Mitch White from Aspect Forestry shares the innovation journey behind tackling steep-slope planting in the Top of the South using the Risutec planting machine.
Mechanised planting aims to reduce costs and labour reliance while increasing value across the rotation, with the ability to apply fertiliser and hydrogel, open up new areas, and extend the planting season.
In this video, Mitch highlights the importance of innovation, definitely not for the faint-hearted. Success required plenty of learning, adaptation, and good old Kiwi ingenuity.
Mechanised planting on steep slopes still has productivity challenges; this is why trials and permanent sample plots are so critical. They provide important baseline information and enable us to compare the growth of mechanised planting versus manual planting, as well as amendments over time, to continue building knowledge for the industry.
This was a key project for the Precision Silviculture Programme over the last two years. Watch to hear Mitch’s experience as the contractor at the heart of the innovation.
