Neil Cullen, Glen Omaru Valley, Balclutha, South Otago branch July 2014
Neil Cullen describes his award-winning farm which includes sheep and beef enterprises, plantation forestry and native forest. Neil stresses the importance of good planning for successful forestry ventures, particularly thinking…
Eoin Garden, Avenel Station, Central Otago branch July 2014
The Garden family farm this 2000 hectare hill to high country station, producing sheep, beef, and venison. Some 200 ha is now planted as shelterbelts and woodlots with shelter a…
Donald Gordon, Crofthead, Milton, South Otago branch July 2014
Forty hectares of trees have been established on this Otago sheep and beef farm. Key species are radiata pine, macrocarpa and Douglas fir. The earliest plantings (planted in 1981) are…
Dennis Larsen, Clutha, South Otago branch July 2014
Dennis Larsen describes his large-scale sheep and beef unit in South Otago. trees were originally planted for erosion control, shade and shelter, and then timber production - some 92 hectares…
Alan Roulston, Hillend, South Otago branch July 2014
A 400-hectare rolling farm with sheep, cattle, outdoor pigs and cropping. Trees have been planted in riparian zones, for shelter, timber, wildlife, fruit and nuts, and aesthetics. Stock management, animal…
Ken Stephens, Balclutha, South Otago branch July 2014
Ken Stephens describes how, as a second-generation farm forester, he has carried on where his father Vic left off. The Stephens are now harvesting continuously so receiving a steady income…
Bill Wise, Balclutha, South Otago branch July 2014
Bill Wise has been planting trees for timber and shelter on his sheep and beef farm for 50 years on poorer, gorse-infested areas. He is now into the second rotation…
Field Day at Millligan's Property, Dipton August 2022
A cold and windy afternoon greeted us as we gathered at Graham Milligan’s woolshed to hear about his current eucalyptus logging. 18 attendees listened to the first guest speaker, Greg…
South Island Farm Forester of the Year 2020 - Scott McKenzie (Access: unrestricted)
February 2021
It is Scott’s name on the award for farm forestry at Pineview in South Otago but it is very much a family enterprise. The farm is run by Colin and…
Developing a wood energy industry in Central Otago (Access: unrestricted)
Rhys Millar, August 2014
Wood energy for heating has been around for a long time and most New Zealanders will be familiar with drying and storing wood for winter, preparing and starting the fire,…
Bell Vue with Steve Robertson (Access: unrestricted)
Doug Lane, February 2013
This is one of the field day reports from the 2012 Balclutha conference. Alighting from the bus on the edge of Lawrence township we were reminded of the gold-mining history…
The gilded lily of Tuapeka West (Access: unrestricted)
Dennys Guild, August 2012
The road to Mark and Marjorie Hay’s farm, called Glenayr Farm, is very inappropriately called Athenaeum Road. Athenaeum is one of those odd words borrowed from the Romans by the…
Verterburn Station (Access: unrestricted)
James Barton, August 2012
On Friday 13 April four busloads of attendees of the conference visited Verterburn Station, where they were hosted by Robert, Jill and Andrew Reid. Located about 25 km west of…
Singing the Cullen song (Access: unrestricted)
Nick Ledgard, August 2012
While returning to Telford in the bus after a dinner during the recent conference in Balclutha, we sang songs and told jokes. With due respect to the fine voices of…
Conference visit to Chardale (Access: unrestricted)
Chester Holmes, August 2012
Chardale is a gem of a property at Hillend just north of Balclutha – and the South Pole. Owned by Allan Roulston, it has been in the family since 1919,…
Husqvarna South Island Farm Foresters of the Year 2011 - Neil and Pam Cullen (Access: unrestricted)
Ian Jackson, May 2011
New Zealand has numerous isolated valleys which are farmed to varying degrees, and have tremendous potential for forest development. One such valley is the Glenomaru Valley in South Otago, 25…
Nothing fancy, nothing wasted (Access: unrestricted)
Neil Cullen, February 2011
Ron and Carol Alderton, along with sons Bruce and David and his partner Paula, were the Supreme winners of the Ballance Environment Awards for Otago for 2010. The family were…
Calder Stewart Industries forestry (Access: unrestricted)
Bruce Stewart, February 2011
The forestry division of construction and development company Calder Stewart Industries is the largest private forest owner in the Otago region. As company co-founder I was keenly interested in farm…
Skilbister forest farm (Access: unrestricted)
Graeme and Joy Flett, February 2011
Skilbister, named after the Orkney Island farm where the family originate, was taken up by Henry Flett in 1877. The farm was expanded by Henry and son Robert to become…
South Otago Branch President A bit more than a farm forester (Access: unrestricted)
Ken Jones, February 2011
If you stop making a profit in any venture you undertake, you should make changes to arrest the decline or you should get out of the venture. This is one…
The forestry scene in Otago (Access: unrestricted)
Mid Otago branch, February 2011
Otago has a rich forestry history, dating back 160 years. As early as 1849 a water-powered mill was operating on the Leith Stream to provide timber for the newly established…
Hidden gems of the south (Access: unrestricted)
Murray Harris, February 2011
This is an overview of the people, the geography and production capabilities of the area south of Dunedin to west Otago and inland to central Otgao. The colonising movement in…
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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