48 | FORESTRY Port Blakely Community scrutiny ‘becoming more intense’ from page 46 Community engagement is a strong focus for Port Blakely. TPT ARE PROUD TOWORK ALONGSIDE AND SUPPORT PORT BLAKELY LTD AT TPT, WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON TAKING CARE OF THE SMALLEST DETAILS, WHILE OBSESSIVELY PURSUING THE END GAME. That is, moving quality logs and lumber to more destinations, more efficiently, achieving more value for our clients. For more information visit www.tptforests.com CONTACT MARK: mark@tptforests.com | +64 21 466 349 Bluff | Dunedin | Timaru | Christchurch | Picton Specialising in forestry and bulk port logistics company providing innovative Stevedoring, Marshalling, Warehousing, IT and total supply chain solutions. ‘Sap in the veins’ - page 50 “Again from the environmental perspective, there’s a focus around bio-security. Globally we’re seeing significant impacts from climate change with increased risks to forests from fires, pests and disease.” Port Blakely’s commitment to maintaining a sustainable productive forestry is around increasing its focus on biosecurity issues and having a much better understanding of the threats that are emerging from climate change. Increasingly, communities look at all land use with a critical eye and forestry is one in particular with issues like the environmental devastation that occurred in Tolaga Bay a few years ago, where many lessons were learned. “The scrutiny from communities is becoming more intense, and so it’s important that we engage with them in our operations and that we build genuine partnerships and relationships with those communities. That’s all part of sustainability as well, because without community support and social licence to operate it makes our work significantly more difficult. It takes a very long time to build up social capital and you need to do it in a very genuine way. If you don’t build it up or it’s not genuine, you can lose it very quickly. Communities are smart, and they will be on to you pretty quickly if you are not genuine in your intent.” While Port Blakely has a healthy budget line for contributions and sponsorships to the wider communities in which it operates the real philanthropic culture is about people and engagement. “A lot of our own Timaru based staff play and participate in community sports teams,” says Phil. “Our staff participate in touch rugby, basketball or golf with our contractors. It’s more than just a work relationship. It’s about building deep and meaningful connection and trust. “That also translates to better communication and safety in the forest, something we were recognised for last year with the 2021 Safe & Healthy Work Environment Award from MPI. It’s about working with the broader communities on wetland enhancements and conservation projects. “In Geraldine’s Raincliff Forest we have a really good working relationship with the Timaru District Council and Department of Conservation on a Long Tail bat programme, which is an endangered species.” Recently Port Blakely opened up its Geraldine Forest for a motor bike trail riding fund raising event for Geraldine School. The event was attended by 440 riders who had travelled from all over the South Island and after expenses around $11k was made which will go straight back into projects and programmes for children. Port Blakely has allowed access to the forest for the ride since 2015, and it continues to get bigger each year. “I think that it is a classic example of how Port Blakely interacts with and supports local communities,” says Phil. Maintaining sustainability is so much more than ‘will there be another tree to cut down?’ It’s all about active engagement with the environment, people and communities, and the economics that make it all work.
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