Forest Growers Research (FGR) announced the winners of its 2025 Awards, at the FGR Annual Conference, held in Auckland 14th-16th October.
The Science Awards recognises outstanding contributions across eight categories spanning excellence in science, innovation, teamwork, industry engagement and research leadership.
The awards, presented by FGR Chair Jason Syme, celebrated researchers and industry professionals who are advancing New Zealand’s forestry sector through groundbreaking science, practical innovation and collaborative excellence.
“It’s an honour to come together and recognise the outstanding talent in our forestry research community,” said Jason Syme. “The calibre of work in every category has been outstanding. Tonight, we honour not just our winners but every individual and organisation represented here.”
Award winners included:
Dr Simeon Smaill from the Scion Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI) received the Communication and Sector Engagement Award for his exceptional ability to translate complex scientific concepts into accessible insights over a 20-year career spanning nutrient management, tree root microbiome research and indigenous forest establishment.
Sam Middlemass of Matariki Forests won the Innovation that Enhances Sector Value Award for developing and refining chemical thinning methodology that has revolutionised forest operations. His e-thinning technique has more than doubled crew productivity compared to traditional methods and is being adopted by major forest companies nationwide, with approximately 25% of thinning this year using the chemical method.
Dr Steve Wakelin of the BSI received the Science of International Quality Award for leading the transformational Tree Root Microbiome Project, which has positioned New Zealand as a global leader in forest microbiome science and established a new platform for managing planted and natural forests.
Simon Papps from Manulife was recognised with the Research Participation and Implementation Award for his 40-year career bridging research and industry practice, bringing expertise from both scientific and operational domains to advance sustainable forest management.
Andy Dick of Logiztix Ltd received the Contribution to a Science Team Award for his leadership of the Automated Log ID project as part of the Forestry Work in the Modern Age PGP programme. A specialist in harvesting stumpage and log optimisation, he has successfully led a multi-disciplinary team including technology developers from Poland and local Rotorua engineering companies to develop an individual log identification system for Radiata Pine.
Georgia Dickson of the BSI was awarded the Young Scientist Award for her innovative research using virtual reality to explore how different forest environments impact forestry worker wellbeing. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Health Science at Massey University, she has co-authored three publications and had her research accepted for presentation at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Conference 2025.
2025 saw two new award categories introduced to recognise the wider research ecosystem in the industry.
Dr Peter Clinton of the BSI received the inaugural Inspiring Leadership in Forestry Science Award, honouring his 35-year career mentoring over 30 postgraduate students and leading transformative programmes including Growing Confidence in Forestry’s Future and Resilient Forests. His scientific publishing record includes 131 journal articles and nearly 5000 citations.
Alison Wilson, also from the BSI, received the inaugural Supporting Research Award for her tireless behind-the-scenes work coordinating complex fieldwork, managing communications and ensuring research programmes run smoothly, including her leadership in organising presenters for the FGR annual conference.
The awards demonstrate the breadth and depth of forestry research excellence in New Zealand, from individual scientific breakthroughs to collaborative projects that deliver measurable industry value.
