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Metsä Group will construct a demo plant for lignin refining in connection with its Äänekoski bioproduct mill. The equipment will be supplied by technology group ANDRITZ. Construction will begin in Summer 2024, and the demo plant will be completed in late 2025. The plant’s daily capacity will be two tonnes of the lignin product. Source: Timberbiz Lignin is a substance in wood that binds wood fibres together. In pulp production, lignin is separated from the fibres into black liquor in the chemical cycle and used as bioenergy. Lignin could also be used in chemical and material applications. Metsä Group and ANDRITZ will focus on developing the production process of the new lignin product and its integration with the bioproduct mill, as well as the product properties suitable for various end uses. The demo plant project also involves Dow, a leading material science company, which will develop high-performance bio-dispersant plasticizers for concrete and gypsum applications, based on the lignin product produced at the plant. “Our goal is to efficiently use the side streams of pulp production and ensure they produce the greatest possible added value. We want to develop new products made from renewable natural resources that can replace fossil-based raw materials and products,” says Ismo Nousiainen, CEO of Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group. ANDRITZ has been developing lignin recovery and modification technology concepts as part of its initiative to enable pulp mills to convert side streams into value-added products. Kari Tuominen, CEO & President of ANDRITZ Oy, states: “We are thrilled to be able to test this technology in continuous process conditions at the Äänekoski bioproduct mill. In addition to validating markets for the new lignin product, the demo scale gives us valuable insights for integrating the LigniOx process into a bioproduct mill and scaling it up for industrial use.” “At Dow, we are committed to collaborating with stakeholders to innovate and bring more sustainable solutions to the market,” says Raquel Fortes, Global Business Director of Dow Construction Chemicals. “This new technology would further expand Dow’s bio-based product offerings to meet the future needs of the building and construction industry.” In a pilot-scale EU project coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Metsä Group, ANDRITZ and Dow have already demonstrated the suitability of modified lignin as a replacement for fossil-based chemicals in concrete production. The Äänekoski mill area is Metsä Group’s largest, housing a paperboard, veneer and bioproduct mill. Äänekoski is also home to Metsä Group’s demo plants for the Kuura textile fibre and Muoto fibre product.

A team of researchers has unveiled a novel approach to accurately characterizing tree height composition in forests using the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology. Sources: The Journal of Remote Sensing, Phys Org This study marks a significant advancement in our understanding of forest ecosystems, shedding light on the intricacies of tree height variability and their implications for ecological studies and climate change mitigation efforts. Tree height composition, a vital ecological attribute, plays a significant role in influencing forest ecosystems, impacting biodiversity, carbon storage, and energy fluxes. Limitations have historically hindered the challenge of accurately mapping this structural diversity in scale and detail. However, the advent of recent advancements in remote sensing technologies, particularly the introduction of the spaceborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology known as the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), has opened new pathways for detailed canopy height mapping. Tree height composition, a vital ecological attribute, plays a significant role in influencing forest ecosystems, impacting biodiversity, carbon storage, and energy fluxes. Limitations have historically hindered the challenge of accurately mapping this structural diversity in scale and detail. However, the advent of recent advancements in remote sensing technologies, particularly the introduction of the spaceborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology known as the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), has opened new pathways for detailed canopy height mapping. This method allowed for the accurate mapping of tree heights and canopy structures across a spectrum of forest conditions, showcasing the tool’s ability to capture the nuanced details of forest structures, from the towering trees to the dense underbrush. A key innovation of the study was the development of Tree generation based on Asymmetric Generalized Gaussian (TAG) method, which markedly improved the modeling of forest scenes by precisely replicating the physical characteristics of trees within diverse ecosystems. The simulation results confirmed that GEDI waveforms are capable of reflecting complex variations within forest stands, including the differences in tree heights and canopy layer density. This revelation holds profound implications for our understanding of forest structure, providing a fresh perspective on forest biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem processes with a level of detail previously beyond reach. Dr. Yao Zhang, the lead author of the study, emphasized the critical nature of understanding tree height composition in efforts to preserve biodiversity and tackle climate change. “The precision offered by GEDI LiDAR technology,” Dr. Zhang stated, “[it] heralds new possibilities for ecological research and forest management, unveiling the vertical complexity of forests in a manner that was once impossible.” The implications of this research are vast, touching upon ecosystem research, land surface modelling, and climate change studies. By offering a more accurate estimate of aboveground biomass and carbon storage, the findings promise to deepen our understanding of the crucial role forests play in the global carbon cycle, guiding strategies for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.

Seaman Paper, a global manufacturer of environmentally sustainable specialty paper and packaging solutions, has announced the launch of SeaStretch, a patented lightweight paper-based alternative to single-use plastic stretch film used to wrap and contain shipping and storage loads. Source: Timberbiz Amidst growing concerns about plastic pollution and pending legislation aiming to curb single-use plastics, such as SB 54 in California, which mandates all single-use packaging must be recyclable or compostable by 2032, SeaStretch emerges as a timely and innovative solution. SeaStretch is a fully recyclable, FSC certified, crepe paper solution that is compatible with existing hand-wrapping, semi-automated, and automated pallet wrapping machines. SeaStretch is incredibly lightweight (42 gsm) and incredibly durable, stretchable, and highly resistant to tearing, making it the ideal packaging solution for pallet wrapping. “SeaStretch is a game-changer for the packaging industry, as it offers a viable and cost-effective way to reduce plastic waste while ensuring product safety and security,” said Ken Winterhalter, CEO of Seaman Paper. “We are proud to introduce this innovative and environmentally friendly product to the market, as part of our commitment to creating paper-based, sustainable solutions while further living our motto, ‘People, Paper, Packaging, for a Sustainable World.’” SeaStretch is available in natural kraft and white colors, and in various roll size sand weights to suit different applications and requirements.

In the heart of Devonport, New Zealand, two friends, Nicky Robinson and Kate Moffat, found themselves shivering on the sidelines of their kids’ football games, their feet cold and wet in the muddy terrain. It was amidst these chilly moments that the seed of an idea took root, sprouting into what would become a transformative venture in the realm of sustainable fashion. Source: Timberbiz Marlo, the brainchild of Nicky and Kate, is a brand that epitomises innovation, responsible production, and environmental consciousness within the New Zealand fashion industry. Together, Nicky and Kate have brought to life a gumboot that not only offers protection from the elements but also champions responsible sourcing amidst an industry often marred by supply chains riddled with environmental degradation and social injustice. While the production of natural rubber provides an income for millions of people in developing countries, it can also have negative impacts on forests, communities, and workers when it is not managed responsibly. In some cases, the expansion of rubber production can be a driver of deforestation and forest degradation, including areas of high conservation value. Marlo CEO and co-founder Nicky pointed out another concern, “Most gumboots are made out of various synthetic and petroleum-based materials that make them non-biodegradable, hard to recycle, and highly toxic to the environment as they break down.” In their quest for a more sustainable solution, Nicky and Kate turned to FSC-certified rubber plantations in Sri Lanka. Here, they discovered a pathway that could ensure a supply chain with integrity and verifiable responsible practices. By sourcing rubber from FSC-certified forests, Marlo not only addresses issues like deforestation and biodiversity loss but also uplifts local communities and supports FSC’s rigorous standards of social responsibility. “We aimed to set a new standard with Marlo, acknowledging our customers’ growing concerns regarding the environmental and social impacts of their purchases,” shared Kate Moffat, co-founder of Marlo. “The rubber used in our boots is locally and sustainably sourced from FSC-certified rubber plantations in Sri Lanka, and our manufacturing partner recycles the rubber sheet offcuts, producing jandals, rubber soles, and other rubber footwear to minimize wastage,” added Kate. By ensuring that the rubber in their boots is FSC certified, Marlo provides customers with the assurance that their purchase doesn’t contribute to illegal logging, habitat loss, and poor working conditions. In April, Marlo elevated its dedication to sustainable forestry by becoming a signatory of FSC’s Fashion Forever Green Pact, making it the first New Zealand fashion label to join. Marlo’s FSC-certified gumboots exemplify their efforts to raise industry awareness and combat issues like deforestation and human rights abuses within natural rubber production. By ensuring their supply chain adheres to FSC’s rigorous standards, Marlo confirms that the natural rubber used in their boots is responsibly sourced, safeguarding biodiversity, supporting local communities, and upholding workers’ rights.

Scientists Sarah Addison, Dr Steve Wakelin and Simeon Smaill are among authors who have written an invitation only review article in the scientific journal Trends in Plant Science (TIPS). This journal is highly respected, with articles prioritising and setting the direction of future research in plant sciences globally. Source: Timberbiz Their research paper, titled ‘Partner or perish: Tree microbiomes and climate change’, was led by Ms Addison at Scion. The paper is a collaborative publication between researchers from Scion, Wright State University (Ohio) and the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University where Ms Addison is undertaking a PhD. “With an invitation only review article, your work must sit at the forefront of scientific knowledge in the discipline,” Ms Addison said. “TIPS requires you to pitch your idea for a review article as well as your scientific CV. All of these factors are taken on board even before you submit an article for consideration via peer review. “We were ecstatic to get the invitation to submit an article and even more elated when we got the email to say our work would be published. It demonstrates we are at the leading edge of our work in plant-microbiome-environmental interactions.” Their research paper reviewed the current landscape of the complex relationships between plants, their microbiomes and the environmental changes happening with climate change. With the long lifecycle of trees, they might not evolve at a pace that matches the rapid environmental changes that climate change brings. But, like humans and our microbiomes, trees have also evolved with microbiomes. These tree-microbiome relationships have developed over millions of years and have endured through previous cycles of environmental change. It’s hoped these relationships will shed light on how trees can survive in a rapidly changing future. “Climate change has happened before, however the rate of change we are experiencing is unprecedented in recent history,” Ms Addison said. “As trees live for a long time and can’t easily migrate, the plants established today could be stranded in an unsuitable climate. We need new tools to support trees facing change in the future.” Microbiome associations that have been successful in helping trees in the past may be a new tool for establishing resilient, future-proof forests. “It’s about relationships. Ensuring the right relationship between the tree, the microbiome, the soil and the climate.” After reviewing the existing literature surrounding trees and their microbiomes, they identified key gaps that need further research. One of these gaps centres around more research exploring the tree and microbiome as a single entity, or a ‘holobiont’. “We need to shift our perspective from ‘trees and their microbiomes’ to one of a single, co-evolved entity interacting dynamically within and as part of the environment,” Ms Addison said. Not only are these biological systems incredibly diverse, but their relationship within the environment and changing climate has layers of complexity. “Predicting outcomes such as climate resilience, aren’t readily predictable from individual behaviours. We need approaches founded in complex systems science to advance this. We have to embrace the complexity, the systems within systems, integrate scalability, and so on.” Furthermore, the paper explores climate change mitigation with the microbiome altering and evolving to benefit both the tree and the microbiome. This work provides the knowledge to enhance tree adaptability and mitigate adverse impacts of climate change on trees. The literature and understanding that has been unearthed with this review article is currently being explored in the MBIE-funded Tree-root Microbiome Project lead by Dr Wakelin. The main aim of this large collaborative project is to understand how trees and their microbiomes work together and can be used to counter climate change by using Pinus radiata as a model. This research can then be applied to other tree species to help maintain global tree diversity.