Where Learning Meets Opportunity: Mid-Year Updates from WIDE Trust Scholars
As we reach the halfway point of 2026, our WIDE Trust scholarship recipients continue to demonstrate the passion, determination and curiosity that will help shape the future of New Zealand's forestry and wood products industries.
From internships and international sporting opportunities to research projects, industry events and hands-on fieldwork, Semester One has been filled with learning both inside and outside the classroom. Here's what some of our scholars have been up to.
Noa Visser: Balancing Academic Excellence and International Competition
Bachelor of Finance student Noa Visser has enjoyed another outstanding semester, maintaining A-range grades while broadening his studies through elective papers in Law and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
His passion for the forestry sector has also led to securing a summer internship with Indufor in Auckland, providing valuable industry experience in an area he hopes to build his career in. Away from university, Noa continues to pursue rowing at an elite level and has earned selection in the Otago men's eight, which will compete in China later this year.
"The financial support from the WIDE Trust allows me to continue performing at my best while pursuing all of my interests."
James Garrill: Research, Design and Harvest Planning
Final-year Forestry student James Garrill has continued to build practical skills across forest harvest planning, wood products processing and management through a strong Semester One.
Highlights included designing innovative engineered wood products as part of a team competition, developing harvest plans for real forest sites and completing field trips that connected classroom learning with industry practice. Alongside his coursework, James has
been progressing his dissertation investigating the impacts of breeding radiata pine for solid wood traits on pulp fibre characteristics.
Alfred Duval: Returning to Study Through Innovation
After returning to university ten years into his professional career, Alfred Duval has embraced the challenge of completing his MBA while balancing full-time work and family life.
His studies have focused on innovation, leadership and problem solving, including interviewing pioneering New Zealand businesses, researching engineered timber in mid-rise construction and exploring opportunities for greater use of locally produced wood products. Through these projects, Alfred has connected with industry leaders while developing practical research and leadership skills.
Ethan Steele: Building Skills Through Fieldwork and Industry Experience
Second-year Forestry Science student Ethan Steele has completed a diverse semester covering forest engineering, biology, soils and geospatial science.
Field trips to St Arnaud, the Port Hills and Cass provided practical experience in harvesting, forest monitoring and rural firefighting, while GIS projects strengthened his technical mapping skills. Outside university, Ethan has continued his internship with Tasman Pine, gaining hands-on experience in quality control, silviculture, firefighting, spraying operations and forest management.
These experiences are helping Ethan build a strong foundation for a future career in operational forestry.
Lucy Cartledge: Learning Beyond the Lecture Theatre
Lucy Cartledge has enjoyed her transition into 200-level Forestry Science papers, maintaining excellent academic results while making the most of opportunities beyond the classroom.
Highlights included field trips to St Arnaud, Cass and Nelson Pine Industries, where she gained firsthand insight into harvesting operations and wood processing. Lucy has also represented Discover Forestry at the Christchurch Careers Expo, attended the Wāhine in Forestry Conference and Future Foresters events, and continued GIS work for Aratu Forests following her summer internship.
George Woodman: Embracing Challenges and Practical Learning
George Woodman has found Semester One both rewarding and challenging as he progressed through his Forestry Science studies.
Field trips to St Arnaud, Nelson and the Port Hills gave him valuable insight into harvesting operations, rural firefighting and wood processing, bringing many classroom concepts to life. While geospatial science and forest engineering presented new technical challenges, George was proud to overcome them and finish the semester with a strong sense of achievement and an even greater enthusiasm for the industry.
"I'm proud of my efforts and am still enjoying and loving this course. Thank you very much for making this possible through your generosity."
Supporting Tomorrow's Forestry Leaders
These stories demonstrate exactly why the WIDE Trust exists. By supporting students throughout their education, we're helping develop the next generation of leaders, innovators and professionals who will contribute to New Zealand's forestry, wood processing and related industries.
Congratulations to all of our scholarship recipients on an outstanding first semester. We look forward to following your continued success throughout the rest of 2026.
Interested in applying for a WIDE Trust scholarship? Visit our Scholarships page to learn more about the opportunities available and how we can help support your educational journey.