‘Exceptional work’ for farm forestry

Gisborne’s Kees Weytmans was the joint winner of the Joll Hosking Award for exceptional work for the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association at the association’s annual conference in Hawke’s Bay last week.

Mr Weytmans won it jointly with Te Awamutu’s Dave Forsythe.

NZFFA president Neil Cullen was full of praise for all the winners at the awards.

“They were all very deserving,” said Mr Cullen.

“These awards showcase the best of New Zealand’s farm forestry and highlight great examples of the integration of trees on farms.”

He felt Cyclone Gabrielle had shown the need for a change in attitude to forestry in New Zealand and brought an opportunity for people to look more towards resilience in forests.

“We have possibly emphasised production too much in recent years, especially when you see the vulnerability climate change brings with the increased likelihood of cyclones and also more diseases.

“We need to be looking at alternative species more. Farm forestry has been leading the way in that space.”

Conference attendees were all the richer after an inspiring and education-stacked week at the Pan Pac Forest Products-sponsored event.

Tim Forde, chair of the Hawke’s Bay branch, said the annual get-together had been a resounding success.

Nearly 250 delegates from all over New Zealand and even a handful from Australia, had travelled the length and breadth of the region, visiting Pan Pac Forest Products, Napier Port, Cape Sanctuary, farms, nurseries and more.

The conference had the theme of Resilient Landscapes and had days filled with guest speakers, and species-specific meetings.

“We got so many comments from people impressed by the quality of speakers and being able to visit places they never thought they would get access to,” said Mr Forde.

“Our conference theme of resilience was clear and it was a chance for us to reinforce that, yes, we have been knocked down but we are getting up.

“We feel Hawke’s Bay is heading towards a new future that will be better informed.”

He felt it was heartening to feel that everyone was singing from the same song sheet, from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South.

“People were bubbling after listening to speakers cover subjects that are not often talked about.

“Every day people were excited about what they were going to see, hear and learn.”

Event organiser Sue Wilson said the conference had been a golden opportunity for people to visit places unique to Hawke’s Bay, and see how they are working towards sustainable operations.

Throughout the week there were many examples of the work Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is doing to assist farmers to build resilient farms.

The Stihl New Zealand Farm Forestry Awards were also handed out at the conference, with the North Island Farm Forester of the Year going the way of Hawke’s Bay’s Fountaine Family, with Barry and Liz Gray taking the South Island Farm Forester of the Year crown.

Both awards take into consideration the contribution the farmers had also made to the NZFFA.

Evan and Linda Potter won the New Zealand Landcare Trust Award for innovative sustainable farm forestry.

Judges acknowledged the good work the couple had done at their Waipapa property at Elsthorpe in Central Hawke’s Bay.

The Michael Hay Memorial Award, for a younger member of the NZFFA who is planting and establishing trees, was won by Hamish Humphries, who returned to the family farm in Central Hawke’s Bay in 2006.