Scion’s Dr Tim Payn, is the first Chair of Sustainable Forestry for the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato regions. This new role is the product of a forestry science and education partnership in the central North Island between Scion and Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology.

The partnership between the two institutes will strengthen Scion’s linkages with tertiary institutions throughout New Zealand and cement Scion’s position as a key player in the Bay of Connections economic development plan.

As part of the role, Tim will be responsible for leading the development of a Centre of Excellence for Forestry for the region and New Zealand as a whole. In addition, he will be facilitating collaborative studentbased research projects between the two institutes, continuing to conduct his internationally recognised research, and contributing to teaching programmes at Toi Ohomai.

Tim says he is very much looking forward to making links between the Toi Ohomai student programmes and Scion’s scientists and technologists.

“This is an exciting opportunity to get some of the really new advances in forestry in front of the next generation of foresters and help future-proof the sector both regionally and nationally.” The role is shared between Scion and Toi Ohomai (formerly the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology). Tim started in the role on 1 August and shares his time between the Toi Ohomai and Scion campuses.

Tim has a background in soil science and has specialised in research on sustainable forest management more recently. He is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and is heavily involved in global efforts to support sustainable forest management. He currently chairs the 12 Country Montreal Process Technical Advisory Committee, which supports policy aimed at defining and measuring sustainable practice. He is also Vice Chair of the Engagement Committee of Future Earth, a global sustainability initiative.