institute news President's comments Anniversary gives cause to ponder the future n the last edition of the Journal I briefly The face of forestry in mentioned that the Queenstown has changed markedly since 1927. For­ conference was a time for celebrating estry is now amongst the top three ex­ I th the 75 anniversary of the NZIF. Bill port earners for New Zealand and most Studholme's 75th anniversary address to the of our indigenous forests are protected in conference was reproduced in the same one form or another. There are many for­ Journal and touched on a number of esters today for whom the NZ Forest Ser­ themes. Prominent amongst these were vice (NZFS) and NZ Forest Products the huge changes that have taken place in (NZFP) are just names and the Depart­ forestry over the years and the role of the ment of Conservation has always been NZIF. there. It wasn't always so. In June this year around 30 NZIF mem­ In another 50 years time I will be the bers and guests attended a 75th anniver­ same age that Lindsay Poole is now, 95. sary celebration at Orari Native Bush Re­ Interestingly, I was born during the pe­ serve in Wellington. A number of NZIF members have riod when Lindsay was President of the NZIF from had a close association with Orari. Notable amongst 1956-1958. In 50 years the NZIF will be 125 years these are Dr Leonard Cockayne, the first Director at old, well outlasting the NZFS and NZFP which didn't Orari and an honorary member of the NZIF in 1929, even reach their 75th anniversaries. Who knows and Stan Reid who carried out ecological surveys at whether I will be able to attend the 125th anniversary Orari in the 1930s and then again 50 years later. of the NZIF, but one thing is for sure the industry will Former NZIF President Lindsay Poole, who knew be vastly different to that of today. The question that Cockayne, and I planted a rimu tree at Orari and a I ask myself, though, is what will the NZIF look like? memorial plaque situated alongside the rimu On the day that we gathered at Orari the NZIF Coun­ commemorates the event. It was great to see so many cil held a meeting to review its strategic plan. The people there, a number of whom had not attended an plan was developed in early 2002 and holds for two NZIF function for some time. years. Progress against the plan has been steady and it As Bill had done before me in his presentation, my is my belief that this will continue over the next 12 comments to those gathered at Orari reflected on what months or so. Members should refer to the Council the NZIF had achieved over the years. These vary from Bullet Points for updates on progress. Copies of the submissions to local and central government, plan can be obtained from the Secretariat if required. conferences, the journal, registration scheme, and Once again the NZIF has lost one of its prominent valuation standards to the fellowship that people find members. Jack Henry died in June. Jack was a former in being part of such an organisation. It is a mixture of President of the NZIF and a Fellow and Honorary all of these that will make the NZIF relevant to members member who held senior positions in NZ Forest and at certain times one or other will be more important Products. Our thoughts are with Jack's family at this to them. It is vital, however, for the NZIF to continue to time. provide this range of services and indeed to offer more if it can. Tim Thorpe New NZIF Southern Section ollowing a request from the Wanganui-Manawatu Ruapehu (including and Taihape) and across section of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry, Southern Hawke's Bay (including Dannevirke). It Fthe Council has agreed to the formation of a new corresponds to the Southern North Island Wood Supply Southern North Island section to replace both the Region as defined by the National Exotic Forest Wanganui-Manawatu and Wellington sections. Members Description, with the addition of the territory of the from both sections generally supported the merger (which lies within the Central although some expressed reservations about the difficulty North Island Wood Supply Region). of ensuring that all members in the new section had the The table on Page 41 shows various statistics for the chance to participate in its activities, new section area in comparison with New Zealand as a The new section covers the territory of three Regional whole1. Councils in the Southern North Island - Taranaki, Significant wood processing plants within the new Wanganui-Manawatu and Wellington. This is essentially section boundaries include the Winstone pulp mill at that part of the North Island south of a line from Mokau Karioi, the Juken Nissho panel board mill at , in North Taranaki to the Hauhangaroa Range (including ten sawmills producing at least 5,000 m3 sawn timber ), then curling around the south side of annually (out of 93 such sawmills nationally), 25 plants

| NZ JOURNAL OF FORESTRY, AUGUST 2003 SNI as % NZ 1 Department is responsible for three National Parks Land Area 14% (Taranaki, and Tongariro) and several former Population 20% Forest parks (e.g. Rimutaka, Tararua, Ruahine and Plantation forest 11% Haurangi) all of which have significant forest areas. Apart Indigenous forest 12% from the Head Office of the Department in Wellington, Employed in forestry and 10% there are two conservancy offices (Wellington and first stage processing Wanganui) and seven area offices (Wellington, Waikanae, NZIF members 13% Masterton, New Plymouth, Stratford, Wanganui and ). The conservancy and area offices with Woodmark licences (out of 142 licences throughout employ over 240 conservation and management staff with New Zealand) and three plants with New Zealand Dri additional employees at the Head Office. licences (out of 29 licences throughout New Zealand). There are 100 NZIF members within the new section. There are two ports (Wellington and New Plymouth) 64% are full members, and 18% are registered members. that together exported 171,500 m3 logs (2.3% ofthe total 3 Six are in the life or retired categories. There appear to for New Zealand) and 40,700 m sawn timber (2.4%) in be few members who work for the larger forestry the year to June 2002. These totals are significantly less companies, but a significant number are public servants than the volume of logs and sawn timber exported (e.g. at least 15 members work for the Ministry of through the next closest port (Napier) in the same year. Agriculture and Forestry) and local authority employees. A significant feature ofthe new section is that it is the There are individuals or small groups of members location of Parliament, the head offices of many of the associated with companies such as Forest Enterprises, Government Departments that are involved with the Forme Consulting, Jaakko Poyry Consulting, PF Olsen, forestry sector (e.g. Department of Conservation, Industry Roger Dickie and Wrightson Forestry Services. There New Zealand, Land Information New Zealand, Ministry are also a significant number of self-employed members. for the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and 56% of members are concentrated in the Wellington Forestry, Ministry for Economic Development, Ministry metropolitan area (Wellington, , and of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Maori cities), 11 % in the Palmerston North-Feilding Development, National Rural Fire Authority, area and 10% in the Wairarapa. The remaining 24% are Occupational Safety and Health, Overseas Investment scattered in ones or twos in places such as Taumarunui, Commission), Local Government New Zealand, the head six towns in Taranaki, Ohakune, Dannevirke and offices of many forest industry organisations (e.g. elsewhere. It is over 350 km from one end ofthe section Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand, to the other (Wellington to either New Plymouth or Furniture Association of New Zealand, Log Builders Taumarunui) and 200 km from Wellington to Dannevirke. Association ofNew Zealand (Masterton), New Zealand This is significantly greater than the distance from the Farm Forestry Association, New Zealand Forest Industries major centre to the more remote members in all other Council, New Zealand Forest Owners Association, New NZIF local sections. Zealand Timber Design Society, New Zealand Timber In summary, the new section can be characterised as Industry Federation and New Zealand Timber one of generally small, widely scattered forests with more Preservation Council), several research bodies with significance as the home of central government and the interests in the forestry sector (e.g. Building Research head offices of many ofthe national forestry organisations Association ofNew Zealand, Institute of Environmental than it has as an area of forest growing and forest Science and Research, Hort Research (Palmerston North), industry. The section covers a large area with NZIF a branch of Industrial Research Limited and a branch of membership concentrated at one end. Landcare Research (Palmerston North)) and the principle The nature of the section is going to be a challenge for campuses of two universities (Victoria University of the committee. It will be difficult to provide activities to Wellington and Massey University (Palmerston North)). serve all the members. As a first step, a committee of However, there are no significant institutions providing "volunteers" is being established to cover specific specific forestry training in the region. portfolios including Wairarapa members, Manawatu - The new section is also the location for five ofthe 28 Taranaki members, continuing professional development branches of the Farm Forestry Association (Tararua, and conservation forests. The main means of Taranaki, Middle Districts, Wairarapa and Wellington). communication will be electronic, which is possible as It appears that only one employee ofthe Department 94% of the members have email addresses. This also of Conservation within the new section boundaries is means that overseas members of NZIF or members of an NZIF member. This is despite the fact that the other local sections can be kept in touch with the SNI section if they would like to have their names on the 1 Data taken from various sources including NZ Forest email distribution list. Industry Facts and Figures 2002/03, NZ Forest Owners Any one with an interest in the new section is invited Association, New Zealand Forest Industries Directory to contact the initial chairman, Andrew McEwen (email 2003, National Exotic Forest Description at April 2002 [email protected]). and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry web site.

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