Business South November 2021

| 57 Sustainably harvested NZ beech in demand Forever Beech is prized by customers for its sustainability story and quality. FORESTRY Seymour Forestry T Kim Newth W est Coast forester Jon Dronfield cares deeply about the beech forest environment he operates in and is committed to safeguarding its future. His sustainability focus infuses every aspect of his small scale beech timber operation, Seymour Forestry. Operating in strict accordance with NZ for- estry legislation, Seymour Forestry follows an MPI approved sustainable harvesting process. Jon is very careful about only taking a small volume of red and silver beech from privately owned forestry land in the Buller area and doing so in a way that closely mimics natural processes. Helicopters are used to lift out cut logs, thereby ensuring the forest floor and soils are left undisturbed. “I’ve been doing this for 25 years and am very passionate about the quality and stand- ards of what we do. New Zealand has some of the highest sustainability criteria for this type of forestry operation in the world. Our meth- od of extraction is a very considered process – it is a science and an art.” From tree to finished product, there is full traceability; timber extracted by Seymour For- estry can be traced back to the forest location it came from. The hardwood timber selected for cutting ticks all the boxes on performance and sustainability and is naturally very dura- ble. The timber is milled and kiln dried in Reefton before being transported to Christchurch as rough sawn boards. There it is further processed and sold exclusively through healthbasedbuilding.com under the Forever Beech brand. Health Based Building is a champion in the healthy and sustainable building supplies market and was formed in a joint venture with long time Christchurch timber and joinery suppliers Hardie & Thomson in 2012. Forever Beech is prized by customers for its sustainability story and quality and is sought after for cladding, decking, flooring, furniture, landscaping, panelling, profiles, structural quality laminated beams, windows and doors, and veneer. Seymour Forestry is a small company by design, employing a team of five. “I do most of the forestry end – tree selec- tion, felling and logging – as that is my area of expertise and then our staff at the sawmill cut up the timber. While there is strong demand for beech products, labour, specialist skills and risk are working to limit growth and ensure the company remains a niche provider.” In sharp contrast to Jon’s sustainable beech forest operation, much of the imported hard- wood timber and furniture that has flooded New Zealand markets in recent years would not have been produced in the same careful way. He thinks about all the carbon miles associated with bringing it here and quietly shakes his head. “We are focussed on supplying the per- centage of the market that understands what we’re doing and are prepared to pay a premi- um for that. “We’re using our natural resources in a care- ful manner and, of course, the benefit that flows from a venture like this is that it creates local employment in regional towns.” One silver lining arising from global supply chain disruptions of late is that the timber coming out of Jon’s mill is now on a much more competitive footing. “We’re in a good position because of that although it’s the first time in many years that we’ve had an advan- tage.” As Jon observes, the West Coast is a challenging place to operate because of distance and logistics, but it is blessed with an abundance of natural resources. “To put it in perspective, our entire indigenous forestry industry operates on one third of one per cent of the national indigenous estate, under some very stringent regulations. If you drove past the forest areas where we operate you would not see a trace of any forestry work at all.” Your business is our business Proud to be associated with Seymour Forestry Delivering Business Advisory and Accountancy Services to West Coast Businesses and Individuals. P: 03 768 7186 | www.marshallandheaphy.co.nz AG WORK SPRAYING FIRE FIGHTING HELI-LOGGING HEAVY LIFTING SPECIALIST CREW UH-1 (HUEY) HUGHES 500 Darren Davison Chief Pilot Owner 027 243 6141 Sustainable Timber New Zealand’s inest sustainably harvested red and silver beech to enrich your environment for generations. World leading MPI approved sustainable harvesting process that ensures protection of the natural forest state. Make your space a healthy place. O U R C O M M O N F U T U R E www.healthbasedbuilding.com