6 June 2013
Forestry professionals will head to the centre of dairy farming country at the end of this month to attend the NZ Institute of Forestry’s annual conference. Entitled “The Place of Forests in Collaborative Land Use Decisions”, the conference will be of interest to a broad cross section of rural land users, regulators and conservationists and is also the time when the forestry profession recognises its achievers including new Fellows, Forester of the Year and various scholarships awarded through the NZ Institute of Forestry Foundation.
While containing less than 1% of the nation’s productive plantation forest, Taranaki is nevertheless unique in the way land use decision making to balance the multiple use interests of the mountain, the intensive dairying ring plain and the eastern hill country is managed. The drainage of approximately 300 rivers and streams through dairying country creates significant challenges for the control of diffuse pollution and the Taranaki Regional Council’s riparian management programme will be something that delegates will learn about.
However Conference Committee Chair John Schrider says the conference is not just about riparians and water quality; it will also explore the ecological changes that have taken place over 200 years of agricultural development. There is acute awareness in this region that problems and land use decision making to protect and enhance this environment require multidisciplinary resources. The need for economic, social and environmental values to be the responsibility of all land users will be a core component of the conference. The fact that these decisions are increasingly made in a collaborative manner to ensure all interests are considered is a feature of the Taranaki approach.
This conference is a regional case study that highlights the successes and acknowledges the failures of previous land use decision making and will provide delegates with ideas and approaches relevant in other regions.
NZIF President, Andrew McEwen, says the role of trees, and not just commercial exotic species, is often misunderstood and misrepresented. Forestry professionals have an important role to play in the transformation of our landscapes to ensure the indigenous flora and fauna values we hold dear can exist harmoniously with the goals of economic development.
Key speakers will include: Associate Minister for Primary Industries Hon Jo Goodhew; Executive Director of Ecologic Guy Salmon; Chief Executive of Taranaki Regional Council Basil Chamberlain; and Director General of the Department of Conservation Al Morrison. Further details of the 30 June – 3 July event can be found on www.nzifconference.org.nz or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
ENDS
Contacts: Andrew McEwen, President, NZIF, Tel: (04) 476 6163 or (0274) 733 262; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
John Schrider, Conference Organising Committee Chair, Tel: (04) 232 7155 or (027) 446 9296; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Background to NZIF
The New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF), with a membership of nearly 900, is New Zealand’s association for forestry professionals. Its main objective is to advance the profession of forestry within New Zealand by establishing standards, developing good forestry practice, supporting those demonstrating professional competence, and as an independent advocate for forestry. Its members are concerned with the professional management of forests, plantation and indigenous, protection and commercial. Members can be found in forestry companies, processing, consulting, research institutes, educational facilities, government departments and providers of specialist services. The NZIF operates the scheme that controls the registration and conduct of forestry professionals, including consultants who provide forestry advice to the public.
Website: www.nzif.org.nz
Established plantations of pine, macrocarpa and Douglas-fir over 40 hectares now co-exist with carefully positioned ornamental trees on the long and narrow property running 16 kilometres from the highway to the sea.
Often circling the plantations are lusitanicus and cypress that will remain standing when timber trees are harvested.
Another 30 ha of native bush is protected by QE11 covenant and the couple have fenced from stock about 100 ha in gullies for their personal pleasure.
Charles Wiffen said the trees had been planted at the 1400 ha farm as much for providing a pleasant working landscape as for shelter and shade for stock. He said they had made a point of planting oaks, poplars and cypress for variety.
The Wiffens, who also run a Blenheim vineyard and manage the Charles Wiffen label, have been at Inverness for 48 years with Charles' father first running the farm. Elms, maples and "every oak you could think of" now line the property.
Farm Forestry Association award judge Neil Cullen, Balclutha, said the trees were an example of good land use.
Many of the "awkward" corners and gullies had been planted in small tree blocks, shelter belts and ornamental trees to provide shade and shelter appreciated by stock this dry summer, he said.
"I was impressed with the way they have managed the property as far as land use goes. It's a long, stretched out property 16km to the ocean and although there is only 40 ha of tree blocks in 1400 ha a lot of the property isn't suitable for forestry because of access problems."
Wiffen said he was a farmer first and a forester second, but he had always appreciated trees for the qualities they brought to a farm.
Story by Tim Cronshaw, © Fairfax NZ News. To read the full story, click here.