The NZIF Foundation announced education and research awards totalling NZ$41,000. “For this year’s allocation of funds, we were excited to have more awards, receive more applications and announce a record level for distributions,” said Dr Andrew McEwen, the Foundation’s chair. Source: Timberbiz
“In 2012, the first year of the Foundation’s operation, we had four awards and NZ$6500 to distribute. For 2018 we had 10 award categories.
“What is especially pleasing is the applicants come from a wide range of institutions and forestry interests, with research projects in plantation forest management, harvesting and trade, social issues, indigenous forests and urban forests.”
The awards were announced at the New Zealand Institute of Forestry Conference dinner in Nelson recently.
Trevor Best, a PhD student at the University of Canterbury School of Forestry received a NZ$10,000 Future Forest Scholarship for his research on the way machine operators in the logging industry deal with stress within their work-life with an emphasis on the implications for their health and safety.
Leo Mercer, a PhD student in environmental studies at Victoria University of Wellington received a NZ$10,000 Future Forest Scholarship for his research examining the role native forest restoration, in association with carbon farming, can play in the development of Māori land on the East Coast of the North Island.
Mat Curry, a Forestry Science student at Canterbury University received the NZ$5000 NZ Redwood Company Scholarship.
Logan Robertson, a Forestry Science student at Canterbury University received the $5000 Invercargill City Forests award, which is available to assist residents of Invercargill City in studies, research or travel in an area benefiting forestry.
The Jon Dey Memorial Award assists research projects in the areas of work study or new technology aimed at improving forest engineering and harvest productivity.
An amount of NZ$3500 was awarded to Cameron Leslie, for his Master’s project on the productivity of winch-assisted machines.
The Otago/Southland Award of $3000 went to Rhys Blacka University of Canterbury student for his analysis of the availability of bulk vessels for log exports, using data from South Port and Port Otago.
The Frank Hutchinson Postgraduate Scholarship of NZ$1000 went to Yannina Whiteleyat Canterbury, the University Undergraduate Scholarship of NZ$1000 was awarded to Phoebe Milne, a first-year forestry student at Canterbury and the Mary Sutherland Scholarship of NZ$1000 was awarded to Georgia Paulson, who is in her second year of the Level 6 Diploma in Forest Management at Toi-Ohomai, in Rotorua.
Three forestry students from Canterbury University received prizes in the student poster competition at the NZIF Conference. Ben Reriti received first prize of NZ$800, Millan Visser second prize of NZ$500 and Lauchie Westonthird prize of NZ$200.
“We were delighted with the number and quality of applications,” said Dr McEwen. “We congratulate the recipients of the awards and thank all applicants and encourage them to persist with their research and education and to make a career associated with New Zealand’s forests, which have a vital role to play in this country’s environment, economy and society.”
