Douglas Fir is an invasive species in New Zealand. First introduced into New Zealand for the timber industry, Douglas Fir grows almost 20 times faster in New Zealand than in the US. Consequently, they have overtaken the land to the point that native plants are prevented from growing.

We are harvesting young Douglas Fir trees to help battle the negative environmental impact on New Zealand’s native plants and trees. By harvesting the trees when they are young—5 to 7 years old—it prevents the trees from getting to an age where they produce cones, which would exacerbate the problem further. Additionally, we work closely with the New Zealand government to collect and utilise the biomass (needles), which would otherwise be left on the side of the mountains or burnt following a commercial forest harvest for timber.