Highly skilled contractor base with independently audited performance standards.
Selection of harvesting systems from cable harvesting to small ground-based crews to suit any terrain type.
Experienced and cost effective road construction contractors.
Harvest planning and the resulting road and landing design and construction is a very important part of the harvesting process. An incorrectly planned forest and/or badly designed and constructed roads can cost a forest owner significantly and result in a negative impact on the net return and the actual value of a forest.
Harvest plans are verified with an on the ground survey and budgets then formulated. Forest360 benchmark all construction costs and strive to ensure that any forest infrastructure is planned and constructed to a high standard while achieving the lowest possible cost.
Well-planned and well-constructed forest roads are essential to maximizing returns to forest owners.
Forest360 offer a pre-funding option for the construction of harvest infrastructure, such as roading, prior to the commencement of harvesting with no interest costs, to agreed levels.
To ensure the harvested logs get to market in a timely manner, Forest360 has strong relationships with all major road cartage providers in the North Island and rail hubs at Masterton, Woodville and Wanganui servicing Napier, Wellington and New Plymouth.
A significant proportion of the gross returns from any forest harvesting operation is spent on operational costs (harvesting, roading and cartage). The key to providing the best net return possible is minimisation of costs and maximization of log value.
Forest360 is very strong in operational management and all staff have a great deal of experience and ability in terms of cost control and operational planning.
Minimisation of costs is achieved by ensuring the correct machinery is employed which is best suited to the forest, that the forest is planned in such a way so the level and placement of infrastructure is optimized, that it is constructed correctly and that day-to-day management maintains this infrastructure. Poor operational management results in inadequate planning, maintenance and budget over-runs.
Value recovery is a key focus for Forest360 and as such many of our harvesting operations have very little, if any pulp wood production.
Maximisation of value recovery ensures that each tree is cut into the grades and lengths that provide for the best return per tonne possible. This involves ensuring that the harvest contractor has the ability to cut a range of different log grades and lengths that allow the proportion of high value grades to be maximised and the low value grades to be minimised.
We like to keep things simple, starting with a chat to find out your goals and aspirations, and what success looks like to you. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach with us – we appreciate that every investor or landowner has a unique set of business goals and constructs.
When you work with us, you can expect a straightforward and streamlined process:
We live and breathe forest and harvest management. It’s in our DNA.
We’ll come out and meet you on your site and analyse every aspect of your operation to ensure we create a detailed management plan.
Site visit and assessment
A site visit is critical to the planning and success of any project. It is also crucial in identifying any potential risks that may threaten a successful outcome.
A site visit is also an opportunity for the Forest360 team to share our operational knowledge with you, as it applies to your unique development.
The plan is the roadmap that identifies your goals and shows how we’ll get there.
Just as every forest operation is different, every plan is unique. The details in the plan will vary depending on your requirements, for example, harvesting and marketing of logs versus a regeneration or other silvicultural operation.
The plan is also a useful document to report against, ensuring there are no surprises along the way.
Our experienced staff can plan and manage your entire operation, providing all the forestry services you’ll ever need to protect your asset. We even have a grower-friendly accounting system to make interpreting the numbers easy.
We currently employ more than 40 harvesting crews throughout the North Island, ranging from small and flexible ground-based crews to large scale mechanised cable hauler crews.
Our customers can be confident they are dealing with the most experienced, committed and qualified forest management team in the country, working together to add value to your investment.
Log marketing and sales options
We’ve built up an enviable network of industry partners around the country to deliver the best net return from the harvest and sale of your assets.
With your objectives in mind, we’ll create a marketing strategy that may include options of managed sales or outright lump sum purchase.
Utilising our networks, you will have access to all major North Island sawmills and the ports of Wellington, Napier, New Plymouth, Marsden Point, Gisborne and Tauranga. Our export sales are managed by the TPT Group, New Zealand’s largest log export company. www.tptforests.com
Risk and threats to harvest analysis
The nature of forestry brings with it specific risks, including fire, wind and crop damage.
As skilled and experienced forest managers, we are well versed in identifying risks and what it takes to mitigate them. Our online and app-based Health and Safety and Environment Systems monitor and manage all stages of growth to harvest, and all locations from site to port. It’s all part of the plan.
When it comes to full forest or log sales, we will work with you to match the most appropriate sales strategy for your forest.
Once the plan is finalised, it’s time for the green light.
Forest360 will manage the entire process, ensuring all regulatory processes are completed, engaging suitable suppliers and organising and maintaining the site, crew and deliverables.
It’s about making sure our systems and processes will deliver what you need and what you expect.
Health and Safety
Health and Safety performance and compliance is probably the single biggest risk facing forest owners, managers and contractors. Historically, the forestry industry has had a poor safety performance and recent legislation has made health and safety management more critical than ever.
Together with Health and Safety industry specialists, we have developed a Health and Safety Management system that is world class, and administered by a full-time manager.
Housed in the cloud to enable quick, easy access and distribution, the management programme includes policies, procedures and documents. Our system is ACC Tertiary accredited and is regularly audited by an independent firm to ensure the system remains complainant, our people remain safe at work and that both our and our clients’ interests are protected.
Direct, Open and Transparent
We take pride in the relationships we build with our customers because they are based on trust.
In all of our operations we operate in a highly transparent way, ensuring you can see the complete picture of where your investment is sitting. Our policy is to consistently monitor and review progress as often as possible. All costs and revenues are fully disclosed and reports are adapted to suit your needs, at a frequency that works for you.
Our aim is to give you a timely and concise picture of your investment’s operation and our clear and direct communication process ensures you are kept informed every step of the way, avoiding any surprises.
We take the ‘plain-English’ approach, making our reporting easy for you to understand and ensuring your expectations are met.
We believe this approach is key to our, and your, success.
Our policy is to review progress as often as possible and with our reporting structure, by the project’s completion, you’ll know exactly where your investment is sitting.
)