Australian timber industry news

Dirt Works Studio, an academic design-build studio at the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design, has designed and is currently building Phoenix House, a small, solar-powered house designed to assist members of the Lawrence community in transitioning from homelessness to a secure home. Source: Timberbiz Working in collaboration with Tenants to Homeowners Inc. (TTH), a Lawrence nonprofit that has helped more than 350 families become homeowners, Dirt Works Studio aims to provide TTH with a repeatable model for a home that can provide comfort and stability for occupants as they work to reach personal goals. Dirt Works Studio allows third-year KU architecture students to explore innovative new methods of construction while serving the local community. “The mission of Dirt Works Studio balances care for our local communities, concern for the health of the planet and a dedication to educate future leaders in the design of a more sustainable, equitable and inspired built environment,” said Chad Kraus, associate professor of architecture and founding director of Dirt Works Studio. Phoenix House has been designed using an innovative cross-laminated timber (CLT) shell, wrapped in a highly insulated, airtight building envelope, and clad with a wood rain screen. Designed to accommodate 1-2 people, the home’s interior is characterized by durable materials and surfaces, including CLT timber walls and ceilings and exposed concrete floors with radiant floor heating. Wood surfaces were prioritized for aesthetics and as a natural solution for humidity regulation. The colour, tactility and smell of wood, along with its positive effects on interior air quality, have documented regenerative and stress reduction outcomes. “This partnership exemplifies how innovative design, education and service-based learning can be advanced through public/private partnerships,” said Nicholas Ward, TTH assistant director. “Through Phoenix House, TTH has the unique opportunity to learn from these young, enthusiastic designers. The designers, in turn, are offered a glimpse into the world and work of affordable housing from their partners at TTH. When the designers of tomorrow are informed by the struggles of today, their work can’t help but to be infused with empathy. A great partnership, to say the least.” Phoenix House is located on the 1100 block of Oregon Street in Lawrence. The home is expected to be completed in late spring this year. Student Reese Gilmore of Leawood said that working directly with neighborhood residents to create something that gives back to the local community has been a fulfilling experience. “The process of designing and building an affordable home has presented many challenges but has also provided unforgettable experiences, such as working with peers, engineers, suppliers and partnering with Tenants to Homeowners to make a one-of-a-kind affordable small home,” Gilmore said.

A new program for Accelerating Innovative Monitoring of Forests (AIM4Forests), led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has supported 11 countries and trained more than one thousand people in its first year. Source: Timberbiz The five-year program (2023-2028), with US$30.53 million funding from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, aims to empower countries to monitor their forests using modern technologies, technical innovation, space data and remote sensing. “Supporting countries to create better data on forests is key to halting and reversing forest loss,” said Zhimin Wu, Director of FAO’s Forestry Division. “AIM4Forests sets out to accelerate innovation in forest monitoring and help countries gather more comprehensive and accurate data, and it has already made significant progress.” More than 420 million hectares of forest have been lost since 1990, with 10 million hectares still lost to deforestation annually. World leaders have committed to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030. A summary of the project’s achievements so far confirms that it has provided technical assistance to 11 countries (Bolivia, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Uganda and Vietnam) focusing on four areas in which data is key: better resource management, deforestation-free commodities, measurement reporting and verification (MRV) of mitigation results, and tracking progress in ecosystem restoration. The program has trained 1,268 individuals (40% women and more than 100 members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities) to strengthen their forest monitoring capacities. Technical assistance has supported some countries to measure and report their forest mitigation efforts in order to unlock climate finance. At the same time, the program has made e-learning accessible so that individuals can increase their knowledge and skillsets in different aspects of forest monitoring. Some 4,677 English, Spanish and French speaking e-learners have completed five courses alongside the successful launch of a new e-learning curriculum. Through AIM4Forests, FAO is rapidly advancing methods and technology used to monitor forests and made new tools, platforms and datasets available for governments to use for free. During the last year the program has produced four new technical publications overcoming methodological challenges, and three innovative new open-source technical solutions. Under AIM4Forests, FAO has also partnered with the International Land Coalition to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities to play a key role in forest monitoring and mapping and in relevant decision-making affecting their territories and livelihoods. In its second year, AIM4Forests will expand its reach to include two more countries – Colombia and Zambia and continue to support countries to report their forest mitigation efforts and accelerate innovative forest monitoring.

An ancient elm tree that has stood alone in the far reaches of Glen Affric, Scotland for hundreds of years is now the guardian over a new generation of its species. Source: Timberbiz The wych elm – known as the Last Ent of Affric in homage to the tree-shepherds from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings story and a former Scottish Tree of the Year has been chosen to help in the fight against Dutch Elm disease. Thirty-five young elm trees have been transferred from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and replanted in the shadow of the Last Ent of Affric. These will be the first of 200 trees planted over the next two years. It is part of a joint effort between the Gardens and the University of the Highlands and Islands along with landowners like Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) to save the species from Dutch Elm disease. The project involves cultivating disease resistant seedlings and then planting them at suitable sites of which Glen Affric is one. It is hoped there will be cross pollination between the seedlings and maybe even with the mature elm itself to help in the recovery, from decades of loss, for one of Scotland’s most majestic native trees. “Having lived hidden away, many miles from the closest tree of the same species, the old elm of Glen Affric has escaped the ravages of Dutch Elm disease. It is fitting this site has been chosen as part of efforts to save the wych elm,” FLS Forester Sam Brown said. “Glen Affric also benefits from ongoing conservation efforts between FLS and our partners that includes managing deer populations. By limiting or removing the chance of deer damage to the young trees we can give them a better chance of survival. “Our local FLS teams – specifically the craftsperson squad – have worked very hard in all weather, on difficult terrain to install a fenced enclosure that has made the project possible. “Many of Scotland’s most threatened species can be found on our land in in our woodlands and we are committed to working with partner organisations to conserve and tackle the things that threaten them.” Dr Max Coleman of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh explained that by using surviving, large wych elms in the Scottish Borders, exposed to Dutch elm disease for around 40 years, they have bred a new generation of seedlings that they hope have inherited resilience to disease from both parents. “The offspring of these rare, promising trees are being planted in carefully selected sites that meet their needs and offer potential for natural spread. This work is assisting the formation of new populations of wild elms that have the genes and the genetic diversity that we hope will enable survival and adaptation in a changing environment,” he said. FLS Seed Resource Manager Kenny Hay added that the planting that’s been undertaken in collaboration with RBGE and gives great hope to be able to harvest valuable seed which may be resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. The recovery of the wych elm is part of a project aiming to increase the numbers and distribution of ten threatened native plants and is funded by a three-year grant totalling £715,000 from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund.

Combilift has delivered a first-of-its-kind solution to a shipping container storage company on Australia’s east coast, aiding in ergonomics, efficiency, and operator safety. Source: Timberbiz The three-high straddle carrier was delivered to FBT Transwest following a comprehensive consultation, design, and delivery process. The collaboration was initiated by FBT as it tendered multiple parties for a solution that could optimise storage space while maintaining a safe environment for all. The straddle is equipped with eight wheels for greater stability and larger windows for increased visibility of the container. Of course, the main requirement was for a machine which could stack containers three high and set a new standard in storage optimisation. “Combilift’s philosophy is one of customer-driven innovation. It’s something that we’ve done for years and will continue to do. It’s why we have such an expansive range,” Combilift Australia straddle carrier product manager, Jarad Wilson said. “The key to developing a product in conjunction with the customer is understanding their functional requirements and their key concerns. “Then, it’s important to continue communicating with them through the process, so the end result considers the engineering constraints while still addressing the key functionality that the customer needs on site.” FBT was founded in 1972 and has since built a formidable business which services Melbourne, Sydney, and Newcastle. It handles dangerous and perishable goods, as well as servicing leading manufacturers and importers of agricultural equipment, plastics, edible oils, and waste stream products. Without FBT’s experience or capacity, these major Australian ports would struggle to cope with an influx of imports. This made the need to stack containers three high even greater. “The new straddle carrier from Combilift greatly increased our storage capacity. It’s a much faster and more stable unit than previously used and we’re finding that our turnaround times for trucks in an out of the depot have been greatly improved,” FBT Sydney transport manager, Scott Major said. “By including eight wheels, the stability of the unit has made it a lot easier for the team to drive around.”

Despite the challenging economic conditions, many businesses are continuing to actively recruit new staff, according to Trade Me Jobs’ latest data from New Zealand. Source: Timberbiz The number of job listings rose in the beginning of the year from January through to March, up 11.7% compared with the previous quarter, with applications also up across the board. “This increase in listings shows that employers are still looking for talent despite softening economic conditions. Companies are hiring although we know from our recruitment partners it’s just taking them longer to make the decision to hire,” said Trade Me’s Matt Tolich. While listings were significantly down on the previous year, the first quarter of the year had shown an uptick. “Among the biggest increases in listings were in Agriculture, Office and Administration and the Hospitality and Tourism sectors,” said Matt Tolich. Total job applications were up compared with the previous quarter, with a 15.4% increase. The biggest increase was in Marlborough with a 25.2% jump, followed by the Otago region at 24.2%. This was mainly driven by the healthcare sector which had the largest increase in applications for both of the regions. “However, when we look at the same time last year, Auckland saw a massive 166.5% jump in applications. “We know of a couple of factors that are influencing the increased application numbers, including increased levels of migration, with the New Zealand population increasing by the equivalent of a Dunedin last year. Also, some organisations are downsizing due to the current economic climate which means there are more available candidates in the market.” “Looking ahead we know there will be less migrants coming into the country so these application numbers may soften but it will continue to be an employer market for some time with plenty of great candidates looking for roles,” he said. When looking at the industries with the most significant surge in applications, the IT sector stands out, with a jump of 70.8% followed by Science and Technology (55.7%) and then HR and Recruitment (39.8%) compared with the previous quarter. Average pay dipped 2.2% this quarter to NZ$70,761, although it was still up from the same period last year. The current average salary in the Agriculture, Fishing & Forestry sector is NZ$68,190 per year. “This suggests that the increase in applications means employers have more choice and aren’t having to reach into their back pocket as much to secure workers,” said Matt Tolich. Salaries remained stable in certain sectors like Hospitality & Tourism, Transport & Logistics, and Manufacturing & Operations, with less than a 1% change. Meanwhile, hands-on fields like Office & Admin (1.7%), Retail (1.2%), and Agriculture, Fishing & Forestry (1.2%) experienced slight bumps in pay compared to the last quarter. Trade Me Jobs data for Wellington is beginning to show the impact of public sector job cuts, said Matt Tolich. The capital’s average salary is down 3.3% on the previous quarter to NZ$72,062 the biggest percentage drop across all of Aotearoa’s regions. “Listings for roles in central government were down 77.2% year on year and 34.1% for the quarter,” said Tolich. Wellington also had the biggest drop in listings year on year, although the city experienced a 7.9% boost for the quarter. The number of job applications in Wellington increased 17.7% compared with the October to December period. This compared with 15.1% for Auckland.  

Forest & Wood Products Australia has announced ground-breaking research that benefits the conservation of the threatened giant freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi) whilst supporting planning and harvesting practices for the forestry industry in Tasmania. Source: Timberbiz, photo The Naturalist Led by a team of researchers including Amelia Koch, Leon Barmuta, and Alejandro Trujillo Gonzalez this study has developed a genetic assay utilising environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect the presence of A. gouldi in water samples. These findings will not only help streamline monitoring efforts for the crayfish, but also offer valuable insights for forestry management practices. “Although the giant freshwater crayfish is the world’s largest freshwater invertebrate, the species is cryptic in nature, preferring well-shaded waterway habitat with undercut banks. This research has the potential to underpin new monitoring methods that replace time-consuming and difficult manual monitoring, reducing costs and improving the safety of people undertaking the fieldwork,” Jodie Mason, FWPA’s Head of Forest Research, said. Researcher Amelia Koch from the Forest Practices Authority said that this technique could facilitate the development of a population monitoring program, be used to conduct research on habitat associations of the species or the effectiveness of management actions, or to update management tools such as the habitat availability map used by the Tasmanian forest industry. The research is part of a larger project aimed at enhancing biodiversity conservation and sustainable forestry practices in Tasmania, and includes research on Wedge-tailed eagles, Masked owls, Grey goshawks, Tamanian devils and quolls. This comprehensive project (Project number: VNC457-1718 Sub-report 3), funded by FWPA through funds from Tasmanian forest managers, the Forest Practices Authority and the Australian Government, focuses on integrating innovative scientific techniques, such as eDNA analysis, to improve monitoring and management strategies for threatened species. Read more and download the full report at https://fwpa.com.au/report/developing-a-method-to-survey-for-giant-freshwater-crayfish-using-edna/

Community members are invited to review and provide feedback on updated forest management plans for the Cypress and inland hardwood forests managed by Forestry Corporation of NSW and Cumberland State Forest in Sydney. Source: Timberbiz Morgan Roche, Information System and Framework Manager for Forestry Corporation, said the forest management plans would be on public display until Friday 17 May 2024 and welcomed community feedback. “Forest management plans summarise our activities as well as the systems, processes and procedures we maintain that ensure we continue to manage forests sustainably,” Mr Roche said. “The State forests in Western NSW cover a vast area of different forest types, from the Cypress forests in the Pilliga region to the River Red Gum forests along the Murray River, while Cumberland State Forest is nestled in the suburbs of Sydney and is Australia’s only metropolitan State forest. “All of these forests are managed for multiple uses, and the forest management plans summarise what these uses are and set out our commitment to planning, monitoring and adapting our activities in response to new information so that we continually improve our practices, processes and outcomes in these forests. “We review these forest management plans every five years and provide an opportunity for public feedback and input every time they are reviewed. In this review, an important change is that we will incorporate the plans into the broader forest management plan for State forests, which was updated in 2022 and covers general forest management as well as specific management of softwood plantations and coastal native forests. “We welcome the community’s input and feedback and invite people to visit our website to find out more about the plans and provide their feedback.”

The Labor Opposition in Tasmania says that regardless of what the Greens, the Jacqui Lambie Network or the independents do in the new Parliament, it will continue to stand with the timber industry and the jobs it sustains. Source: Timberbiz And the Opposition leader Dean Winter has offered the State Government bipartisan support for the forestry industry. “Labor supports jobs in regional Tasmania.  It is what we believe in and what we fight for,” Mr Winter said. “I am making it my priority to talk to workers in key industries in the regions including those in the timber industry. “Labor stands for jobs in regional communities and the timber industry is a key part of that.” Mr Winter said that Labor’s candidate for the Legislative Council seat of Prosser, Bryan Green, as a former Minister for Resources, has the experience and knowledge to work with the industry to protect jobs without reigniting the chaos and uncertainty of the forestry wars. “The industry doesn’t want another forest war, nor do Tasmanians,” Mr Winter said. “My offer to Jeremy Rockliff is bipartisanship on forestry.  The industry has repeatedly said it does not want the reopen the forest wars, Labor agrees and that should be respected by the Premier.” Mr Winter said that the best thing that could happen for the Bob Brown Foundation and the Greens was another forest war. “It would be the worst thing that could happen to these workers,” he said. The Liberal government needs to stop treating the industry as a political wedge and instead work with it and with Labor to ensure there is long-term certainty for jobs and the economy.” Voters in the seats of Hobart, Elwick and Prosser will go to the polls on May 4.

The Hyne Timber Tumbarumba Mill has begun construction on the largest new site asset since the mill was purchased and re-developed in 2001. Source: Timberbiz The new storage facility will be 4700m2 with the capacity to store 4000m3 timber known in the process as ‘Rough Sawn, Kiln Dried’ (RSKD) material. With development approval granted earlier in the year, Albury based Joss Construction has been appointed to undertake the build. The project is expected to inject over $5,000,000 into the regional economy with local trades and suppliers being prioritised in accordance with the company’s procurement rules. Site preparation has commenced with construction expected to be completed in September 2024. National Projects and Reliability Manager, Darren Wright, said the construction project is critical investment as part of the ongoing bushfire recovery challenges, “With the reduction in log volume as a direct result of the 2019/20 bushfires, it is imperative we protect our products from adverse weather exposure in order to extract the maximum value. his storage facility will assist in achieving this,” he said. “Being able to utilise both NSW Government and Australian Government bushfire recovery funding to help us meet the construction costs, this has made this critical infrastructure investment possible. “I would like to thank the Australian, NSW and local government for all the levels of support this project has received noting the benefits it will bring to both the site, and the increased volumes of higher-grade timber for the construction sector,” Mr Wright said. The project has been funded under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund, co-funded by the Australian and NSW Governments and the Australian Government Forestry Recovery Development Fund. The Tumbarumba community can expect to see increased activity around the site and amongst the town over coming months as this construction gets underway with up to 30 additional jobs created to undertake the project.

The High Court of Australia has rejected an appeal by environmental activist group Blue Derby Wild to halt logging in a forest near Derby in the Tasmania’s north-east. Source: Timberbiz Chief Justice Stephen Gageler ruled that the group had no special interest in the case beyond general concerns about logging. Blue Derby Wild had applied for special leave to appeal a decision made earlier this month in the Supreme Court of Tasmania, but its application was refused. The Mercury reported that the High Court refusal meant Tasmania’s state government forester, Sustainable Timber Tasmania, has free reign to immediately continue logging the two coupes that have now been the subject of a dispute lasting years. Sitting in Canberra, the most senior judge in Australia said he agreed with the Full Court of the Supreme Court of Tasmania that Blue Derby Wild did not have “standing” to take part in the fight. Chief Justice of Australia Stephen Gageler said as a result, he would not hear an appeal from Blue Derby Wild. The Mercury reported that meant the environmental group cannot contest STT’s logging plans, as it did not have a special interest in the logging operations or was a “person aggrieved”, other than being a group supporting the broad notion of environmental protection. The ruling also means Blue Derby Wild will not get to argue its long-held “conflict of interest” and bias case that STT employees wore “two hats” by simultaneously working for the Forest Practices Authority and by certifying their own plans for logging the coupes. Sustainable Timber Tasmania welcomed Tuesday’s decision after a four-year delay due to legal challenges and plans to commence logging as soon as possible. Pulse Tasmania reported that Blue Derby Wild Campaign Coordinator Louise Morris expressed disappointment at the ruling, saying that it restricts the ability of community groups to defend natural places. Despite the “setback”, the group told Pulse Tasmania it would continue its longstanding campaign to end native forest logging. Resources Minister Eric Abetz praised the High Court decision, saying it was welcome news for the forestry industry that supports the livelihoods of over 5,000 Tasmanians. “The decision provides further confidence that Tasmania’s forest practices system is well-managed, robust and best practice,” he said. “It also further underlines the extreme extent that green groups are prepared to go in their efforts to end sustainable native forestry, at great expense to the taxpayer.” He said Tasmania’s forestry families could rest assured the Tasmanian Government would always back them.

Nippon Paper Industries, Chinougijutsu and Iwakuni Sangyo Unyu have conducted a successful trial of a remote-controlled robot that scrapes wood chips in the hold of a wood-chip carrier. Source: Timberbiz This trial, which was conducted on 5 April at Nippon Paper Industries’ Iwakuni mill in Yamaguchi Prefecture, aims to address safety and the workforce shortage in wood-chip scraping operations. Through the development of the scraping robot, the four companies will work to realize a safe and sustainable cargo-handling environment. In the future, the four companies aim to realize a cargo-handling environment where not only men but also women, elderly people, and people with disabilities can engage in cargo handling by operating robots from remote locations away from the cargo-handling site. In this trial, a prototype scraping robot was operated on a wood-chip carrier engaged in a long-term transport contract with Nippon Paper Industries and NYK. The four companies operated the robot remotely in the ship’s hold for about two hours during cargo unloading and achieved the goals, including confirming the scraping robot’s functionality. Wood chips loaded into the hold of a wood-chip carrier are traditionally gathered by excavators and unloaded by cranes. The wood chips that have accumulated in the corners of the holds or adhered to the walls are collected and scraped off by workers using shovels, forks, and other tools because heavy machinery cannot reach those wood chips or may damage the hold walls when scraping. There is room for improvement in the current work environment because the scraping process requires climbing up and down the 10-meter holds, the tendency for the holds to be cold or hot due to seasonal factors, and the risk of oxygen deprivation due to the wood chips absorbing oxygen. There are also concerns about future staff shortages due to the aging of the workforce. A remote control moves the arm of the scraping robot’s hydraulic excavator and the attached scraper (spatula) and brush. The robot can extend its arm up to three metres high to remove chips from walls, while wood chips that have accumulated in corners can be directly gathered by the lowered arm or pushed out by the brush. The scraping robot can also scrape wood chips trapped in tight spaces, such as structural gaps.

Demand for mass timber, a sustainable construction alternative, has grown steadily over the past several years. However, a new trend is driving risks for the construction sector: mass timber being used for taller buildings, not just residential structures. Source: Insurance Business According to one expert, this shift is observed in Europe, Asia, and North America. Michael Bruch, global head of Risk Advisory Services at Allianz Commercial, noted that the increasing adoption of mass timber for higher-rise construction indicates a broader acceptance of the material beyond traditional low-rise buildings. “The emergence of mass timber as a sustainable construction alternative represents a significant opportunity for the building sector to reduce its carbon footprint while also satisfying a demand for a more cost-efficient material but as durable as steel and concrete,” said Bruch. “However, in any industry, deployment of new materials or processes can result in new risk scenarios, potential defects, or unexpected safety consequences, as well as bringing benefits, and mass timber is no different.” Bruch pointed to Allianz Commercial’s recent report on the risks posed by mass timber. According to the report, the construction sector is responsible for almost 40% of global CO2 emissions caused by concrete, steel, and fossil fuel-driven energy consumption. Shifting to mass timber, a more cost-efficient material as durable as concrete and steel, allows the construction industry to lower its tremendous carbon footprint. Mass timber emits significantly less CO2: around 50% less than concrete and more than 25% less than steel, Allianz Commercial said in its report. However, the potential risks associated with mass timber construction are significant, particularly regarding fire hazards and natural calamities. “The good news from our research is that you can manage these risks,” Bruch said. Fire is potentially the top risk of mass timber construction. Fire stands as the most expensive cause of all construction and engineering insurance losses, accounting for more than a quarter (27%) of the value of 22,000 claims analyzed over a five-year period, according to Allianz. To mitigate this risk, Bruch emphasized proactive measures such as designing for fire resistance, using flame-retardant materials, and implementing proper construction practices. He also noted that while natural hazards vary by region, the resilience of mass timber structures shouldn’t be underestimated. “Natural catastrophe risks like hurricanes and gale-force winds can potentially affect beams, columns and panels. But mass timber is really strong,” said Bruch. “Mass timber buildings weigh approximately only one-third of comparable concrete structures, and they have the highest strength-to-weight ratio, which enables mass timber to perform very well during seismic activity. “Natural hazards can differ from region to region, but those risks can be managed well for mass timber buildings.” Additionally, construction businesses face supply chain and labour exposures as mass timber demand grows. Mass timber must be obtained in sustainable ways, necessitating specialized production facilities. “This means thorough logistical planning and management of building materials are essential to avoid costly project delays,” said Bruch. “On top of that, construction firms may face challenges finding experienced workers for mass timber construction projects. But overall, mass timber buildings can be constructed faster than traditional buildings, so that’s a big pro that we’re seeing.” The global mass timber market is still in its nascency, but it has tremendous growth potential, according to Allianz Commercial. Despite the risks involved, Bruch is optimistic about the potential of mass timber to meet sustainability goals and lower emissions. At the same, effective risk management practices and industry collaboration are needed to ensure the widespread adoption of sustainable construction materials and technologies. Brokers and insurers can help construction clients transition to sustainable materials and technologies by providing risk management solutions and investment incentives. Bruch stressed that each mass timber building is unique and presents specific risks that must be assessed and managed throughout its lifecycle. “Given this market’s expected future growth, companies should do all they can to develop a greater understanding of their exposures, including fire, water damage, repetitive loss scenarios and even termite infestation, and ensure they have robust loss prevention measures to combat these,” said Bruch.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Assurance Services International (ASI) announce the launch of a new transaction verification (TV) loop on wood panels made out of birch in the larger Eurasian region. The objective of this TV loop is to identify and take action against instances of false claims or other violations of FSC requirements. Source: Timberbiz The scope of this Eurasia birch wood panels TV loop is: Geographic areas: China and central and eastern European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine). Product type: Plywood Species: Birch (Betula) FSC-certified companies within the scope of this TV loop are required to submit their transaction data for 2023 that carry an FSC claim by 15 June 2024 to their certification bodies. The supply chains investigated in this TV loop include over 700 certificate holders. Until February 2022, a significant amount of FSC-certified birch was sourced from Russian forest management companies. With FSC’s withdrawal from Russia, chain of custody certificate holders in birch supply chains have had to find other sources of certified timber. With this TV loop, FSC and ASI expect to identify high-risk sources of certified birch for downstream chain of custody certificate holders. If any potential volume mismatches and false claims are identified, then those will be further investigated. The Eurasia birch wood panels TV loop and the birch plywood TV loop that was launched by ASI in 2023 will complement each other, even though this one has a much wider geographic scope. For this TV loop, FSC and ASI are exploring the possibility of combining transaction verification with two technology-based investigative tools: FSC Blockchain: This tool will enable FSC to track transactions by certificate holders, thereby identifying instances of potential volume mismatches and false claims. Wood identification (ID) technologies: This tool will enable FSC to determine species, and compare the isotope profiles of samples collected from certificate holders included within the scope of this TV loop against a reference sample library that is managed by World Forest ID. In 2022, FSC conducted pilot tests of the previous version of FSC’s blockchain tool in China and Ukraine. The learnings from the pilot tests have enabled FSC to develop a more robust tool that can be used for various purposes, such as strengthening the integrity of certified supply chains, and ensuring compliance with the new European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requirements. In February 2024, beta trials of FSC Blockchain were started with participants who registered for the trial phase. FSC plans to launch the FSC Blockchain for all its certificate holders – as a voluntary tool – by mid-2024.  

New Zealand Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry formally launched Mouri Tupu – Planting for the Future, and he is calling on the community to pick up a spade and join in. Source: Timberbiz Mouri Tupu is a community campaign to plant 114,000 native trees and plants and inspire citizens to get out planting and help reach the target. It will deliver the mayor’s 2022 campaign pledge to plant one native tree or plant for every citizen of Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt. To date more than 40,000 natives have been planted across Lower Hutt since October 2022, by Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington and other partners, and community organisations. “Trees are our environment’s lungs, and by doing more planting we can mitigate our city emissions and enhance our places and spaces. This ambitious city goal can only be achieved by all of us working together. “By planting these trees and other plants, we will leave a greener legacy for our tamariki and mokopuna and will help teach the value of protecting and enhancing our environment,” he said at a community planting event at East Harbour Kindergarten. Mouri Tupu roughly translates to recognising that everything has the potential to grow and thrive, powered by the energy that flows through all things, and sustained by our interaction and care of it. “This is why we are committed to ensuring a community in which everyone thrives; and we can only thrive if we look after our environment,” said the mayor. Hutt City Council has provided more than 20,000 plants to community groups in this triennium and has committed to increasing its own planting on council land. A community planting event will be held in Korounui Stokes Valley at Delaney Park on Saturday 6 July. The council is encouraging the community to share their planting projects, which they can pin on an interactive map of the city. The campaign progress will be updated regularly on Council’s website and social media channels. “We have lots of great local groups who volunteer their time planting, and we are rolling up our sleeves to join them,” said Mayor Barry. “I would love to see the wider community join us in making Lower Hutt a greener city.” The campaign includes native trees, shrubs and grasses planted by Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Forest & Bird, and many community organisations.  

It sounds peaceful and calm, but the concept of “forest gardening” has sparked a new chapter in Victoria’s forest wars, pitting an Aboriginal corporation against a prominent ecologist and his publisher, Allen and Unwin. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, which trades as DJAARA, in December concluded a 22-monthlicence with VicForests that permitted the removal of up to 600,000 cubic metres of timber damaged in the 2021storms from the Wombat State Forest near Daylesford. It was to be the first stage in a multi-generational “forest gardening” project, to restore First Nations sovereignty and oversight over Country. In his new book The Forest Wars, Australian National University forest ecology professor David Lindenmayer took aim at forest gardening, describing it as logging that “will damage, not heal, Country”, and “continue the forest destruction wrought by VicForests”. Lindenmayer argued that in “a highly cynical move”, VicForests – which will cease operations in June – had sought to develop partnerships with First Nations organisations to “continue industrial native forest logging” after Victoria ended commercial native logging in January. “[DJAARA’S] partnership with VicForests has resulted in what appears to simply be business-as-usual logging in the Wombat Forest,” he wrote. DJAARA maintains the timber removed under its licence with VicForests was storm damaged, and “nowhere near” 600,000 cubic metres of timber was removed under the arrangement. Acting chief executive Cassandra Lewis described Lindenmayer’s assessment as offensive. “I think it’s offensive to be told that the cultural application of land management, described as forest gardening, is a flawed argument, as if it were merely an idea to be discredited and not a deeply significant cultural understanding,” she said. “And it’s distressing to be told that these cultural land management practices are damaging Country when we know that not to be true.” DJAARA wrote to publisher Allen and Unwin asking for a recall of Lindenmayer’s latest book, which has sold out of its first print run and accused him of disrespecting and “speaking down” to traditional owners. In a statement, Lindenmayer’s publisher said: “Allen & Unwin can confirm DJAARA have contacted us regarding The Forest Wars, and while we respect their feedback the book will not be withdrawn from sale.” Lindenmayer, who in 2017 co-authored a paper with more than two dozen other scientists on the impacts of salvage logging on biodiversity, said: “So-called storm recovery never recovers anything – it degrades the forest.” According to a forest licence issued in March 2022 and seen by this masthead, material removed from Wombat State Forest under the partnership between DJAARA and VicForests was to be primarily “windthrown timber” that fell during wild storms in 2021. The licence also allowed for the removal of “incidentally generated timber resulting from hazard treatment or removal”. “The forest was left [after the 2021 storm] with as many, in some places, as 50% of trees on their sides, and it presented an extreme fire risk,” says DJAARA’s acting general manager, Jim Brooks. “One of the really crucial things about this is, it wasn’t just a green light to VicForests to go ahead and take out valuable timber … we actually had an agreement with VicForests about what timber would be taken, and it was timber that presented a risk.” DJAARA’s business case for forest gardening, released in October 2022, was written by forestry consultant Damien O’Reilly, who has worked extensively with the forestry industry and, more recently, consulted to government on forestry. According to the business case, DJAARA would undertake a range of land management practices including thinning (“restoring culturally recognisable structures to our forests”), revegetation, rehabilitation, regeneration and cultural burns, in partnerships with organisations and private landholders. Brooks said the comprehensive multi-generational forest gardening strategy – which entails rejuvenation, regeneration and restoring Country – had barely had a chance to begin. Almost exactly a year ago, the then-Andrews government announced it would end native forest logging in Victoria by January 1 this year. However, Lindenmayer and other forest conservationists maintain Victorian forestry is the industry that refuses to die. After DJAARA’s agreement with VicForests concluded on December 31, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action began its own timber removal operation. A government gazette in November, a month before the VicForests agreement with DJAARA expired, issued a public safety notice for tracts of the Wombat State Forest north of Trentham-Daylesford Road to allow for “timber debris extraction operations”. A Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action spokesman said the agency was conducting works “to remove storm debris in the Wombat Forest to mitigate bushfire risk”, and was ensuring “all operations comply with relevant legislation”. “There is no timber harvesting or salvage logging taking place for a commercial purpose in the Wombat State Forest,” he said. “The works underway are removing storm debris and rehabilitating the forest to reduce the risk of fire.” Photos taken in Wombat State Forest near Osborne Road within the past fortnight show log landing sites with freshly cut trees piled two metres high. Dead timber from the 2021 storms is dry and silver. By contrast, the logs pictured within the past fortnight are freshly cut, some with sap still visible on the saw marks. “In some cases,” the spokesman said, “timber not left for environmental and habitat purposes is used for highest and best uses, this includes as domestic firewood.” Brooks said the works currently underway were not a DJAARA operation. “We have no legal capacity to authorise, prevent or influence those works,” he said. “These works are unrelated to our Galk Galk Dhelkunya (Forest Gardening) strategy, principles and practice which are about recreating a healthy, bio-diverse forest ecosystem.”

The contract to deliver an aspirational vision to “recloak” Coronet Forest New Zealand with native planting has been awarded to Te Tapu o Tāne and e3Scientific Limited. Source: Timberbiz Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) General Manager Community Services Ken Bailey said the announcement followed the successful harvest of Coronet Forest. “The early harvest was carried out between January 2020 and May 2023, removing over 90,000 tonnes of timber from the site and with it, a major wilding source,” said Mr Bailey. “Getting rid of this wilding source is a huge win as we work to eliminate the spread of the pest species Douglas fir. And importantly it leaves a blank canvas for regeneration.” “The return of native species such as tawhai rauriki (mountain beech), kōwhai, kōhūhū (pittosporum) and kapuka (broadleaf) to their rightful place will help to restore the biodiversity values of the area, which is a key goal of our Climate and Biodiversity Plan,” he said. QLDC Mayor Glyn Lewers acknowledged the importance of partnering with Te Tapu o Tāne to regenerate this special area. “This partnership is bigger than a regeneration project. Ultimately this is about creating relationships and connections as we work together to restore and protect our local natural environment for generations to come,” said Mayor Lewers. “It provides a unique opportunity to be a leading example of how ecological restoration can be successfully achieved within the Otago region and throughout Aotearoa New Zealand,” he said. Te Tapu o Tāne Chief Executive Officer Jana Davis said this is a very special announcement for the organisation on behalf of Ngāi Tahu kī Murihiku and acknowledged Kāi Tahu ki Otago for all their support. “The Coronet Forest kaupapa is all about building on the partnership between QLDC, Mana Whenua, Te Tapu o Tāne and Citycare Property, as well as the kaimahi at e3Scientific. On behalf of all our partners it is a privilege to be delivering this kaupapa for our hometown and building the Whakatipu Basin towards a deafening dawn chorus of taonga manu (native birds) and providing access to the largest indigenous reforestation project in the history of the basin. He waka eke noa, we are all in this waka together,” he said. “The kaupapa will provide opportunities supporting regional development including local jobs and training.” “We plan to hold a few wānanga (workshops) over the next 12 months as we get the site ready to come alive with eco-sourced trees and plants and scale up the intensive pest control operation. The Queenstown community have spent the last few years watching the pine forest come down, it’s going to be great seeing the new direction for the maunga (mountain),” he said. e3Scientific Managing Director Glenn Davis is looking forward to working alongside Te Tapu o Tāne and QLDC to reinstate a beech forest to the slopes of the Coronet Range. “Coronet Forest stands on the shoulders of a significant network of ecological restoration work that has developed in the district over the last 20 years,” he said. “These projects have provided the ecological community with the skills, expertise and confidence to reinstate local biodiversity at a landscape scale.” “The role of e3Scientific is to bring together and impart the knowledge we have gained to maximise the performance of the plantings and ensure that the project leads the delivery of large-scale ecological restoration in Aotearoa New Zealand,” he said. The first year of work involves site preparation and planning. Native planting is expected to begin in March 2025 and take between five to seven years. There will be many opportunities for the community to be involved as the face of Coronet Forest is restored. QLDC and Te Tapu o Tāne look forward to sharing plans and celebrating milestones as they progress. To follow this project head to www.qldc.govt.nz/coronet-forest

Case IH has announced the winners of its 2024 Dealer of the Year Awards, with Larwoods Ag and Intersales claiming the top honours. Source: Timberbiz The Dealer of the Year results are based on a range of criteria, including finance and business management, performance in sales and marketing, and parts and servicing, precision technology and total market share. Intersales in NSW has claimed the award for Case IH Dealer of the Year (three branches or more). The company has branches in Temora, Griffith, Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga. Other finalists were O’Connors (NSW and Victoria) and Ramsey Brothers (South Australia). Intersales CEO Amanda Blachut said the award was a testament to the hard work of their whole team. “The dedication the team put towards training, team collaboration and knocking down barriers between departments is to be admired,” she said. “We were up against some fierce competition, so this win was unbelievably unexpected.” Larwoods Ag Services, based in Kadina, SA, has been awarded Case IH Dealer of the Year (one to two branches). They came out ahead of finalists Ronco Motors with branches in South Australia and Victoria, and Farmers Centre in Western Australia. Larwoods Ag director Mathew East said it was a fantastic effort by the whole team, but particularly dealer principal Scott Mercer. Mr East said the business had faced some challenges but with the help of CNH, they have been able to turn things around. Receiving the award was a prime example of the team’s willingness to take on board feedback and evolve their business to better serve their customers. The Parts and Service Dealer of the Year honour has gone to Kenway & Clark, with nine branches in NSW and Queensland. Larwoods Ag Services and Agricentre South in New Zealand were the other finalists. Cochranes of Canterbury in New Zealand has taken out the CNH Capital Dealer of the Year, from Farmers Centre and Larwoods Ag. Aaron Bett, CNH Business Director – Agriculture ANZ, congratulated all the award winners, acknowledging the level of excellence achieved by the dealerships and the dedication to their customers. “Intersales, Larwoods Ag Services, Kenway & Clark and Cochranes of Canterbury should all be very proud of what they have achieved in the past 12 months. Their teams consistently go that extra mile, placing a high priority on delivering the service, support and advice their customers rely on,” Mr Bett said. “The standard across our network is very high, so to be successful in our Dealer of the Year Awards is an outstanding achievement, and recognition of the work that’s gone in across all aspects of the winners’ operations.”

A report recently prepared by Synergies Economic Consulting on behalf of Kimberly-Clark Australia (KCA) has been released and provides a snapshot of the socio-economic contribution of Millicent mill to the Australian economy. Source: The Border Watch The report states the company contributes $520m to Australia’s GDP annually and is one of the state’s largest non-mining base manufacturers. A highlight of the report is its investment into the local community with an emphasis on jobs being kept local with 12% of full-time manufacturing roles in the Limestone Coast provided by the mill. The independent report, commissioned by KCA, highlights the annual contribution of the company’s Millicent mill to the regional Lime-stone Coast and South Australian state economies, generating $172 million and $216 million of value, respectively. Inclusivity was mentioned in the report and has seen applications from women in production roles at the mill rise from zero in 2019 to approximately 40 per cent of new hires year-on-year. Female representation at the Millicent mill has increased five-fold since 2019, from 12 to 60 employees, and the mill directly employs 462 people in full, part-time and casual roles. Retention rates are strong and over half of the mill’s employees have worked there for 15 years or more with second and third generation family members now employed. Machine operator Cameron Haggett has worked at Millicent Mill for more than 21 years following in the footsteps of his father, Peter, who worked at KCA for 33 years before retiring in 2011. “I can only ever remember my dad as a shift worker at Kimberly-Clark when growing up, so it’s fair to say the company and Millicent mill have been a big part of my life,” Mr Haggett said. “With new technology on-site and more diversity across the workforce, the mill has changed a great deal since I first started in 2002. “It’s continued to upskill its employees and be an attractive option for local people, including my daughter Madi, who’s recently started out as a casual worker. “Working at Kimberly-Clark has given me financial stability to support my family for over two decades, and I really enjoy the team atmosphere that the mill provides too.” The report stated over $750 million has been invested into the Millicent mill since it was first established in 1966.Sustainable practices has resulted in the reduction of 457 tonnes of plastic across the entire packaging portfolio in 2022, and 98 per cent of mill waste diverted away from landfill. A goal to reduce direct emissions by 50% by 2030, against a baseline of 2015, continues and the company is exploring green energy alternatives such as green hydrogen and renewable electricity. Managing director at Kimberly-Clark ANZ Belinda Driscoll said: “I’m incredibly proud to present this report, which showcases the solid and lasting impact Kimberly-Clark Australia, and its Millicent mill has at a regional, state and national level. “It demonstrates the business’ commitment to keeping manufacturing jobs and growing the sector. “As we look ahead, we’ll continue to do all we can to make further improvements that have a positive impact on the economy and local community we serve.”

Innovation is at the heart of any successful business. Radial Timber in Yarram, Victoria with a strategy already in place for its mainstream timber operation, has embarked on a new approach to using its wood waste that takes the company deeper into the heart of the sustainable, circular economy. Source: Philip Hopkins for Timberbiz Radial has installed a pilot plant that uses pyrolysis technology; organic material, in this case wood residues, is burnt at high temperatures without oxygen to produce biochar, a stable solid that is rich in carbon and can fertilise and endure in soil for thousands of years. “The plant can also produce heat and energy, and wood vinegar – a liquid, potentially usable in agriculture, also in cooking,” said Radial’s managing director, Chris McEvoy. The heat will play a crucial role in running the timber mill, with a potential heating source for the local community. The $1 million pilot continuous biochar maker is the result of three years’ research and development and is a joint venture between Radial; Earth Systems, which provides the technology; and Spiegel Bioenergy, a South Gippsland battery supplier owned by John and Linda Ballis. “We have a pure resource, most of the biochar plant around the world are working with waste, plastic waste, arboreous waste – green leaves, different species and densities; the product that comes out is not that uniform,” said Mr McEvoy. “Our timber is all dense class, one or two timbers, all exactly the same shape. First, it should go through well, and secondly, should be a really high-value, consistent product. We’ve got plenty of resource, plenty of forestry residue. The beauty of the continuous char maker is you can put through much larger volumes. Take the biochar and put it into degraded soil’s to improve it – I love this circular economy story.” Earth Systems, the technology provider based in Port Melbourne, was originally an environmental consulting firm founded in 1993. “For about a decade, we have been doing pyrolysis systems. We’re small but have offices all over the world for our consulting work, yet this side of the business in the last couple of years has started to take off. There is a lot more interest in biochar,” said Ricky Dent, Earth systems’ environment technology specialist who is from South Gippsland and is loving being ‘back home’ installing a plant in the region. The company already runs a plant at Lysterfield in the Dandenong Ranges. Mr Dent, running his hand through the feed stock – the mill’s sawdust residue – explained how the plant works. “The residue will feed out to the first stage conveyor and go up into our shuttle drawer system. The purpose of this system is to create an air-tight seal between the outside world and the pyrolysis happening inside,” he said. “Because pyrolysis is heat in the absence of air – it’s thermal degradation, so we must keep as much air out of the process as possible. The job of our furnace is to spread the feedstock as widely as possible to maximise surface area so we get the maximum reaction in the shortest amount of time. “The feedstock will be then conveyed along the length of the furnace, where it will convert from wood biomass to pure carbon, which is the biochar that comes out at the end. The gas travels in the opposite direction to the feedstock; in that way it is able to deposit its heat onto the incoming feedstock, making the whole system closed loop with very little emissions. Ricky said in the chamber, the aim was to get the biochar to about 500 deg Celsius, with the gases jumping right up to the potentially as high as 1300 deg C. Normally we try and keep the temperature lower, but we’re talking about generating electricity from that process, so if you want to generate electricity, the higher the temperature we get, that generally means the higher efficiency. Mr Dent said the mill itself needs heat and electricity. “That will be the next stage to this project, deeming what’s most economic, what works out best for everyone. We will either capture additional heat from here to assist in their process or offset their energy use at that end, or we will aim for as much electricity generation as we can, which will go into the battery storage on site and that can go out to feed the rest of the mill,” he said. At this stage, the operation is looking at about 75 kilowatts of electrical output mainly for internal use. For external use, a bigger scale of plant, or a multiple of these plants, would be required. “The big thing about thermal technology, it doesn’t scale in a linear fashion – it’s more exponential. Should anything go mildly wrong, the machine will shut itself down. We’ve now run long enough in Australia and we have a good relationship with the CFA; they even grant us permits to run on days of extreme fire danger. We’ve even got a permit to run on total fire ban, but we choose not to.” Mr McEvoy will assess how the biochar plant fits in with Radial’s current operation. Having lost access to VicForests’ native hardwood timber, Radial’s plan is to use its own hardwood plantations to make the business self-sufficient in the long term. In the interim, in the absence of larger logs, Radial will concentrate on its new peeling plant. A small log line is part of the peeler plant, which can peel a small log down into veneer sheets, which are dried, glued and pressed. This engineered timber can theoretically be used to make mass panels “We could not run the peeling plant we want to run because of the requirements to heat the logs before they are peeled. Once peeled, you must dry the veneers through this big dryer; doing that on gas and electricity, you would never afford it. “We can’t put a peeling plant in without a bio-plant. If […]

A former minister in the Hodgman and Gutwein governments, Sarah Courtney, has been named the independent chair of the Tasmanian Forest Products Association (TFPA). Source: Timberbiz After a successful three-year tenure from Inaugural Chair Bryan Hayes, Ms Courtney says she is eager to guide the TFPA in coming years. Speaking following the announcement, outgoing acting-Chair Shawn Britton acknowledged the wealth of experience Ms Courtney brings to the role. “Sarah has considerable experience, including in the areas of governance, management, agriculture, aquaculture, finance, stakeholder management, public policy, and small business. She’s ideally placed to continue the great work of the TFPA,” Mr Britton said. “In an industry traditionally dominated by men, it’s pleasing we can now have a strong female voice representing our businesses. Having her lead the association shows the modern forestry industry is shedding off the reputation of its past.” Ms Courtney said she’s ready to represent the forest industry across all aspects of the Tasmanian business and political arenas. “The TPFA and the Tasmanian forestry industry are well respected on both sides of the chamber in Tasmanian politics,” Ms Courtney said. “I’m excited to be able to assist these great Tasmanian businesses continue to grow our economy and our communities. Tasmanian forestry employs over 5,500 people across the state, is a key driver in the Tasmanian economy, and integral in Tasmania meeting its bold climate change goals,” she said. Ms Courtney will begin her tenure as the TFPA chair immediately, representing and promoting all aspects of the forestry value chain.