Forestry leader wins international award

Forest Owners Association
Media Release
15 October 2009

Forestry leader wins international award

Forest Owners Association president Peter Berg has been honoured by the Commonwealth Forestry Association.

Mr Berg was presented with the association’s 2009 South East Asia and Pacific Regional Award of Excellence by Minister of Forests David Carter [photos] at the Forest-Wood Conference in Nelson last week.

Reading the award citation, the minister said Mr Berg was an exceptional example of outstanding leadership.

“He has been a champion of forestry as a member, chairman and director of many New Zealand forest industry associations. His efforts have extended to administration, co-ordination, planning and strategy development, with a focus on community, environmental, educational and economic interests.”

Taken by surprise by the award, which was greeted warmly by conference delegates, Mr Berg said there was no greater honour than to be acknowledged by one’s peers.

The citation says Mr Berg, as a professional forester, has specialised in harvesting and marketing, the development of quality systems and plantation forestry certification. He has also been involved in forestry work in Samoa under the NZ bilateral aid programme.

“He has wide experience in the international marketing and trading of forest products … in China, Japan, India, the United States and several Southeast Asian countries.”

As well as his business interests, Mr Berg has a strong personal interest in forest conservation and in the role of indigenous species in plantation forestry. He has also co-authored and published two books two books on NZ forest history. He is an officer of the NZ Order of Merit.

The Commonwealth Forestry Association was formed in 1921 and exists to promote the conservation and sustainable management of the world’s forests and the contribution they make to people’s livelihoods.

Its SE Asia/Pacific region award recognises people who have made an internationally significant contribution to forestry.

ENDS

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