“Tackling challenges and delivering value,” is the theme for this years annual New Zealand Institute of Forestry conference being held in the Hawkes Bay early in July.
While the conference will focus on a number of Hawkes Bay’s challenges, committee chair, Bob Pocknall says it will also have a national perspective and examine ways to deliver value despite changing times.
Key speakers include:
• Associate minister of primary industries Jo Goodhew
• Labour party forestry spokesperson Chris Hipkins
• Hawkes Bay regional council chair Fenton Wilson
• Pan Pac Forest Products managing director Doug Ducker
During the awards dinner the forestry profession will recognise its achievers including new fellows, forester of the year, and rewards the Kirk Horn (the highest honour available). Additionally the NZIF Foundation will award several scholarships.
Pocknall says the conference has been designed to cater for all who work in the sector including; forest owners, forest and land managers, regulators, marketers, technicians, and support services.
The conference covers:
Operating within the law – a health, safety and environmental perspective
• Hawkes Bay land use challenges – steep land forestry
• Shaping a better industry – trends in safety, culture, productivity
• Harvest volumes and logistics – up-scale of activity and infrastructure development
• Markets – economics, the China trade, carbon
• Value of our forests – forest description, tree genetics, supply chain and high end wood products
Two planned field trips will showcase examples of innovative forestry development within Hawkes Bay to the delegates.
Within the Hawkes Bay forestry sector there is a range of enterprises including forest properties on most land types, forest processing plants (including a large scale sawmill and pulp mill complex), and infrastructure support networks servicing the industry.
Details of the event being held from July 7 to 9 can be found on nzif.org.nz or by emailing admin@nzif.org.nz .
