editorial

I SEEM TO BE STARTING THIS PIECE WITH THE WORDS ‘AS WE GO TO

print’ a lot lately, however with the ever-changing political and economic landscape it seems a prudent choice so… As we go to print the Trans-Tasman bubble has just opened up, along with some cautious optimism. Log export prices are at a three-year high and COVID vaccines are being disseminated around the world.

While that is good news for exporters and wood traders, of course the scales always find a way of balancing out. On the flip side are exploding freight prices and then there’s the stagnation of value-add wood exports and the shortage of domestic lumber which is making itself felt. A perfect storm of reasons has emerged for the shortage, with many blaming our reliance on China for export and the lure of those same high export prices. Others say it’s got little to do with construction in China and a lot more to do with construction at home.

Between the Whangarei mill closure and Carter Holt Harvey’s subsequent controversial decision to cut timber supplies to Mitre 10, Bunnings and ITM in the midst of the COVID-induced residential building boom, industry players are butting heads. Some say the short supply is not an export-related issue but more about the supply chain and long term underinvestment in wood processing. For others, well, it’s all about China. Turn to our Forest Talk pages for a round-up of opinions.

Controversy and difficult times are not new to this industry. It’s perseverance and hard work that always shine through. Our Tall Timber feature this month is testament to that. It should be titled ‘Tall Forest’ as we take a walk through the Green family’s six decades in the forestry industry, with no sign of breaking the family tradition anytime soon.

Also in this issue you’ll find a company that is breaking boundaries in the field of bioenergy, land use, biodiversity and carbon. From generating secondary biomass from wilding tree residue to using native reforestation to enhance water quality, it’s no coincidence that Ahika Consulting is named for the Māori concept of sustaining our home fires.

If you’ve ever looked around a woodlot and wondered how much forest roading it would take to harvest it, you’ll find our feature on just that offers some interesting revelations.

Lastly, this month’s Iron Test puts one of the first John Deere L-II series skidders in the country to the test. The one thing you need in a skidder is plenty of power and it doesn’t disappoint.

Lots to get your teeth into these chilly autumn evenings.

Until next time, stay safe.