Planting in New Zealand

[MattW]

I was wondering if anyone had any information about planting in New Zealand.

Last year I was travelling over there and learned that prices are lower than ours with an average of 13 cents Canadian. This is just information I got from a couple people I met.

Aside from that.. I dont know very much about it, but it sounds similar to Scotland in that crew vehicles are paid for by a group. They were using an old Delica minivan as a crew vehicle.

They have a pretty big logging industry over there as trees only take 25 years to reach maturity due to the very warm weather.

[mwainwright]

i ve heard a few first- hand reports that the planting scene down there is absolute shit. i wish i had more info on that, but thats more than i need to form an opinion.

[newforest]

I almost took a job there several years ago. I had a couch to surf on, and a contractor said he would hire me; experience is good I think. But I couldn't pull the trigger. NZ can require visitors to prove they have > $X,000 in the bank to enter the country, but I couldn't tell how likely that was. Since the planting scene is absolute shit in my country, I had X to spend on a plane ticket only, not in the bank, and I didn't want to roll the dice on being denied entry after buying the plane ticket. Whenever I see a Hobbit movie, I wish I had tried it anyway.

[Gual]

I was wondering if anyone had any information about planting in New Zealand.

Last year I was travelling over there and learned that prices are lower than ours with an average of 13 cents Canadian. This is just information I got from a couple people I met.

Aside from that.. I dont know very much about it, but it sounds similar to Scotland in that crew vehicles are paid for by a group. They were using an old Delica minivan as a crew vehicle.

They have a pretty big logging industry over there as trees only take 25 years to reach maturity due to the very warm weather.

Hey I used my Delica minivan as a crew vehicle right here BC! There are great- the glass roof makes you think that you are on a safari.

New Zealand does have an interesting industry:
They have 1.7 million hectares of working forest (BC has around 27 million hectares)
They harvest 25-30 million cubic meters of timber which will go up to 35-40 million in 10 years
BC harvests around 80 million cubic meters of timber (which will go down to 50-55 million in 5-10 years)
They have 28 year rotation with trees getting up to 60-70 cm in Diameter (BC Interior its 80-120 rotation with trees getting up to 35-45 cm)
Their weather is warmer but they get a lot of rain as well. Think of them as a Coastal BC growing environment but on crack.

The problem with NZ is that it is 95% Private land with a lot of different owners so you don't have the same continuity that you find in BC with massive government and industry contracts. I imagine this makes it hard to grow a sustainable and profitable planting contractor that can cultivate a stable and well paid workforce- too bad.

[Scooter]

I received the following message via email this week:

I run an overseas experience company based out of New Zealand. Traditionally we bring kiwi’s to Canada to work in the outdoors but this year for the first time we are running the program in reverse, taking Canadians and providing them with a working holiday opportunity in New Zealand.

Reason I’m reaching out is that our new WORK NZ CANADA program is based around work that is very similar in nature to tree planting. We’re looking to put together a crew of 6 Canadians for our first season to travel to NZ and work a “wilding pine” season in the central south island. The short version is that NZ has a environmental problem with several species of introduced conifers that are threatening our biodiversity and landscapes so we spend large amounts of time and money trying to eradicate them from the landscape.

We have partnered with the top contractor in New Zealand and have put together a package that includes all the training and tickets required in New Zealand to operate a chainsaw in a work place, health and safety training, NZ work place first aid etc. We help out with work visas, accommodation, airport transfers etc to make life as simple as possible. Because its our first season we are running the program at cost to get it off the ground so it’s a great opportunity for the right people. There is a fee attached to the program but those selected would more than pay off their investment once they start work in New Zealand.

Those who apply should be hard working, fit, capable of long days on the hill and be real team players. The season runs from mid October to early April during the summer months in New Zealand, so it makes for a great “winter” activity for a Canadian. Work would be based around some of the best hiking, fishing, hunting, mountain biking and general outdoor recreation NZ has to offer, a great way to work, get paid and experience NZ.

Would really like to get this opportunity in front of as many tree planters as possible as I think it would be a great fit for them - would it be possible to reach out via your tree planters Canada group?

The website is now live - www.worknz.ca

You can contact me directly if you have any questions - 604 652 1001

Kind Regards,

Matthew Gibson

I would suggest that if anyone is interested, start by contacting Matt at ultimateoemail@gmail.com with your initial questions (incidentally, the age range for works visas for Canadians who want to work in NZ is 18-35 (slightly older than some other Commonwealth countries). You could then follow up if you want to make serious inquiries by calling his number above.

It would be great if anyone who does this program this year could post some reviews after the work is done ...

[Mike]

I eventually want to do an Australia/NZ run, but after I get my trades ticket. Probably in 5 years, at 34, a last hurrah before I become ancient and decrepit.

[Scooter]

"I was holding on to both the hillside and my sanity."

[TripleS]

I guess they are unaware of better equipment and technique down there. Looks like a back injury waiting to happen.

[_I3^RELATIVISM]

would be interesting to see a canadian crew down there, I wonder why seasons overlap given their winter is our summer.