On November 14th, a group of Kāwhia Kaumatua roopu (elders) from our community set out for a special visit to the TKI forest harvesting operation area. This group meets every Thursday, and this week’s outing was a chance to see firsthand how forest operations work, learn about the machinery, and understand the importance of silviculture practices in tree planting and care.

The day started with a warm welcome at 10 am. As we gathered for the meet-and-greet, safety was the top priority. Everyone received their high-vis gear, including helmets, and a quick safety briefing was delivered. After everyone signed the hazard identification sheet, we were ready to go!

The feedback from the Kaumatua was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed how eye-opening it was to witness the operation in action and to see the different machines at work. It was a rare opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in forest management and timber harvesting.

All in all, it was an informative and enjoyable day, with lots of new insights into how TKI operates, and it was a privilege to share this experience with our Kaumatua group. We’re looking forward to more visits like this and continuing to connect with our community through shared experiences like these.

Vanessa and I [Malcolm Ormsby] had the pleasure of accompanying the group in the van, where we headed to the viewing safe zone. Our guide for the day, Hano Ormsby, shared a wealth of knowledge about the TKI operations. He gave a detailed introduction to the history of the site, the logging operations, and the different machinery that’s used to harvest timber. We learned about everything from the massive logging machines to the finer details of tree planting and pruning, part of the silviculture methods that ensure the forest remains healthy and sustainable.