Forestry Courses: The Future Of Forestry Productivity

Forestry has traditionally, and will continue

, to be a significant contributor to New Zealands economy, earning over $3 billion in export earnings per annum. In addition to this, it is estimated that there are domestic sales of approximately $1.8 billion. Being New Zealands third largest export earner, contributing 10% of New Zealands total export earnings, the Government plans to expand the role forestry has within the economy. According to the Governments New Zealand Forestry Industry Vision, the earnings from forestry in 2025 will rise to more than $14 billion, accounting for 14% of GDP, which will make it the countrys largest export earner. As a result, employment within this sector is expected to near triple with over 60,000 positions required to be filled by suitably qualified applicants. Additionally, this will create a follow on effect and create a further 150,000 jobs that are generated indirectly.

The advantage that New Zealand has over many countries is the unique climate. Planted forests in New Zealand have comparably short growth periods, and are considered to be very productive. This short rotation means that over a third of New Zealands forests are currently in their second rotation, with approximately 20% in their third. However, to match the increasing productivity, the industry must have access to highly qualified employees who are able to add value to the process through improved forestry processes and procedures. Innovation is the key to moving forward, and this is only achieved through knowledgeable people working in the industry and testing the boundaries.

Education plays a vital component in this process. Gone are the days where an individual could simply enter the industry unqualified. The use of specialised equipment, planting processes, heavy machinery and the latest in plant management has created a need for new entrants to the industry to have knowledge of these factors.

There are various facilities that offer forestry courses within New Zealand, but care should be taken to evaluate your options. As the centre of the North Island is at the epicentre of the New Zealand forestry industry, this location makes an excellent base for both the learning of theory and the practical applications of such courses. Ensure that the education facility covers all aspects of wood processing, including promoting courses in plantation, forest management, saw milling, wood manufacturing and biotechnology.

Given that the amount of land for forestry is fairly static, the future productivity scenarios for the New Zealand forest industry are based on innovation and technological advances allowing them to increase their outputs. As this creates a situation where there is a need to create more with the same base, much current and future research is focusing on increasing the understanding of soil, soil-plant interactions and site specific processes that drive tree growth.

Additionally, the need to increase production in line with current global demands of reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, results in a situation where increased productions must parallel the lowering of environmental impact. A follow on effect from this is that those students who have completed forestry courses in biotechnology and sustainability will be increasingly in demand to implement the innovations and advancements required to meet the dual goals of conservation and increased production.

by: Sue Gunn

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