“Care For Your Forest: Manage the Risk”
There are many physical and legal risks facing forest owners today, however most are manageable. TIMBERLANDS's Forest Risk Team has significant depth of experience in key risk areas associated with fire, environment, health & safety, access and security as demonstrated by the examples below:
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Fire
- Manage and operate five fire depots including a fleet of six fire appliances with dedicated staff and contractors specialising in fire management and suppression.
- Active constituent member of Pumicelands Rural Fire Authority (Central North Island region).
- Well trained workforce and experience with large-scale controlled burns.
Environment
- Manage Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for over 180,000 ha of forest.
(View TIMBERLANDS FSC certificate)
Health & Safety
- Attained tertiary level accreditation to the ACC Workplace Management Programme (WSMP) demonstrating a high level of compliance with health & safety regulations.
(click to view ACC website)
Security
- Provides security protection and access management for over 180,000 ha, over 200 forest entry points and several thousand truck and other vehicle movements per year.
- Management of the world renowned Whakarewarewa Forest, which has in excess of 300,000 recreational visitors per year, 100kms of mountain bike tracks, 60kms of walking tracks and 50 organised events per year.
Who’s Looking After Your Risks?
TIMBERLANDS 's Forest Risk Team has the capacity and experience to provide peace of mind to forest owners through best practice and legal compliance. Legal compliance is a major component of risk management and together with the examples outlined above, TIMBERLANDS has the expertise to manage the risks of your asset using a systems-based approach combined with practical field-based applications. We apply this expertise to comply with the following legislation:
- Health & Safety in Employment Act
- Resource Management Act (including Regional and District Plans)
- Hazardous Substance & New Organisms Act
- Forest & Rural Fires Act
- Trespass Act
- Historic Places Act
- Climate Change Response Act 2002 (NZ Emission Trading Scheme)
Health & Safety
Fire Protection
TIMBERLANDS has the expertise to protect forest assets from fire through thorough preparation and training of staff and contractors. TIMBERLANDS minimises the outbreak of fire through stringent security, awareness and communication of fire dangers. This is primarily achieved under the Pumicelands Rural Fire Plan, which details levels of fire readiness dependent on fire hazard. Of particular note is the experience of many TIMBERLANDS' staff who have participated in national and international fire response (i.e.: Victoria fires). Incidents have been small to date, but there are periods of high fire danger so the fire risk precautions and preparations are managed appropriately. TIMBERLANDS has experience in managing a forest estate-wide radio network, critical for distribution, emergency (fire) response and security.
Environmental
TIMBERLANDS can add value to your forest through its Forest Stewardship Council certification. We can manage your forest to meet FSC environmental standards and provide advice on the merits of obtaining certification. FSC certification demonstrates that logs come from a well managed forest in accordance with FSC Principles and Criteria. Logs carrying FSC certification obtain access in to the many environmentally discerning markets worldwide.
TIMBERLANDS works to a comprehensive and electronic-based Environmental Management System (EMS). This includes a process to identify and manage high risk sites and a set of operationally targeted Best Environmental Practices for suppliers.
Of current relevance is TIMBERLANDS's knowledge of the Treaty of Waitangi and its implications on forest ownership (including Crown Forest Licence obligations) and also on climate change (Kyoto Protocol and NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)), where TIMBERLANDS participates in forums that tackle these issues.
Security
TIMBERLANDS's forest security operations are focused on asset protection through access control and infield patrolling. These are primarily achieved through issuing of permits, controlling access points and undertaking security checks to ensure road safety, secure log distribution, accurate log docketing and ensure that forest users comply with access conditions. Where required the trespass and eviction of unlawful activity is undertaken.