‘Design sprint’ aid for slash, debris issues

Scion distributed and circular manufacturing portfolio leader Marc Gaugler. Picture supplied

Money to help fund local solutions to the region’s slash and woody debris problems could be available  by next year, forestry research body Scion says.

Potential funding streams have been identified after about 20 forestry industry stakeholders and community representatives were interviewed by Scion Research team members in a Callaghan Innovation design sprint event in Gisborne in August.

A design sprint is a structured, intensive five-day process Callaghan Innovation uses to quickly generate and test a prototype solution.

“By bringing together a diverse group, from iwi to industry experts, we condensed a process that might have taken months into a transformative five-day sprint,” said Callaghan Innovation facilitator Sarah Brittain.

“Our approach wasn’t just about accelerating the process. It was about fostering diverse perspectives and tailoring solutions to the distinct challenges and opportunities faced by the people of Tairāwhiti,” she said.

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Fellow facilitator Jonathan Miller said the design sprint was exhilarating to facilitate.

“The group we had in the room was grappling with what is obviously a demanding problem, but it was exciting to see creative ideas from different perspectives collide, and emerge to create what I think is an exciting pathway forward.”

Speaking to The Gisborne Herald yesterday, Scion’s Marc Gaugler said from the five-day event, it was decided a two-pronged approach was needed.

He is the  portfolio leader for distributed and circular manufacturing.

One prong was focussed on getting solutions in play on the ground soon, he said.

“This is under the working title of S Challenge. The concept is to get something on the ground that makes a difference.

“That could be around land use and stewardship of the land, transport and slash collection.”

Mr Gaugler said he hoped the S Challenge would be in place by the middle of next year.

“We’ve identified funding streams. So, if people want to trial something or pilot an innovation they can get the support they need.

“It’s critical that people get excited again about what the opportunities are. Yes, there are a lot of issues but there are also a lot of opportunities both locally and regionally.”

The second was a longer-term and community-led approach on alleviating the issues around what the long-term forest industry around Gisborne might look like.

“We have defined what we think needs to happen with the community and validated it with a bunch of people as part of the design sprint.

“Now it is on us to go out there and find some money to support this. Callaghan Innovation and Scion are working closely together on this.

“We have made some progress but we are not there yet.”