Research
HVP has a vision to improve our business through new technology and innovation. Our research programs are central to our mission to manage the plantation estate in a safe and sustainable way to optimise the return for our investors whilst balancing the needs of our employees, customers and local communities. Forest industry research that has been conducted over the last fifty years has resulted in plantations that are now 30% more productive than the original pine plantations.
This is from the combined effect from site preparation research, weed management, soils and nutrition, pest and disease management and tree selection and improvement.
There are 435 active trial sites across HVP’s estate. Our current research program focuses on tree selection and improvement, including climate change effects, the effective management and treatment for pest and diseases, improving plant establishment, survival and growth, including reducing chemical use for weed and disease management, and research into harvesting and wood quality.
Biological control of pests
Pests and diseases pose a significant risk to the ongoing sustainability of our plantations. In an effort to reduce the use of chemicals HVP are working in partnership to implement effective biological control of two of the key pests of radiata pine. the Sirex wasp and the Pine aphid. Both of these pests reduce the growing capacity of trees, weaken them leaving them prone to other pest and disease outbreaks and can eventually kill the tree.
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