| 65 FORESTRY NZIF: Saathof Forestry Services For All Your Aerial Requirements Certified Air Operators · Thistle/Brushweed Spraying · Solid/Liquid/Bulk/Fertiliser · Fine Particle Application · Specialist Agricultural Applicators with DGPS · Fire Fighting/Fire lighting · Frost protection · General Charter & Scenic Flights · Fishing & Hunting Excursions General inquiries 0800 435 442 Bruce Allen 021 808 849 Jim Guerin 021 673 426 For more information www.helicoptershawkesbay.co.nz info@helihb.co.nz Helicopters Hawkes Bay is proud to support Saathof Forestry Services Ltd GPFS offer you the expertise and resources that you require tomake your goals and aspirations for your land, achievable. www.GPFS.co.nz | info@GPFS.co.nz | +64 06 835 8521 GPFS are proud to support Saathof Forestry Services Tē tōia, tē haumatia Nothing can be achieved without a plan, workforce and a way of doing things Animal Pest Control , Plant Pest Control, Establishment, Earthworks, Fencing, Agrichemical Handling, Silviculture, Rural Fire, Estate Management, Assessment & Training Services. Make no mistake, Kevin and Belinda Humphreys — the e ervescent directors of General & Protection Forestry Services Ltd (GPFS) — are unquestionably passionate about the growth of forestry, and take pride in delivering quality operational services and safe practices. That passion is just as much about bringing people into the industry who are quali ied, safe and e ective operators, through targeted training programmes. The journey started in 1997 as a father and son duo providing services to land and forestry owners, which included pest control, rural ire, silviculture and utilities. Kevin has now amassed 25 years’ worth of skillset and experience. “To uphold the quality in our operations, it was imperative to continuously upskill our contractors and to maintain e ectiveness while our team worked, preparing them onsite, which led to Kevin becoming a Competenz Assessor,” says Belinda. With one of the largest training scopes in New Zealand, Kevin is now one of Hawkes Bay’s most respected forestry leaders, mentors and assessors. Ten years ago, Kevin and Belinda made the decision to establish Napier based GPFS, utilising a contractor workforce to carry out an extensive range of forestry and agricultural services. As the business has evolved it has matured into a forestry specialist company. By sourcing a network of GPFS - Passionate about forestry skilled forestry contractors, GPFS supports and builds its own people to be their own boss. “We empower our contractors through upskilling and health and safety practices and management plans.” Operating as far a ield as Central Hawke’s Bay, Wairoa, Gisborne, and Taupo, GPFS’s diverse client range includes Saathof Forestry Services — now one of GPFS’s major clients — HBRC, QEII, PF Olsen, Pan Pac Forest Products, private woodlots and farmers. GPFS has been part of Saathof’s journey from the beginning and enjoys the relationship it has developed with the company’s owner, Ed and now his son David Saathof. Complementing their services, industry training plays a large part of the business’s activities, providing training to about 25 di erent forestry companies and their sta . Last year Belinda established Ground Up Forestry Training and Development, which provides a two-year apprenticeship where apprentices learn the skills and techniques of the industry. “I have just started my second crew of apprentices, and gain the support of Kevin in training, mentoring and assessment. We develop positive mindsets, build work ethic and competent foresters.” Tē tōia, tē haumatia — Nothing can be achieved without a plan, workforce and a way of doing things. educating them about what that entails, the potential returns and opportunities if Saathof Forestry Services plants and manages a forest investment on their property. “We don’t do any carbon only planting, though. That’s about sustainability of the industry and also good land usage. First and foremost, we’re about quality wood products. Carbon is the icing on the cake. We encourage our clients to grow good trees that will be harvested. Sustainability is also about our operations — doing them correctly and that includes having set-backs from streams and a light footprint on the land.” A passionate advocate for the industry, Dave says forestry has tended to operate in the back-blocks and few people outside of the industry really understand the diversity of work done by foresters, or that it is New Zealand’s third largest export earner. “In my opinion, until recently, we haven’t really sold ourselves. There’s now more marketing around career opportunities and what people like myself are doing. Yesterday I was filmed in a forestry careers ad — if I wasn’t passionate about forestry, I wouldn’t put my hand up to do that. I have also had the opportunity to speak to schools, promoting forestry as a career. There are a lot of exciting opportunities for people who want to get into it — it’s not just planting a tree and cutting it down.” Now in its fifth year of operation, Saathof Forestry Services continues to go from strength to strength. Dave says that has much to do with father and son’s complementary skill sets, and a mutual respect for each other, but says it is also about being local. “People see that as a partnering and longterm relationship. I’m going to be seeing our clients and their families for the rest of my life, so you have to do the business right to keep that good reputation and respect. If you can do that, you just keep on growing.” Saathof Forestry Services operates throughout Hawke’s Bay from Wairoa right down to Southern Hawke’s Bay.
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