Event: NZ Farm Forestry Association Conference

NZ’s farm foresters are all the richer after an inspiring and education-stacked week at the Pan Pac Forest Products NZ Farm Forestry Association Conference in Hawke’s Bay

Pan Pac Forests business general manager Tim Sandall, who’s also an executive board member for New Zealand Forest Owners, speaks at the Pan Pac Forest Products New Zealand Farm Forestry Conference welcome dinner

Hawke’s Bay branch chair Tim Forde says the annual get-together had been a resounding success. Nearly 250 delegates from New Zealand and some from Australia travelled the wider region, visiting Pan Pac Forest Products, Napier Port, Cape Sanctuary, farms, and nurseries.

“People were impressed by the quality of speakers and visiting places they never thought they would get access to,” says Tim.

“The theme of Resilient Landscapes was a chance for us to reinforce that we have been knocked down, but we’re getting up. Hawke’s Bay is heading towards a new future that will be better informed.”

Hawke’s Bay during the first of three field days

He felt there was a unified front across New Zealand. “People were bubbling after listening to speakers with some covering subjects that aren’t often talked about.”

Event organiser Sue Wilson says it was a golden opportunity for people to visit uniquely Hawke’s Bay places to see how they work towards sustainable operations. Throughout the week, they saw examples of work Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is doing to assist farmers build resilient farms.

The Stihl New Zealand Farm Forestry Awards were also presented at the conference, with the North Island Farm Forester of the Year going to Hawke’s Bay’s Fountaine Family and Barry and Liz Gray taking the South Island Farm Forester of the Year crown.

Winners of the Landcare Trust Award, Evan (right) and Linda Potter with New Zealand Landcare Trust regional coordinator Nathan Burkepile (left)

Evan and Linda Potter won the New Zealand Landcare Trust Award for innovative sustainable farm forestry. Judges acknowledged the work the couple had done at their Waipapa property at Elsthorpe in Central Hawke’s Bay where they run a fully functional nursery using eco-sourced native seed from the property.

They plant around 2500 native seedlings there annually. Hamish Humphries won the Michael Hay Memorial Award for a younger member of the NZFFA planting and establishing trees.

He’s gradually turning his vision of a profitable, sustainable, integrated farm forestry business into a reality while running a sustainable farming venture.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Land for Life Project director Michael Bassett-Foss talks (centre) with delegates at Cape Sanctuary during a field day visit

From left: Winner of the Michael Hay Award, Hamish Humphries with Tim Forde, chair of the Hawke’s Bay Farm Forestry Association

The Joll Hosking Award for exceptional work for the NZFFA was presented jointly to Te Awamutu’s Dave Forsythe and Gisborne’s Kees Weytmans.

NZFFA president Neil Cullen praised all of the winners: “They were very deserving. These showcase the best of New Zealand’s farm forestry and highlight great examples of the integration of trees on farms.”

He felt Cyclone Gabrielle had shown a need for a national change in attitude to forestry and brought an opportunity to look more towards resilience in forests.

From left: Joint winners of the Joll Hoskings Award, Te Awamutu’s David Forsyth and Gisborne’s Kees Weytmans

“We have emphasised production too much in recent years, especially when you see the vulnerability climate change brings with the increased likelihood of cyclones and more diseases. We need to be looking at alternative species more. Farm forestry has led the way in that space.”

First-time award sponsors Stihl were a perfect match in the eyes of commercial marketing coordinator Sam Karl. “Forestry has always been the backbone for Stihl, with farmers a massive second market.

To have both together is a great opportunity to support our original supporting communities. Farm Forestry is becoming more important for New Zealand as we move forward.”

North Island Winners

The North Island Stihl North Island Farm Forester of the Year Award was won by the Fountaine family, who received their prizes from Stihl commercial manager Brad Cathcart (left), pictured with Graeme, Jane, Donna, and Neil Fountaine

Neil Fountaine may have been the one to acknowledge winning the North Island Farm Forester of the Year crown, but he was quick to credit those who came before.

Taking the stage with his wife Donna and parents Graeme and Jane, he said the award was “a real testament” to more than half a century of hard work his father had put into farming and planting.

“I have just been part of the journey he started,” says Neil. “My grandfather cleared the land of trees and pests leaving Dad a blank canvas. Early on he identified the important role trees had to play alongside farming, with shade, shelter, and erosion control.”

Graeme planted for future income potential, mostly in pines but some eucalyptus too. He was an early adopter of ‘right tree in the right place’. It was a big learning and he had shared that knowledge.

Graeme and Jane took over the 540-hectare farm east of the Kaweka Rangers in 1979 and were joined by Neil and Donna in 2013. Around 50 hectares is commercial forestry, comprising pinus radiata, eucalyptus, macrocarpa, acacia, poplars, and oaks.

Some blocks are registered in the ETS with the family milling their timber for flooring in a new house on the property. Even through the tough times of the 1980s and early 1990s, Graeme stuck to his planting scheme at considerable cost.

The introduction of carbon farming and credits has changed the tree landscape immensely over the past 10 to 15 years.

“Dad had never even heard of a carbon credit when he started planting. He wanted to look after and enhance the environment in which he farmed and believed, in turn, it would look after him and his family. His planting exceeded all of his expectations,” says Neil.

“Farming is a tough industry given you rely on Mother Nature. Best-laid plans can turn fairly quickly, but trees have helped smooth the curves out.”

They had provided fodder when it was short, shade when it was hot, and income when it was low. There was still plenty of scope to plant more trees on their farm and Cyclone Gabrielle had shown how fragile the environment can be.

Neil says the family would continue to plant for future generations. “We’ll do more native planting, milling of our timber and growing of our trees from seedlings and cuttings.”

Graeme and Jane have previously won Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year (1988) and the Hawke’s Bay Farm Forester of the Year (2019).

South Island Winners

Stihl territory manager Phillip Rophia (right) with presents Barry Gray (left) prizes for winning the Stihl South Island Farm Forester of the Year

Barry and Liz Gray have won plenty of awards for their farming and forestry practices but were still over the moon to win the South Island Farm Forester of the Year crown.

The Gray’s 661-hectare farm runs approximately 4800 stock units on the Owaka Highway, south of Balclutha. Barry bought 248 hectares in 1989, including 57 hectares his grandfather purchased in 1902 as a bush block.

“A couple of generations cut the trees down while another are planting it back.” Barry and Liz have added to their lot with 540 of the 661 hectares effective. Both the soil and climate are good for farming and forestry.

Plantings include 23 hectares of managed plantations of radiata, macrocarpa, Douglas fir, and eucalypts, with 17 hectares registered in the ETS.

There’s 6.5km of established shelterbelt and riparian plantings, and another 500 metres fenced and ready to go. There are more than 100 different native species and strains along with 40-plus exotic species established in shelter and riparian plantings. 

Plantings include threatened species and more than 100 hectares of indigenous cover remaining, including a small area of remnant totara forest and an SNA (Significant Natural Area).

Barry has always been one to seek information, including tracking down rare and endangered plants to introduce on their farm. Early on, he decided he wanted to sit on his veranda and see lots of different textures colours and shapes. He visited properties and asked questions.

“It took a wee while to get the balance for shelter purposes as some trees and shrubs are more open than others, but now we have a low wall to keep the wind off the newborn lambs with a higher filter above to extend that shelter into the paddock.”

He loves walking through his trees, especially as the older plantations near harvest. The conference gave him plenty of food for thought.

“There are some great foresters, and we visited impressive properties. It got me thinking of what could be vulnerable at home after seeing it here (in Hawke’s Bay). In the 1990s, we had a rain event, and I’m now thinking about where the slips went and will be putting things in.”

Barry and Liz have the support of their sons Thomas and Jeremy on the farm. The couple has previously won the SOFFA Peter and Pearl Moffat Award (2010), the Peter Smail Award (2012), and the New Zealand Landcare Trust Award (2022), alongside a Ballance Special Achievement Award (2011).

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