The Fieldays Forestry Hub was a new addition to last year's Summer Fieldays. Photo / Stephen Barker, Barker Photography
The Fieldays Forestry Hub was a new addition to last year's Summer Fieldays. Photo / Stephen Barker, Barker Photography
Following its inaugural success last year, the Fieldays Forestry Hub will be a part of the 2023 Fieldays next month.
Like last year, the hub will host about 20 sector organisations under the theme Wood - Our Low-Carbon Future. As a new addition this year, there will be a series of talks to enhance the visitor learning experience about the forestry and wood processing sector.
The hub will host two forums and several “hot-topic” talks that will be open to the public, with time scheduled for questions and answers. The two forums, supported by NZME, will be fronted by The Country radio host Jamie Mackay who will moderate a debate between a panel of speakers.
One forum will be about Food and wood – how much land does each need? (June 14, 2pm) and the other one will be, Are all trees created equal? (June 15, 2pm).
Other attractions set to be featured in the hub include a forestry simulator, where visitors can experience what it’s like to operate machinery in a forest, and a couple of large forestry machines to view close-up.
Forestry Hub spokesperson Alex Wilson says the forestry and wood processing sector is New Zealand’s fourth largest primary industry exporter and a major contributor to regional economies and employment.
He says both, people working in the forestry sector and the wider public will be able to learn something at the hub.
The Fieldays Forestry Hub was popular last year. Photo / Stephen Barker, Barker Photography
“The sector can expect more information on the Industry Transformation Plan [ITP] projects to be released at Fieldays. The wider public can anticipate an engaging experience on the possibilities of trees and wood as the sector helps to mitigate climate change and addresses the challenges of wetter and hotter weather in many parts of the country,” Wilson says.
The hub is a collaboration between Fieldays and an advisory group comprising representatives from Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, Forest Growers Levy Trust, Scion, NZ Forest Owners’ Association, Red Stag, NZ Farm Forestry Association, and Future Foresters.
New Zealand Forest Owners’ Association president Grant Dodson says the Forest Hub is a valued way the industry can communicate directly with farmers and the public.
The hub will be under the theme Wood - our low-carbon future. Photo / Stephen Barker, Barker Photography
“We’ll be there to explain the truth of some issues, such as the many things we are doing to reduce forest waste, but also just to communicate that we have a lot more in common with the rest of the primary sector than many people think,” Dodson says.
Forestry Minister Peeni Henare has been invited to officially launch the Hub for 2023 on Wednesday, June 14 at 11am. The hub is located at site G80.
For more details and the full schedule of talks at the Forestry Hub, visit the Fieldays website. Fieldays is on at Mystery Creek from June 14 to 17.
