Photo: RNZ/Carol Stiles
Forestry technician Kees Weytmans has walked up a lot of very steep hills in lonely places.
These days he audits measurements of forests when they are being sold to ensure the volume of timber standing has been calculated correctly.
Typically a two percent sample of a forest is taken from a set circle on a map by people who traipse in and describe every tree in the prescribed area in minute detail.
"What is the diameter of the tree, what is the height of the tree, how many trees are there, what are the defects within that tree, is it forked, has it got a broken top. We estimate the size of the branches," Kees says.
That information is then anaylsed with software that will make an accurate prediction of the grades of logs that will come out of the other 98 percent of the forest.
He says forestry consultants can then make arrangements with buyers.
"They can make long-term contracts with sawmillers; ships can be booked because the trees in that forest will be sold before they are being cut."
Kees says he's not scrambling up steep sides in forests as often these days and prefers to leave production work to the 'young fellas'.
"I can do it one day a fortnight..and I like that job a lot better.. and that keeps my legs occupied and not too tired."
