CUTTING EDGE: Te Wanganga o Aotearoa forest harvesting tutor Doug Baty demonstrates the use of a chainsaw for people who might want a job in the sector.PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY
CUTTING EDGE: Te Wanganga o Aotearoa forest harvesting tutor Doug Baty demonstrates the use of a chainsaw for people who might want a job in the sector.PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY
More than 200 people turned out at various sessions of a Chainsaw Demo Day held at Te Wanganga o Aotearoa's Tupoho Complex in Whanganui on Thursday.
The big numbers and positive feedback left forest harvesting tutor Fiona Campbell very pleased.
"It was a great response and we got a lotof people along to watch and into training."
The three sessions brought forest harvesting from the country to the city, with both experienced forestry workers and students of the wananga's forestry skills course showing how to use a chainsaw and other techniques. As a vocational option, forestry is particularly pertinent to this area.
"There is a lot of forestry around Whanganui," Ms Campbell said.
The sessions were open to the general public and free. The wananga runs two foundational forestry harvesting courses a year. They both take 12 students each semester and while the course that starts on March 7 is now full, another starts in June and has places available.
For information on that course email fiona.campbell@twoa.ac.nz or call 027 612 0173.
