Farming couple's green legacy

Neil Cullen has had a lifelong interest in planting trees. Photo by Gregor Richardson.

Neil and Pam Cullen have left a lasting legacy on their Glenomaru Valley farm.

The South Otago couple's passion for trees was recognised when they were awarded the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association's Husqvarna South Island farm forester of the year award.

The attractive 648ha property, with its extensive plantings and native bird life, has been owned by their family since 1968. They returned to take over the farm in 1993, having previously farmed at Lovells Flat.

At that stage, there were about 45ha of trees, mainly pines, already established and they have kept planting each year since then, building up to about 110ha of forestry. This year, a major project was planned, planting about 40ha.

The couple are fortunate to also have about 130ha of native forest - about 90ha is protected under QEII covenant - and there is also 500ha of Department of Conservation reserve land adjoining the property.

They were progressively fencing off the Glenomaru Stream, which flowed through the farm, and doing riparian plantings.

The farm has a varied topography, ranging from the fertile valley bottom to poorer soils on the steep hills, which did not grow much grass.

Mr and Mrs Cullen, who farm sheep and beef, chose to plant trees on the poorer-producing areas and concentrate on improving the better areas.

Until recently, they had not reduced stock numbers, but the large area being planted this year would mean they now would.

Mr Cullen has always been keen on trees, planting different sorts of trees and watching them grow. He likened it to landscaping on a "huge scale", saying the appearance of a farm could be changed after 20 years and "not many people get the chance to do that".

Even if the property was sold, they could return and see the lasting impression they had made on the landscape.

Mr Cullen has had a long involvement with the South Otago branch of the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association and is a member of the association's national executive.

In April next year, the South Otago branch will host the association's national conference and he is involved with organising the three-day event. More than 200 people are expected to attend.

Since a peak in the early 1990s, when forestry "boomed", membership had decreased nationally and was now about 2000 members. The South Otago branch had always been strong and one of the largest branches in the country.

Like a lot of rural organisations, age had "crept up" among members and it would be good to see some younger people get involved, he said.

Winning the South Island farm forester of the year award was a "great honour" as there were a lot of very good farm foresters, Mr Cullen said.

In 2006, the couple won the Transpower Landcare Trust Grants Programme innovation in sustainable farm forestry award.

The economics of forestry had picked up in the past 12 months after "very depressed" plantings in the past few years, and the outlook was looking good for timber, Mr Cullen said.

Plantings should pick up in the next couple of years as people saw the future looking bright for forestry.

Total forestry export earnings for the year to June 30 were projected at $4.3 billion, with earnings for the June 2012 year forecast to rise to $4.7 billion, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's recent annual report on the state of New Zealand's primary sectors.

The Cullens had not harvested large amounts yet - although some trees Mr Cullen's parents planted had been harvested and the area replanted - but there were some 32-year-old trees due to be harvested in the next couple of years.

Until now, the stock had been paying for the trees but the trees had "come into their own" and, from now on, they would be reaping the rewards.

Most farms in South Otago could probably plant 5% or 10% of the farm without reducing stocking numbers, depending on the farm, and it was a "win-win" situation when planting on unproductive areas, he said.