Search

Peter and Jane Evans have been named the Husqvarna South Island Farm Foresters of the Year 2023. Their farm, located in Timaru, New Zealand, is primarily a beef and sheep farm with over 100 hectares of exotic forest and 70 hectares of native bush. The farm has been in the Evans family since 1875 and has expanded over the years. Peter and Jane have implemented sustainable farming practices and have received previous awards for their innovation in sustainable farm forestry. They are active members of the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association and have been recognized for their service to the community. The Evans' farm includes planted forestry, with plans to expand further to control gorse and erosion. They are advocates for farm forestry and promote the wise use of trees for profit, sustainability, and the environment. [Extracted from the article]

This article reports that a growing number of hybrid cypresses are being planted by farm foresters in New Zealand. Leyland cypress or the variety Leighton Green has been very widely planted in shelterbelts throughout New Zealand since the 1970s. Leylands clones such as Ferndown, Stapehill, Green Spire and Haggerston Grey have replaced Leighton Green as the varieties of choice for planting. The hybrid Ovens cypress is a relatively recent addition to the cypress mix of species and clones available to growers, one that is very resistant to cypress canker.

The author provides his update on the events and activities of the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association. He shares that the Central Canterbury Branch has put together a range of field days and events for the organization's upcoming conference. He also says that he called for a special council meeting which will be held in Christchurch on March 26 at the Sudina Hotel. He also adds that there are efforts from the organization to help the country mitigate greenhouse gas emissions with the help of government officials. He also gives a brief introduction on the topics published within the issue.

The author reflects on issues relevant to the forest industry in New Zealand. According to the author, the Michael Hay Memorial Award is aimed at encouraging and assisting younger members of the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA) with their tree planting. He highlights continued progress within Future Forests Research. He believes that climate change, emissions trading and afforestation grant schemes will become part of the forestry vocabulary and will be as familiar as the terms pruning and diameter at breast height (DBH).

The article provides information on Future Forests Research Ltd. (FFR), a stand along research company supported by both the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association and the Forest Owners Association. The primary objective of all parties in establishing FFR is a shared vision to support forestry research for the benefit of both their industry and the country. The proposed objectives of FFR include being recognized as a leader in the organization and management of forest management research and disseminating forestry research to members in a useable and understandable format.

The article encourages the branch committees of the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA) to survey their membership in order to collect data on the farm and forestry holdings of their members. In order to the taken seriously, it is vital for NZFFA to have some knowledge and understanding of the forestry and land resources of its members. There have been various efforts to survey NZFFA members before at a national level for areas of forest, but the response has been quite dismal. The NZFFA calls for members to provide the best estimate of their farm area and its carrying capacity and areas for plantings.

This article looks at New Zealand Farm Forestry Association's (NZFFA) research activities in relation to the Plantation Management Research Cooperative and the Sustainable Farming Fund. The primary research undertaking for the NZFFA since the mid 1980s is the continued membership of this cooperative. Examples of its existing research projects are radiata followers on farm sites, radiata ultra high pruning trials and redwood pruning trials. The study presented at a Christchurch meeting showed that for central North Island pruned radiata logs, counting the number of resin pockets on cross-cut surface and multiplying this number by 0.22 provides a good estimate of the number per square metre of sawn board surface. Another project led by Denis Hocking is an electronic handbook--Best Practice With Farm Forestry Timber Species.

This article addresses the siting requirement in planting cypresses. As a general macrocarpa has performed best in the cooler parts of New Zealand, principally but not exclusively the South Island. Several hypotheses have been suggested for the apparent increase in the incidence of cypress canker including changing climatic factors, the influence of planting stock genetics, planting off-site, a general increase in inoculum loadings as a result of increased plantings and possibly a change in the virulence of cypress canker. Other cypress hybrids, namely the Leylands and Ovens cypress are gaining in popularity. These hybrids are proving to be a reliable choice for those sites once considered good for macrocarpa.

This article presents the results of a survey regarding the attendance at annual conferences in the forestry industry in New Zealand. The annual conference is considered a major event in the farm forestry. It is a great opportunity to catch up with friends, visit a different part of the country and experience great farm forestry. Overall results indicate that attendees are reasonably happy with the conference structure. The main reason for attendance was education, with field trips the preferred learning mode.