http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.fica.org.nz en-us Sat, 03 Oct 2026 06:09:39 +1300 Rocketspark http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170738/fica-e-newsletter--september-2026/ What has FICA delivered this month? WOMEN IN FORESTRY – BUILDING STRONGER CONNECTIONSFICA supported the Women in Forestry event in Nelson, bringing people together from Northland, Tairāwhiti, Central North Island, Canterbury and Nelson/Tasman.The event created an opportunity to connect, share ideas and see firsthand how forest owners and contractors are working together following the Tasman windthrow events.Stronger networks across the people supporting forestry businesses help improve capabi... Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:58:17 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170738 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170538/looking-after-the-people-behind-the-business/ One of the more unexpected findings from FICA's 2026 Financial Health Survey was the level of interest in wellbeing and mental health support. 40% of respondents said they would be interested in wellbeing initiatives, while a further 27% said they might be interested. Combined, that means more than two-thirds of respondents are open to some form of support.At first glance, this result may seem surprising. In previous FICA member surveys, mental health and wellbeing have generally ranked below ot... Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:31:04 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170538 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170537/productivity-through-partnership-industry-comes-together-to-focus-on-performance/ More than 50 forestry industry participants gathered in Nelson recently for the latest Productivity Workshop delivered through the collaboration between FICA and the University of Canterbury. With an even mix of approximately 50% contractors and 50% forest managers, the workshop provided a valuable opportunity to explore how the forestry sector can improve productivity, profitability and long-term sustainability.The strong turnout reflected the importance of productivity as a key issue for the i... Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:26:12 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170537 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170491/looking-at-things-from-a-new-angle/ Women in Forestry from Northland, Tairawhiti, Central North Island, Canterbury and Nelson/Tasman came together in Nelson 26-28 August, to connect, learn and see firsthand how forest owners and contractors are innovatively working together following Tasman windblow events.    In July 2025, a severe storm knocked down about 5,800 hectares of trees in the Tasman region, then a second storm in October 2025 saw another 1,681 hectares fall.As with all windthrow events, from an economic ... Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:33:18 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170491 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170489/supporting-investment-in-forestrys-future/ FICA will be supporting several funding applications in the 2027 Forest Growers Levy Trust round that align with key priorities identified by contractors and the wider forestry sector.Working alongside FOA and industry partners, FICA's focus is on initiatives that improve productivity, workforce capability, training outcomes and operational efficiency.Key projects include:Ongoing funding for the University of Canterbury Harvesting Benchmarking Report, providing the industry with valuable data on... Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:23:45 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170489 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170471/contractor-voice-in-tairawhiti/ Forestry contractors have been actively engaged in recent Government initiatives aimed at addressing forestry consenting, compliance and land use issues in Tairāwhiti, ensuring the practical realities faced by contractors are part of the discussion. Representatives from FICA and local contractors recently met with the Independent Assurance Review Panel chaired by Hon Chris Finlayson KC, as well as with Doug Leeder, who has been appointed by Government to facilitate discussions across the sector... Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:49:28 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170471 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170468/fica-and-foa-joint-board-meeting/ FICA and the FOA Executive met on 9 September for a positive and constructive joint Board meeting, providing an opportunity to discuss key issues facing New Zealand's forestry sector.A major focus of the meeting was FICA's presentation of the Contractor Financial Health Survey, which gave FOA representatives valuable insight into the financial challenges and opportunities facing forestry contracting businesses. The discussion reinforced the importance of a sustainable and profitable contractor s... Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:44:31 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170468 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170467/successful-tower-inspectors-workshop/ A Tower Inspectors Workshop brought together virtually all active tower inspectors, along with representatives from CBIP, WorkSafe, ThinkSafe and Safetree. Hosted by FICA in Wellington it aimed to improve safety, make the tower certification process easier and more efficient for forestry contractors.FICA’s role is to bring inspectors, contractors and industry stakeholders together. The focus is on making the process more efficient, reducing uncertainty and ensuring certification... Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:35:17 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170467 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/170466/market-update--september-2026/ September has brought a mixed picture for the forestry sector, with seasonal weather disruptions affecting harvest activity in some regions while export log markets continue to show signs of resilience. Log prices remain remarkably stable, although elevated freight costs and ongoing uncertainty around the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) continue to influence sentiment across the industry.Export Market Showing Signs of ImprovementChina remains New Zealand's dominant export log market and there are... Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:30:32 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post170466 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/post/168824/forestry-sector-backs-independent-facilitator-for-tairawhiti/ The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA), Eastland Wood Council (EWC), Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) and Ngāti Porou Forests have jointly backed the Government’s decision to appoint Doug Leeder as an independent facilitator to support land transition and long-term forestry management in Tairāwhiti.NZFOA Chief Executive Dr Elizabeth Heeg says the appointment provides an opportunity to make progress on difficult questions around land use, woody debris and forestry-rel... Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:43:10 +1200 http://www.fica.org.nz/blog/#post168824