This third event, in June 2018, follows on from very successful "public industry tours" in 2015 and in 2016 to a variety of Chinese provinces, cities, wood processing facilities and ports.

For 2018, we have chosen two very topical locations to visit over a one week period:
- To Manzhouli, the site of massive new primary and secondary add value wood processing plants, which have been built right on the border with Russia to take advantage the very large and growing volumes of Russian logs and lumber (sawn timber) which must be unloaded at the border (as rail gauges are different).
- The rapidly growing western Chinese cities of Chongqing and Chengdu, with their commensurate growth in wood processing operations. Chongqing municipality is already a very large city area in Western terms (with a population of 28 million), but the Chinese government has plans to link together five large cities in the region into several fast train commuter- linked "suburbs", to create a mega-city of 60 million.
- Most of the tour will be focused on wood and wood business in these three cities, but we are also offering an optional pre-tour visit to the Great Wall of China (near Beijing), the day before the tour starts; and a short but highly fascinating visit to the world famous Chengdu Panda Breeding Reserve at the end of the industry tour, before we fly back to Beijing where the tour ends.

It gives us great pleasure to be able to bring to you the 2018 DANA NZ Forest - Wood Products Conference & Field Trip in and around the Taupo Region in early October. This follows on from several previous DANA NZ conferences, including a very successful (and over subscribed) pre-conference field trip in Rotorua last year.

Sunday 30 September - Optional Pre-event Boat Adventure: Join us and cruise Lake Taupo on one of Chris Jolly Outdoors charter boats for trout fishing, claybird shooting and a buffet dinner. This is a great way to enjoy some of what the Taupo region have to offer, and to network - on a "lazy" Sunday afternoon.

Monday 01 October and Tuesday 02 October (AM) - Conference: We have expanded this out to 1 days this year. Given the change in government and a serious re-focus on forestry and the forest processing sector, we thought it timely to provide a theme for this years event: Does the NZ Industry Have to be World Class to Compete in the World? We already have almost 95% of the 18 speaking slots filled, and so the programme is able to show these, even as we launch the website.

With previous conference organisation experience, we have been able to further refine our programme to attract a wide ranging audience - from selected important political figures, to forestry and wood processing presentations, and including specially interesting panel slot, where we have persuaded wine, kiwifruit and avocado industry leaders to share their views on what it takes to be or become "World Class". We also have presentations by leaders in non- direct forest sector positons (e.g. a geothermal power company and a port) which are so important to our sector.

DANA is very pleased to offer delegates a comprehensive 1 1/2 day, information filled conference on the Australian forest industry sector in Launceston, Australias oldest city and a major gateway to Tasmania, in October. This will be the 7th event that DANA has held in Australia, and it is fitting that it is being held in Tasmania, a state that is quickly regaining its former importance in the Australian forestry and wood products sectors.

The conference programme features 18 international and domestic specialists from Tasmania and the mainland, with presentations on several topics of interest to all Australians, and our popular New Funds - New Projects Panel will round out proceedings.

Following the conference, we have organised a 1 1/2 day field trip which will include visits to plantations, softwood and hardwood sawmills, and log and wood chip export ports. Seats will be limited so we encourage you to register your participation now.

12 to 13 November: Optional Teak & Eucalyptus plantations and MDF mill field trip at Villahermosa.
14 to 15 November: Conference at Crown Paradise Club, Cancun, Mexico.
16 November: Optional visit to the archaeological site of Tulum, snorkel with turtles in Akumal and Swing in one of the Maya cenotes or Optional Golf Day at Riveria Maya Golf Club.

It gives us great pleasure to be able to bring to you the 2nd DANA Central America and Andes Forest Sector Investment Conference and Field Trip in November 2018. This will follow on from our very successful event held in Panama in 2016.