Two major issues in the forestry industry at the moment are how to improve safety and how to safely and productively harvest the forests on steeper slopes, which are becoming a higher percentage of the overall harvest. Source: Timberbiz, Scoop Business
ForestTECH 2013 will be addressing both issues and is a first for the New Zealand and Australian forestry industries.
It includes two major forestry events over two days on November 26-27, at one location, the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua.
Registration to the ForestTECH 2013 conference includes entry to the Forest Industry Safety Summit and the Steep Slope Harvesting Conference.
The Forest Industry Safety Summit is being run by the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) in conjunction with the Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) and NZ Forest Owners Association (NZFOA).
It will address industry and Government concerns around forestry safety and showcase new practices, systems and tools that can be used in the forest to improve worker safety – with a focus on local and practical outcomes.
Keynote addresses by leading safety experts from North America will be complemented by presentations from local health and safety managers and consultants.
The Steep Slope Harvesting conference will profile new innovations, equipment, tools and operating practices around steep slope harvesting operations.
In addition to local innovations, steep slope harvesting specialists from the US, Europe, Chile and Australia will be involved in this two-day program.
Programs for both events are on the event website www.foresttech2013.com.
International presenters at ForestTECH 2013 include:
• Reynold Hert, Chairman, BC Forestry Safety Council, Canada
• Enda Keane, CEO, TreeMetrics, Ireland
• Rich Wininger, VP Western & Canadian Timberlands, Weyerhaeuser, USA
• Don Banasky, President, Falltech Logging & Truck Loggers Association, Canada
• Doug Mays, Director of Operations Western Timberlands, Weyerhaeuser, USA
• Rodrigo Palazuelos, Harvesting Manager, Forestal Mininco SA, Chile
• Norbert Schalkx, Area Director, Asia-Pacific, Africa & Baltic countries, Ponsse Oyj, Finland
• Ken MacDonald, Chairman/CEO, Tigercat Industries, Canada
• Richard Lawler, Director, Worldwide Forestry Engineering, John Deere Forestry, USA
• Tony Brown, Remote Sensing Specialist, Forestry Corporation of NSW, Australia.
