Update from one of our members: Aratu Forests

Aratu Forests, one of the largest forestry estates in the Gisborne District, has today provided the following information regarding the beach clean-ups that the company has underway in Tairāwhiti, with the forestry industry standing up machinery and manpower to clean up properties, support their neighbours, and clear woody debris.

Aratu Forests has 54 people working across the region, with the majority at Tolaga Bay. On top of this, over a dozen excavators and other machinery have been dedicated to the clean-up around Tairāwhiti. Clean-ups began on Saturday.

Aratu Forests Chief Executive Neil Woods says crews are working as quickly and as safely as they can to remove the woody debris.

“We are devastated that Cyclone Gabrielle has had such a major impact on the community that we call home. Our thoughts are with our neighbours and our region as the response continues.

“While our focus is very much on the immediate response, over the weekend, crews were also able to also support with community-based work alongside GDC and Civil Defence.”

We do also encourage people to keep some distance from the machinery while crews are working hard to clear the beaches.”
If you need any assistance, please contact Civil Defence while a state of emergency is in place. To contact them, please call 0800 653 800. Please phone 111 if life or property is in danger.

“It is gutting to have had a severe weather event so soon after another when we were still working to clean up the first. But we are committed to getting the job done, and our people have the tools and the skills to do it,” Mr Woods says.