIOUS POWER BIG TIME LOGGERS

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 18 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

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Above left: Owner operator Andrew (right) and wife Hayley doing some processor maintenance.

Above right: Owner, Dan Mouatt shifting some steel cables during a line shift.

Australia for something different but I ended up logging there too. All dead flat ground around Mount Gambier. Boring terrain really. When I got back here the Hawke’s Bay hills looked like mountains.

“My old employers at Ribbonwood, Kevin and Leigh Goodman, offered me a job in Hawke’s Bay. I ended up going into a share basis with them as Ribbonwood did back in the day and eventually I bought the whole crew. We had a Bellis 70 yarder in Willow Flat and went from there to form BFH.” A rocky start BFH went woodlot logging for a bit and changed to a rubber tyred 071.

They logged with that for eight years before moving to a Harvestline and started working with Forest Management New Zealand (FMNZ). It was two years ago that they bought the Tigercat 180 and it has done just over 3000 hours so far.

It was a rocky start though as a week after purchasing the new yarder, Cyclone Gabrielle struck and they couldn’t work for six weeks due to the roads being closed. The area is still feeling the effects which we encountered on the way with the bailey bridge at Waikare

only allowing one truck at a time on its single lane.

When we arrived at the bailey bridge queue there was a loaded log truck waiting to cross and two or three empties crawling their way over, heading North for more logs. Transporter operators are having to walk haulers in the creek under the bridge because it doesn’t have the capacity to carry them. Several SUV’s were written off on the roadside nearby, a testament to the atrocious state of the place over two years after the event. As of early 2025 the new bridge to be built is at least four years away.

Fast slash salvage But getting back to logging, Dan is finding the Tigercat 180 is excellent for keeping logging operations environmentally compliant.

“The area we are logging today is a tidy up of small pieces next to a stream and it is an environmentally sensitive area with three streams converging in a small area so we want to get all the slash out of there before winter. There’s a pretty big focus on making sure it is really cleaned out well. The Tigercat is really good for cleaning the creeks out with that skyline.

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Ax

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Stems bridging the creek.

SERIOUS POWER FOR BIG TIME LOGGERS

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ALWAYS SWING A BIG STICK

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Above left: Dan Mouatt (left), AB Equipment’s Ben Kendrick (centre) and Iron Tester, John Reid (right), discuss the finer points of the Tigercat 180.

Above right: Owner, Dan Mouatt sorting out some Dyneema strawline.

“We have done a sh*tload of this now. Our last two blocks, Ridgemount and Nottingham were also quite sensitive with a lot of forested area on both sides of a creek. We were able to keep environmental damage to a minimum by bunching the trees into just three piles and then grappled the whole stems over the creek, so very minimal area for cleanup. We were really stoked with how well that went – it was a little bit slower to log it that way but it was worth the result.”

Dan says the biggest advantage of the 180 is that it can log more areas with the skyline lift, it’s a bigger, more powerful machine than the previous one and with higher line speed. He says it sits fairly evenly in the middle between a regular swing yarder and a Harvestline and that seems to be a unique position which needed

filling for the types of blocks he logs.

“Pretty much every aspect is better than our previous machines.

It’s not as manoeuvrable as the smaller yarders but it is still very mobile, having no guy ropes most of the time, the blade on the front holds it in place really well, so moving settings is quick and easy.

“Once you have repositioned you dig the blade down and after a few drags it sucks the tracks into the ground nicely. You have got really good control manipulating that ACME carriage grapple from the skyline. You can get right over your target with that skyline and drop straight down. My brother Dave has driven a lot of haulers in his time and he reckons this one is the best thing for clearing out creeks. It’s the best hauler he has driven full stop actually.”

AB Equipment’s Ben Kendrick is on hand to show us around

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Above left: Regular operator, Dave (left) and brother Dan Mouatt sorting some ropes.

Above right: AB Equipment’s Ben Kendrick (left) with (from left) Iron Tester John Reid, Bay Forest Harvesting owner Dan Mouatt and Iron Test writer, Tim Benseman. the machine today and while this is the only operating 180 in New Zealand, he says they do have a brand new one in stock right now.

When asked how he got into this job Ben tries to convince us that he is a failed mechanic. After some years turning spanners at AB’s (he’s been with them 22 years all up) he got the call to move into sales. Sounds more like a promotion to me. You can see the value of having a hands-on mechanic as your salesman when it comes to commissioning new machines and fine tuning hydraulics and the like. His work ute has a few boxes full of filters and oils for the crews he is visiting this week between Hawke’s Bay and Ruatoria.

Ben says crew owner, Dan, is a very hands-on logger and will slot

in to any task in the crew when needed but generally lets them run the crew themselves. As well as his obviously experienced brother he has a contract loader owner operator, Andrew, and his wife Hayley is running the processor in the crew so it’s pretty tight knit.

When asked what he likes most about the 180, Ben says, “Probably that you don’t have to have four feet and eight hands to operate it.

It’s a big thing being a machine with excavator type controls, in that it’s much easier to find or train people to use it compared to the more complicated older generation yarders. While you can see it here running with no guylines, Tigercat does have the option of using two lines. Dan generally hooks up the guylines in wet ground for added

A Black Stag Haulage Kenworth in to pick up a load of Bay Forest Harvesting’s logs.

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MADE IN CANADA FOR NZ CONDITIONS

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Above: The engine and pump bay with great access for servicing.

Main: Rear view of the Tigercat 180 in operation displays the high ground clearance counterweight.

stability. The yarder can still swing 90 degrees either side with the guylines attached. The regular operator, Dave, just loves logging.

He must be pretty close to 50 years in the bush now and he is pretty possessive of the 180, your tester will be lucky to get any seat time in there I reckon.”

Ben continues: “The size of this machine surprised me when it came into our yard in Hastings, it’s quite a big and powerful beast. It was shipped over from the factory in Paris, Ontario, Canada with the top half of the boom in a container. We connected that up in our yard with the six bolts required and now that’s done it transports quite easily as a one piece shift weighing around 56 tonnes.”

Dan agrees, saying that it is no more trouble than a processor to shift. The boom lays down flat and the total length is a shade over 17 metres long from counterweight to the top of the boom.

Dan has done a few hundred hours on the 180 and his Level Four tree faller/backline machine operator Jack has also started to train in it, giving the crew of six a few more contingency plans if they are a man down at some stage in the future.

Fast and efficient After throwing the doors open for a look at the 8.7 litre engine and hydraulic pumps, Dave and John get back to hauling. We can hear the engine revs responding rapidly to the demands of the yarder controls and it sounds like it’s pretty efficient. Dan agrees, saying he is amazed at how fuel-efficient the 180 is. He retrieves his phone and reads off the previous week’s fuel consumption: “It used 19.6 litres per hour on average. It will do between 18 litres and 25 litres an hour depending on the terrain. Another advantage that is appreciated is the swing function, meaning we often just have the processor under it so it saves us a boom under the yarder. Different story today as we are two-staging this little corner of creek but generally that is how we roll – process straight off the yarder and then fleeting onto the

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SERIOUS POWER BIG TIME LOGGERS

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 24 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

1. Dan and brother Dave Mouatt with the Tigercat.

2. Regular 180 operator, Dave Mouatt, is happy with this machine.

3. The winch stack on the Tigercat 180 swing yarder.

1 stacks. We have had 500 tonne days in good ground but here doing this creek we average around the 320 tonne per day mark.”

There is a closed loop hydraulic system which allows energy recovery to the hydraulic pump when lowering loads which probably helps quite a lot with that very low diesel burn.

Tigercat sent their US-based cable logging expert, Kushiah McCullough, out to Dan’s crew to help set up the machine for the first time and to conduct training, so it’s fair to say the Tigercat comes with great support. Tigercat’s New Zealand based rep, Warren Nolan, also helped with set up and continues to provide operational and service support.

The crew does a quick line shift and Dan helps out with some rigging, manhandling some steel ropes as well as a bit of the Dyneema strawline while two crew members are on the other side

2

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of the creek pushing through the cutover on a steeper slope, cutting stumps and shifting blocks.

BFH has two Tigercat 855 felling machines which do 95% of its felling in its two crews. The one in this crew is tethered to a Komatsu 300 with an EMS Tractionline twin line system. The other crew is ground based and works for PanPac in the Kaweka’s.

Dan says FMNZ has been very supportive of the Tigercat 180 purchase, recognising that it is ideal for environmental work and roadlining which BFH’s original contract was for, and then also big enough to carry out the main harvest which the contract has been extended to: “Our FMNZ supervisor was all over this machine. He probably knows the specs better than I do and they are just stoked with how well it is cleaning out the creeks after harvesting, so put our crew forward for Crew of the Year which we have won twice.”

Iron Tester: John Reid

Easy learning IT’S BEEN QUITE A FEW YEARS SINCE I was at the bar at the Putorino Pub nearby to where Bay Forest Harvesting is logging. A bit sad to see it has closed, as many a tall tale has been told in there. We could probably get into a discussion about carbon farming and its effect on rural communities but maybe another day.

Dan Mouatt and his team warned me that I might need waders to get through the mud to this Tigercat 180 swing yarder but my regular work boots do the job. Ground conditions aren’t too bad really, only a small amount of ruts on the skidder trail and better than the dust we would have had to deal with yesterday by all accounts.

Once beside this machine it is a lot bigger than it first looks. The track frame is a long carriage, making for great stability and the high ground clearance counterweight means this rig will be a bit of a mountain goat when required. The blade on the front is a great idea which I gather Tigercat has patented.

The access ladder up to the deck is straight up and well-designed being behind the cab on the side opposite the boom.

Once up on the fenced catwalk you can cast your eyes over the three drums and turn to the rear-access cab door where there is plenty of room for the operator and a trainee to stand behind the seat. Dave Mouatt is obviously enjoying his new ride and gives me a thorough briefing and demo before I slide into the seat in a new setting.

The big plus with this machine is the easy

learning curve. You can walk it around easily on idle in excavator mode and then switch the pedals over to yarder mode and tap in to some serious pulling power, and speed, just using the two joysticks and two pedals. Once you push that blade into the ground it makes for a very stable platform with those big seven inch rams pushing it down. It’s surprising considering we don’t have any guylines out.

It’s a lot more stable than I thought it would be so they have done a good job there.

I send the carriage out and note the distance of the first bunch of logs around 89 metres and pick one up – this grapple is easy to manipulate. The log is bridging the narrow creek and I just go carefully with that first pull.

Sending it out the second time, it is much faster just keeping an eye on the distance and aiming for around 89 metres on the monitor which is where the logs are. The control on this is nice and smooth and accurate.

Millimetre control. I am impressed to see how quick Dave was plucking sticks out of the creek, aided by some slick work from the backline crew. This is a bonus with the new post-Gabrielle environmental requirements.

The bigger stems are also handled with ease.

With the third drag I feel comfortable enough to open up a bit hauling it in and it is impressive how much grunt and speed there is available there and how quietly it gets all of this done.

A bit of a squall blows through the block and that causes us to use the Tigercat’s huge window wiper. It’s an impressive thing,

Iron Tester, John Reid. like a Mercedes Benz of window wipers, but on steroids. This is the sort of thing you build so you can say, “Look at my wiper”.

I love it. This adds to the already impressive all-round visibility from the cab. The climate controlled cab is also very insulating from the elements and the log site in general, which I can imagine does great things for how you feel at the end of a long day at work.

The skyline control and power is good, which definitely helps to give you command of this quite difficult setting. The interlock is solid and it’s also easy to override it when you want to.

The slew in this machine is surprisingly powerful. Combined with the ease of control of the lines, landing a drag is a breeze.

I guess the overarching impression is that this is a strong and simple tool with everything you need and nothing you don’t.

But even saying that, it has some pretty flash features as well like terrain mapping and that meterage so you can put the grapple over the stems with the minimum of fuss. This takes away the stress of the repetitive tasks

Above from left: The sturdy counterweight and the strawline winch high to the right; Iron Tester, John Reid (left) and Dave Mouatt changing seats after the briefing; First log of the test arriving on the landing.

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IFICATION

SPEC S

TIGERCAT 180 SWING YARDER – SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Tigercat FPT C87 6 cylinder, 8.7 litre diesel Rated power Peak power

305KW 409HP @2100RPM 330KW 442HP @1800RPM

HYDRAULICS Main pump Charge/pilot pump Case pump Winch pumps

Piston type, load sensing Gear Gear (3) Piston, Closed Loop

REFILL CAPACITIES (LITRES) Fuel Hydraulic oil

and leaves you rested for the finer work of grappling the logs.

The Tigercat 180 is definitely a really good, winning machine.

425m/min 16905kg 769m 416m/min 30220kg 753m 200m/min 600m 5 Tonnes

UNDERCARRIAGE 1130 320

ROPES AND WINCHES Haulback winch Max line pull Rope storage

Line speed Mainline winch Max line pull Rope storage Line speed Skyline winch Max line pull Rope storage Line speed Max haul distance Max payload on ACME grapple

8,495kg 1291M

Tractive effort Track frames Track shoe Tail swing radius Top speed

It shows great versatility with being able to efficiently clean up the creek and pull some honking drags. The ease of operation and comfort are a plus. I would have to say it is

324KN F7-162Y Heavy Duty Forestry 710mm 4.22m 4.5km per hour

right up there with any of the other haulers I have operated. You should definitely consider having one of these in the stable if you are in the cable extraction business. NZL

DIAGNOSE • DESIGN • DELIVER

Looking Back

A New Zealand Forest Service Ecological Survey in 1964 turns into an adventure for Ross Lockyer and his mates, involving bushwacking, a stubborn dog, plenty of rain and a plethora of goats in this excerpt from his book An Accidental Bushman.

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Ecological Survey fly camp drying out the saturated gear after weeks of rain in the Raukumaras.

In the foreground is Razor Gosling, with Merv at the back, 1964.

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N OUR THIRD YEAR TRAINING IN 1964 when we were based at the Forestry Training Centre in Rotorua, we got involved in some serious bushwacking in the native bush, known as Ecological Survey or just Eco. It was early spring in 1964, and the weather was wet most of the time. During that time we did two Eco Survey trips, each of two weeks’ duration. We were split up into small groups and sent out to different blocks of native forest around the central North Island. The first one that my group did was up in the Raukumara Ranges off the Waioeka Gorge between Whakatane and Wairoa, and the second was up the Motu River on the south-western side of the Raukumara Range.

The Eco team leader for the first Raukumara trip was John Beardsley. He did a good job of teaching us the basics and providing an introduction to Eco Survey.

The rest of that crew were Woodsman Derek (Razor) Gosling, and Ranger Trainees Dave Cameron, Barry McLaughlin and me.

Eco Survey was a project designed at that time to survey all of New Zealand’s native forests using a system of sample plots

Ian Davies and Jack Palmer crossing a flooded river on a three-wire bridge, 1964.

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Looking Back

selected randomly from aerial photographs and then located physically on the ground by the Eco Surveyors. We first collected our aerial photographs, which had been scanned and marked so that the sample plots that we were to survey and sample represented a good example of each separate forest type. Our packs were heavy, as we had to carry tent flys, food for three weeks, all of our surveying gear, sleeping bags, a change of clothes, rifles, slashers, billies and cooking utensils.

Not in the plan On the Raukumara trip, we were dropped off up in the middle of the Waioeka Gorge where a large side stream ran into the Waioeka River. Razor had brought a dog with him, which was not in the plan. At the last minute, a mate of his had left him his dog to look after for a month while he was away working in a bush block where they didn’t allow dogs. It appeared to be mostly Labrador with a bit of huntaway thrown in.

Whatever mix of breeds it was, the dog was a bit smelly and fairly large.

All was fine until we came to the first river crossing, and that was when we discovered that we had inherited a problem: the bloody dog wouldn’t swim across rivers! The stream 32 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

that we were following into the Raukumara Ranges was running moderately high, although not in full flood. It was about 50 metres wide where we started, although it became narrower as we travelled further upstream. The track that we were following, however, stuck to the river for a long way, and on the first day we must have crossed that river and side creeks about 30 times.

The dog had to be carried across every time. The water was often up to waist-level, making it difficult to retain our footing over the slippery rocks, and we had to cut poles to brace ourselves against the current as

Above: Setting up a fly camp in the river valley. From left: Winkle Watson, Mel Davis, Rob Woodney, Ian Davies and Jack Palmer, 1964.

Below, from left: Jack Palmer, Ian Davies and Les Seaward crossing the river, 1964.

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Looking Back

we crossed. It was difficult enough crossing the fast-flowing river carrying 35 kilogram backpacks, rifles, and slashers, without having to carry a bloody great dog as well.

Initially, we made Razor carry the dog because he brought the damned thing, but after a while we felt sorry for him. He was the shortest man in the team, and he also had a crook back that he had inherited from a previous accident. After we had almost lost Razor and the dog down the rapids a couple of times, we took turns carrying the heavy, wet animal across at each crossing.

By the time we reached our first camp we had hauled ourselves and our heavy gear through the wet bush for hours, we had crossed and re-crossed the river dozens of times – and we hated that dog with a passion!

New appreciation The weather in the Raukumara Ranges that particular September was very, very wet. It rained most of the time. Being early spring, it was still cold. The terrain was mostly steep, so there was hardly a flat spot on which to put up a camp. We only had tent flys to sleep under, anyway. These were simply waterproof sheets with no floor or sides. As the rainwater was constantly running over

34 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

From left: Ranger Trainees, Graham Tapper, Reg Wisnewski, Rex King, Winkle Watson and John Reid, trying to dry out and warm up in the freezing rain on Eco Survey, West Coast, 1963. the ground surface beneath the tent flys, we cut branches and ferns to place under our sleeping bags in an effort to raise our bodies off the ground a bit. It didn’t make much difference though – our sleeping bags were always wet, as was everything else, as backpacks weren’t particularly waterproof in those days, either.

The only way to make a fire in the wet bush to boil up a billy of tea or cook or heat some tucker was to use the old bushman’s standby that we came to rely on. Nothing was dry enough or suitable to use as firewood when everything was saturated except for the scaly flakes of bark off old rimu trees and the green branches of Dracophyllum latifolium (neinei/taritari), or Drac lat as it was known.

Once in the relative shelter of a tent fly, you could use your knife to peel off slivers of green Drac lat onto a base of scraped rimu bark, and then you could usually light that with a match or cigarette lighter. As soon as the Drac lat slivers started to smoulder, you could scrape larger slivers of that and the rimu bark onto the flames and get a fire

going. Then you fed the fire with bigger slabs of rimu bark and Drac lat branches.

Now and then, it was simply too dark and too wet to find Drac lat or rimu bark by the time we reached our next camp, so we drank water out of the nearest creek, ate cold baked beans out of the can for dinner, and rolled ourselves up – still wearing all our clothes – into our wet sleeping bags.

After about the second or third night of this, we started to see the dog in a whole new light. We discovered that although the dog was always wet and smelly, if he crawled into or under your sleeping bag to sleep with you, you stayed warm from his body heat and got a half decent night’s sleep. Now everyone started trying to curry favour with the dog by spoiling and patting him, feeding him with choice bits of freshly shot goat meat, and generally doing anything possible to entice him to sleep in our sleeping bags.

The dog was, of course, still wet and smelly, but so were we by this stage, it must be said.

The only significant downside was that because we were feeding him on fresh goat

meat all the time, he farted a lot, and the stink was pretty foul. It was preferable to put up with a farting dog in your sleeping bag, however, than spend yet another night cold, wet, and sleepless.

Some nights it was raining so hard that there was no piece of ground where the water wasn’t running inches deep. We just had to set up our tent flys anywhere we could and sleep wrapped in our wet sleeping bags, sitting up on our packs, which were in turn propped on a bed of sticks. It was almost like squatting in a river! We sat on our packs with our heads resting on our knees, like possums sleeping in a tree. It’s amazing how you can sleep like that when you are totally knackered.

Economical shooting One thing about the Raukumaras in 1964 was that there were feral goats everywhere – absolute paradise for keen, young hunters like us.

Whenever we came across a clearing in the bush or near a track, we found mobs of goats. We had three .303 rifles between us, and heaps of free Forest Service ammo. If we heard goats bleating up ahead of us, we

Ross Lockyer testing the newly repaired self-winding cradle crossing over Cow Creek, Tararua Ranges, 1964. would set up an ambush. We would creep up until we found a log or a bank to rest our rifles on. On the signal, one guy would start shooting from the left of the mob, one

started from the right end, and the other one shot those goats that were making a break for the bush. We would start firing in unison and work our way across until there were

Looking Back

no more goats in the clearing. On average, I reckon we dropped about half of any given mob before the rest escaped into the bush.

It was a good system, and we shot at least a couple of hundred goats during that trip.

We were tramping up a track one morning, came around a corner, and there was a small mob of goats standing on a low bank on the side of the track about thirty metres away.

Someone (Barry I think), lined up the front goat and let fly with his .303. A single shot was fired, and three goats fell over. We got such a shock that we forgot to shoot at the rest of the mob before they ran off into the bush.

We went over and cut the throats of the three goats that had gone down. It seemed that the second and third goats had been standing directly behind and in line with the first one, because the bullet had travelled straight through the first and second goats without hitting bone and had stopped inside the third goat. All three were down for the count, and we only had to finish them off where they lay. Economical shooting, that!

Different times On that same trip, we had set up camp one night in a ferny clearing on the side of a track using the crushed ferns to make nice, soft beds. It wasn’t often that we ended up in such a convenient spot for a camp with plenty of fern available and a stream nearby, so we made the most of it and had a good sleep. We came back down the same

From left: Chub Barton, John Reid and Rex King trying to boil a brew in the pissing rain, 1964. track three or four days later after a storm had gone through, and we noticed that a huge tawa tree had snapped off at the base and crashed right across our erstwhile ferny campsite. We spent a bit of time working out who had been sleeping exactly where during our previous visit, and who would have been flattened if the tree had come down three nights earlier. Certainly, some of us, if not all, would have been well and truly squashed.

Upon the completion of our survey, we arrived back at our NZ Forest Service Land Rover which we had left parked on a slightly wider part of the Waioeka Gorge road, in the bush and near the bridge across the branch

river that we had travelled up over two weeks previously. In the back of the long wheelbase Land Rover we had left some excess camping and other gear, and Razor had left his rifle which he had decided not to carry because of his crook back and the dog. To top it off, the rear door of the Land Rover had a broken lock, so although we could close it, we couldn’t lock it. All of our gear including the rifle, was still present just as we had left it, upon our return, and obviously no-one had touched the vehicle or tried to open the doors in the whole time that it had been parked there. I guarantee that wouldn’t be the case today – some 60 years later. They were different times then! NZL

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Many of Ross’s ill-fated adventures stem from what simply seemed like a good idea at the time – like his disastrous introduction to boating with no experience, no safety gear, and ultimately no working engine!

Ross makes a habit of crashing vehicles, manufactures cyanide possum bait (and lives to tell the tale), gets seriously lost in the

bush, spends a night in a haunted hut, gets marooned on a river island amidst swirling floodwaters, contracts hypothermia and survives some memorable culinary disasters, with an uncanny knack of always landing on his feet.

He also shares yarns of the colourful bunch of larrikins with whom he trained, worked, hunted and socialised, with tales of interrupted trysts, foul revenge, forest fires, thieving wildlife, crippling hangovers, poaching, parties and motorised mayhem.

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Biomass

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR FORESTRY Story: Jim Childerstone Forest Services

F

ORESTRY WAS THE ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVE THAT was working and demonstrably on track to achieve its targets, now stopped in its tracks," said past President of the New Zealand Forest Owners Association, Grant Dodson, in June 2023.

He was referring to the collective and combined actions of governments of the time affecting investment, and changes to the ETS. And the current situation is not good. If the negative mainstream media is to be believed, the forestry industry appears to have gone into hibernation.

Scott Downs' PF Olsen's monthly log price index indicates static export and domestic price movements. And this quarter includes Chinese New Year when business there virtually comes to a halt.

A headline in our local daily paper has Genesis Energy seeking more coal supplies to bolster predicted low hydro lake levels this winter. And the Dunedin City Council has given up any hope of attaining carbon zero by 2030, or 2050.

Then there is the regular moan from pastoral farmers and some conservationists of hill country being planted in exotic pine plantations. Some on a permanent basis as "carbon forests" – if not already taken over by wilding conifers or replacing native vegetation.

And, to top everything off, the world's top climatologists are predicting next year may be the tipping point for global warming.

2024 has been cited as the warmest year on record, and we are predicted to surpass that next year. Which all means that if nothing is done to mitigate the situation, our grandkids could inherit a virtually unliveable planet with extreme temperature variations, melting ice caps, raised sea levels, persistent droughts and floods followed by mass migration.

Headlines aside, contractors are still working and log trucks still rumble down our main highways to the nation's ports. And hey, some positive new arrived across this desk set to cut Climate Change and enhance energy production!

Backing black pellets Genesis Energy is getting serious about using torrefied wood pellets for its Huntly Power Station boilers, capable of over 230 megawatts each. Two are geared to take biomass fuels so far.

The company has signed a “term sheet" with Australia's Foresta Group which has been fast-tracked to establish a wood chemical extraction plant at Kawerau for the production of torrefied wood pellets.

This primarily replaces coal as the main source of emergency supply for electricity generation during annual shortages.

Foresta's plant for wood pellet production.

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The wit dur

AS

38 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

It currently uses several thousand tonnes of high-quality coal imported from Indonesia during shortages.

The term sheet, which is non-binding, covers an annual supply of 300,000 tonnes of biomass for Genesis power generation. The $370m plant should be in production by 2028.

The power station was enthusiastic about the product, known as "black pellets", after a trial using this biomass imported from Canada last year. However, Genesis needs to be happy with cost, quality and certainty of supply before a full contract is agreed, according to Genesis’ Chris Mirams.

This news, published in the NZ Herald on 10/2/25 did not appear in media south of the Waitaki River. But Aucklanders North of the Bombay Hills can rest assured power will be available to recharge their devices and run their washing machines during shortages.

In extreme electricity shortages it is expected up to 500,000 tonnes may be required, but wind and solar power should be available to fill any gaps.

But Climate Change is top of the list. Scion Research notes that carbon emissions from kiln dried timber emit only 47.62 kgs/t with manufactured wood products – less than a tenth for Co2 emissions from coal. (At least still cracking on, in spite of the coalition government funding cuts to most government run agencies, including research institutes.)

The Foresta plant aims to use mostly skid site and milled residues with low grade logs, bin wood and stumps.

Genesis is backing the idea of other plants being established in New Zealand, including a potential plant in the South Island noted under Foresta planning. Black pellets can be stored for long periods before use.

Currently chipped wood, known as white chip, is a popular fuel for converted coal boilers.

All four boilers that supply Dunedin Hospital have been converted for chip, but black pellets have better calorific value for heat energy and similar properties to coal, according to researchers.

Above: Binwood waiting to be chipped for biofuel. At this typical wood lot southern skid site residue scene, one year on, there is no sign of this bin residue wood/slash being carted away for processing.

Below: The Hector Egger Holzbau AG Cromwell factory set up to supply timber housing for Queenstown.

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Biomass What if?

1

Commenting on the new development, the University of Canterbury School of Forestry’s Prof Rien Visser says, “Our forest industry would highlight the sequestered carbon as well as aspects such as aesthetics as being attributes that should also be valued."

Irrespective of efforts to halt climate change it seems opportunities go begging. Our dear leaders appear to forget the forestry industry exists.

Despite the previous administration's much hyped forestry transition plan to encourage innovative upgrading of timber processing plants to increase local products, all we get is mill closures. At least two paper production mills have recently ceased production. They used large volumes of low-value logs, offcuts and residues, now mostly reliant on static export markets. Thank goodness for Foresta and energy producers. Also upgraded plants, such as Niagara sawmill near Invercargill, have been set up for re-manufacture of wood products, some of which are being exported – that is, if US President Donald Trump's tariffs don't mess that up.

In recent articles, this publication featured wood based construction in the manufacture of wind turbine towers. This is being achieved in several European countries. The technology is available, and we have the resources for manufactured engineered timber products, such as extra strength laminated beams, cheaper than steel.

Or, as Mr Dodson observed, any overseas investment gets the going-over from departmental officials and political meddling, apart from tariffs.

And so it goes on – the forest industries go begging. Or not shouting loud enough.

Which brings us to the point, WHAT IF? What if government rules or mandates stipulated that locally produced products are given preference to those imported from abroad? Or that climate change is a prime factor in local resource development?

Regional development, new plant, jobs, would all benefit.

Timber products a must

2

Mr Dodson was right when he said forestry was one answer, particularly when low greenhouse gas emissions come into play.

It fits in with the Climate Change Commission's efforts to achieve zero carbon if they can get it right.

So what could be the savings if government constructions, such as the new Dunedin Hospital, followed this rule?

That is, to substitute all metal materials, including concrete, with wood and wood-based materials.

Architect illustrations of this hospital picture a facade of a metal based exterior. Interior framing is said to be mainly steel and concrete. Yet multilevel buildings in parts of the world subject

1: Artist’s rendition of the new Council building at 90 Devonport Road, Tauranga scheduled to be completed this year.

2, 3: A large community shed being built voluntarily for the Hampden area. The all-timber shed will provide space for locals to create hobbies, do repairs and for multiple uses – allowing for big savings in energy and carbon miles.

Engineered timber beams were used to span spaces.

Plans supplied by Shedit.

3

40 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

ensign_g

to earthquake activity, such as Japan, are now using engineered timber beams for better stability. Three mills in the South Island produce engineered timber framing and have finger jointing capability for extra long-lasting interior and exterior cladding and flooring.

Manufactured timber products retain C02 and a low carbon footprint to process, while growing trees sequester greenhouse gases. This should be displayed on placards in The Beehive ad government offices.

The New Zealand Forest Owners Association’s Joseph Brolly comments: “Timber products can be used for main structure in multi-story buildings... e.g., the super-structure of Council’s new eight-story building on 90 Devonport Road, Tauranga, which has been constructed (almost exclusively) with LVL , which has allowed a reduction in the size and cost of the foundation needed and the ability to use a crane with a smaller capacity. The time to complete the construction was also significantly shorter, especially when compared to conventional reinforced concrete and steel buildings.”

Perhaps this could be a project worth being undertaken by university forestry students. When carbon credits come into the equation, it’s got to be far more cost-effective to produce a tonne of timber than a tonne of steel or any other minerals or metals.

Energy-wise for starters...

In North Otago's small township of Hampden, volunteer villagers are building a large work shed using engineered beams to house craftspeople to produce a variety of goods and undertake repairs for homes. A communal effort that ultimately reduces carbon emissions… NZL

A truck and trailer load heading for the local sawmill in Palmerston (Hewvan) from a skid site north of Hampden.

This allows for big savings in carbon miles (from 103 km AWG down to 24 km AMG) – the domestic market being a winner.

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FICA.ORG.NZ

your voice The voice of forestry contractors since 2002

A better way Monitor

29.55

CONTRACTOR PROFILE – TOM PAYNE – RAKAU HARVESTING

Check-In Machine Exit

Nelson-based FICA member Tom Payne (Rakau Harvesting) can still vividly recall hand falling trees when he started in the industry more than 27 years ago. The boss would literally drop him off in the morning, check-in at smoko and then wouldn’t see him again until knock-off.

Even back then, Tom realised this was not acceptable and there must be a better way of monitoring fallers that are working alone.

Over the years he has developed a number of electronic solutions to assist with this process. This included the lone worker system developed in conjunction with Nelspecs, that sounded an alarm to the faller to call in every 10 minutes.

In the last three years, Tom has developed another manual faller/machine operator electronic check-in solution, that enables him to monitor fallers and multiple machines while getting rid of all the paperwork.

At this stage, the app is called ‘Forestry Monitor’ and has been developed with a local IT provider. The app runs on a tablet and can be customised to harvesting contractors’ needs.

All data collected is timestamped and data can be exported for further analysis.

For monitoring manual fallers, details such as recording tree drives, one on to one, one on to two and request for assistance and tree down can be captured easily with the touch of a screen.

Smoko Pause Add Comment End Shift

Testimony to the value of the app is that contract tree faller, Erik Wardrop, and local contractor, Willie Waldron (CWL), have been using it for a number of years.

More recently, Nathan Taylor of MCH has just purchased two tablets from Tom with the app. Nathan says, “It’s bloody good and so simple to use - Tom is very modest about it”.

Good on you Tom – it is great to see our members continuing to innovate. If anybody is interested in enquiring about Tom’s Forestry Check-In system/app, please contact Tom on 027 210 0018.

Want to listen to this Logger Mag update from FICA instead of reading it?

See our blog post to learn how: www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/142892/fica-logger-mag--april-2025-issue/ 42 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

Manual Falling

FICA.ORG.NZ

FICA working with the GDC to solve contractor problem At the Tairawhiti contractor’s meeting on 11th February, Arana Kuru (A&R Logging) raised a specific issue regarding the fact that his crew had been parked up for 18 days waiting for consent to get road access. That evening FICA contacted the GDC. Arana and FICA met with a very helpful GDC staff member the next day and by Friday night the issue had been resolved and 22 loads were carted out Monday.

Arana summed the situation up well: Morning mate, yeah great result following the meeting you set up with Council We joined the bush road on Friday. Today we have 22 trucks turning up Thanks again for your great effort. These are the kind of results we are looking for from Council. Have a great week.

What’s the latest on the ACOP? The Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) Review is a moving beast with things changing often. If you’d like to know what the latest is, scan here to read the latest updates from FICA online: www.fica.org.nz/blog/ tag/73455/ACOP/

Vocational Training Update FICA recently met with the Minister for Vocational Education, Penny Simmonds. The Minister seemed to be very aware of the unique demands required in the forestry industry for on-the-job training and the significant contribution contractors make to training and pastoral care of their employers.

In collaboration with the Pan Sector Group (NZ Forest and Wood Sector Forum), FICA made a submission to the Ministry of Education on the Options for the Future of Work Based Learning. In addition, FICA also made a submission with the Forest Owners Association.

FICA is looking forward to the next round of consultation so we can continue to advocate on behalf of our members.

The submissions can be accessed on the FICA website: www.fica.org.nz/blog/ post/142890/vocationaltraining-update/

T E V SA

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Contractor Christmas in queenstown TH U RSDAY 20-SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2025 IN PA RT N E RS HIP W IT H

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Women in Forestry Meet in Napier Women in Forestry recently met in Napier for a networking and workshop event, with female FICA members from both the North Island and South Island in attendance.

Dr Anna Rolleston, Co-director of Healthy Hearts for Aotearoa New Zealand came and spoke about heart health and the impacts of stress. It was such an enlightening session and the women got so much out of the talk.

Then it was on to Black Barn Winery for lunch, followed by a beautiful wine tasting at Craggy Range. Thank you to TLC Insurance who supported this event.

“Dr Anna was thoroughly engaging, presenting her important heart health messages in a relatable way. We actually could have listened to her for the whole afternoon.

Her wealth of knowledge and experience in her field and passion for human wellbeing was outstanding.”

– Julie Yeoman, Volcanic Plateau Logging.

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13/03/2025 3:37:56 pm

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

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Safety/performance/quality

Putting more faces t ENJOY A FEW MORE PHOTOS OF PARTICIPANTS from Aratu Forests and Wenita Forest Products.

Also included are a few photographs of felling technique and the good/not so good result of each.

As an aside, the Thinning for Value Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) is now available via the Safetree website. We encourage all involved with this task to take a look at the final document and get hard copies out to operators.

You guys contributed to the development of this in a big way so congratulations and make good use of it.

So, here they are 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

MFL Logging Log 12.

46 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

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

Safety/performance/quality

s to names and crews

Mark Hunt of Shane Griffin Logging 1.

Maharatia (Monty) Te Whaiti of MFL Logging Log 12 – 1st Breaking Out.

Felling technique

The importance of low stumps: The tree sat back in the wind then slid forward over the high stump. The high stump resulted in the tree sitting higher.

Branch in hinge impacting ability of the stem to fall.

An example of the application of good split level cuts.

Simon Collier of MFL Logging Log 12 – 3rd place Two Tasks.

April 2025 | NZ LOGGER 47

WEILER FOR SOUTHERN CROSS

SANY FOR SMYTH LOGGING

Owner, Blair Cooper, has added this Weiler F848 forwarder into a roadlining crew for Southern Cross Harvesting. Powered by a Cat C7.1 engine and operating in Timberlands forest, the F848 is two-staging the wood from the cutover to the skid site. The grapple and boom system on the Weiler is set up for fast, smooth and powerful operation with a payload capacity of 20 tonnes.

Machine sold by Terra Cat’s Mark Costello.

Bruce and the team at Smyth Logging have taken delivery of a brand-new SANY 415H, fully equipped with an Ensign guarding package and a Woodsman Pro 850. This machine will join the crew in Gisborne. Sold and serviced by Shaw’s.

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Steve Rollings of STR Logging is pictured with his new Komatsu PC400 Harvestline. This Harvestline is the latest MK4 model. The Komatsu Forest forestry cooler package has been installed to control the temperatures the high-demanding Harvestline package places on the base. The machine is operating alongside Steve’s other Harvestline in Torere Forest. “Great to see them both operating alongside each other,” says Steve. Delivered by Jono Cuff Product Support EMS and Paul Roche Komatsu Forest Sales.

Eru and the crew at Waima Logging have recently taken delivery of a new Sany SY305H fitted with a DC Winch Assist package.

Operating in Gisborne, this machine has been tethering Waima’s Eltec FH317L. Machine sold and serviced by Shaw’s.

48 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

TWO TIGERCATS FOR DK LOGGING Kevin O’Malley from DK Logging recently took delivery of two new Tigercat machines, replacing his old Tigercats. The Tigercat LH857 harvester is a new model that has increased lift and tilt. Operator, Arie, put it through its paces on the first day, saying it was too early to tell how much better it was than his previous Tigercat, but he was happy with what he had seen so far. DK Logging also took delivery of a new Tigercat 632H log skidder on the same day which was a surprise to operator, Rick. He says the larger cab and better visibility in his new Tigercat 632H are a good improvement on the old Tigercat 632E log skidder.

SANY FOR NIGEL BRYANT LOGGING The crew at Nigel Bryant Logging has taken delivery of a brand new Sany SY245F fitted with a Falcon Winch Assist package. Machine sold and serviced by the team at TDF Solutions and Shaw’s.

VOLVO FOR ROTORUA FOREST HAULAGE The new generation L350H2 Volvo wheel loader has gone to work in Kinleith for Rotorua Forest Haulage. The new L350H2 is the first in the country of the H2 spec that now runs a complete Volvo built and matched driveline from the D16 engine to the new Volvo trans and diffs. This new loader was ordered as a factory logger spec from Volvo. It is fitted with an Ensign log head. Machine sold and delivered by Ewen Satherley from TDX.

NEW MACHINERY FOR BROLLY LOGGING Brolly Logging has taken delivery of the first SANY 245F in New Zealand to be fitted with a DC winch package. Joining the team in Masterton, this machine is light around the cutover, without compromising winch performance. Machine sold and serviced by the team at TDF Solutions and Shaw’s.

April 2025 | NZ LOGGER 49

SUMITOMO FOR FERRIS LOGGING Jimmy Ferris of Ferris Logging has taken delivery of a new Sumitomo SH300-6LF multi-purpose excavator set up fully forestry guarded for log loading and shovelling for his Twizel crew. This machine also had a hydraulic quick-hitch fitted to enable it to use a dig bucket and a tilt bucket for forestry roading. Jimmy is also going to set this new Series 6 Sumitomo (with a machine weight of 40-tonne) up as a tether machine for one of his Tigercat log skidders, by fitting a Timbermax T20HD winch to it in a couple of months’ time.

NEW MACHINERY FOR FAST AND HILLTOP CONTRACTING The team at Fast and Hilltop Contracting has taken delivery of a brand-new Sany 415 featuring an EMS Harvestline conversion. This machine has joined the crew in Tokoroa. Machine sold and serviced by Shaw’s.

NEW KOMATSU FOR FARRELL LOGGING Farrell Logging’s Mark and Vicki Farrell from Southland have taken delivery of the first Komatsu 895HD in New Zealand. This machine has moved from 262kN to 302kN. It’s also the first Komatsu forwarder with the comfort ride cab. Mark and Adam from HER engineering added a few finishing touches to help keep the Blue gums at bay.

Pictured from left: Hamish Hesselin and Farrell Logging operator, Craig Braven.

NEW SANY FOR RA WHAKAPONO Smurf and Tania of Ra Whakapono Logging have taken delivery of a new Sany SY305H DC Winch Assist. This machine joins the team in Gisborne. Machine sold and serviced by the team at TDF Solutions and Shaw’s.

50 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

NEW TIGERCAT FOR ROXBURGH CONTRACTING Roxburgh Contracting has taken delivery of its first Tigercat 635H log skidder. Owner, Lawson Roxburgh, says it was a no brainer to go for another Tigercat 635 log skidder after running 635G’s as, “it simply moves a lot more wood than anything else”. Pictured is operator, Callum Maze, who says he is “really impressed with the H Series cab improvements which give a lot more visibility and the cab has noticeably more room that even allows for a chilly bin to be fitted on the floor”.

NEW MACHINERY FOR HES EARTHMOVING Blair from HES Earthmoving, Dannevirke, is pictured in front of his new Komatsu PC300HW. The machine has been put to work in Merriwa Forest, Hawke’s Bay.

NEW CAT FOR LUMBERJACK LOGGING This Next Generation Cat 538LL forest machine is a new arrival for Gisbornebased Lumberjack Logging. Featuring a Duxson grapple, the Cat FM has been put to work by Dan and Erika Herries performing fleeting, loading and shovel logging in their East Coast operation.

Machine sold by Terra Cat Territory Account Manager, Heath Stewart.

KOMATSU FOR BAIRD LOGGING Baird Logging’s Bobby and AJ Baird have another Komatsu in the fleet. This time the big PC300HW was purchased to power the new Waratah 625HX harvester head. “Impressive speed and power combination,” they say. Pictured from left: Operator Anton Buchanan, Owner Bobby Baird, Simon (Welshy) Bond, Aaron McDonald, Todd MacDonald and Todd McKay. Machine delivered by Komatsu Forest tech support’s Hamish Hesseling and Paul Roche of Komatsu Forest Sales.

52 NZ LOGGER | April 2025

SANY/WOODSMAN PRO COMBO FOR ACL LOGGING

ELTEC/WOODSMAN PRO COMBO FOR KSB LOGGING

Lance and Demelza of ACL Logging have taken delivery of a new SANY 305h, fitted with a Woodsman Pro 750. This machine is the third Sany to join the ACL team. Machine sold and serviced by Shaw’s.

Kayle and the team at KSB Logging have taken delivery of a brand new Eltec FHL277 B Series machine. Fitted with a Woodsman Pro DFH1350 felling head, this machine is joining the crew in Gisborne.

Machine sold and serviced by Shaw’s.

NEW MACHINERY FOR CMH CONTRACTING

KOMATSU FOR DGL LOGGING

Owner, Conan Hemsworth, has added this new Weiler H457 harvester to his CMH Contracting operation, putting it to work production thinning in the Kaingaroa Forest. He says the Cat powered harvester has “been very good, with the Weiler and Waratah H424 head combo showing great performance and productivity”. Machine sold by Rotorua-based Terra Cat Territory Account Manager, Mark Costello.

DGL Logging in Napier has taken another Komatsu into its fleet – this time a PC270HW fitted with an Ensign 1730C grapple.

Machine delivered by Motorworks and Paul Roche of Komatsu Forest Sales.

April 2025 | NZ LOGGER 53

Kevin Graham Mobile: 021 811 057

sales@drdiesel.nz

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

POP 1007 FX2 1003 Williams Valve WM318

1004 ¾ Harvest chain

1006 Wichita springs

1008 Kobelt potentiometer

1009 1690-000-015

1010 17-025-012

TIMT REFR 1011 1115-000-001

1012 115-130-002

1013 1205-154-155

1014 2117-001-013

1015 2200-000-003

1016 1102-070-081

20162 - 4,0optim o

1017 1107-003-121

TERT

POP

1018 VUH4304

1020 VM90DM

1037 Pucks

1045 Twin disk clutch separator plate kit

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

HITH REFR 1046 Straw drum pads

1047a Brake pedal

1049-1050 Lining bolts/nuts

1051 Madill 124

2 2011 appra

1052 Volume booster

NICN

POP 1055 Fuller earth

1082 BE85 M1

1058 Humphrey

1084 22x5, 26x5, 26x7

1077 Ensign 1500

1085 Wichita 18,19, 21, 24

1078 Bell V20

1087 Wichita 21

1079 Madill 123/124 GUY

1101a Detroit throttle switch

1080 BE85 GUY

1081 Act 06

1107 Twin disc gear selector

C CATR REF2

1109 Detroit compressor

p 2012 purpn newT

TER

P PO 1118 Bell grapple

1121 Wichita 224

1124 1054 Waratah 626 All makes and sizes main drive motor

1025 Bendix Air Dryer

101529 Madill/Thunderbird accumulators

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

J JOHR REF2re

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

2013a replaM adju

MA LG34296

102241 Madill water union rebuild kit

br bra

POA POA

POA POA

POA POA

POA POA

TIMBERPRO TL765C TIMBERPRO TL765C o REFREF No N. 511809 . 511809

JOHN JOHNDEERE DEERE959MH 959MH o REF REFNN.o.513739 513739

TIGERCAT 625E TIGERCAT 625E o REF 513433 REF NNo .. 513433

CATERPILLAR555D 555D CATERPILLAR REFNNo.o513432 . 513432 REF

2016.

8100 hrs.hrs.

Southstar QS600 installed 2018 2016.

8100 Southstar QS600 installed 2018 - 4,000 hrshrs on head.

Head in good condition with - 4,000 on head.

Head in good condition with optimiser.

Located in Rotorua. optimiser. Located in Rotorua.

TERRY DUNCAN TERRY DUNCAN

027 027285 2851015 1015

2018.

2018.11286 11286hrs hrsononthe themilling millinghead. head.Southstar Southstar felling fellinghead headand andisisset setupupwith withSouthstar Southstarcontrols. controls.

Located in Feilding.

Located in Feilding.

RICH RICHGREAVES GREAVES

2019.

8000 hrs. hrs.Set Setup upwith withband bandtracks. tracks.Located Locatedinin 2019. 8000 Rotorua.

Rotorua.

027 027303 303 1081 1081

TERRY DUNCAN DUNCAN

027285 2851015 1015 027

2019.4800 4800hrs. hrs.Grapple Grapple skidder with turn around 2019. skidder with turn around seat.Low Lowhours, hours,will willhave have new tyres fitted. seat. new rearrear tyres fitted.

Located in Rotorua.

Located in Rotorua.

TERRYDUNCAN DUNCAN TERRY

POA POA

POA POA

POA

POA POA

HITACHI ZX250 HITACHI ZX250 o . 513410 REFREF No.N513410

TIMBERPROTFTF840C 840C TIMBERPRO o o. 513535 REF N REF N . 513535

JOHN DEERE JOHN DEERE 909KH 909KH oo REF N REF N .. 512546 512546

JOHN JOHNoDEERE DEERE848H 848H REF REFNN.o513164 . 513164

2011.

15465 Ensign grapple, engine replacedatat 2011.

15465 hrs.hrs.

Ensign grapple, engine replaced approx 9000 Located in Hastings. approx 9000 hrs.hrs.

Located in Hastings.

NICK CLARK NICK CLARK

027411 4112330 2330 027

2017.Machine Machinebeen beenthrough throughextensive extensiverebuild, rebuild, 2017.

Hydraulicsystem systemcompletely completelyreplaced. replaced.Tidy Tidy Hydraulic exampleforforhours. hours.Located LocatedininHastings.

Hastings. example

NICKCLARK CLARK NICK

2013. 12400 hrs.

With felling toto 2013.

12400 hrs.Workshop WithSatco Satco fellinghead. head.Ready Ready be put to work. checked/serviced and had be put to work.

Workshop checked/serviced and had freshly rebuilt freshly rebuiltengine. engine.Located LocatedininHastings.

Hastings.

027411 411 2330 2330 027

NICK CLARK NICK CLARK

027 027411 4112330 2330

027285 285 1015 027 1015

2013.

Shift trans andand Winch.

2013.12500 12500hrs. hrs.Power Power Shift trans Winch.

Located LocatedininRotorua.

Rotorua.

TERRY TERRYDUNCAN DUNCAN

027 285 1015 027 285 1015

POA POA

POA POA

POA POA

POA POA

CATERPILLAR 329D CATERPILLAR 329D REFo No. 513015 REF2012.

N . EMS 513015 Forestry build with hydraulic bonnet and

JOHN DEERE 748H o JOHN 748H REF NoDEERE . 513050 REF N .

513050 2013. 11145 hrs. 30.5 - 32 wheels and tyres. 6.8l

JOHN DEERE 909MH JOHN 909MH REF NooDEERE . 513620 REF N .

513620 2017. Located in Hastings.

KOMATSU WA320 KOMATSU WA320 REF No.o513553 REF N .

513553 2011. 10331 hrs. Comes with loadrite L2180 scales.

TERRY DUNCAN

RICH GREAVES

NICK CLARK NICK CLARK

purpose built cab.build SATCO 630hydraulic Felling Head.

Near 2012.

EMS Forestry with bonnet and new undercarriage. in Rotorua. purpose built cab. SATCOLocated 630 Felling Head. Near newTERRY undercarriage.

Located in Rotorua.

DUNCAN 027 285 1015

027 285 1015

JD engine. serviced RMD every 250 hours.

2013.

11145Fully hrs. 30.5 - 32atwheels and tyres.

6.8l pinsFully re done recently.

Located in Feilding.

JDPivot engine. serviced at RMD every 250 hours.

Pivot pins re done recently.

Located in Feilding.

RICH GREAVES 027 303 1081

2017. Located in Hastings.

027 303 1081

027 411 2330 027 411 2330

Located in Pukekohe.

2011. 10331 hrs. Comes with loadrite L2180 scales.

Located in Pukekohe.

VLADIMIR STEFANOVIKJ 027 207 2474 VLADIMIR STEFANOVIKJ 027 207 2474

POA POA

POA POA

POA POA

POA POA

JOHN DEERE 909KH REFDEERE No . 513538 JOHN 909KH o 16098 hrs. South Star Head. Some rollers REF2013.

N .

513538 replaced, Torsion Dampers Changed and tracks

SATCO 325M o REF N325M . 513300 SATCO o6000 hrs. Processer in fair condition. Will need 2018.

REF N . 513300 a few small things repaired. Located in Hastings.

HYUNDAI R380LC-9 REF No . 000681 HYUNDAI R380LC-9 o 2017.N10502 hrs. With Waratah 625c. Located in REF .

000681 Rotorua.

JOHN DEERE 1910E REF No. DEERE CMH1910E JOHN 1910E o hrs. 1910E John Deere Forwarder.

2010.

15700 REF N .

CMH1910E Located in Rotorua.

TERRY DUNCAN

LocatedDUNCAN in Rotorua.

TERRY TERRY DUNCAN

2013.

16098 Located hrs. South Star Head. Some rollers adjusted. in Whangarei. replaced, TorsionNGAROPO Dampers Changed and tracks MANSELL adjusted. Located in Whangarei. 027 445 9840

MANSELL NGAROPO

brandt.ca/nz brandt.ca/nz

027 445 9840

2018. 6000 hrs. Processer in fair condition. Will need a NICK few small things repaired. Located027 in Hastings.

CLARK 411 2330

NICK CLARK

027 411 2330

ROT 07 345 5490 HAS 06 879 9907 PUK 07 09345 237 5490 0043 HAS MTU 06 06879 350 9907 0042 ROT PUK 09 237 0043 MTU 06 350 0042

2017. 10502 hrs. With Waratah 625c. Located in Rotorua.

TERRY DUNCAN 027 285 1015

WHG 09 438 7228 WHG 09 438 7228

027 285 1015

2010. 15700 hrs. 1910E John Deere Forwarder.

027 285 1015 027 285 1015

NZ LOGGER classified

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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