Institute Of Forestry Elects Three New Fellows

The New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) elected three new NZIF Fellows at its AGM in Auckland earlier this month. The three are Mr James (Jim) Carle, Rome, Mr Jeremy Christmas, Rotorua and Mr Dennys Guild, Christchurch.

“To be elected as a Fellow of NZIF recognises that the member has achieved eminence in the forestry profession in the eyes of the member’s peers”, said NZIF President, Dr Andrew McEwen. “It is the highest honour available to an Institute member”, he added. Before a member can be nominated for consideration as a Fellow, they must have had at least 15 years’ experience in the practice, administration or teaching of, or research in, some branch of forestry, of which at least five years must have been in New Zealand. The Institute now has 44 Fellows each of whom is entitled to use the initials FNZIF after their name.

Mr Jim Carle has been working with Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in Rome since 2000, the last three years as Leader, Forest Management Team. His responsibilities include planted forests; fire management; forest health; International Poplar Commission; forestry responses to emergencies (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, hurricanes/cyclones, floods); multiple functions of forest management; multi-purpose national forest monitoring and assessment (national forest inventory and socio-economic survey); measuring, reporting and verification for the UN-REDD programme to support country REDD+ readiness; and forest management in a changing climate.

Prior to his appointment to FAO, Mr Carle had ten years with the former New Zealand Forest Service (1970-79) and twenty years as an international consultant/manager in the Asia Pacific region (1980-2000). In all, he has spent 30 years serving forestry in developing countries beyond NZ shores. “His biggest contribution has been to promote plantation forestry worldwide and to highlight its impact on wood supplies and the conservation of native forests. In doing this he has made major contributions to a wide range of international publications and has been responsible for hosting or co-hosting international conferences on subjects such as the International Poplar Commission (Chile, China and Italy), fire management (Italy and Spain), planted forests (Italy), forest health (including adaptation due to climate change) (Italy, Sweden) and ecosystem and landscape-level approaches to sustainability (Spain)”, said Dr McEwen.

Mr Carle is retiring from FAO later this year and will return to New Zealand where he expects to resume his consultancy business.

Mr Jeremy Christmas has worked in the forestry and wood processing sector for 37 years and over this period has become one of New Zealand’s eminent and recognised experts in the fields of advanced timber preservation / wood modification, and vocational training / education. After initially working for the former New Zealand Forest Service and Ministry of Forestry, Mr Christmas worked for Fletcher Challenge, Pinex Timber Products, Koppers-Hickson, Carter Holt Harvey and Osmose Ltd. In 2006 he was appointed Director of the School of Forestry and Primary Industries at Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua.

Mr Christmas completed his Forestry Degree from Canterbury University in 1989 and a Graduate Diploma in Accounting from Victoria University in 1987. He also spent time with the New Zealand Army Territorial Force where he was awarded an Efficiency Decoration and rose to the rank of a Major.

“Jeremy’s election as an NZIF Fellow recognises the excellent work he has undertaken over the last five years to reposition the forestry and wood processing related training and education at Waiariki and particularly that involving both the National Centre of Excellence for the Forest and Wood Industry at the Mokoia Campus and the Timber Industry Training facilities at the institute’s Waipa Campus”, said Dr McEwen. “He has been instrumental in raising both the international and domestic profile of the School of Forestry and Primary Industries at Waiariki as New Zealand’s largest forestry vocational training institute”.

Mr Dennys Guild started his 49-year career with the former New Zealand Forest Service, working in Westland, Canterbury, Northland and Otago/Southland regions between 1962 and 1986. He moved to NZ Forestry Corporation in Southland (1987-90), Pine Plan New Zealand Ltd (1990-97), Wrightson Forestry Services (1997-2005) and more latterly has been an independent forestry consultant trading as Guild Forestry and as a real estate salesperson for PGG Wrightson Real Estate Ltd.

“Dennys is being recognised for his on-going interaction and positive mentoring of younger staff and NZIF members, through which he has been seen as a role model for many of the foresters he has come into contact with and the high standards he has set for foresters involved with a wide range of forest management and planning activities” said Dr McEwen. “In the last decade Dennys has been at the leading edge of promoting multi use forestry in the broadest sense to a wide range of clients whether they be iwi, farmers, District Councils or forestry investors. Dennys, like others of his generation, has been willing to share his knowledge. This explains why his expertise has been sought as a member of the Rural Fire Mediators’ Panel and as Chairman of the School of Forestry Advisory Committee at the University of Canterbury.”

In his 49-year forestry career Mr Guild has served on the NZIF Council (1982-86), had input into NZIF conferences in Kaitaia, Invercargill and Queenstown, is currently chairman for the Canterbury Local Section and on the organising committee of the NZIF conference to be held in Christchurch in June 2012.

“The three members have made important and on-going contributions to forestry and the forestry profession, both in New Zealand and overseas and I welcome their elevation to the status of NZIF Fellow”, concluded Dr McEwen
ENDS

Background to NZIF
NZIF, with a membership of over 840, is the organisation for NZ forestry professionals. Its main objective is to be an independent advocate for forestry, and to provide services and support to members, the profession and the general public. Its members are concerned with the professional management of all forests, plantation and indigenous, protection and commercial. The members can be found in forestry companies, consulting businesses, research institutes, educational facilities, government departments and providers of specialist services. The NZIF operates a scheme that controls the registration and conduct of forestry consultants who provide forestry advice to the public. There are 84 registered NZIF members.

Website: www.nzif.org.nz