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Looking at things from a new angle

Women in Forestry from Northland, Tairawhiti, Central North Island, Canterbury and Nelson/Tasman came together in Nelson 26-28 August, to connect, learn and see firsthand how forest owners and contractors are innovatively working together following Tasman windblow events.    In July 2025, a severe storm knocked down about 5,800 hectares of trees in the Tasman region, then a second storm in October 2025 saw another 1,681 hectares fall.As with all windthrow events, from an economic ...

Supporting Investment in Forestry’s Future

FICA will be supporting several funding applications in the 2027 Forest Growers Levy Trust round that align with key priorities identified by contractors and the wider forestry sector.Working alongside FOA and industry partners, FICA's focus is on initiatives that improve productivity, workforce capability, training outcomes and operational efficiency.Key projects include:Ongoing funding for the University of Canterbury Harvesting Benchmarking Report, providing the industry with valuable data on...

Contractor Voice in Tairawhiti

Forestry contractors have been actively engaged in recent Government initiatives aimed at addressing forestry consenting, compliance and land use issues in Tairāwhiti, ensuring the practical realities faced by contractors are part of the discussion. Representatives from the Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) and local contractors recently met with the Independent Assurance Review Panel chaired by Hon Chris Finlayson KC, as well as with Doug Leeder, who has been appointed by Governme...

FICA and FOA Joint Board Meeting

FICA and the FOA Executive met on 9 September for a positive and constructive joint Board meeting, providing an opportunity to discuss key issues facing New Zealand's forestry sector.A major focus of the meeting was FICA's presentation of the Contractor Financial Health Survey, which gave FOA representatives valuable insight into the financial challenges and opportunities facing forestry contracting businesses. The discussion reinforced the importance of a sustainable and profitable contractor s...

Successful Tower Inspectors Workshop

A Tower Inspectors Workshop brought together virtually all active tower inspectors, along with representatives from CBIP, WorkSafe, ThinkSafe and Safetree. Hosted by FICA in Wellington it aimed to improve safety, make the tower certification process easier and more efficient for forestry contractors.FICA’s role is to bring inspectors, contractors and industry stakeholders together. The focus is on making the process more efficient, reducing uncertainty and ensuring certification...

Market Update - September 2026

September has brought a mixed picture for the forestry sector, with seasonal weather disruptions affecting harvest activity in some regions while export log markets continue to show signs of resilience. Log prices remain remarkably stable, although elevated freight costs and ongoing uncertainty around the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) continue to influence sentiment across the industry.Export Market Showing Signs of ImprovementChina remains New Zealand's dominant export log market and there are...

Forestry sector backs independent facilitator for Tairāwhiti

The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA), Eastland Wood Council (EWC), Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) and Ngāti Porou Forests have jointly backed the Government’s decision to appoint Doug Leeder as an independent facilitator to support land transition and long-term forestry management in Tairāwhiti.NZFOA Chief Executive Dr Elizabeth Heeg says the appointment provides an opportunity to make progress on difficult questions around land use, woody debris and forestry-rel...

FICA E-newsletter - August 2026

WHAT HAS FICA DELIVERED FOR MEMBERS THIS MONTH? Tairāwhiti contractor issues taken forwardMet directly with contractors around consenting, compliance and wider supply-chain issues affecting productivity.Better return-to-work supportCarePass and Telehealth pilot approved, giving participating contractors better access to medical and return-to-work support.Stronger contractor financial evidenceThe Financial Health Survey is giving FICA real data to support contractor advocacy.Forestry keeps ...

Tairawhiti – Productivity is bigger than the Crew 

Tony Hill of Hill Logging picked me up at 6:00am for a visit to his steep country winch-assist (SWY) operation east of Mangatu Forest. Many readers will know Tony through his role as NZ Logger Magazine's "Iron Tester".Tony comes from a logging family originally based in Tokoroa. When his father's contract ended, the family relocated to Tairāwhiti and Tony has spent much of his career on the East Coast, most recently working for Ricky Kuru before establishing his own business. Like many contract...

WorkSafe Snapshot

FICA meets with the WorkSafe forestry inspectorate team every six weeks to discuss emerging industry issues, enforcement trends and areas of concern.WorkSafe completed 526 forestry assessments during 2025/26, with 25% resulting in enforcement action and a total of 207 enforcement measures issued.The key enforcement areas were:Mobile plant and vehicle safety (26%) including traffic management failures, rollover risks and unsafe machinery. Hazardous substances (17%) including shortcomings in ...

A Practical Win on the Living Wage

FSC has formally approved and published an interpretation of the New Zealand Forest Stewardship Standard that recognises the living wage agreement negotiated between FICA and First Union. The interpretation is effective immediately and can now be applied by FSC auditors. Until now, uncertainty around FSC requirements meant some auditors interpreted the standard as requiring every worker, including trainees, to be paid the full living wage. This created a major barrier to training, as contra...

Forestry Gets a Seat at the Table with Competenz 2.0

Workplace vocational training will move to the new Competenz 2.0, a decision endorsed by the FICA/NZFOA Forestry Training Committee. It is designed to ensure forestry retains strong industry influence over training delivery and future workforce development. The new arrangement will provide forestry with a dedicated training team, a Head of Forestry role, continued access to trainers and assessors, and direct industry input through the Forestry Training Committee. Forestry will also particip...

Your data is giving FICA a Stronger Voice

Our Financial Health Survey is the most comprehensive snapshot we’ve ever collected and confirms many of the issues contractors have been raising for some time, including profitability pressures, rising costs, workforce challenges, and concerns about the future resilience of the sector. The FICA Board has agreed that the benefits of releasing high-level survey findings to members outweigh any potential risks, which are considered limited, provided appropriate safeguards are maintained.&nb...

Tower Inspector Workshop

Following strong interest from across the industry, FICA is pleased to confirm that the inaugural Forestry Tower Inspectors Workshop will be held on Thursday 10 September 2026 at Rydges Wellington Airport, from 9:00am to 3:00pm.The workshop has been developed primarily for forestry tower inspectors and will provide an opportunity to discuss inspection methodologies, certification and regulatory updates, tower modifications, lessons learned from the field, and opportunities to improve consistency...

ACC invoices are coming – what businesses need to know about levy changes

With ACC employer invoicing coming up, businesses need to be aware of changes to how ACC levies are now calculated, following recommendations from the 2024 levy consultation and agreement by Government. This means levy invoices may look different this year.These changes are designed to make levies fairer and easier for businesses to understand. The impact will vary depending on each business and how its levy is paid.Interest now applies to all new plansAll instalment plans now use the same annua...

Lost workdays continue to have an impact on New Zealand business

ACC has released its annual ‘Injuries in New Zealand’ report, providing insights into how New Zealanders are getting injured and the impact those injuries have on people, workplaces and communities.Each year, ACC accepts more than two million injury claims. Behind every one of those claims is a person whose life has been disrupted - often affecting their ability to work, support their whānau and stay connected to everyday life.Injuries continue to have a significant impact on businesses, wo...

Tairawhiti Forestry Action Group Meeting

During a recent trip to Tairāwhiti, I spent a day attending the Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group (TFAG) meeting. FICA holds a seat at this table through a Ministerial appointment. TFAG was originally tasked with assisting in the clean-up of woody debris following severe weather events, but its broader objective is to help de-risk catchments across the region.While much of the downstream clean-up work has now been completed, the focus has shifted to the upper catchments behind forest ...

Growing Pressure from Regulation

During a visit to Tairāwhiti in early August, I met with a number of other contractors. A recurring theme was the ongoing impact of consenting delays and what many perceive as increasingly burdensome compliance requirements from Gisborne District Council.The anecdotal feedback I have been hearing is now supported by data collected through FICA's July 2026 Contractor Financial Health Survey.The survey shows contractors in Tairāwhiti are experiencing significantly greater financial pressure than...

Forestry confirms vocational training partnership with Competenz

New Zealand's forestry sector has confirmed it will align its workplace vocational training with the new Engineering and Manufacturing Private Training Establishment (PTE), operating under Competenz.The decision follows extensive consultation with employers, contractors and training providers, led by the New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) and Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) joint Forestry Training Committee (FTC).The NZFOA and FICA have endorsed the move, saying it prov...

FICA E-newsletter - July 2026

In this update: Message from CEO Rowan Struthers Market Update Back to my roots - Kawerau and Taupo Excursion Upcoming Events FICA AGM Women in Forestry Nelson End of Year Rolling Retro Roadshow Cambridge FICA Return to Regional Awards with Crew of the YearProductivity Workshops Productivity Workshop at HarvestTech + Wood Transport Logistics Forestry Tower Inspectors Workshop Proposed Shape the Future of Silvi Business Management Vocati...

Competenz Micro Training

Building forestry skills doesn't have to mean time away from the mahi.Competenz forestry micro-credentials are short, practical, and designed to fit around the job, not stop it.Five programmes on offer:Chainsaw Use in a Non-Forestry Production EnvironmentChainsaw Use in Forestry ProductionForestry Operations – Health, Safety and EnvironmentForestry Operations – Plant Plantation TreesForestry Operations – Log ScalingEach one is NZQA-approved and earns nationally recognised credits — and a...

Connecting in Canterbury

When I got a call from CWCWC (Canterbury West Coast Wood Council) Chair Glen Moir, inviting me to present at the CWCWC members’ event, I didn’t need much convincing.I had looked at the National Exotic Forest Description (NEFD) for the region, so I was aware that wood supply had peaked and is now contracting quite rapidly. For contractors, that means less certainty of work, more competition for what is available, and real challenges maintaining crews and utilisation.At the same time, that red...

FICA E-newsletter - June 2026

In this update: Message from CEO Rowan Struthers Industry Snapshot: Market and Operating Environment Connecting in Canterbury Upcoming EventsFICA Election and AGM - 12 August, online  Women in Forestry - 26-27 August, Nelson Retro Roadshow End of Year Event - 19-21 November, Cambridge Member Support and Advocacy Contractor Financial Health Check - 46 responses so far Improving Production Workshop Wrap Up N3 Savings Report Training:...

Logger Mag - June 2026

Want to listen to our FICA Logger Mag updates instead of reading them? Here's how:1. Update your settings (phones / tablets) or install this free audio reader extension (desktop / laptop):a. iPhone: To use the built-in text-to-speech feature on your iPhone, go to:Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content and enable "Speak Selection" or "Speak Screen" to have the iPhone read selected text or the entire screen aloud, respectively.b. Samsung: To activate and customize the text-to-sp...

FICA E-newsletter - May 2026

In this update: Message from CEO Rowan Struthers Visiting the back-blocks of Whangarei - Peter Davies-Colley, The Tree PeopleWhangarei Fry Up Contractor BreakfastSkipps Logging Achieves Canopy Class Certification with Safetree Contractor Financial Health Check Let's Have a Say on Innovation Research Update your info with FICA 10th Worker Certification for Logger Mark Brown One News Coverage - What did Rowan Say? FGR Roundup of Tech Reports Q1 2026 N3 ...