Okoia foresters Hamish Randle and Rachel Rose were well rewarded for their efforts this week, taking home the young farm forester of the year award at the NZ Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA) annual conference in Rotorua.
"The Michael Hay Memorial Award is a huge honour," Randle said.
"It's pretty humbling actually. We've only been on our land for a bit more than a year but we've got stuck into the planting and planning and I think the association valued that."
The award was accompanied by a $5000 cheque to go towards their forestry establishment costs.
The couple are not your regular forest owners; instead of radiata, they are focused on planting alternative species that yield much higher value timber. Last year they planted Tasmanian blackwood, which they say is regarded by many as the world's finest joinery timber. They also have a particular interest in naturally ground durable eucalypts, with several species already planted and more going in this winter. They are doing all the planting themselves.