Australian timber industry news

Forests are essential to life on Earth. From the air we breathe to the water we drink, forests power our everyday lives. In fact, nearly three-quarters of the world’s population relies on forests for basics like food, fuel, and medicine. They are also home to incredible wildlife, including jaguars and koalas, and play a major role in con-fronting climate change. Source: Timberbiz That’s why this year, HP is contributing US$1,000,000 to support forest conservation for World Wildlife Fund (WWF), through the Together We Grow campaign—an initiative to raise awareness about the importance of forest conservation. Forests and printing are interconnected: one provides the resources; the other transforms them into tools for knowledge, creativity, and communication. Together, they tell the story of growth—of ideas, communities, nature, and opportunities that benefit both people and the planet. As one of the world’s largest print companies, HP recognizes that its business is deeply connected to the well-being of the world’s forests. HP is committed to protecting and restoring forests for the health of the climate, the planet, and all who live there. That commitment extends to how HP operates: The company requires recycled or sustainably certified fibre for all HP-brand paper and pa-per-based packaging for home and office printers, supplies, PCs, and displays, with a preference for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, ensuring that its products support responsible forest management. HP’s commitment is part of broader global work between HP and WWF aimed at making production forests more sustainable, protecting wild spaces, and restoring forests we’ve lost. The two organizations are currently working across some of the world’s most ecologically valuable and threatened forest landscapes: Brazil’s Atlantic Forest; Madre de Dios in the Peruvian Amazon; Australia’s eastern forests; key forest provinces in eastern and southern China; the Central Annamites in VietNam; and the Selva Maya on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. One of the first companies to join WWF’s Forests Forward corporate engagement program, HP is helping WWF advance solutions that will enhance sustainable forestry practices, protect wild spaces, and restore forests for the benefit of people and nature. These efforts are realized in part through WWF’s Nature-Based Solutions Origination Platform, which identifies and implements high-integrity interventions in priority tropical forest landscapes to address nature loss and foster sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience.  

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The 2023-24 El Niño brought simultaneous extreme heat and drought to 75% of tropical forests for months on end. Now, a new study indicates that those conditions may have been a preview of annual norms for future tropical forests just a couple of decades away, even under moderate-emissions scenarios, and even outside of El Niño years. Source: Timberbiz Marked by a buildup of unusually warm water in the eastern Pacific, El Niño events disrupt normal weather patterns across the broader equatorial region, bringing heavy rain to some places (like Chile and Argentina) and hotter, drier weather to many others (like northern South America and much of southeast Asia). The El Niño lasting from June of 2023 through roughly the same time in 2024, however, took place against the background of the warmest global year on record, amplifying hot and dry conditions. As the climate continues to warm, the stress of ever-more-frequent heat and drought could kill trees, limit forests’ carbon-storing abilities and trigger self-perpetuating rainfall losses. It could also cut off trade routes and food sources for people in tropical forests. “Many of the people that live in these forests are very interconnected with the forest,” said Johanna Van Passel, an ecologist at Ghent University and lead author of the study. “When the forests suffer, sodo they.” The study will appear in Earth’s Future, AGU’s journal for research on the state of the planet and its inhabitants and their future resilience in the Anthropocene. To get a better handle on the full extent and duration of the 2023-24 El Niño, Van Passel and her team analyzed 12 datasets of heat and drought observations over the past 25 years. Their study covered nearly 16 million square kilometres of tropical forest around the globe, looking for months-long periods roughly half a degree Celsius hotter than in a normal month. All tropical forests were not just hotter during the 2023-24 El Niño, they found, but stayed unusually hot for roughly 18 months, on average. 80% of forests were drier than usual (getting 22 to 56 fewer millimeters of monthly rain than normal, for multiple months), with parts of the Amazon experiencing a full two years of anomalous drought. At the port of Manaus in Brazil, water levels sank to their lowest level since records began over a century ago. Globally, three quarters of tropical forests endured extreme heat and drought simultaneously for an average of six months. Considering climate projections from 24 Earth system models under a range of emissions scenarios, the team then estimated the likelihood of these conditions occurring in tropical forests in any given year through the end of the century, even non-El-Niño years. Even if humanity reaches carbon neutrality by 2075, they found, the high annual temperatures of 2023and 2024 will become at least six times more likely in all tropical regions by 2100, compared to the past 25 years. In any less optimistic climate scenario, they become the annual norm in most tropical regions by 2043 — El Niño or no El Niño. “I will probably not live to see the end of the century, so that feels very far away,” Van Passel said. “But the fact that…according to the average of all these models, this is already happening in 20 years —that was very striking.” Projections for drought varied more widely. Asia will likely see less frequent drought, but for the Amazon, under a high-emissions scenario, the low rainfall of 2023-24 could become up to nine times as likely to occur in any given year. That matters because drought-stressed trees close pores on their leaves (called stomata), avoiding water loss but also preventing themselves from absorbing the carbon dioxide they need to survive. If droughts become too frequent, Van Passel said, “your tree could be starving” — and, in the process, failing to sequester the planet-warming gas. Other problems arise when heat and drought overlap. In intense heat, the internal mechanisms that allow trees to photosynthesize start to fail. To cool off, trees open their stomata to release water which then evaporates, a process akin to human sweating. But if a drought is happening at the same time, trees have little water to spare for this “sweating” function, better known as evapotranspiration. “It’s either dying of lack of water or dying of heat,” Van Passel said. “They have to choose one.” Water released to the air through evapotranspiration eventually falls back on the forest as rain — as much as 30% of the total rainfall, in the case of the Amazon. So when evapotranspiration wanes in one region, it deprives others of rainfall. Trees in those areas then reduce their own evapotranspiration to save water, and the cycle continues. Under increasingly hot, dry conditions, scientists say, this cycle could push tropical forests towards widespread tree die-offs. “You have this feedback loop,” Van Passel said. “If the forest is suffering, it will cause less rain to fall in other parts, and those forests will also start suffering.” The impacts cascade to communities living in tropical forests, too, whom Van Passel said derive much of their food and livelihood from plants and animals in the forest. Intense drought can also make it difficult to navigate the rivers that often serve as transportation arteries. “During 2023-24, some rivers were so low that these people were stuck and completely disconnected from everyone else,” Van Passel said. “They were almost starving because no food was able to reach them.” She stressed the importance of taking action to mitigate suffering for tropical forests and the people who depend on them. “With every step we can…decrease global fossil fuel use, the probabilities become better,” Van Passel said. “The future will be difficult…But it’s not hopeless, and we can do something to make it less bad.” This study appears in Earth’s Future , an open-access AGU journal. View and download the study at https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2026EF008071 PAPER TITLE: “The 2023–2024 El Niño as a Preview of Future Tropical Forest Climate”

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The US Forest Service is coping with a chaotic reorganization in hopes it will produce less bureaucracy and more local control in the long run, members of the Natural Resources Working Group learned last week at its first meeting in three months. Source: Payson Roundup The sweeping reorganization supposedly will take effect in January, which comes in the wake of deep cuts in Forest Service staffing across the nation. The National Forest Service Office will move from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City, Utah. At the same time, the current nine regions will be replaced by state offices. The Forest Ser-vice is also closing 23 research and development facilities. The administration said the goal of the reorganization is to both cut costs and move decision-making and budgetary power closer to the areas most affected. “The New Mexico state director will be Christine Bale,” explained Scot Rogers, the coordinator for the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), the nation’s most ambitious effort to reduce wildfire risk by using thinning projects to restore forest health. “We don’t have an Arizona State Director at this time. We’re not the only state in that situation.” A federal judge in September put the reorganization plan on hold until at least 2 October after four federal unions sued along with nonprofits, cities and counties. The lawsuit claimed the president or an agency could not order such a sweeping reorganization without the approval of Congress. “The NFFE (National Federation of Federal Employees) Forest Service council is glad to see Judge Chhabria is temporarily halting the relocations of critical employees,” said NFFE-FSC President Genny Kotyk, according to a release. “Their work is not only essential to the agency and the communities they serve but also mandated by Congress. This reorganization is a RIF (reduction in force) in disguise, downsizing without giving employees the decency of the protections and benefits ensured in our Master Agreement. The Forest Service Council will continue to negotiate with agency leadership and strongly opposes the relocations of our members.” The Forest Service in February laid off or pushed the early retirement of 6,000 employees, more than 15% of the total workforce. The layoffs have had major impacts on management of 19 million acres of Forest Service land in Arizona. It has also affected the ability of the six national forests in Arizona to process thinning projects to reduce wildfire risk. The NRWG was established by the Eastern Arizona Counties Association to provide a link between a struggling timber industry and the Forest Service. 4FRI is seeking to use thinning projects and managed fires to restore 4 million acres of forest in North-ern Arizona, where tree densities have increased from 50 to more like 1,000 trees per acre in the past half century. Brian Nowicki, with the Centre for Biological Diversity, asked, “I don’t know how funds flow through the region. Does money go to the regions and get disbursed to the forests and is that what we’re anticipating for whenever we have a budget?” The federal budget year starts in October. Congress in recent years has routinely re-lied on continuing resolutions, which means agencies don’t have final budgets until deep into the fiscal year. “I’m not real clear on the funding,” said one forest supervisor in attendance. “This new reorganization, we’re not real sure how it will affect the local unit.” Rogers said the existing system directs money to the regional offices, which then disburse money to the individual forests and programs. “We have a national portal, it’s not clear to me if that organization is going to be fully stood up. 11 January is the target date at this point.” “Interesting times,” said Nowicki. “Is there significance 11 January that I’m missing?” since it comes four months into the start of the fiscal year. “I haven’t looked at the calendar that far out. I just know that’s the date they gave us,” said the forest supervisor.

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Kauri are among Aotearoa New Zealand’s tallest and longest-lived trees – and their place in our cultural landscape looms equally large. Source: The Conversation Centuries-old kauri such as Tāne Mahuta and Te Matua Nga-here are taonga, with deep cultural and spiritual significance to Māori. Also remarkable is the amount of carbon these trees hold. Large kauri have gradually accumulated enormous amounts of biomass, leaving great quantities of carbon stored in their trunks, branches and roots. Over the past two decades, however, these giants of our forests have faced a growing threat from kauri dieback. The disease is caused by the soil-borne water mould Phytophthora agathidicida, which infects kauri through their roots and disrupts their ability to take up water and nutrients. As it progresses, trees can lose foliage and branches and eventually die. The toll has been significant. Hundreds to thousands of kauri across New Zealand’s upper North Island have died, with some of the heaviest losses recorded in Northland and Auck-land’s Waitākere Ranges. As dieback spreads and affected trees decline, some of the carbon held in their living biomass is lost from that store – with direct implications for carbon sequestration and the broader health of these forest ecosystems. Our latest research sheds some new light on these important impacts. To build a clearer picture, we visited study plots in kauri forests in the Waitākere Ranges that had first been surveyed be-tween 2011 and 2014. Our study co-author, Toby Elliot, revisited the plots to measure the trees again, assess the condition of their canopies and record which had died or become established. We then used the size of each tree, along with the typical wood density of each species, to estimate how much living biomass the plots contained. This allowed us to see how the amount of carbon stored in living vegetation had changed over about a decade. We found that the more severe the kauri dieback, the less car-bon forests gained through tree growth – and the more they lost as trees declined and died. The difference was notable. For forest stands starting with an average 169 tonnes of carbon per hectare, healthy stands gained about 0.8 tonnes per hectare each year. Those showing signs of dieback instead lost about 0.1 tonnes, while severely affected stands lost around one tonne per hectare each year. That amounts to a shift of about 1.8 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year between healthy and severely affected forest. The reason is relatively simple. Healthy trees keep growing and accumulating carbon. Dieback slows that growth and, when trees eventually die, the carbon they contained is no longer part of the forest’s living vegetation. The largest changes occurred in forests that initially contained the most carbon – mature kauri forests with large trees that have accumulated carbon over many decades or centuries. In our study, mature forest plots held an average of about 248 tonnes of living carbon per hectare, compared with about 88 tonnes in younger, regenerating forest. Kauri themselves accounted for a particularly large share of this store. Where kauri were present, our modelling estimated they contributed, on average, about half of the living carbon, with their contribution becoming greater in more carbon-rich forests. This means the impact of kauri dieback depends on which trees die, as well as how many. When a large kauri dies, the amount of carbon removed from the living vegetation pool can be significant. Our modelling also suggests severely affected; carbon-rich stands can shift from accumulating carbon to losing it. These forests may not regain their previous carbon stocks, instead eventually stabilising with less living biomass and a reduced capacity to store and accumulate carbon. This makes protecting mature kauri forests particularly important for maintaining the carbon stored in these ecosystems. Our study measured carbon only in living vegetation, capturing just one part of the larger carbon cycle. Because we did not directly measure carbon in dead wood, litter and soils, we cannot determine how much of the carbon lost from living vegetation ultimately remains stored elsewhere in the ecosystem, or how quickly it is returned to the atmosphere. Longer-term measurements of these other potential stores will be needed to track where this carbon goes – and how that changes as kauri mortality increases. Protecting kauri from dieback therefore has implications beyond the survival of individual trees. Management approaches designed to slow disease progression and reduce symptoms, such as phosphite treatments, are being investigated and applied as part of broader kauri protection efforts. In the meantime, preventing the spread of dieback disease remains something visitors can help with staying on marked tracks and thoroughly cleaning footwear when entering and leaving kauri forests. Doing so helps protect kauri as taonga and the ecological functions of forests that have taken centuries to develop.

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There is an enormous amount happening across housing, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), prefabrication and future construction markets, and FTMA wants to make sure that frame and truss manufacturers are part of the conversation. Source: Timberbiz On Tuesday 20 October, FTMA will bring manufacturers together with government, researchers, training organisations and industry at the Future Framing Markets Forum at Parkroyal, Melbourne Airport. This won’t be a traditional conference. Presentations will provide an update on some of the major projects and initiatives underway, but a key part of the day will be facilitated table workshops, giving manufacturers the opportunity to ask questions, provide practical feedback, identify barriers and opportunities, and have a genuine say in what comes next. The program will include sessions on the Future Framing Initiative, System 600, the John Curtin Research Centre’s housing work and National Demonstration, Melbourne Polytechnic’s Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence, as well as senior state and territory government representatives discussing their housing and MMC priorities. There will be a deliberate mix with the seating, so manufacturers, government, researchers and industry representatives are talking directly with each other. The idea is to have people developing these programs to hear from the manufacturers who will ultimately be needed to help deliver them. There is good funding opportunities for our members to advance the sector, but we must be at the table and must have our voices heard. The Forum is open to all Australian timber frame and truss manufacturers, both FTMA members and non-members. FTMA Partners will be invited, while other supplier and industry participation will be limited and by invitation. This is deliberate, as manufacturers need to remain the focus of the day. There are significant opportunities developing for the sector. Some manufacturers are already investing heavily to move into new markets, while others are considering where they fit. This Forum is an opportunity to understand what is happening, what may be coming next and, most importantly, make sure our industry has a voice in shaping it. Tuesday 20 October 2026 9.30 am to 4.00 pm Parkroyal Melbourne Airport Networking drinks and canapés following the Forum FTMA Members: $150 + GST Non-Members: $200 + GST https://www.trybooking.com/au/event/future-framing-markets-forum-1655017

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For Cain Octon, a full-time role at SA Pine’s Monarto operation offered more than just a job. It was a chance to find greater balance, build on his experience and create a pathway for the future. Source: NTHA Now completing a Certificate III in Timber and Woods Products Operations through NTHA Trainees and Apprentices, Mr Octon says the opportunity came at exactly the right time. “I worked in merchandise and metal fabrication before this and had a lot of temporary or casual jobs,” he said. “When this came up as a full-time job, I knew it would give me more of a balance in life.” While timber was a new industry for Mr Octon, it wasn’t completely unfamiliar territory. “It is an industry that I have not worked in directly, but close to it, so I thought it would be a good opportunity.” Through his NTHA Trainees and Apprentices training, Mr Octon is already building practical skills across the operation, including workplace health and safety and general handling. “The course itself is very straightforward, and so far, I have done a bit of WHS and general handling training,” he said. Mr Octon’s varied work background has also given him a head start. “I have a big background in a lot of different fields, so I am used to the processes as they are. I have already done this type of stuff, just in a different aspect.” But for Mr Octon, the Certificate III is about more than learning the job he is doing today. It is about opening the door to where he wants to go next. “I would like to eventually work my way up and be more in the office and work in the digital world a bit more, which I think this course will help me do,” he said. His goal is to continue building his career with SA Pine, while keeping an eye on the opportunities that could come with experience and further training. “I would like to continually work with SA Pine, but there are other ITI sites around the place that could present opportunities as well.” For someone who has spent years moving between temporary and casual work, Mr Octon is now building something very different: a career pathway with skills, a nationally recognised qualification and room to grow. And it all started with a full-time opportunity at SA Pine, supported by NTHA Trainees and Apprentices.

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AFPA has made two submissions on draft national recovery plans for the Gang-gang Cockatoo and South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (SERTBC). Source: Timberbiz AFPA says that it supports the conservation and recovery of the Gang-gang Cockatoo and appropriate protection of confirmed breeding habitat, significant foraging areas, refuge areas and important native vegetation. For the SERTBC, AFPA broadly supports the proposed actions while emphasising that harvesting and silvicultural activities should not be unnecessarily restricted in areas adjacent to identified habitat. Read submission on Gang-gang Cockatoo https://ausfpa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AFPA-submission-NRP-Gang-gang-cockatoo.pdf Read submission on South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo https://ausfpa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AFPA-submission-NRP-South-eastern-red-tailed-black-cockatoo.pdf

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A Solid Fuel Fire Ban is now in force in State forests across the Central West Region (Orange, Bathurst, Oberon) and will remain in place throughout the summer period as dry conditions continue to elevate bushfire risk. Source: Timberbiz The ban means campfires and barbecues using wood, charcoal and other solid fuels are not permitted in State forests. Gas barbecues and similar gas appliances may still be used unless a Total Fire Ban is declared by the NSW Rural Fire Service. Solid Fuel Fire Bans are applied during periods of high fire danger to help protect forests, visitors and local communities from bushfire. Forestry Corporation crews, alongside other firefighting agencies, have already responded to multiple major bushfire incidents across NSW this season with around 50 fires burning statewide this week. Forestry Corporation Fire and Stewardship Manager Lyndon Orpwood: “Campfires which are not extinguished correctly, and abandoned campfires in a highly flammable environment, are a major risk to communities, other forest users, and the environment,” Mr Orpwood said. “Forestry Corporation takes a cautious approach to fires so that we can retain the forest environment for people to enjoy.” While visitors will not be able to use wood-fuelled campfires throughout the fire threat period, they can still enjoy everything State forests have to offer, including camping, walking, mountain biking, fishing and nature-based recreation. Visitors are encouraged to check forest notices and closures before travelling and stay informed about fire conditions throughout the holiday period. During Solid Fuel Fire Bans, only gas appliances are permitted, and separate Total Fire Ban restrictions may also apply.

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Share your views on the future of NSW’s historic timber truss bridges and their role in local communities. Source: Timberbiz The Timber Truss Bridge Strategy is Transport for NSW’s framework for deciding which historic timber road bridges should be conserved, how they should be maintained, and how heritage values can be balanced with modern transport requirements. Transport for NSW (Transport) wants to hear from local communities, councils, heritage organisations, industry groups and road users to help shape the 2027 review of this Strategy. Background The Timber Truss Bridge Strategy was first developed in 2010, when 26 of the state’s 48 timber truss road bridges were identified for retention due to their heritage significance. It was revised in 2012 and again in 2019, as further structural assessments and community consultation reshaped the list of bridges recommended for conservation and now includes 27 bridges to be retained. Today, the retained bridges represent a range of former bridge types, spanning different ages, sizes and configurations, and remain an important part of Australia’s cultural and engineering heritage. Ongoing feedback from the community has highlighted that some retained bridges may no longer meet contemporary community needs. Transport has committed to reviewing the strategy to ensure it continues to strike the right balance. Tell us what you think If you have feedback on the state’s historic timber truss road bridges, we want to hear from you. There are several ways you can share your feedback on the future of NSW’s historic timber truss bridges. Complete the survey to provide feedback on the Timber Truss Bridge Strategy and the future conservation and management of historic timber truss bridges. Pin a comment on the map to share location-specific feedback about a particular bridge and its importance to your community. Make a submission if you would like to provide more detailed feedback, supporting information, photographs or comments relating to multiple bridges. Your feedback will help inform the review’s recommendations on how these bridges are conserved and maintained into the future. You can respond at https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/TTBS-review/survey

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The refreshed Green Triangle freight plan targets high-productivity vehicle access, cross-border consistency and strategic road upgrades as timber, agriculture, minerals and renewable energy drive a larger and more complex regional freight task. Source: ATN The refreshed Green Triangle freight plan has identified high-productivity vehicle access, cross-border regulation and targeted infrastructure upgrades as priorities for one of Australia’s most significant regional freight networks. Spanning south-east South Australia and south-west Victoria, the Green Triangle al-ready carries a substantial timber and agricultural freight task. Mineral sands, renewable energy, critical minerals and additional processing capacity are expected to make that task larger and more complex over the next five to 10 years. The 2026 Green Triangle Freight Action Plan is designed to guide future infrastructure investment, business cases and policy action rather than serve as a standalone construction funding package. Its stated objectives include expanding High Productivity Vehicle access, improving road safety and strengthening connections between production areas, processing facilities and markets. Forestry remains at the centre of the regional freight economy. The Green Triangle is Australia’s largest plantation forestry region and supplies about 35% of house framing timber, 48% of packaging timber, 60% of poles and posts and 25% of particleboard. Forestry accounts for more than half of regional freight flows, primarily by road. The report says virtually all timber products are transported by truck, with the Port of Portland the main destination. However, the refreshed Green Triangle freight plan is looking beyond timber. Renewable energy projects, mineral sands and potential critical minerals developments are expected to generate substantial new freight movements. Grain, dairy and fertiliser transport are also expected to remain significant contributors. Victorian Ports and Freight Minister Melissa Horne said the region warranted long-term freight planning. “The Green Triangle is a nationally significant freight and industry region, and we are planning its future to keep creating regional jobs,” Horne said. The Green Triangle freight plan identifies several corridors requiring coordinated attention as freight demand grows. Priority routes include the Princes Highway between Warrnambool and Heywood and from Heywood towards Mount Gambier, the Riddoch Highway between Mount Gambier and Coonawarra, Portland-Casterton Road and Glenelg River Road between Mount Gambier and Nelson. The Mount Gambier West freight route to market and sections of the Henty Highway approaching Portland are also listed. The plan additionally identifies load-restricted bridges around Colac as constraints on freight productivity. The priorities were informed by consultation involving road freight operators, forestry businesses, local governments, Government agencies and the Port of Portland during late 2025 and early 2026. Improving High Productivity Vehicle access is one of the strongest trucking themes in the document. The plan identifies a broader industry shift towards moving more freight with fewer, larger vehicles to improve productivity and reduce emissions per tonne-kilometre. But network restrictions can prevent those combinations from being used efficiently. Bridge capacity, pavement condition and road geometry are among the physical constraints, while differences in heavy vehicle regulation between South Australia and Victoria add another layer of complexity. The plan specifically highlights inconsistent mass limits, permit requirements and defect rules as cross-border issues affecting productivity. Its strategic outcomes therefore include greater consistency in heavy vehicle regulation and route gazettal between the two states. Victorian Cross Border Commissioner Brett Davis said the plan would guide further cooperation between the jurisdictions. “This Plan will guide the next phase of cross-border cooperation for the Green Triangle region, which is an important economic zone for Victoria and South Australia, especially the border communities who live, work, operate businesses and invest here,” Davis said. Infrastructure condition remains one of the major challenges identified by the Green Triangle freight plan. The report says transport costs can represent between one-third and one-half of product value in general terms, making inefficient routing and restricted heavy vehicle access commercially significant. Bridge limitations and poor pavement conditions can prevent HPV access, increasing costs and reducing competitiveness. Limited overtaking opportunities, drainage and roadside vegetation are also identified as safety issues. At the same time, increasing oversize-overmass movements for wind energy developments are creating additional geometric challenges at intersections, bridge approaches and constrained sections of the network. One example is the Bridgewater Road bridge at Portland, where the existing 5.2-metre clearance prevents larger vehicles from using the route. Options are being assessed to improve access for over-dimensional trucks travelling to and from the Port of Portland. The type of freight using the network is changing, along with its volume. Wind farms, battery storage developments and potential hydrogen projects are expected to generate more oversize-overmass movements. Those loads require suitable route clearances, staging areas and intersection geometry. The report warns that without proactive planning; renewable energy logistics could compete with timber and agricultural freight for constrained corridor capacity. Timber processing is also reshaping freight patterns. The plan identifies an additional 650,000 cubic metres of processing capacity at Mount Gambier West, with further expansion possible. That will change how raw materials and processed products move through the network. The plan also considers how heavier and lower-emission vehicles could reshape infrastructure requirements. South Australia has already trialled an electric B-double in a forestry application. The Fennell Forestry truck travelled more than 100,000 kilometres during 2024 and 2025, and the report estimates it avoided more than 70,000 litres of diesel and more than 180 tonnes of carbon emissions. However, the transition introduces new infrastructure questions. The additional mass of some battery-electric and hydrogen prime movers affects pavement design and bridge loading, while broader adoption will depend on charging, grid, and refuelling infrastructure. Digital connectivity is another constraint. The plan says patchy 5G coverage can limit the effectiveness of electronic work diaries, fatigue and distraction monitoring, vehicle tracking and other fleet technologies. Rail forms another part of the regional strategy, particularly for bulk commodities. The Australian Government committed $150 million in 2024 to upgrading approximately 172 kilometres of the Portland-Maroona rail line. The works are intended to increase maximum axle loads from 19 tonnes to 23 tonnes and maximum track speed to 80km/h. The plan expects the upgrade to improve […]

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Across hundreds of conversations among businesses, governments, financial institutions, Indigenous leaders, and civil society organizations at Climate Week NYC, one message stood out: climate, rights, and nature need to become business and policy priorities instead of niche issues. Source: Timberbiz FSC participated in events throughout the week to highlight responsible forest stewardship as an essential climate solution, emphasize the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ leadership and sustainable finance, and strengthen partnerships to scale up our impact. “The best measure of a healthy forest is a thriving community,” said FSC Indigenous Foundation Director Minnie Degawan, during a Nature4Climate Nature Hub panel, sending a clear signal that we must not think about nature and people in silos. Building resilience to a rapidly changing climate requires shared in-vestment. Forest communities who have done the least to cause the climate crisis are often bearing the greatest burden of adapting to its impacts. A panel with IDH, Root Capital, Satelligence, Blue Marble, and FSC at the Nature4Climate Nature Hub explored this challenge. Participants emphasized that climate resilience depends on connecting trusted data, certification, and finance so that responsibility and investment are shared across the value chain, helping to de-risk the transition for communities. Consumers also have a role to play. At an event hosted by the NYU Stern Centre for Sustainable Business, GlobeScan, and Sustainable Brands, FSC Chief Program Officer Ria Stout participated alongside representatives from IKEA, Mastercard, Amazon, and Unilever to explore how consumer demand is driving the sustainability agenda. Sustainability-marketed products are growing 4.9 times faster than conventionally marketed products across 36 consumer packaged goods categories, according to NYU Stern Centre for Sustainable Business’ Sustainable Market Share Index. However, affordability remains a barrier to wider adoption. Data emerged as a recurring theme across Climate Week discussions. As sustainability reporting requirements and climate disclosures increase, companies need data and evidence that connect sustainability outcomes with business priorities. FSC North America and the FSC Indigenous Foundation brought together representatives from environmental, rights, research, finance, and community-focused organizations for a conversation on how forests, food, climate, biodiversity, freshwater, rights, and community well-being can be addressed more effectively together. Indigenous Peoples’ leadership was central in Climate Week discussions. “Forests are more than carbon sinks. Carbon is, in fact, a co-benefit. For Indigenous Peoples, forests are home and relatives,” said Minnie Degawan at an event hosted by the Environmental Defense Fund and Emergent. Direct climate funding for Indigenous Peoples and local communities was another key topic. Despite exceeding the COP26 Forest Tenure Pledge target with USD 2.35 billion committed, Climate Week discussions emphasized that success depends not just on how much funding is provided, but on decision-making power and direct access to finance. The Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) launched the Forest Finance Roadmap Progress Report during Climate Week, highlighting progress toward closing the US$66.8 billion forest finance gap. It also shared growing support for the Tropical Forest Forever Facility; a blended finance initiative launched at COP30 to reward countries for conserving tropical rainforests. The UK announced a GBP 400 million commitment to the Facility during the week, adding to the momentum. Governments are crucial partners for translating commitments into action. \At the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force) panel, Sharon London, Partnerships Director at FSC Investments & Partnerships, joined governors, universities, NGOs and foundations to explore how governments can work with communities, NGOs, investors and the private sector to unlock finance, close capacity gaps, and turn climate commitments into action. Speakers emphasized that successful partnerships are built on trust, long-term relationships, and understanding of local realities. “Partnerships are how we connect policy, finance, certification, and the people working on the ground,” said Sharon London, reflecting on the event. There is growing interest from local governments in translating climate commitments into practical actions through partnerships, finance, and tools such as FSC certification. FSC and the GCF Task Force are advancing a letter of intent to build a platform for collaboration, joint projects, fundraising, knowledge-sharing, and policy engagement.

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Sweden’s newest Forest Map is a digital map from the Swedish Forest Agency that brings together three of the agency’s most widely used mapping tools in a common platform. Here, forestry can, among other things, calculate the amount of timber but also see where there may be valuable forest environments, ancient finds and the risk of forest damage. Source: Timberbiz “Three maps become one, which makes it easier than ever to plan for logging and other measures in the forest. This can contribute to better environmental consideration and more efficient forestry,” said Kajsa Wivstad, project manager for the Forest Map. In the Forest Map, the user can, for example, see where there are high natural values that may need to be taken into account, but also ancient remains and other cultural environments that must not be damaged. Here is information about which forests are protected, watercourses, soil conditions and where there is a risk of landslides. There is also data that makes it easier for the user to assess tree height and timber reserves. The Swedish Forest Agency launched the first map in 1999, which has since been developed in several stages. Until now, there have been mainly three highly appreciated and well-used maps with up to 2,000 visits each week: Forest pearls that show information about valuable forest environments but also information from the Artportal that guides the forest owner where consideration may be required when felling and other measures. Forest basic data describes forests and land and can be used in all types of forest planning. Damage to forests shows where damage has occurred from, among other things, fire and storms.   These three maps have now been removed, but the information from all three has been moved to the Forest Map, which can be used on computers, tablets and mobile phones. “The forest map is more user-friendly and easy to navigate with functions and menus that are easier to use. Then, of course, we will gradually develop the content of the map and take into account the views and suggestions for improvement from the users,” said Kajsa Wivstad. The target group for the Forest Map is broad and includes forest owners, forestry companies, authorities, municipalities, non-profit organizations and private actors such as environmental consultants, banks, brokers and insurance companies. The map is also aimed at users who do not have their own GIS systems but need access to qualified geographic information about forests and land. For a year, a beta version of the Forest Map has been available on the Swedish Forest Agency’s website for testing and development of the content.  

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The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) released its biennial Sustainability Progress Report which demonstrates progress in seven key areas of sustainability. The 2026 report also highlights the role the forest products sector can play in helping meet global climate goals. Source: Timberbiz “As the 2026 Sustainability Progress Report makes clear, the global forest products sector continues to make measurable progress toward a more sustainable future,” said José Carlos da Fonseca Jr, ICFPA President. “Across regions, our members are demonstrating that sustainably managed forests, renewable materials and paper recycling are essential to supporting communities, strengthening circularity and advancing responsible growth around the world.” The ICFPA Sustainability Progress Report tracks progress achieved in 2022-2023. The overall trend is positive – a reflection that the industry continues to improve in key sustainability areas from our baseline years. In addition to quantitative metrics that demonstrate our industry’s progress towards sustainability commitments, the report includes case studies to provide a more robust and qualitative reflection of our industry’s sustainability performance. Key progress on ICFPA’s sustainability performance indicators include: 51% of procured wood fibre came from third-party certified sustainably managed forests, a 39% increase from the 2000 baseline year. Greenhouse gas emission intensity decreased 295 from the 2004/2005 baseline year. The share of mill energy needs met by biomass and other renewable fuels increased to 66%, a 13% increase since 2004/2005. Sulphur dioxide emission intensity from on-site combustion sources decreased 80.5% from the 2004/2005 baseline year. Water use intensity decreased 6.4% from the baseline year. Investment in health and safety interventions yielded a 31.6% reduction in the global recordable incident rate from the 2006/2007 baseline with the number of recordable incidents falling to 2.81 per 100 employees annually. 62% of paper and paperboard consumed globally was used by mills to make new products, marking a 15% increase in the global recycling rate since the year 2000.   The 2026 ICFPA Sustainability Progress Report also includes the 2025 International Finalists for the prestigious ICFPA Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Award. The theme for the 2024-2025 Blue Sky Awards was “Building a Lower Carbon Economy with Climate Positive Forestry and Forest Products.” Currently, the ICFPA represents 16 pulp, paper, wood and fibre-based associations that encompass 27 countries, including many of the top pulp, paper and wood producers around the world.

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Around 70 staff from fire and land management agencies, emergency services, local government representatives and community members gathered in Patchewollock for the 56th Annual Big Desert and Wyperfeld Fire Conference. Source: Timberbiz The annual event continues to play an important role in strengthening relationships, sharing knowledge and preparing for the upcoming bushfire season across Victoria’s Mallee region. The conference brought together representatives from: Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) Country Fire Authority (CFA) Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) Agriculture Victoria, Victoria Police Parks Victoria VicSES Barengi Gadjin Land Council Department of Environment and Water of South Australia Emergency Management Victoria local government community stakeholders.   FFMVic Acting Mallee District Manager, Ash Christian, said the conference is a great opportunity to connect, learn and share insights about fire management in the Mallee region. ‘Bringing agencies and stakeholders together helps us reflect on the year gone by while preparing for the bushfire season ahead,’ Mr Christian said. The day began with a Welcome to Country delivered by the Barengi Gadjin Land Council, followed by opening remarks from FFMVic and CFA leaders, who high-lighted the value of collaboration in reducing bushfire risk and keeping communities safe. Attendees heard a range of presentations covering lessons from the past fire season and preparations for the season ahead. Topics included seasonal weather conditions, operational readiness, fuel management programs in the Big Desert and Wyperfeld areas, fire prevention and community preparedness, and recovery efforts following recent fires. A highlight of the conference was a detailed reconstruction of the Boinka Fire, where firefighters and fire managers shared insights into the challenges faced during the incident and the strategies used to manage it. The presentation provided valuable lessons that can help strengthen future fire response and planning. The conference also provided an opportunity for agencies to update attendees on current projects and priorities, reinforcing the importance of coordinated efforts across organisations before and during the fire season. Following the morning presentations, participants took part in a field tour of locations affected by the Baring and Bronzewing State Forest fire. Led by FFMVic and CFA personnel, the tour explored key suppression strategies used during the incident, including the role of strategic fuel breaks, planned burning and boundary management in supporting firefighting operations. The site visits gave attendees the opportunity to see firsthand how planning, partnerships and on-ground decision making can influence fire outcomes in complex landscapes. The Big Desert and Wyperfeld Fire Conference remains one of the region’s longest-running fire management forums. “For more than five decades it has provided a valuable opportunity for agencies, volunteers and community members to connect, learn from one another and share local knowledge,” he said. As preparations continue for the coming fire season, events like this help build stronger partnerships and a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in managing fire across Victoria’s unique Mallee environment.

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Two Taranaki conservation organisations, 800 Trust and Wildlife.ai, have been selected among just 16 other organisations across Asia Pacific to join Google DeepMind’s AI for the Planet Accelerator, bringing Taranaki conservation innovation into an international program focused on using artificial intelligence to address the world’s most critical environmental challenges. Source: Timberbiz 800 Trust have developed the acoustic monitoring system Hark, and Wildlife.ai are the creators of open-source camera monitoring system Wildlife Watcher. The selection provides international recognition for their use of combining AI with technology, and conservation expertise to make biodiversity monitoring faster, more accessible and more effective. The two organisations have just returned from a boot camp in Singapore, launching an intensive three-month program where they will receive access to Google’s technical expertise, mentorship and resources to develop and scale AI-powered solutions for environmental challenges. Miranda Wells from 800 Trust said that the accelerator program gives their organisation a critical boost to accelerate technology developed in Taranaki, with potential to increase its impact on biodiversity restoration globally. “AI has enormous potential to make wildlife monitoring faster and more affordable, making the important work of conservation groups that much more impactful.” “Working with Google DeepMind provides an exciting opportunity to push that technology further and explore applications that could benefit conservation projects both here in Taranaki and around the world.” Hark, developed by 800 Trust, uses AI-powered acoustic sensors to “listen” to the ngahere. Installed in remote forests, the devices record and analyse bird calls, detect pest species, and track ecosystem changes over time. Wildlife Watcher, developed by Wildlife.ai, is developing an AI-powered camera to identify and count smaller mammals, reptiles, and amphibians which are typically harder to monitor using traditional methods. For Victor Anton from Wildlife.ai, the selection of both organisations is a reflection of the broader innovation and commitment of the Taranaki conservation sector. “To have two Taranaki organisations included in a cohort of only sixteen from around the world shows just how advanced our region is when it comes to conservation. “When it comes to restoring our natural environment, the world truly is watching Taranaki,” Mr Anton said. Both organisations are part of the Wild for Taranaki network, which connects conservation organisations across the region to share expertise, build partnerships and strengthen biodiversity out-comes. Their selection comes as Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki and Wild for Taranaki are working together on a new initiative exploring how Taranaki’s biodiversity strengths could create wider environmental, social and economic value for the region. Supported by Toi Foundation, the project is exploring opportunities including nature-positive investment, , ecotourism, and conservation technology education , with the aim of strengthening the long-term sustainability and impact of biodiversity restoration work across Taranaki. Thom Adams, Biodiversity Innovation Lead at Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki says that to have two Taranaki organisations recognised through an international program of this calibre is significant. “It demonstrates that some of the solutions being developed here to address very local conservation challenges have much wider potential. “As a region, we have an opportunity to build on the incredible biodiversity restoration work already happening across Taranaki by connecting it with technology, research, new partnerships and in-vestment. That can strengthen conservation outcomes here while also creating expertise and solutions that have relevance well beyond our region.”

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The date for next year’s ABARES Outlook 2027 conference is 2-3 March at Hotel Realm, Canberra, and online. Source: Timberbiz For more than 50 years, ABARES Outlook conferences have led national discussions on the future of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors, helping shape industry thinking and policy conversations. Drawing on ABARES’ latest insights, commodity data and forecasts, Outlook 2027 will provide valuable opportunities to learn, contribute and engage with industry leaders, government delegates and researchers. Next year, a new networking dinner will give delegates a relaxed setting to build connections, exchange ideas and keep the conversation going. Tickets will be available from 29 October. Visit the website for more information https://www.agriculture.gov.au/event/abares-outlook

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Approvals for new houses increased in August to a new high of 11,040, the highest level in five years and up by 3.3% on the previous month. Source: Timberbiz The Australian Bureau of Statistics this week released its monthly building approvals data for August 2026 for detached houses and multi-units covering all states and territories. HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt said that house approvals over the past three months sat 14.6% higher than the same quarter last year, reflecting the market’s momentum heading into this year. “There are long lags in home building, and it is still too soon to see the impact of this year’s speed bumps on building approvals data,” he said. “The impact of rising interest rates, surging fuel costs and government tax increases has reached a number of leading indicators. “New home sales declined for the fourth consecutive month in August, sitting almost 20% down on a quarterly basis. “Fewer people are visiting display villages and those who do are proving harder for builders to convert into actual contracts for new home builds.” Mr Devitt said that price declines in the established market had continued and broadened, while the costs of land, construction, and taxes and regulations on new builds continued to increase. This undermined the viability of new builds. “Much of the home building industry had a healthy pipeline of construction work underway heading into this year’s difficulties, as well as a number of projects sold and awaiting commencement. This should sustain activity for the rest of the year,” he said. “We are unlikely to see the impact of recent events on approvals and on-the-ground commencements until next year and beyond, when Australia will build fewer homes than previously expected.” Mr Devitt said that this was occurring while underlying demand for housing – population growth, shrinking household sizes, replacement of old stock and addressing pre-existing shortages – continued to grow. Once these fundamentals reasserted themselves, prices would recover and any short-term improvements in affordability would be undone. “This week’s rate hike from the RBA brings the cash rate to its highest level since 2011. This reinforces the need for governments and other policymakers to reduce the costs of land and housing in other ways if Australia is to meet its housing needs,” he said. “This means reducing taxes and restrictions on builders, investors and aspiring homeowners. “Land and infrastructure need to be brought to market faster and fairly funded rather than increasingly imposed on builders and buyers. “Australia’s governments – all tiers – have many levers that can be pulled to improve housing affordability in both the short and long term,” Mr Devitt said. In seasonally adjusted terms, Western Australia saw the largest increase in house building approvals in the three months to August compared to the same period a year earlier, to be 21.9% higher. This was followed by South Australia (+17.5%), New South Wales (+17.2%), Queensland (+12.8%) and Victoria (+9.2%). In original terms, Tasmania saw a 22.1% increase, followed by the Australian Capital Territory (+9.2%) and the Northern Territory (+6.0%).

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Forest scientists, managers, growers and communicators from across Australia gathered in Canberra for the 2026 Forestry Australia Symposium. More than 280 delegates registered to attend the three-day symposium focused on having conversations about building trust in the Australian community. Source: Timberbiz Running from today until Friday, the theme the forestry story: Strategies for improved awareness, social licence and effective engagement, will examine how forestry engages with Traditional Owners, policymakers, the media and the community. In Forestry Australia’s view, forest science sits at the very heart of some of the biggest challenges facing the nation, from housing and agriculture to sovereignty, wildfire, climate adaptation, carbon and nature repair.  Without a successful forestry sector, Australia cannot meet its global commitments. “Australians care deeply about their forests, and so do the people who look after them,” Forestry Australia President Dr Michelle Freeman said. “Our members are the scientists, managers, fire specialists and growers who work in those forests, across every forest type and every tenure.” Forestry Australia CEO Jacquie Martin said the program reflects a commitment to open and constructive engagement. “Social licence is not something our sector can take for granted,” Ms Martin said. “It depends on a genuine connection, trust, accountability and a shared commitment to the long-term stewardship of Australia’s forests,” she said. Convenor Matt de Jongh said the symposium promises to be a watershed moment for the profession. “The Symposium brings a diverse range of speakers and perspectives, to explore how modern forest science shares its story.”   Program highlights Prof Stan Grant opens the Symposium at 9am tomorrow with a keynote titled When words divide, bridging the divide. A Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi and Dharrawal man, Prof Grant is a three-time Walkley Award winner and Professor of Journalism at Monash University. Dr Simon Longstaff AO, Executive Director of The Ethics Centre, gives Thursday’s keynote. He then joins Dr Freeman, Michael O’Connor of the TFTU and Steve Whiteley of Tasmania’s State Fire Commission on a panel drawing lessons from the past to inform the future. Learning from Rural Industries brings Luke Martin on the Tasmanian salmon story, Alexandra Gartmann of the Australian Farm Institute, Janina Gawler formerly of Rio Tinto, and Sarah Norris of Snowy Hydro. Building Influence puts politics and advocacy before a panel of the Hon Nicholle Overall MLC, Alison Rudman of the TFTU and Natasa Sikman of Chevron, a former Labor adviser. Public perceptions and the media feature Dr Amanda Cahill who will speak on the principals of building social licence, Giselle Stollznow on how Australians see forestry and Colin Bettles, who is President of the National Rural Press Club. A Shared Forestry Story brings First Nations knowledge, leadership and enterprise to the program, with Phil Thompson of Native Secrets, Tommy Hicks of Indigenous Energy Australia and Tolita Davis-Angeles, Chair of the FSC First Nations Committee.   Thursday’s formal program closes with a panel on what comes next for the forestry story, featuring Dr Freeman, AFWI Chair Bob Gordon, Jenna Hammond of Private Forests Tasmania, Leon Holt of Forestry Australia and Dr Robert Waterworth of FLINTpro. Delegates then head to the National Arboretum for the Symposium Dinner. Friday 9 October is given over to five field trips, each leaving from and returning to the Rex Hotel. Alpine ash and snow gums under a new climate is the longest of the five, a full day in the high country on climate change, pest pressure, fire regimes, dieback and forest resilience, and what that change means for forest science, management and policy. Balancing community access and plantation forestry, led by the ACT Parks and Conservation Service, opens at an operational paintball site in the ACT’s pine plantations, then moves to a guided walk at Majura Pines and an afternoon on the Cotter Pines mountain bike trails. Delegates will see how a plantation still managed for timber is shared with mountain bike riders, horse riders and high-ropes users. Urban forestry in Canberra runs from the Mount Ainslie lookout through the pin oaks of Braddon and Kingston, the plane trees of Manuka and the American elms of Grant Crescent in Griffith, to new canopy in Denman Prospect and Whitlam, remnant vegetation at Ginninderry and a water-sensitive carpark at Jamison. Tallaganda State Forest, hosted by Forestry Corporation of NSW, covers native forest silviculture, pine plantation management and thinning, and fire management, with lunch at the Captains Flat pub. Research and legacy at ANU is a morning on the role of research, innovation and long-term knowledge in Australia’s forests.

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After almost 40 years in the forestry business, Brett Jones has announced his decision to step down from his role as Managing Director Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd. He will be replaced by Dean O’Connor effective immediately. Source: Timberbiz To support a smooth transition, Mr Jones will continue to work part time for the next six months, assisting Mr O’Connor and his team where required. This will ensure a seam-less handover and provide ongoing support during the transition period. Reflecting on his time with the company, Mr Jones says he was deeply proud of what has been achieved since Komatsu Forest Australia was formed 36 years ago. His time with the company and within the industry has been a significant and rewarding part of his working life, marked by many achievements, challenges and lasting relationships. His decision to retire has been made for personal reasons. Taking over the role of Managing Director will be Mr O’Connor, who will be familiar to many across the industry. He has been involved in the industry for a similar length of time and brings with him a broad range of experience and knowledge, providing strong continuity as he takes on the role. Mr Jones would like to take this opportunity to express his sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported him and Komatsu Forest Australia throughout his time with the company. “Over the years, there have been many tough periods, but also many rewarding moments, and I am incredibly grateful for the relationships we have built and the achievements we have shared along the way,” he said. “It has been a privilege to work with you all. I sincerely thank you for your continued support, trust and partnership throughout my time with KF, and I wish everyone continued success for the future.” Mr O’Connor brings more than 30 years of experience across the forestry and forest equipment industries, including more than two decades in senior roles within the Komatsu Forest Group. His career spans Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and North America, providing extensive international experience and a strong understanding of the markets in which the company operates. Mr O’Connor began his career in New Zealand in 1994 with the local Timberjack dealer, before joining Timberjack Asia Pacific in 1997 and becoming General Manager of Waratah Forestry Attachments Australia in 2001. He joined Komatsu Forest in 2004 as International Business Manager, with responsibility for markets across New Zealand, Asia and Southern Africa. Later Dean went on to hold senior management roles in North America from 2006 to 2009 and New Zealand as General Manager of Komatsu Forest New Zealand from 2009 to 2015. After serving as General Manager of EMS Limited in New Zealand from 2015 to 2018, he returned to the Komatsu Group as Managing Director of Southstar Equipment New Zealand in 2022. Later that year he became National Sales Manager for Australia and Business Manager for the New Zealand branch, positions he held until his new appointment. This appointment provides a strong and experienced leadership transition for Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd, combining extensive industry knowledge, international experience and a long association with the Komatsu Forest Group.

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South Australian forest industries and the State Government are cracking down on new detections of Giant Pine Scale at Hope Valley Reservoir and Highbury Aqueduct reserves. Source: Timberbiz As part of the Government and forest industries’ comprehensive spring surveillance program, a small number of non-native pine trees infected with Giant Pine Scale have been detected. These new detections are in the eastern part of Hope Valley Reservoir Reserve and the western part of Highbury Aqueduct Reserve, close to areas where previous infestations were discovered and removed in recent years. It is understood around 200 trees will be removed. Giant Pine Scale (GPS) is a highly destructive pest that attacks pine trees by feeding on their sap, causing progressive decline and eventual tree death. Left unchecked, GPS threatens Adelaide’s urban pine canopy and the state’s valuable plantation forestry sector. South Australia’s forest industries support thousands of jobs, supply the timber needed to build homes, produce the pallets for goods moving through our supply chains, and provides renewable products that contribute to a lower-carbon future. Taking decisive action now is essential to protect both our urban green spaces and one of the state’s most important sustainable industries. The State Government, in partnership with the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), has removed infected and at-risk trees since detections were made in 2023 and continues to undertake proactive surveillance across various sites in the north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide. Following the new detections at Hope Valley and Highbury, work is underway with the forest industry to remove infected and at-risk pine trees. The State Government will revegetate all impacted areas with native flora, ensuring their long-term recovery, improved biodiversity, and protection from future GPS infestations. Since 2023, the State Government has invested $8 million in GPS response activities and associated revegetation works. A further $3 million has been committed to redevelop Elliston Reserve, in partnership with the City of Tea Tree Gully, following a previous GPS infestation in 2023. This exciting project will deliver extensive revegetation, a new regional play space and other recreational facilities. South Australia’s Giant Pine Scale surveillance program is being undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) in partnership with ForestrySA, AFPA, the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and SA Water. Proactive surveillance will continue through spring and into 2027, monitoring at-risk parks, reserves and plantations for any signs of the pest.

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