TIMBER HARVESTING

Description:

Selective logging is the practice of removing trees on a sustainable yield basis that results in New Zealand native trees being available indefinitely.  By selecting trees capable of providing maximum returns and by removing them with care and consideration for the physical environment, private landowners can generate value far into the future. 

Advantages of heli harvesting:

With heli harvesting methods, the environmental impact on the surrounding forest is minimised.  The use of a helicopter enables 'true' selective harvesting where only those trees suitable for extraction are taken.

The most obvious advantage of heli harvesting is that there is no need to bulldoze logging roads/tracks into remote areas.  This saves not only on construction costs, but more importantly, it substantially reduces the impact on the environment.  Scars caused by the construction of logging roads are obvious for all to see and they demean New Zealand's international image as one of the greenest and most environmentally-secure lands on Earth.

Heli harvesting protects young regenerating trees that will develop value as time goes on.  If crushed by bulldozers, this resource would never have any economic value. 

Our role in timber extraction:

Heli Harvest Ltd is the most experienced helicopter-based timber extraction operator in New Zealand.  We provide timber extraction and leave little physical evidence that logging has occurred.  Heli Harvest Ltd keenly supports the concept of sustainable yield native timber extraction in New Zealand.

Helicopter Logging - West Coast, South Island, New Zealand
We were contracted to supply helicopter logging services to Timberlands West Coast Ltd from 1993 to 2002.

Over the period we gained valuable on-the-job aerial timber harvesting experience.

One of our strengths is in the research and development of our own durable and high-quality helicopter logging equipment (grapples, longlines etc).

Helicopter Logging - Makira Island, Solomon Islands
We supplied helicopter logging services in the Solomon Islands from 1996 to 1998.

We are able to position our helicopters around the South Pacific under their own power.

This image shows a Heli Harvest designed-and-built grapple with a 5-tonne log in flight.