Back in March this year, FICA launched our Membership Profiling Project and asked members to complete a short information update template to help improve the quality of information held in our membership database. Many members have already responded, and we would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to contribute.
To effectively represent and advocate for forest contractors, we need a better understanding of who our members are, where they operate, the services they provide, and the scale and structure of their businesses. This information helps FICA deliver more targeted communications, stronger industry advocacy, better regional engagement, and more meaningful industry analysis on behalf of members.
While good progress has been made, there is still information to collect and validate. To help complete the project, FICA has engaged Jackson Ashby, a third-year Bachelor of Forestry Science student from the University of Canterbury, on a fixed-term contract.
Jackson comes from a forestry background. His father, Harry Ashby, is a well-known forester, and his grandfather worked as a logger in the Auckland region, primarily in Woodhill Forest. Jackson is looking forward to learning more about New Zealand's contracting sector and meeting our members.
Starting next week and over the following month, Jackson will be contacting members by phone to update and verify information for the Membership Profiling Project.
The information being collected includes details such as:
Business contact information and key contacts
The regions in which you operate
The type of contracting services you provide (harvesting, silviculture, engineering, cartage, or others)
Harvesting systems used, including winch-assist systems where applicable
The number of crews you operate
Employee numbers and workforce profile
The forest owners and managers you work with
Other information that helps FICA better understand the contractor sector
The benefits of this project flow directly back to members. Accurate membership data enables FICA to advocate more effectively on industry issues, provide stronger evidence when engaging with government and industry stakeholders, communicate more efficiently with specific contractor groups, and better understand trends occurring across the sector.
We understand that some members may have questions about privacy and confidentiality. Jackson has signed a confidentiality agreement with FICA, and all information collected will be stored securely within the FICA database. Individual information will remain confidential and will not be shared externally. Any reporting or analysis produced from the project will be aggregated so individual businesses cannot be identified without their permission.
We would appreciate your support when Jackson gets in touch. Most calls will only take a few minutes, but the information you provide will make a significant difference to FICA's ability to represent your interests and deliver value back to members.
Thank you in advance for your assistance and ongoing support of FICA.
