Rotorua is winning with wood

More than 20 forestry-related events will centre on the Rotorua district during the Winning with Wood Festival, cementing the region's position as the forestry capital of New Zealand.
Destination Rotorua Economic Development general manager Grant Kilby said Forest Industries 2011, as part of the Winning with Wood Festival, would clearly mark Rotorua's position as the forestry capital of New Zealand.
''FI2011 will attract a huge number of national and international visitors to Rotorua in the run-up to the World Cup.''
Kilby heads the group organising the PF Olsen Forest Industries Expo on September 5-7, with 14
technical clinics and a day-long conference on innovation in wooden building design and technology.
The expo will also feature a ministerial VIP launch on September 4 and the opening of a new timber building at Waiariki Institute of Technology School of Forestry's Waipa campus, with a new gasification plant to use sawdust and woodchip to generate syngas to fire the school's Windsor
high temperature kilns.
''[There are] 20 events in and around the district to showcase forestry and wood processing. I don't think a project of this size has been attempted in Rotorua before.''
Forestry Industry 2011 has sparked a national campaign to promote New Zealand's timber sector to World Cup visitors and Kilby said this would ensure maximum awareness among international
visitors of what forestry and wood products contributed as major industry for Rotorua and New Zealand.
But organisers are keen to extend the Winning with Wood festival beyond Rotorua and are calling on other regions to create contributing events.
Steering group chairman Lionel Crawley, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Bay of Plenty regional
manager, wants regions to create their own forestry or wood-related events under the festival banner, to be highlighted on the new www.winningwithwood.com website.
''This could be a wood carving competition, an art exhibition or a display of high-end innovative wood products. The opportunities are endless.''
Crawley said it was important to showcase New Zealand's forestry sector to the world while the Rugby World Cup 2011 provided a magnet for international visitors.
''If we can attract them to our industry, they will be left with a much stronger impression of who we are as a country and how we can play on the world stage in business as well as sport.''
The festival already consists of a wide range of events, including the PF Olsen Forest Expo, the BNZ Forest Industry annual conference, the Kawerau Woodfest, the Fitec National Training Awards and an open day at Waiariki Institute of Technology's School of Forestry.
''We all know New Zealand is the heart of the international forestry industry and this massive festival will show the world just why. We're showing our visitors what makes our products special and letting them know there is more to us than rugby. This gives us an ideal platform to forge new bonds with other businesses.''