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HARVESTING & MARKETING
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ABOUT
HARVESTING & MARKETING
FORESTRY MANAGEMENT
FAQS
CONTACT

FAQs

Health & Safety

What experience does Wood Marketing Services have in managing Health & Safety?

Wood Marketing Services has strong, proven experience in managing Health & Safety across all aspects of forest management.

Our Health & Safety system ensures we engage competent contractors, identify risks early, and closely monitor work on the ground.
All contractors are assessed to ensure they have the right skills, machinery, and capability for the job.
Silviculture, Logging, Roading, and Transport contractors are provided with clear work plans and site-specific risks and controls.
Operations are actively monitored through regular site visits and the use of app-based software.
Logging and silviculture crews, equipment, and safety performance are audited, with results reported to landowners.
Any issues identified during audits or visits are followed up.
All PCBUs, contractors, landowners, and WMS consult, coordinate, and cooperate throughout the work.

Environment

Why is environmental preservation important to WMS?
Preserving the environment is of the greatest importance to WMS, and our forestry management plays a large role in this.
Forests provide important natural advantages to biodiversity and are a key carbon sink asset.
The rotational nature of forestry protects the ongoing productivity of the land, and the management we provide ensures the forestry environment will be maintained or enhanced to the highest sustainability throughout the forest cycle, from establishment to harvest.
Strong environmental results are achieved through trained and competent management and supervisors.
We ensure we are aware of and actively manage any positive or negative effects from each forest on a day-to-day basis.
Environmental performance is supported through on-the-ground management and auditing of our operations.
Operations are carried out in accordance with National Environmental Standards Plantation Forestry regulations and NZ FOA guidelines and standards for Plantation Forestry in New Zealand.
WMS maintains regular contact with Regional Councils and industry working groups to stay updated on changes and best practices within the wider industry.

How to get the best return for your Forest or Woodlot

What is the ideal age of trees for harvesting?
Tree age is a key factor, typically around 25–30 years, depending on growth rates and the tending regime.
Harvest planning involves determining the best logging method and roading plan to effectively extract and access the forest or woodlot.
Inventory involves plotting within the forest to determine yield by log grade per hectare, based on stocking and tree characteristics. These results can then be modelled to forecast expected financial returns and growth based on the inventory.
Being harvest ready means having the forest or woodlot positioned to harvest when log markets or seasonal factors are favourable. This includes selecting a harvest manager and logging crew, completing harvest planning, obtaining consents in advance, and ensuring roading access is ready prior to harvesting where possible.
Other considerations may include Resource Consenting, Corridor Access Requests, Close Approach Powerline permits, Historic Places approval, or Traffic Management Plans. These regulatory measures are established and organised to ensure the forest harvest is fully compliant.
Stumpage is the net return to the forest owner at the stump. It is the gross revenue generated from log sales, less all operational costs associated with logging, roading and skids, log cartage, management, machine transport, and disbursements such as consents, weighbridges, port costs, and levies. It is usually expressed as a dollar-per-ton figure.
Harvesting costs depend on terrain, tree size, whether harvesting is carried out using cable or ground-based machinery, and any environmental or operational restrictions that affect productivity. Log transport costs relate directly to distance from the export port or local sawmill, while roading costs are influenced by soil type, hydrology, terrain, and the availability and cost of local metal supply.