The 2019 Southern Wood Council Awards programme was held on Friday, 24 May 2019, at the Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin. This event was run in conjunction with Competenz.

Once again, we saw an outstanding turnout, with well over 300 forest managers, forestry contractors, transport operators and product and service suppliers from throughout the lower South Island of New Zealand. These Awards are the most widely attended and supported forestry event in the region.

The message on the value of the awards evening has certainly found it’s mark with many companies bringing through all of their staff and workers, from Invercargill through to Timaru. One local contractor, for example, brought through close to 40 of their workers to celebrate their achievements in picking up training qualifications over the year as well as rewarding the harvesting crews for their efforts over the year.

Presenters and speakers at the 2019 awards evening included Jamie MacKay, Host of NZ’s New Zealand’s flagship rural radio show, The Country and the awards guest speaker Davey Hughes, founder of the well-known NZ outdoor clothing brand, SWAZI. As well as being a businessman, Davey is a mad-keen hunter, conservationist, adventurer and was able to relate well to his audience and entertain all on the night with just a few of his life stories.

Around 160 National Training Certificates that had been achieved in Forestry & Wood Processing were awarded to top local contractors and forestry and wood processing employees. Eight harvesting apprentices that have been involved in the Balclutha training school were also recognised at the awards ceremony. All are anticipated to finish the course in October, with another course anticipated to start in August.