Forestry schools and education

Date: 13 Nov 1998

From: Tongariro Forest oral history project

By: Glennie, Ian Cedric William, 1937-2002

Reference: OHInt-0425/4

Description: Ian Glennie was born in Gisborne in 1937. Mentions his parents Archibald and Mabel Glennie. Recalls moving to Kakahi and then Taumaranui, where he was educated. Describes being an apprentice electrician before becoming interested in native forests and becoming a Junior Forest Labourer. Recalls working with Austin Kirk who had been in the 28 (Maori) Battalion. Describes the process of appraising trees so that every merchantable tree was measured. Mentions the Dominion Timber Company, Taurewa Sawmill, Kopu's Mill and the Tongariro Timber Company. Discusses bush sense and bush skills including food preparation and hunting. Discusses working with assisted immigrants, including `ten pound Poms' and Dutchmen, and their learning of local rules. Describes becoming a forest foreman for the Forest Service. Lists merchantable tree species. Describes his working tools. Comments on the logging of pristine matai on the eastern shore of Lake Taupo. Recalls his job as Appraisal Officer, shifting to Wellington to become Forest Ranger, moving to Reefton and teaching at the training school, the closure of the training school and becoming Officer in Charge at Whareama Tinui, Karioi and Waimahea (Kaingaroa). Comments on urban life and life in Reefton. Mentions his wife Elsie May and their two sons. Comments on the difference between logging native and exotic forest. Describes becoming District Ranger at Turangi, the discussion about Tongariro as a state forest park and the involvement of the Outdoor Pursuits Centre. Discusses forest fires, hunters clearing land for deer and fire fighting techniques. Recalls becoming Principal Forest Ranger at Head Office and then District Ranger at Gisborne. Describes the East Coast Forestry Project to stop erosion, increase diversity and provide employment. Discusses becoming Assistant conservator of operations at Palmerston North and his reaction to the stopping of logging in the Tongariro Forest. Discusses land use arguments, the Forest Service and Lands and Survey. Discusses the privatisation of the New Zealand Forest Service and its effects. Talks about becoming manager of the Hawkes Bay area until its sale to Carter Holt Harvey. Describes working for Landcorp in Rotorua and becoming a lifestyle farmer in Taumaranui. Comments on visiting indigenous forest at Pureora Forest Park. Interviewer(s) - Jonathan Kennett Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 4 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2958. Colour photo of Ian Glennie

Date: 25 Nov 1987

By: Rogers, Thomas Ellis, 1937-2013

Reference: OHColl-0165/01

Description: Pilot project involving a life history interview with employee Mr Tom Rogers who, at the time of recording, was District Manager for Bay of Plenty Timberlands. Tom Rogers was born at Kaeo in 1937. Gives details of his family background including his father's emigration in 1927 and settling in North Auckland where he married and farmed. Describes his job as Maori Land Development Supervisor. Talks about his mother's affiliation with Nga Puhi through her father. Comments on the lack of emphasis on Maori culture in his upbringing. Describes leaving high school and joining the Forest Service. Talks about his traineeship from 1955 to 1958 and the importance of training in the Forest Service. Comments on career structure in the Forest Service. Talks about indigenous production in the Service in the 1950s, the trend towards exotic plantations in the 1960s and his concentration on exotic forest management. Comments on politics in the Forest Service and management and union clashes at Kaingaroa Forest. Mentions Lew Skudder, Bernie Hornfeck and Tom Maunder. Discusses the emphasis on multiple use forestry in training in the Forest Service and the debate within Forestry Corporation about training and safety standards. Mentions two fatalities. Comments on the combination of commercial, environmental and social roles of the Forest Service. Notes that problems being dealt with by corporatisation had been recognised by the Service and comments on its paternalism. Describes events leading up to the disestablishment of the state department, attitudes of employees to the establishment of the new Corporation, personal experiences during the changeover period and implementation of the new policies. Comments on the difficulty of change, problems of reappointment and the effects on people of stress. Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Accompanying material - Transcript of an interview with Gerry Morris 3 September 1987; copy of a proposed Forestry Corporation structure for Kaingaroa Forest. Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHA-011112 to OHA-011115 Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 3.10 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 1750. Photocopies of photos of Tom Roberts in 1987, at Forest Service Rangers' School about 1958, at Forestry Training Centre in 1955 and in a group of foresters.

Date: 9 Dec 1988-21 Feb 1989 - 09 Dec 1988 - 21 Feb 1989

From: NZOHA New Zealand Forestry Corporation Oral History Project, Stage II

By: Kirkland, Andrew, 1935-1997

Reference: OHInt-0159/02

Description: Andrew Kirkland was born in Wellington in 1935. Gives details of his family background and talks about education, religion and music when he was growing up. Describes beginning work in the Forest Service in 1952 and being on an induction course in Rotorua in 1953. Talks about the influence of A.R. Entrican who was Director of Forests from 1939 to 1961. Comments on the role of the state in forestry and refers to Ministers including Duncan McIntyre, Colin Moyle and A.P. Thomson. Gives a brief history of trends in the Forest Service since the 1920s and the multiple use approach to forestry. This included sawmilling, noxious animals, high mountain land forest, recreation and soil and water protection. Describes study undertaken at Berkeley in the 1970s and involvement in the challenge to the Forest Service from the environmental movement, particularly the Native Forests Action Council, Nature Conservation Council and Royal Forest and Bird. Talks about the groups' demand that the Forest Service get out of native forests. Describes the focus on the Whirinaki forest which changed from clear felling to selective logging and became a showpiece for combining environmental awareness and low impact commercial operation. Describes his interest in financial accountability and improving the business side of forestry. Gives a background to the corporatisation of the Forest Service and the announcement of the new Forestry Corporation. Comments on the family nature of the Forest Service and the effects on people of its disbanding. Recalls working with Mervyn Probine of the State Services Commission on recommendations. Talks about the involvement of John Fernyhough and Alan Gibbs in getting the Forest Service ready for corporatisation. Notes the need to oversee transfer of the environmental side to the Department of Conservation and to organise what became the Ministry of Forestry. Describes the challenge by Maori to the government's right to transfer land to a state owned enterprise. Describes working with unions and the decision of many staff to take redundancy. Comments on the trauma of changeover. Describes the government's decision to sell the Forestry Corporation and staff disillusionment. Looks at the challenge to forestry. Venue - Wellington: 1989 Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - Mr Kirkland's home in Wellington Accompanying material - Bound in with the abstact - see abstract record Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001881; OHC-001882; OHC-001883; OHC-001884 Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 4 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 293. Search dates: 1935 - 1989

Date: 8 Dec 1988 - 08 Dec 1988

From: NZOHA New Zealand Forestry Corporation Oral History Project, Stage II

By: Henderson, Anthony William, 1949-

Reference: OHInt-0159/04

Description: Tony Henderson was born in Rakaia in 1949. Describes growing up and being educated in Christchurch. Talks about working for the NZ Forest Service in the holidays, becoming a ranger trainee in the Ashley Forest in 1968 and training at the Forest Ranger school in Rotorua in 1969. Describes supervising gangs in the Balmoral Forest and then returning to Ashley Forest as a ranger between 1971 and 1976. Talks about getting married and living in the forestry village. Describes the different career structures of rangers and foresters. Notes that there were six conservancies and conservators were usually foresters (usually graduates) rather than rangers. Describes being in charge of the Te Kao subdivision of Aupori Forest and becoming familiar with Maori culture. Talks about planting marram and trees. Describes a two year Foreign Affairs secondment, supervising tree planing in Western Samoa, as a positive family experience. Outlines the rest of his career which included being second in command at Gwavas Forest in Hawkes Bay and at Ashley Forest before becoming Officer in Charge at Geraldine Forest at the time of corporatisation. Comments on voluntary severance, redundancy and the effect of corporatisation at the local level. Mentions his position as Forestry and Logging Mananger for the Aorangi District. Venue - Timaru : 1988 Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - Mr Henderson's home at Timaru Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001902; OHC-001903; OHC-001904 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 299. Search dates: 1949 - 1988

Date: 12 Dec 1988 - 12 Dec 1998

From: NZOHA New Zealand Forestry Corporation Oral History Project, Stage II

By: Saunders, Ranulph Hereward, 1946-

Reference: OHInt-0159/06

Description: Ranulph Hereward (Harry) Saunders was born in Whangarei in 1946. Talks about his name derivation and traces his Irish ancestry back to 1243. Describes his mother's family, the Pickmere family, as one of the early Northland pioneering families. Notes that his father built houses on farm settlement blocks. Talks about forestry and politics including the National Party's East Coast planting scheme, being on the board of the new Hawkes Bay forestry company with Duncan McIntyre and forestry planting under lease arrangements with Maori owners. Comments on the large percentage of forestry employees who are Maori. Recalls starting work as a forestry labourer in 1962 and starting a four year cadetship as a Ranger Trainee in 1963. Initial training was at Whakarewarewa and postings included Reefton Ranger School, Waipoua Forest and Forest Research Institute, Rotorua. Gives details of the training programme. Describes conversion of indigenous to exotic forestry. Recalls being posted to Mohaka, where his family was born, and becoming disillusioned with his career and working as a flooring contractor. Describes returning to forestry and working at Golden Downs and then Wharerata where he was Officer-in-Charge. Talks about Ian Glennie. Discusses restructuring. Refers to previous talks of amalgamating Lands and Survey and the Forest Service. Describes his aspirations towards commercial exotic forestry. Refers to the `Green Book', restructuring and his views on how corporatisation was handled. Talks about being appointed Forest Manager, New Zealand Timberlands, Hawkes Bay. Accompanying material - Photo of Harry Saunders in the 1980s; photo of Harry Saunders in 1966; the New Zealand Forest Service Rangers' School 1964 class; photo of Harry Saunders and his brothers and sisters about 1950; Harry Saunders' curriculum vitae Venue - Napier : 1988 Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe Venue - Mr Saunders' home at Napier Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001892; OHC-001893; OHC-001894 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 296. Search dates: 1946 - 1988

Date: 7 Dec 1988 - 07 Dec 1988

From: NZOHA New Zealand Forestry Corporation Oral History Project, Stage II

By: Viles, David Gordon Kenneth, 1949-

Reference: OHInt-0159/08

Description: David Viles was born in Feilding in 1949. Talks about growing up on a small farm and being the second of six children. Notes that his father also did labouring work. Comments on his mother's important role within the family. Talks about living conditions. Describes attending Feilding Agricultural High School and winning a scholarship to go to Forestry School at the University of Canterbury. Recalls lecturers and life at Forestry School. Comments on the rivalry between foresters and rangers and the problem of two separate training programmes streaming into one occupational group. Describes a strong camaraderie among the labour workforce in the Forest Service in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Talks about the forest camps, communal living in single men's huts and the effect of the PEP programme on these camps. Recalls being a forester at Ashley Forest and his work advising on planting, pruning and thinning. Comments on the role of the regional Conservator, the lack of local flexibility in terms of decision-making and the bureaucracy of Head Office. Notes that Andy Kirkland was beginning to make changes, including implementing the amalgamation of foresters and rangers, when corporatisation happened. Explains some of the reasons for corporatisation including the demand from Treasury for greater efficiency and the pressure from environmentalists opposing multiple use of forests. Describes becoming District Forester at Masterton where the emphasis was on recreational use of forests and soil protection of native forests. Talks about shifting to Golden Downs, a large exotic forest, before becoming Principal Forester at Head Office. Mentions Director General Mick O'Neill and Ministers of Forestry including Colin Moyle, Venn Young, Jonathan Elworthy and Koro Wetere. Comments on a plan to amalgamate the Forest Service and the Department of Lands and Survey and the potenital clash between the preservation oriented Lands and Survey and the multiple use-oriented Forest Service. Talks about his current position as South Island Manager of Timberlands. Venue - Christchurch : 1988 Interviewer(s) - Hugo Manson Venue - Mair Astley House, Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-001895; OHC-001896; OHC-001897 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 297. Search dates: 1949 - 1988