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The Forestry industry workforce remained stable between 2018 and 2021, ranging from 17,100 to 17,550 workers, but fell in 2022.
The proportion of employers and self-employed individuals in the workforce varies significantly between industries. In Forestry the majority of the workforce are employers and self-employed workers, whereas in Logging it is mainly comprised of employees.
Logging has seen a steady fall in the monthly number of employees since mid-2021, which reflects the volatility of this industry driven in part by lower global demand for our logs.
Forestry Worker is the occupation with the highest number of workers within the Forestry industry group, followed by Logging Assistant1. However, as Forestry continues to invest in automated machinery and equipment, it is expected that fewer Forestry Workers, Logging Assistants and Plant Operators will be required in the future.2
Footnotes
2. IBISWorld | Forestry and Logging in New Zealand, July 2024