Forest Growers Research Conference 2023 – Meeting the Challenge

The FGR Annual Conference 2023 was held in Rotorua 12th-14th September.  This year’s theme, Meeting the Challenge – Protecting and Enhancing the Environment through Sustainable Forestry, provided an update on FGR’s main research programmes, showcased the collaborative work with industry, government and other stakeholders that is supporting the sector and its transformation, and discussion on the latest forestry innovation and technology.

FGR Conference Presentations 

Day 1 – Tuesday, 12th September

Session 1 – Welcome and Overview

• Importance of Forestry to Rotorua –  Mayor Tania Tapsell
• Forest Growers Levy Trust and Forest Growers Research – Stephen Franks and Paul Adams

Session 2 – FGR Research Programmes – Chair, Ian Hinton

• 21st Century Tissue Culture – Russell Burton
• Harvesting and Automation – Keith Raymond
• Speciality Wood Products – Marco Lausberg
• Precision Silviculture and Data Management – Claire Stewart

Session 3 – ENHANCING Forests through Adaptive Management – Chair, Elizabeth Heeg

• Timberlands – productivity 50 by 50 – John Moore
• Radiata Pine Breeding Company – Darrell O’Brien/Sai Arojju
• Forest design to future-proof planted forests – Yvette Dickinson
• Planning for Resilient Forests – Neil Cullen/Graham West
• Adaptive forest management – Andrew Clarke

Session 4 – PROTECTING Forests in an uncertain future – Chair, Andrew Cridge

• Tree Microbiome Research – Simeon Smaill
• Forest Nursery Biosecurity Research – Darryl Herron
• Managing Red Needle Cast Disease – Emily McLay
• Current Forest Fire Research – Shana Gross
• Environmental issues – research – Rachel Millar

Day 2 – Wednesday, 13th September

Session 5 – SUPPORTING Research and Policy – Chair, Debbie Ward

• Climate Emergency Science Programme (TUR) – Emily Telfer
• Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) – Joseph Murray-Cullen
• Protecting and Enhancing the Environment through Sustainable Forestry – Julian Elder
• Forest research strategy in Australia (FWPA) – Jodie Mason
• Current challenges to forest management in Chile – Horacio Bown

Session 6 – ENHANCING Productivity and Diversity – Chair, Henri Bailleres

• NZDFI tree improvement – Paul Millen
• Using AI to accelerate seedling grading – Brian Russell
• Planting and Establishment – Corrie Hoult
• Spatial surfaces and models describing growth and risk for exotic plantation forests – Mike Watt
• The forest bioeconomy – Brian McMath

Session 7 – ENHANCING Harvesting and Recovery – Chair, Evan Powell

• Value-Chain Optimisation – Karen Bayne
• Real-time thinning assessment tool – David Herries
• Small grower harvesting technology – Jack Palmer
• Phytosanitary Research – Don Hammond
• Insights from operational forestry workshops – Keith Raymond/Claire Stewart

Session 8 – SUPPORTING Sustainable Forestry –  Chair, Brendan Gould

• Exploring the social responsibility efforts of NZ’s forest industry – Grace Villamor
• Maori Forestry research aspirations – Te Kapunga Dewes
• New Diversified forestry proposal – Russell Dale
• R&D – Enhancing and Protecting – Paul Adams

Click here for Video Highlights from the 3 day conference and field trip in the Kaingaroa Forest Estate  or on the following  https://youtu.be/45TU99CedB4

FGR Conference Pictures 

Day 1 Tuesday 12th September 2023  Click here or copy and paste the following link :    https://bit.ly/3LOPGZm

Day 2 Wednesday 13th September 2023 Click here or copy and paste the following link : https://bit.ly/46BA180

Day 3 Thursday 14th September – Field Trip in Kaingaroa Forest Estate    Click here or copy and paste the following link :  https://bit.ly/48SLz8K

Wahine in Forestry Breakfast  Click here or copy and paste the link to pictures from the Wahine in Forestry breakfast held at Rydges Rotorua, Wednesday 13th September        https://bit.ly/46jog67