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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.