Where’s that list?

AS WE GO TO PRINT, AUCKLAND COMES OUT OF A THREE-DAY LEVEL 3 COVID lockdown, with the rest of the country at Level 2. Nothing remarkable there you may say as we all grow COVID-weary. But what is remarkable is that forestry, New Zealand’s third largest export, is still not seen as an essential service – and there is no essential update list in sight since it was last updated in May 2020.

FICA CEO, Prue Younger, says this is “discrimination against forestry as a primary industry”. Her solution is to gain pre-approval for exemption for future lockdowns “given we have a full and credible set of Industry Protocols around Level 3 working”.

Though the industry was able to continue working within those protocols, borders are relatively new in regional lockdowns and workers were not able to travel beyond the Auckland border to work or travel into the Auckland lockdown area.

Given the remote nature of forestry, it isn’t hard to see why this is problematic. “They let truck drivers transfer backwards and forwards, so what makes them any different to our workforce operating at practical and safe guidelines?” Ms Younger asks.

She is quick to point out that health considerations will, of course, drive any decisions.

Granted, with a relatively short lockdown this time the effect was minimal, though still putting pressure on meeting crew and production targets. Of course this could still have a knock-on effect with thousands of dollar per day port charges if ships cannot be loaded in time.

The Forest Industry Safety Council’s, Fiona Ewing, adds that the stress and mental health issues caused by the uncertainties around COVID-19, and the difficulties with the exemption processes required to travel across regional boundaries, have not been fully recognised.

With new virus strains and longer lockdowns ever looming large, that essential update list for forestry is needed more than ever.

Projects like the one highlighted in our Forest Focus feature this month illustrate why. In lieu of an Iron Test, we take a look at Mike Hurring Logging’s ambitious project to harvest the entire Douglas-fir forest on the lower slopes of the famous Coronet Peak ski field in order to prevent wilding pines spreading.

When you turn the page, you’ll see they don’t make trees like they used to, as we go on a fascinating journey through the lives of the Kauri bushmen.

And if you’ve ever wondered how many logging crews are out there in NZ or what a used forestry machine is really worth, our Special Feature might offer a few surprises.

Until next time, stay safe.