TWENTY Fiji Pine Ltd’s silviculture staff recently attended a two-day training session on silvicultural establishment, thinning and pruning of pine plantations, with a specific focus on Pinus Caribaea (Caribbean pine) plantations in Fiji.
“Pre-commercial thinning is a labour-intensive and high-cost operation. Its application is usually confined to naturally reseeded areas, where there are too many stems per acre to allow good early growth,” Fiji Pine said in a statement.
“Thinning is done by cutting, chopping, and slashing, an exercise that requires intense planning and where necessary station heads have had to revise plans to accommodate the thinning, pruning, and slashing activities within its operational schedules.”
The two-day training sessions, conducted at Nabou pine station in Nadroga, provided a platform for the trainees to gain “a deeper understanding of the scientific and operational aspect of silviculture”, the company stated.
“The training was a significant step towards enhancing the professional development and expertise of the Fiji Pine staff, as well as contributing to the overall growth and success of the company.”
The sessions were facilitated by Graham Wilkinson, an Australian forestry consultant and “will significantly contribute to the professional development and capacity-building of the Fiji Pine staff.”
