Celebrating the best in East Coast forestry

Celebrating the best in East Coast forestry

Friday 26 May 2017

Nearly 500 people packed the Showgrounds Event Centre in Gisborne, New Zealand last Friday to celebrate forestry success within the region. It is the eighth year the Eastland Wood Council Forestry Awards have been run and again they attracted some “stellar entries”, said EWC chief executive Prue Younger, who paid tribute to the thousands involved in an industry that meant much to the wider region.

“These awards are a chance to celebrate the efforts of those out there doing it, but are also an important part of the promotion of the industry and recognition of the continual upskilling of our workforce,” she said.

Chief judge Julian Kohn said that while the region faced challenges around infrastructure, the industry was in very good health from a commercial point of view.

“We are moving into a very strong growth phase from a harvesting perspective,” Mr. Kohn said. “A lot of the plantings from the early to late 1990s are now coming up to a harvestable age, and when you look at that in conjunction with strong development in the Chinese market, and to a lesser extent, the Indian and domestic onshore markets, it augurs well for the future.”

The district produced around 2.8 million tonnes of logs a year, and over the next five years — subject to market and infrastructure capacity — Mr Kohn expects that to be “north of 3.7 million tonnes”.

Awards;

Eastland Wood Council Skilled Forestry Professional of the Year, Brian Deam, Big Bark Loading

Training Excellence:
NZ Apprentice of the Year, Angus Fraser, Blackstump Logging
Trainee of the Year, Kevin Leopard, Down n Out Logging.
Training Company/Contractor of the Year, Ian and Marcella Diack, Diack Contractors.

Skilled Professionals:
Forestry Excellence Jesse, Kapene, TKT Limited.
Roading Excellence, Brian Deam, Big Bark Loading.
Harvesting Excellence, Matthew MacIntosh, Big Bark Loading.
Distribution Excellence, Richard Bronlund, STS Transport.
Breaker Out Excellence, Tom Wehi, Blackstump Logging.
Faller Excellence, Steve Maynard, Blackstump Logging. Extraction and Skidwork Excellence, Phillip Cosgrove, Raywood Contracting.

Industry Development Awards:
Contractor of the Year, Blackstump Logging.
Outstanding H and S Management, Eddie Te Kahika, Kimberly Contractors.
Outstanding Environmental Management, Patrick Bethel and Wayne Trafford, Hikurangi Forest Farms.
Outstanding Regional Service Performance, Turanga Ararau.

See www.eastlandwood.co.nz for full results.

Photo: Fiona Kingsford, CEO, Competenz, presents Angus Fraser of Blackstump Logging with the Apprentice of the Year Award. Photo: ©Stephen Jones Photography

Source: gisborneherald.co.nz

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