Business Rural Winter 2021

64 | Record plantings Russell Fredric D unedin-based company Venture Forestry is facing unprecedented demand for its services in the midst of converging national and inter- national economic and market factors. The business was established in 2011 by reg- istered forest consultant Mort Shepherd who, like the four staff he employs, has a great breadth and depth of qualifications and experience in forestry and other industries. Venture Forestry provides quality advice and a comprehensive range of services to owners and managers of forests and woodlots throughout Otago, Southland and the wider South Island of New Zealand. Empowering clients to make the best possible decisions, from plantation planning to harvesting or advice on carbon sequestration and the Emissions Trading Scheme lies at the heart of its services. Venture Forestry commercial manager Anne Bridger says New Zealand log prices are currently the highest for several decades. The peak prices are driven by high demand domestically and internationally along with high levels of infrastructure and construction spend and low log inventory levels. Venture Forestry is seeing record numbers of new plantings under the company’s management. Last year it planted 630,000 seedlings on behalf of clients; this season the number will be close FORESTRY » Venture Forestry Dynes Transport are proud to support Venture Forestry Ltd Dunedin O ce: 24 Donald Street, Kaikoral Valley 03 478 8018 Owain Carter GM Logging Operations Mobile: 027 604 4422 www.dynes.co.nz Profile your farm with Business Rural DO OUR READERS KNOW YOU EXIST ? to 900,000 with the one and half million mark expected to be broken during the 2022 season. A crucial part of planning is ensuring there is sufficient seedling stock available from the nursery up to two years in advance. Some demand for planting is the result of mature trees being harvested, with the great majority of clients replanting, while there is also demand from farmers planting trees in areas that cannot be cultivated or grazed while others are using trees for carbon sequestration. Venture Forestry’s services include collection and maintenance of stand data, forest surveillance and mapping, management and planning, budgeting, and coordinating contractors for pruning, thinning and spraying. When the time comes to harvest, the expertise of forestry consultants is crucial, Anne says. Because of the depth of Venture Forestry’s ex- perience accurate assessments based on detailed plantation plotting can provide good data on the re- covery of various log grades to provide a client with clarity about what they will achieve from a harvest. The scale of forestry under Venture Forestry’s management means it currently has seven harvest- ing crews contracted. With health and safety being crucial in this high risk industry, Venture Forestry is absolutely commit- ted to the safe management, operation and mainte- nance of all plant and the workplace environment. This is both monitored and audited on a frequent and regular basis for every job. Venture Forestry is seeing record numbers of new plantings under the company’s management. Last year it planted 630,000 seedlings on behalf of clients; this season the number will be close to 900,000.