New Zealand Dryland Forests Innovation Field Trip
Sustainable durable eucalypt forestry is feasible for many North Island regions and Marlborough, Nelson and North Canterbury. This field day is targeted to forest growers and farmers interested in the potential for durable hardwood forestry as a productive land use in areas where more intense summer droughts are likely to become more frequent.
New Zealand Dryland Forests Innovation (NZDFI) has a vision for New Zealand to develop a future hardwood supply chain by strategically establishing a multi-regional durable eucalypt forest resource of 60,000 ha by 2050. One of the regions identified with excellent potential is Hawke's Bay.
Significant research investment has been made in Hawke's Bay with 10 NZDFI trials established across the region from 2011 to 2021. This region therefore, offers an excellent location for a national field day to be held on Wednesday 17th February 2026.
The day will include a visit to two properties that host NZDFI trials. Also to hear from some of NZDFI’s science team who have been working to evaluate:
- the potential value of a new durable hardwood industry in New Zealand
- growth rates and biomass yields produced by durable eucalypt species in New Zealand
- options for utilising naturally durable hardwood for vineyard posts and poles and other products
- alternative potential markets, including bioenergy, for biomass residues
- practical aspects of growing, harvesting, processing and utilising durable eucalypts
- growing durable eucalypts under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
This field day will be open to growers interested in the potential for durable hardwoods and those people and organisations that have supported NZDFI to learn about what has been achieved.
We have the generous support of local NZFFA Hawke's Bay members and of several sponsors for this national field day to promote the emerging hardwood forestry sector. The workshop will be by registration only.
The programme and registration form to be released in August.