The Precision Silviculture Programme (PSP) is a partnership between the Ministry for Primary Industries and the forest industry led by Forest Growers Research Ltd.
It is underpinned by a Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFFF) Partnership Grant, of $25.5 million over seven years. The PSP aims to transform forest management practices by applying sensing technologies, mechanisation and automation across forest management operations. By doing so, the Programme aims to address labour shortages, the need to improve safety in all forestry operations, reduce forestry value chain costs, maintain a pruned log supply, enhance productivity, and maintain licence to operate through sustainable practices including reduced chemical inputs. It also supports the transition towards a bioeconomy through developing more effective methods for delivering biomass waste streams for conversion into bioenergy or other uses.
  • Partners: MPI, Forest Growers Research, Forest Growers Levy Trust, 12 forest companies, and several forest nurseries and manufacturers.
  • Programme start: 22 March 2022 and duration of 7 years.
  • MPI funding over 7 years: $10,200,000.
  • Industry funding over 7 years: $15,300,000.

Nursery: To deliver prototype units to overcome bottlenecks in tree nursery bare root and containerised production systems.

Planting: To deliver production-ready prototypes supporting mechanised planting, extending the planting season, and tools for increasing planting precision and reducing chemical use.

Pruning: To deliver prototype units that improve the safety and productivity of pruning operations in the forest while reducing costs.

Thinning: To develop equipment and techniques supporting cost effective mechanised thinning operations that reduce reliance on manual labour and create a safer working environment.

Data & Engagement: Maximise the opportunities from data collected through precision activities by implementing standards, good governance practices and unlocking the value of interconnected data. Engagement with Māori stakeholders to identify and co-design ways to maximise uptake of Programme outputs and learnings by Māori.

Precision Silviculture Programme News

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