Akuaku Forest
The removal of the wildling pines has opened the village to the sun providing a warmer, and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the community. There has been a financial return to the landowners, the land, now devoid of large pines is available for other land use options.
Challenge
A small remote community on the East Coast needed assistance with 75 hectares of self-sown wildling pine trees.
The trees were large and untended with most of the timber being of low grade and value. The trees grew on multiple land titles with each parcel having multiple owners and aspirations.
The transport route was unreliable and at a marginal economic distance from a secure market.
Solution
Community engagement and commitment was essential.
A local logging crew was deployed. Their reduced staff numbers and low capital cost machinery was offset by the crew having a wide range of skills combined with a make it happen attitude.
A log transport solution was designed to shrink and swell to match the ebb and flow of log production and road access constraints. While a long term / fixed price log sale agreement provided the forest owners and contractors with confidence in the project.
Impact
The removal of the wildling pines has opened the village to the sun providing a warmer, and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the community.
There has been a financial return to the landowners on a pro rata basis with most receiving some return from log sales without the injection of cash into the project.
The land, now devoid of large pines is available for other land use options i.e. housing, farming, reversion to indigenous vegetation or whatever the community aspire it to be.
