- Harvesting Automation & Robotics
Harvesting, automation and robotics research is the realm of the FGR’s ‘Te Mahi Ngahere i te Ao Hurihuri – Forestry Work in the Modern Age’ Primary Growth Partnership between government and the forest industry.
The programme goals are to redesign harvesting, log manufacturing and logistics processes. Our aims are to create value, improve profitability, and enhance sustainability by alleviating current labour shortages, and reducing operational harvesting and logistics costs. We also aim to improve the economic viability of small forests and woodlots, and create new product opportunities for domestic sale and export.
The programme is led by the Forest Value Chain Consortium, a partnership of forest management companies, harvesting and logistics contractors, and New Zealand-based forestry machinery manufacturers and technology partners, all of whom want to invest in and drive the design and manufacture of equipment and technology in the programme.
Forest Growers Research Ltd (FGR) manages the programme on behalf of the industry.
Programme manager: Keith Raymond
- Commercial partners comprise nine forest companies, ten manufacturing partners, and Forest Growers Research
- Programme duration – 2019-2027 (originally a seven-year programme but following a mid-term review has now been extended to nine years) programme
- Total funding over nine years: $27.144 million
- MPI total funding: $11.282 million
- Industry total funding: $15.862 million, sourced from the Forest Growers Levy Trust and commercial partners.
Explore Harvesting Automation & Robotics workstreams:
Harvesting Automation and Robotics News
LAST CHANCE TO WIN $10,000 IN THE 2026 HARVESTING MICRO INNOVATION CHALLENGE!
Got a solution to a forestry problem? You’ve still got time to get your idea submitted in the 2026 Harvesting Micro Innovation Challenge. Closing date
Shredded Wood for Roading: Innovative Use of Harvesting Residues
FGR assisted Hamish Scown of Pan Pac Forest Products Ltd with recent trials of using shredded wood from forestry debris as temporary roading aggregate. Three
Teloperation to improve safety and productivity and address labour shortages
At the Forest Growers Research Annual Conference in October 2025, Paul Milliken of Applied Teleoperation Ltd (ATL) reviewed two innovations in cable yarding: a teleoperation
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