| 55 Tasman Pine currently logs just over 500,000 tonnes of predominantly radiata pine per year with about half sold into the domestic market including sister company Nelson Pine Industries Ltd, Carter Holt Harvey, South Pine and Gold Pine. The balance of the cut goes to the export market. “Sumitomo Forestry is the fourth largest housing company in Japan and they’re very interested in further investment in New Zealand for value added log processing and potentially for bio fuel production.” With some plantations now in their third rotation the team at Tasman Pine constantly monitors the health of the pines and their growth to ensure there is an on-going sustainable resource. “The interesting thing is that they’re actually growing better now than when they were first established over eighty years ago. “Our genetics have got better, as have our establishment techniques. The pine trees don’t suffer from weed competition as much as they used to. I think also the soil has developed fungal associations that are favourable to the pines, so there’s more support for a new pine tree in the soil than when they were originally planted.” Focused on sustainable forestry practices, Tasman Pine is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accredited, which is independently audited every 12 months to ensure it is maintaining a sustainable resource and its social license to operate in the community. “The auditors look at how we deal with stakeholder interactions, how we support the community, how we protect the native forest, are our contractors paying their employees a living wage and is our health and safety up to scratch? “We had our five-year audit last year and got through it very well, which was very encouraging.” Tasman Pine’s 36,600-hectare forestry estate stretches from the Whangamoas through to the Takaka Hill and the Marlborough Sounds. Opposite page: Tasman Pine currently logs just over 500,000 tonnes of predominantly radiata pine per year. Tasman Pine FORESTRY www.dcforestryequipment.com 46A Factory Road, Brightwater 03 544 7438 Over 1 million operational hours and zero harm. DC Equipment designs and manufactures a range of mechanised steep slope logging equipment that helps crews reduce health and safety risk, increases the efficiency and productivity and future-proofs your logging operation.
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