Les Carr, Mangamuka, Northland branch March 2014
Les Carr describes some of the successes and pitfalls involved with forestry in his mixed drystock and 90-hectare forestry operation near Mangamuka, Northland, including a joint venture with members of…
Brian Simms, Kaitaia, Northland branch March 2014
Brian Simms' farm near Kaitaia in Northland combines grazing with high value trees. Tree species planted include radiata pine, blackwood and silky oak (Grevillea robusta). Brian plants for erosion control…
Doug Lane, Kaeo, Northland branch March 2014
On this award-winning property plantings are for timber, aesthetics and to create a pleasant working environment. Trees planted on land that was marginal for stock have made stock management much…
Peter and Nikki Davies-Colley, Titoki, Northland branch May 2014
On this 300-hectare sheep, cattle and forestry property, a whole-farm approach is taken - trees are only planted on land too steep or difficult to cultivate. Poplars are planted to…
John and Christine Pedersen, Parakao, Northland branch May 2014
The Pedersens have integrated livestock, woodlot and timber-line plantings; trees have been planted on the steepest, driest parts of farm. Main species are radiata pine and eucalypts. Trees have resulted…
Peter and Pam Kelly, Dargaville, Northland branch May 2014
This 300-hectare exposed dry coastal sand country is used for intensive beef production.40 ha of the worst land is in production forestry; 4-5 ha in shelter and amenity plantings have…
2018 North Island farm forester of the year field day - Dean Satchell Yvonne Steinemann, October 2018
Vertically Integrated Forest Operation - Horowai Trust, Purerua Peninsula, Kerikeri High value forest 150 ha, aiming for good quality timber for high end use and a good return Diverse products, harvest thinnings,…
Plantation forestry best practice for Northland March 2019
In this page: Siting and species adaptability Plantation forest planning Regimes Forest Establishment Releasing Pruning Thinning The Northland region has the opportunity to embrace positive land use change, in particular…
Field day - Doug and Janet Bogardus' farm and Northland Kauri Yvonne Steinemann and Dean Satchell, June 2019
Peter Davies-Colley introduced Doug and Janet at their house while it poured down outside. They built their mud brick and timber house themselves, with some beautiful Lawson cypress beams and…
Field day - John Dawns, Titoki Dean Satchell, November 2019
John Dawn has a “small” 44 hectare private investment forest near Titoki, west of Whangarei. After coming back to New Zealand from overseas in ‘94 John decided he wanted to grow…
Field day - Killens farm, Kaikohe Dean Satchell, March 2020
14 March 2020. Ross Killen hosted this field day with his father Bruce and Ross's brother in law Shane Tobin. The farm is 300 hectares and running sheep an beef, with mixed-age…
Field day - Noel and Christine Donelley's forest, Whareora Dean Satchell, May 2021
Peter Davies-Colley co-hosted this harvesting-focussed field day with owners Noel and Christine. The 100 hectare forest took 5 years to plant in 100,000 radiata seedlings and 25,000 other species, mostly…
Husqvarna North Island Farm Forester of the Year 2018 - Dean Satchell (Access: unrestricted)
May 2018
The winner of the 2018 North Island Farm Forester of theYear award was not born into land, money, horticulture or forestry. In fact, growing up in suburban Auckland would probably have…
Richard Davies-Colley remembered (Access: unrestricted)
Compiled by Peter Davies-Colley, Wilma Davies-Colley and Mike Smith, May 2016
Richard Davies-Colley died a few weeks after the 2015 conference in Whangarei. He and his wife Wilma took over the registration process for this conference at short notice and helped…
Trounson Park (Access: unrestricted)
Ian Brown, November 2015
When James Trounson emigrated to New Zealand from Cornwall in 1862, he moved to Northland and set about milling trees and clearing land for farming. What distinguished him from most…
Swamp kauri – a post 2015 conference visit (Access: unrestricted)
Ian Brown, November 2015
Nelson Parker, owner of the Kaihu Kauri Mill, is a larger than life character. A former champion axeman, he is built like a Sherman tank with a personality to match…
Bushman’s impressive shed (Access: unrestricted)
Nick Ledgard, August 2015
I had the Kauri Museum or Trounson Park in my sights for the last conference day, but the need to be back in Whangarei for a mid-day flight required taking…
Whangarei Conference 2015 - field days (Access: unrestricted)
Whangarei branch committee, August 2015
The annual NZFFA conference was held in Whangarei in April and as usual there were a number of field trips for attendees to take part in. Over the next few…
Good stewardship of land, water and trees (Access: unrestricted)
Brian Simms, February 2011
My parents bought half of the present farm area in 1955 for the princely sum of £2,000. This land comprised a couple of hectares of rough grass, a few hectares…
Far North field day Re-conceptualising weedy scrub (Access: unrestricted)
Dean Satchell and Doug Lane, August 2009
This ex-dairy and drystock property was purchased by Paul and Katarina Quinlan in 1996 and had already been occupied as a lifestyle block for 16 years. Being mostly rolling contour, a…
Emissions Trading Scheme fee review a relief for cost-struck foresters Thursday, February 29, 2024
The New Zealand Forest Owners Association says the review of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) fees is a relief for foresters facing excessive costs and loss of climate change action. …
Planting trees on pasture can have a positive impact on soil health Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Rather than damaging soil in New Zealand, planting trees on pasture restores soil to be similar to its original condition. A recent news story highlighting changes in soils from converting…
Forest plantation soils have benefits too Tuesday, December 19, 2023
The Forest Owners Association (FOA) says the fact that soils under plantation forests are similar to soils under native trees, does not make them damaged, as a recent Newshub report has claimed.…
Wilding Conifers - A legacy issue that needs continued, collaborative management Sunday, October 29, 2023
Forest owners welcome the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s (PCE) acknowledgement that the presence of wilding conifers across New Zealand is largely a legacy issue, but caution against placing costs…
Stock take of the commercially viable alternatives to Pinus radiata Tuesday, October 03, 2023
Scion has published a “Stock Take of the Commercially Viable Alternatives to Pinus Radiata” for MPI, which reviews alternative species, their expected growth rates, climatic range, resilience to pests or…
SNA regulations 'confusing ecological naivety' Thursday, July 06, 2023
Forest Owners say the just released National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB) is a classic bureaucratic formula of confusing ecological naivety which will not help rare species and likely…
Forest Owners hail ‘Biosecurity Hero’ Monday, May 22, 2023
The Forest Owners Association and Scion want more people to report suspicious imported wood products which might be infested with introduced wood and forest pests. FOA Biosecurity Manager, Brendan Gould,…
Tairawhiti land use inquiry not addressing wider issues Sunday, May 14, 2023
The Forest Owners Association says the Ministerial Inquiry into landuse in Tarawhiti has a core of practical recommendations, but has not addressed some more difficult and fundamental issues. President, Grant…
Opportunities from Trees Workshops - NZ Wide Wednesday, April 19, 2023
The NZ Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA) is running 18 extension workshops in May and June with a target audience of landowners, or people with access to land, who are potential tree…
Forest Owners back more trees for Tairawhiti Sunday, April 16, 2023
The Forest Owners Association has told the Ministerial Inquiry into land use in Tairāwhiti, that the region’s future has to include more trees for land stability. But it appreciates forest…
Forest Owners want genetic technology approved Thursday, February 16, 2023
The Forest Owners Organisation says New Zealand needs to concentrate on the safety of genetic technology on a case-by-case basis rather than persisting with blanket bans. The FOA wants approval…
Fieldays Forestry Hub to demonstrate that forestry is a solution Monday, November 28, 2022
A range of solutions to farmers’ current problems will be on display in the Fieldays Forestry Hub near Hamilton between 30 November and 3 December, says Farm Forestry Association president,…
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