Scion, New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute focused on forestry and wood products, has developed an interactive 3D virtual reality training tool designed to complement on-the-ground forestry worker training. The prototype places trainees inside a computer-generated radiata pine forest — the species that underpins the vast majority of New Zealand’s commercial forestry industry — and allows them to experience and practise forestry operations in a safe, controlled environment.
The tool was developed as part of the Virtual Thinning project, funded by Forest Growers Research.
What the VR Environment Does
Trainees put on a VR headset and find themselves standing among trees modelled on physiological data — not generic game-engine forests, but representations that reflect the actual growth characteristics of radiata pine at different stages of development. The immersive environment allows trainees to understand tree spacing, crown architecture, and stand structure in three dimensions before they step foot in a real forest.
Thinning — the selective removal of trees to improve the growth of remaining stems — is a skilled and physically demanding task that has historically been difficult to train for outside the forest. Getting it wrong is expensive: poor thinning decisions affect the timber quality and yield of a stand for the next 20 to 30 years. A VR environment that allows trainees to practise the assessment and decision-making process before they pick up a chainsaw has obvious value.
Industry Interest
The prototype has attracted attention from forest owners and training providers who see VR as a way to address one of the sector’s persistent challenges: training workers for high-skill tasks in environments where mistakes are costly and the terrain is often remote and hazardous. The technology could reduce the number of supervised on-site training hours required to reach competency — lowering training costs and accelerating the pipeline of skilled forest workers.
Beyond Forestry
The application of VR to trades and outdoor industry training is growing across multiple sectors. Apprentice electricians are using VR to practise switchboard work. Crane operators are training on virtual simulators. The construction industry has begun using VR for safety induction programmes — putting workers virtually inside accident scenarios to build hazard recognition skills without real-world risk.
Scion’s forestry application adds to this growing body of evidence that VR is not a gimmick in trades training — it’s a genuine complement to hands-on learning that can improve both safety and skill outcomes.