As you will be well aware, New Zealand will move to a level 4 Covid-19 response at midnight tonight and all non-essential industries will shut-down for at least a month, including forestry. This move is being taken to contain the spread of the disease and to protect our communities.
I want to acknowledge how difficult this shutdown and the uncertainty it brings will be for people, including its impact on your family, finances and mental wellbeing.
We don’t know exactly how long it will last. But the fact that most forestry operations are in rural regions, away from large population bases, means forestry could well be one of the first industries to start to recover.
Safetree aim to keep you updated – particularly through our Facebook page.
When I’ve been speaking with people, I’ve heard the following business tips to help protect your business during the shut-down, and to support your people:
See more information on government support for businesses on these websites:
In the meantime, below are some ideas to help you look after the wellbeing of your mind and body, plus a forestry-related ‘feel good’ story from Gisborne – ‘cause we could all do with hearing some good news right now.
Kia Kaha
Fiona
More than 30 forestry workers and their families took part in a ‘Jogging for Logging’ relay for a second year. The run helped to shake off some of the stress caused by Covid-19.
The six-hour relay was organised by Safetree Toroawhi Wade Brunt and aimed to promote hauora, wellbeing and mental health. The runners ran in relay from Gisborne to Tolaga Bay.
The last four weeks have been stressful for Gisborne forestry workers as many crews were already affected by partial or full shutdowns due to the effects of Covid-19 on export markets.
So, preparing for the relay was a way for them to come together, train, talk and share what was going on in their lives.
See photos from the event above. Congratulations to everyone who took part.
Safetree has just published 5 information cards on staying mentally and physically well. These cards were originally designed to be used at tailgate meetings and are part of our Tailgate Talking Topics package. But during the shutdown they can also be used to help people stay well and manage stress.
See the full set of cards on the Safetree website.
Here’s a taster of the information they contain, from the Stress card
Life can be stressful, which can add up to us feeling pressured, angry, anxious, and even depressed.
Use a buddy system
Manage your stress
Know how to get support
We are currently working on finding new dates for our conference. We will be in touch about this soon.
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