Former Forest Service celebrates a century
IT’S 100 YEARS SINCE THE NEW ZEALAND Forest Service was set up in 1919 to foster the fledgling plantation pine industry in the wake of depleted native tree resources.
And even though the Forest Service was disbanded in 1987, its memory still lives on among the many former employees and others who gathered to celebrate the 100-year anniversary at a special event organised by Te Uru Rākau (the more recently formed Forestry NZ) at Parliament.
The event, hosted by Forestry Minister, Shane Jones, was attended by around 120 guests, including deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, Members of Parliament, both in Government and opposition, former Ministers of Forestry, forestry sector chief executives, and key members from the forestry industry including past Ministry of Forestry Director Generals.
New Zealand’s forestry heritage was well represented by a number of former New Zealand State Forest employees and/or their descendants who flew in from around New Zealand – the oldest being 96-year-old Jim Spiers, who first began working for the NZ Forest Service in the 1940s.
“To have in one room such a wealth of forestry knowledge and so many people who had significantly contributed to the key milestones that define our forestry heritage, was incredibly special,” says Te Uru Rākau’s Julie Collins.
The evening included the presentation of three forestry awards specifically created for the 100-year celebrations; a Forestry Science Award, the Kaitiakitanga Aotearoa Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The winner of the Forestry Science Award was Prof Bruce Manley, head of the University of Canterbury’s School of Forestry, who received the award for his dedication to, and leadership within, forestry research, and his innovative work on carbon forestry.
The Kaitiakitanga Aotearoa Award was presented to the Native Forest Action Council’s Guy Salmon for his commitment to the protection of forests, forest ecosystems and the connection of forests to people.
The Lifetime Achievement in Forestry Award was presented to NZFOA stalwart, Peter Berg, in recognition of the true champion of forestry that he is within New Zealand and the Commonwealth.
To capture the essence of the past 100 years a forestry timeline was created for display at the celebrations and as a special souvenir takeaway for guests.
“We also re-enacted a photo originally taken in 1921 when the State Forest Service leadership team were in Wellington for their inaugural conference, with our present leadership team. The photo was taken on the Parliamentary library steps where the original pic was taken,” says Ms Collins.
The New Zealand Forest Service was originally established in 1919 as the State Forest Service. The State Forest Service changed its name to the New Zealand Forest Service in 1949 at about the same time that the Forests Act of 1949 passed through Parliament.
The New Zealand Forest Service was responsible for the management of New Zealand’s state-owned forests, including forestry, conservation and recreational functions, until it was formerly disestablished in 1987.
Its environmental and conservation functions were taken over by the newly established Department of Conservation, while the plantation operations were taken over by another new entity, the New Zealand Forestry Corporation, before being sold off to private investors.
The policy advice, biosecurity functions and remaining Crown forests on leased Maori land was vested in the Ministry of Forestry, which was later absorbed into the Ministry for Primary Industries. NZL