Following its inaugural success last year, the Fieldays
Forestry Hub will again feature when Fieldays 2023 returns
to its traditional winter slot, from June 14-17, at Mystery
Creek in Waikato.
Like last year, the Fieldays
Forestry Hub, located at site G80, will host about twenty
sector organisations under the theme of ‘Wood our
low-carbon future’, with staff from large companies and
small not-for-profit agencies on hand to provide information
and answer questions.
This year a new series of forums
and talks will enhance the learning experience of visitors
wanting to know more about the forestry and wood processing
sector. The Hub will host two forums and several
‘hot-topic’ talks that will be open to the public, with
time scheduled for questions and answers.
The two
forums, supported by NZME, will be fronted by The Country
radio host Jamie Mackay who will moderate a debate between a
panel of speakers. The first forum’s topic will be,
Food and wood – how much land does each need? This
is scheduled for Wednesday 14 June at 2pm. The second
forum’s topic will be, Are all trees created equal?
This is scheduled for Thursday 15 June at
2pm.
Other attractions include a forestry simulator,
so visitors can experience what it’s like to operate
machinery in a forest, and a couple of large forestry
machines to view close-up. Forestry Minister Peeni Henare
has been invited to officially launch the Hub for 2023 on
Wednesday 14 June at 11:00am. The hub is a collaboration
between Fieldays and an advisory group comprising Te Uru
Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, Forest Growers Levy
Trust, Scion, NZ Forest Owners’ Association, Red Stag, NZ
Farm Forestry Association and Future Foresters.
Hub
spokesperson Alex Wilson says the sector has begun a process
of transformation in partnership with the government with,
most recently, the launch of a $57 million Wood Processing
Grant Fund in April and the release of the foundational
Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) last November. “The
sector can expect more information on the ITP projects to be
released at Fieldays. “The wider public can anticipate an
engaging experience on the possibilities of trees and wood
as the sector helps to mitigate climate change and addresses
the challenges of wetter and hotter weather in many parts of
the country. “The forestry and wood processing sector is
New Zealand’s fourth largest primary industry exporter and
a major contributor to regional economies and employment.
Fieldays gives our sector a particular opportunity to have
conversations with rural landowners about the opportunities
to grow trees for timber, protect the land and to store
carbon.”
New Zealand Farm Forestry Association
president Neil Cullen says many farming organisations agree
that an integrated tree planting approach on-farm is the
best way forward to address the many environmental land use
issues.
“The Farm Forestry Association will have a
significant presence in the Fieldays Forestry Hub to explain
how its members have practically implemented this approach,
and which tree species work best and what are the costs and
returns.”
New Zealand Forest Owners’ Association
president Grant Dodson says the Forest Hub is a valued way
the industry can communicate directly with farmers and the
public.
“We’ll be there to explain the truth of
some issues, such as the many things we are doing to reduce
forest waste, but also just to communicate that we have a
lot more in common with the rest of the primary sector than
many people think.”
Scion chief executive Dr Julian
Elder says Scion’s 2030 Strategy of right tree, right
place, right purpose is highly relevant for rural New
Zealand. “Our innovations and technologies can be applied
to trees and fibre on farms in new ways.” Julian Elder
says future rural landscapes and communities would include a
mix of farming, productive forestry, trees and new
manufacturing and processing activities. “All this will play
into the goal of a circular bioeconomy and grow jobs and
resilience for farmers and rural communities.”
New
Zealand National Fieldays Society CEO Peter Nation says the
Fieldays Forestry Hub is set to build on last year’s
successful launch by showcasing the latest innovation and
technology, a commitment to sustainability and providing a
real opportunity for conversation.
Full details about
the Fieldays Forestry Hub can be found at https://www.fieldays.co.nz/attend-fieldays/explore/forestry.
Further
details of planned events at the Hub
Forums run
for up to 50 minutes; talks run for up to 30
minutes.
Forestry Minister Peeni Henare has been
invited to officially launch the Hub for 2023 on Wednesday
14 June at 11:00am.
Forum 1, Food and wood – how
much land does each need? Wednesday 14 June at
2pm.
Talk 1, Futurity Group, CEO Jacob Kohn:
Creating high value, advanced wood products Thursday
15 June 10am
Forum 2, Are all trees created equal?
Thursday 15 June at 2pm.
Talk 2, Jarden, Head of
Commodities Nigel Brunel: Mechanics – Carbon
Trading in the ETS, Friday 16 June 10am
Talk 3,
Scion, Portfolio Leader for Distributed and Circular
Manufacturing Marc Gaugler: Distributed manufacturing –
bringing the factory to the forest, Friday 16 June
11:30am
ABOUT
FIELDAYS
Fieldays is on at Mystery
Creek June 14 – 17 2023. Fieldays is the largest
agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere drawing
visitors from around the globe.
Fieldays is run
by New Zealand National Fieldays Society, a charitable
organisation founded in 1968 for the purpose of advancing
primary industries.
The New Zealand National
Fieldays Society thanks their partners and premier sponsor
Hyundai, One NZ, Ministry for Primary Industries, and Case
IH for their continued support.
For more information
head to www.fieldays.co.nz.
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