2023 SWC Forestry Awards

Friday 19 May 2023 saw yet again another outstanding turnout by local forestry companies and contractors from throughout the lower South Island of New Zealand. The function was the 2023 Southern Wood Council Forestry Awards run in conjunction with the country’s industry training organisation, Competenz/Te Pūkenga run at the Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin.

In addition to profiling the contribution forestry and those working within the industry make to the economic and social well-being of the region, the night was really designed to celebrate the success of those that had achieved formal training qualifications over the year. Through a series of this year, ten major awards, the event also recognised the forest industry’s top performers from across the lower South Island.

Around 350 forest managers, forestry contractors, wood processing and transport operators and product and service suppliers to the industry attended the awards evening at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.

As well as nine well established annual awards that have been celebrated for nine years, this year marked the first time that an Outstanding Forest Industry Contribution Award was set up to celebrate an individual who has made a significant lifetime contribution to the forest or wood products sector within the Otago, Southland or South Canterbury regions.

Over 200 National Training Certificates had been achieved in Forestry & Wood Processing across the region in the last 12 months were awarded to top local contractors and forestry and wood processing employees on the night. Fifteen harvesting apprentices that have been involved in the Mike Hurring Logging Training School were also recognised at the awards ceremony.