Australian timber industry news

Forests already deliver what the nature-positive agenda is asking for: biodiversity, carbon storage, water regulation, renewable materials and livelihoods. The difficulty is not identifying these benefits. It is creating systems capable of protecting them and managing them together in a holistic manner. Source: Timberbiz This challenge shaped the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) side event on the co-benefits of tropical forests, held on 15 July 2026 during the Global Nature Positive Summit in Kumamoto, Japan. The session opened with remarks from Mr Tanimura, Deputy Director of Japan’s Forestry Agency, who recognised ITTO’s contribution to tropical forests over the past 40 years. He also highlighted Japan’s continuing commitment to forests and forestry, including a new policy emphasis on greater private-sector engagement and vitality. Moderated by Jennifer Conje of ITTO, the panel brought together perspectives from research, conservation, business and certification. Ronald C. Estoque of Japan’s Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute examined the different pressures affecting tropical forest landscapes. Shinichi Kawai of WWF Japan addressed the difficulty companies face in tracing location-specific impacts through supply chains. Junko Kikuchi of Nippon Koei reflected on community participation and human rights. Thorsten Arndt, PEFC International’s Head of Advocacy, considered how sustainable forest management and certification can support implementation. Across these perspectives, one point stood out. “The central question is not how to ask more of forests, but how to recognise, manage and reward the benefits they already provide,” Thorsten said. Tropical forests make this challenge especially visible. They are ecologically significant, but also lived-in landscapes that provide food, income, and materials to millions of people. Any approach that separates environmental outcomes from the socio-economic realities of forest communities will remain fragile. The nature-positive agenda reflects the direction set by the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: halting biodiversity loss, enabling recovery and strengthening ecosystem resilience. Research presented during the session showed why implementation must respond to different forest conditions. Where degradation has reduced ecosystem functions, recovery may require active intervention. Forests under pressure need timely action through sustainable management.  Relatively intact forests need continued stewardship before degradation expands into them. Thorsten compared them to apps: each is designed to do something specific, but none can operate effectively without an underlying system connecting it to what happens in the forest. “Frameworks can be compared to apps – they need an operating system,” he said. “For forests, that operating system is sustainable forest management, supported by credible certification.” Sustainable forest management provides the foundation. Certification contributes the assurance structure through which broad objectives can be translated into verifiable management requirements, stakeholder participation, independent assessment and evidence of responsible practice. It also connects common global expectations with national and local realities. A credible system must provide consistency and confidence while remaining workable for the people responsible for implementation. The task is not to replace that operating system each time a new framework emerges. It is for certification to is to strengthen it so that new tools and expectations can build on a sound foundation. This is why biodiversity tools and frameworks are valuable: they help identify higher-risk regions and commodities, structure assessments and prioritise action. Panellists noted however, that global tools cannot replace local assessment and traceability. Nature-positive ambition will not strengthen forests simply because more frameworks exist. It will do so when those frameworks lead to better decisions in the forest. The discussion also highlighted a gap in many nature frameworks: their social foundations remain less developed than their environmental metrics. Community engagement cannot be reduced to consultation after decisions have already been made. The rights, knowledge and priorities of local communities need to shape projects from the beginning. Forest communities are often expected to carry the costs of conservation while the benefits are distributed much more widely. Where sustainable management cannot compete economically with conversion, forest loss reflects the incentives built into the system. Certification cannot solve this problem alone, nor can it replace effective public policy, finance or strong local institutions. It can, however, make responsible management visible, verifiable and connected to markets and institutions that value it. Thorsten stressed that nature positive can only succeed if it is also people positive. Forest owners, workers and communities need to see a viable future in managing forests sustainably and keeping them standing. Ultimately, nature-positive ambition will be judged by whether forests remain valuable to the people responsible for their future.

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Environmentalists say European forests need to be managed differently. With France and Spain struggling to contain raging wildfires, and others from Germany to Greece on high alert, Europe is discussing how to stop this happening again next year. Source: Eurativ Europe experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2025 – a record it is on track to break over the coming weeks. “For the next days, the risk is again going to rise, and not only in Spain and France, but also in Greece,” an EU official told the press on Monday. But while Brussels is deploying personnel and aircraft to help local firefighters, an emergency response alone will not be enough to contain the flames, the European Commission warned on Monday. “When you’re on the ground and you’re seeing flame lengths of over 15 metres, as we’ve seen in Spain, in France … there’s nothing you can do,” the official said. Addressing the root causes of wildfires, such as increasingly frequent heat waves, will require long-term policies. But there are ways to reduce the risk in the short term, said Tammouz Eñaut Helou, secretary-general of the French forest owners’ association UCFF. This includes raising awareness about how to prepare for outbreaks of fire, Helou said, such as “maintaining access tracks through forests to allow firefighters to operate more effectively during interventions”. This is an area where Brussels can play a role beyond simply sending aircraft once fires are already raging, Helou added. “The future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should continue to allow funding for the creation and maintenance of these forest access routes.” Another key measure is clearing scrub land and stubble to reduce the amount of flammable biomass and slow the spread of fires. “It is very important to have actions that manage the vegetable fuel that is available in the territory,” the EU official said. In France, vegetation clearance obligations currently apply only in certain areas, mainly along roads leading to homes rather than within forest plots. Helou argues that more needs to be done. Environmentalists say it’s the entire structure of our forests that needs to be rethought. “The fires burning in France, as well as the largest blaze near Madrid, are spreading through timber plantations. These monocultures are more than twice as likely to burn as natural forests,” the director of UK environmental group Earthsight, Samuel Lawson, said in a LinkedIn post on Sunday. This issue is particularly important during replanting, Sylvain Angerand, director of French association Canopée told France Inter last week. According to him, France is increasing wildfire risks by replacing diverse broadleaf forests with fire-prone maritime pine plantations – especially in the Landes region that is now burning. Helou, representing the planters of such forests, disagrees. “Under the conditions we are experiencing today, everything burns, broadleaf forests or conifers, highly diverse forests or less diverse ones,” he said. “The real problem is climate change and how we prepare for it.”

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Data published by Samaritans and the Office for National Statistics in the UK has highlighted an increase in the number of deaths by suicide, particularly among men between 45 – 54. This is of significant concern to the forestry sector where a large proportion of the workforce is male and fall into this high-risk group. Source: Timberbiz People working in the forestry industry are also frequently exposed to other risk factors for poor mental health (rural isolation, lack of financial stability, and transient nature of job roles). In 2024, growing concern, driven by deaths within the community, and increasing reports of pressure, prompted forestry professionals to come together and advocate for better well-being, identify industry-related stressors, and provide useful tools and interventions to help. An animation produced by the Royal Forestry Society with funding from the Forestry Commission sheds light on the experience of tree workers when the public respond negatively to essential forestry work. In the 2025 Breaking Points Survey a recurring theme among foresters and arborists was the impact of verbal abuse in response to their work. The video aims to show why felling trees is necessary for managing habitats, keeping public spaces safe and producing sustainable materials, and why an angry response to local forestry workers doesn’t help them or the trees they manage. To better understand the scale and nature of the issue, the working group commissioned the Breaking Points survey in the summer of 2025 designed to identify the key stressors felt by people working in the forestry sector. The Breaking Points Report brings together the findings of the survey to provide clear evidence to support the lived experiences that drove the concern of this working group. It is intended to inform and guide future interventions, supporting organisations to improve mental health and well-being for those working in the forestry sector. “By exploring the experiences of people across the forestry workforce, this report highlights the special nature and severity of the challenges they face, and also the opportunities we have to better support them and make our forestry workforce more resilient. We simply must address the mental wellbeing of those who work in our sector, and I sincerely hope this report will provide the evidence and impetus to bring about the change we need to see,” Christopher Williams – Royal Forestry Society said. Most people working in forestry know someone who has been severely affected by issues surrounding mental health. It’s not always the big things. Sometimes it’s the tone. The pressure. The silence. View the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMUyqSZG6Xw

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HQPlantations has released an Expression of Interest (EOI) for harvest and haulage services across its South East Queensland plantation estate. Source: Timberbiz The harvest volume is approximately 600,000 tonnes per annum from Fraser Coast Plantations, Beerburrum Plantations and Bribie Island Plantations. The harvest capacity sought is 5-7 harvesting crews including harvesting, extraction and log loading. The harvest contract term is for five years. The commencement date is from 1 July 2027. There are multiple contract packages available. Interested parties can access the EOI documentation below and register their interest via the online registration form. Any questions: Kevin Ford Project Commercial Lead Email: kevin.ford@hqplantations.com.au Submission of an EOI is a registration of interest only and does not guarantee participation in any subsequent procurement process. The registration of interest form is at https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Ny3BvTV-XEORmjE6gpD-24UnKUrCK7NEsoqpfzb2vSNUODVDNE5SUUNZS01WSVg4UUtZOTBHSFhaWC4u More information is available to download here.

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The need for a national deer management strategy to manage native forest decline in New Zealand is highlighted in a new research paper. Source: Timberbiz Led by Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) Emeritus Professor David Norton, the paper Deer in the headlights: sleepwalking our way to a native forest catastrophe warns of a slowly developing crisis that is often hard to see. “Our mature trees can live for three, four or  five hundred years, so we’re looking at centuries-long replacement cycles and aren’t seeing changes happening overnight,” Emeritus Professor Norton said. “You can walk into a forest and see a beautiful canopy, but there may be nothing underneath it except moss because deer have taken out the intermediate layer. The forest is still there and looks beautiful, but when it goes through its replacement cycle, a lot of those elements like seedlings and shrubs aren’t there anymore.” The damage caused by deer go beyond just eating plants, Emeritus Professor Norton says. “Deer also damage forests by trampling the forest floor. Unlike moa, the large native birds that once moved through New Zealand forests on broad, avian feet, deer have narrow, cloven hooves that exert much greater pressure on the ground. This removes leaf litter, compacts the soil and can affect water infiltration and overall soil health,” he said. “While as an ecologist I would like to see no deer in New Zealand, this is not going to happen because they’ve also got social value, so I think we need to look at New Zealand native forests and ask: what areas are high priority for biodiversity conservation and climate change resilience, areas where we should be trying to get rid of all deer, and where can we accept the presence of a well-managed deer herd for recreational hunting? “We need to work in partnership — hunters and conservationists, farmers, and plantation foresters, government and iwi — because we all want to have a liveable country and we want this environment to be here in the future.” Before people arrived, around 75 % to 80% of Aotearoa New Zealand was covered in native forest. Today, that figure is about 25 % to 30%, Emeritus Professor Norton says. He says native forests provide more than recreational value for New Zealanders. “Our forests provide us with a massive amount of resilience. They’re a huge store of carbon, they provide habitat for so much of our flora and fauna, and they protect our watersheds and look after our downstream human communities. “If forests start collapsing or changing and we have intense rainfall events, which are increasing due to climate change, less water and sediment will be held back in the system, and we will see more damage downstream. “Broadleaf is a really good example of deer impacts. You can see the foliage starts up at the height a deer browses to and there’s nothing below that. At some point, when those trees die, there are no more seedlings coming in and it will disappear.” Deer were introduced to Aotearoa New Zealand in the late 1800s, partly to establish a recreational hunting resource. Initially protected to allow populations to become established, deer numbers increased rapidly due to abundant habitat and no natural predators. Deer numbers reached a peak in the 1950s. Helicopter harvesting then resulted in a marked collapse in numbers. Emeritus Professor Norton says commercial harvesting pressure however has since declined, while recreational hunting alone is not removing enough animals to control populations, and numbers are again approaching the levels back in the 1950s. “Without more coordinated management, repeated cycles of high deer numbers will progressively remove vulnerable plant species and alter the long-term structure of New Zealand’s forests,” he said. Emeritus Professor Norton says deer damage is a nationwide issue, although its severity varies depending largely on hunting pressure, with some remote forests such as those in South Westland experiencing particularly significant impacts. “We need to look beyond short-term cost and focus on long-term benefits. There will be not only environmental benefits, but also direct economic benefits of a coordinated approach to controlling deer in the long term.” He says these long-term economic benefits could include reducing the cost of flood and erosion damage, protecting water supplies and infrastructure, and retaining the carbon stored in native forests. “I think our native forest is still recoverable. We haven’t crossed that divide yet, but if we leave it too far into the future, it will get much harder.”  

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The Forest Products Commission (FPC) owns and manages approximately 73,000 hectares of softwood plantations in the southwest of Western Australia. The softwood species radiata pine (Pinus radiata) and maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) have been planted over many years to help reduce Australia’s reliance on imported timbers. Source: Timberbiz FPC’s plantation estate (mainly radiata pine) supports a timber industry hub at Dardanup which includes a sawmill and timber processing plant, wood chipping facilities, wood treatment facilities, and a particleboard plant. Additionally, there is an engineered wood processing facility at Neerabup, north of Perth. FPC resource projections show that without substantial new investment, the plantation estate would diminish significantly over the next 20 years. In 2021, the WA Government announced a $350 million investment to grow the State’s softwood plantation timber estate to address declining plantation areas and future industry needs. Over 10 years, FPC will acquire and establish suitable land in the South West to help secure the future of WA’s softwood industry. Timber from these plantations will supply the softwood processing sector and support the State’s housing and construction industry, while also supporting the State’s response to climate change.

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The management of Tasmania’s forests is back on the agenda, but not by those who have the practical management of forests as their priority. It has been placed on the agenda by those who may have great concern for the natural environment, but no responsibility for it, nor any financial skin in the game. Source: Tasmanian Country Nathan Calman While the conservation movement may think they are targeting forestry activities on public land, their activism also significantly impacts privately held forests, private forestry and the management of a significant tract of the Tasmanian landscape. This point is mostly lost on the broader public and in many instances, by government. Farmers are the custodians for significant tracts of forest resources in Tasmania, around 1,000,000 ha or 16% of the state, which is more than public production forests. A full-page advertisement in a major daily newspaper on July 20 spelt out a significant disconnect between opinions and facts and the vision for the future of Tasmania, socially, environmentally and economically. What it highlighted was the progressive change in language that now seeks to end “native forest logging’’. Two decades ago, it was “end old growth logging”, before that, it was described as “protect virgin forest”. But their language never explains what native forest logging means and why are we ending it rather than simply doing forestry better? What that advertisement highlights are the claims of the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Wilderness Society, Wilderness Australia and the Bob Brown Foundation now crossing over into private forest estates. It seeks to take the management parameters away from landowners but increase the level of responsibility borne by those landowners. Native forest logging is not necessarily clear felling. Many managers of forests wouldn’t consider clear felling as a management tool but would use the judicious use of single-stem harvesting and the periodic cool burning of understoreys as a time-proven management tool, used for thousands of years before European settlement. In the process, this protects biodiversity, carbon sequestration and boosts the safety of the forest and community. This will ultimately preserve forest estates rather than conserve them – which is a very important distinction. Another term for preserving forests is to ‘lock them up”. Locked-up forests are not managed forests, and in a time of climate change to warmer and drier weather, managing fuel loads is a critical component of managing forest ecosystems. In short, if they aren’t managed, they become a huge bushfire hazard that threatens the whole community and could cause complete loss of the forest itself. Furthermore, it lists among the demands, the increased “… long term public funding across all levels of government for the protection, conservation and restoration of native forests”. At least they aren’t advocating for government subsidised new pine plantations… All farmers would understand the concept of pressure. Pressure from banks, suppliers, contractors, customers, processors, governments local, state and federal. There is the constant pressure that weather brings, the pressure to get the timing right of buying, selling, planting and harvesting. Farmers who are managing forests as a longer rotation crop, don’t need the additional political pressure of outside influences distracting government policy makers from their key objective, which is surely the sustainable and practical management of forests. Vocal interest groups such as the group of four that placed the advertisement in the newspaper are seeking to drive their own political agenda, but the real pressure is on forest managers, who are obligated to ensure the safety of the community, the integrity of their forests and the ongoing economic survival of rural and regional areas.  

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Master Builders Australia’s National Board has announced that long-serving CEO Denita Wawn advised them earlier this year that she will conclude her tenure with the organisation once a successor has been appointed. Source: Timberbiz Ms Wawn joined Master Builders in 2016 and became CEO in March 2017, becoming the first woman to hold the role since the organisation’s federation in 1890. A tireless advocate for the building and construction industry, Ms Wawn has consistently stood up for members and held governments to account, regardless of their political persuasion. Ms Wawn’s policy and campaign achievements include: Working with governments and the union to keep the industry, its businesses and workers operating during the pandemic 19 lockdowns, and to secure incentives, including HomeBuilder, to sustain building activity Leading Master Builders’ successful federal election campaigns, including the 2019 campaign that challenged the then Opposition’s positions on capital gains tax, negative gearing and the ABCC Campaigning against elements of the 2023 Closing Loopholes legislation, helping secure a government backdown on laws that would have restricted independent contracting Working with Government and Opposition to secure a bipartisan approach to the administration of the CFMEU.   Beyond these achievements, Ms Wawn has led national advocacy on housing supply, affordability, workforce shortages, women’s participation, building safety, productivity and the industry’s role in meeting Australia’s housing and infrastructure needs. National President Robert Shaw says that under Ms Wawn’s leadership, Master Builders has gone from strength to strength, cementing its place as a leading national industry association. “Denita has led Master Builders through some of the most significant challenges and opportunities our industry has faced, including the COVID-19 pandemic, major industrial relations reforms and the nation’s housing supply crisis. “She has spoken frankly and fearlessly for the industry, in public and in private, an approach welcomed by members who expect their leaders to ‘call a spade a spade’. “On behalf of the National Board, I thank Denita for her remarkable contribution and wish her every success in the next chapter of her career,” said Mr Shaw. The National Board has today appointed a recruitment firm to lead the search for the next CEO with the process to commence immediately.

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The HIA has congratulated Ben Carroll on becoming Victoria’s new Premier and looks forward to working constructively with his government to increase housing supply, support industry confidence and deliver the homes Victorians need. Source: Timberbiz “The election of Mr Carroll has avoided a prolonged period of political uncertainty at a time when Victoria’s home building industry needs stability and certainty,” said HIA Victoria Executive Director Keith Ryan. “Builders want to get on with the job of delivering homes for Victorians. Further disruption from the Government was the last thing the industry needed after what has already been a challenging year. “HIA is seeking an early and clear commitment from Premier Carroll that increasing housing supply will remain a central priority of the Victorian Government. “We also urge the Premier to minimise changes to Cabinet and portfolio responsibilities. With a state election only months away, there are significant building and contract law reforms due to commence, while critical regulations are still awaiting public consultation. “Continuity in both policy and leadership is essential to maintaining industry confidence and investment certainty. The residential building industry should not become collateral damage in internal political negotiations. “As Victoria heads towards the November election, HIA is calling on all political parties to support the priorities outlined in HIA’s 2026 Victorian Election Policy Agenda, including: Better and fairer building regulation. Reform of state property taxes. Growing the industry’s skilled workforce and attracting more young people into building trades. Bringing more shovel-ready land to market. Expanding the supply of social and affordable housing.   “A strong residential building sector doesn’t happen by accident. It requires governments to work constructively with industry and implement policies that are stable, predictable and supportive of investment. “HIA and its members look forward to working with Premier Carroll and his Government to deliver policies that increase housing supply, support business confidence, and ensure more Victorians can achieve the dream of home ownership,” Mr Ryan said.

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The Victorian Forest Products Association (VFPA) has warmly welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement of a new $12 million Timber and Fibre Innovation Fund, describing it as a strong commitment to the future of Victoria’s forestry, plantation and wood fibre industries. Source: Timberbiz The new fund will support innovation, advanced manufacturing and future investment across the sector. VFPA Chief Executive Officer Andrew White said the new fund represented an important step towards growing and strengthening Victoria’s wood fibre industries, but further investment was also needed to make the significant transformational changes needed over the next decade. “This is a positive investment in Victoria’s wood fibre manufacturing sector and a strong signal that our industry has a critical role in delivering housing and wood fibre products that Victorians need,” Mr White said. “The Timber and Fibre Innovation Fund recognises the critical role Victoria’s plantation forestry and wood fibre manufacturing industries play in regional economic development, housing, advanced manufacturing and the transition to a lower-carbon economy. “Importantly, this fund moves beyond supporting industry transition and focuses on supporting transformation, innovation and growth within the sector, through equipment upgrades, process improvements and new innovations.” The TFIF expands on previous government funded programs by opening eligibility to businesses and organisations involved with both softwood and hardwood manufacturing across Victoria. The fund will provide grants during the second half of 2026, ranging up to $1 million per grant, and support projects that improve productivity, develop new products, commercialise innovative ideas and strengthen domestic manufacturing capability. “Victoria is home to Australia’s largest plantation estate and a diverse range of timber processors, but we need to bring down costs and support these businesses to be successful given the current tough market conditions facing the industry,” Mr White said. “Investment in innovation helps ensure more of that value is created here in Victoria, supporting regional jobs, sovereign manufacturing capability and stronger domestic timber supply chains. “Creating new markets and new manufacturing opportunities for innovative product types, at the same time as supporting our existing manufacturing base is critical,” he said. While welcoming the announcement, VFPA said the fund should form part of a broader long-term vision for Victoria’s wood fibre sector. “The Timber and Fibre Innovation Fund is an important first investment that aligns strongly with our call for a new Victorian Government-led 10-Year Wood Fibre ‘Action Plan’ and Strategy,” Mr White said. “Victoria has the resource base, the manufacturing capability and the expertise to become a national leader in sustainable wood fibre production and advanced timber manufacturing. “With the right long-term policy settings, there is a huge opportunity to grow regional jobs and increase plantation investment to ensure we can meet Victoria’s future housing, packaging and construction needs.”

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When construction and trades professionals are asked which single trade the skills shortage will hit hardest, they don’t name electricians or plumbers first. They name the carpenters and woodworkers, and the consequence they point to most isn’t a blown budget or a slipped schedule. It’s a decline in the quality of the work itself. Source: Woodworking Network Eagle Woodworking surveyed 500 US construction and trades professionals, a mix of contractors, tradespeople, project managers, and builders, to understand where the skilled-labour shortage is landing hardest and what it’s doing to the work. The results describe a shortage that has moved well past a hiring inconvenience. Respondents report turning down jobs they can’t staff, paying more and waiting longer for the work that does get done, and watching the most experienced hands in the trade age out faster than anyone is replacing them. One finding cuts through the rest. The shortage isn’t mainly a story about too few workers. It’s a story about too few skilled ones, and in a trade built on craft, that’s where the real damage shows up. When respondents could flag every trade, they expect the shortage to affect, carpenters and woodworkers led at 47%, ahead of electricians at 41% and plumbers at 37%. Forced down to a single choice, they picked woodworking again at just under 20%, with cabinet makers and millworkers, the same craft under a different name, adding another 4% on top. Among contractors, ~19% named carpenters and woodworkers as hardest hit; among tradespeople, 20%; among project and site managers, ~25%. The people running the jobs and the people doing them agreed. The trade that produces the surfaces a client actually sees and touches is the one the industry expects to lose the most ground. The scale of the broader squeeze backs them up. Construction needs to attract an estimated 349,000 net new workers in 2026 just to keep labour supply and demand in balance, a figure that climbs to roughly 456,000 in 2027 (Associated Builders and Contractors, Jan. 2026). Most coverage treats the labour shortage as a story about delays and budgets. Our respondents told a different one. When they had to name the single biggest impact of the shortage, quality of workmanship ran away with it at 39.4%, close to double the share that named project timelines and more than double the share worried about cost. The hardest workers to find aren’t the entry-level ones. They’re the master-level tradespeople at the top of the ladder, named by 41.6% of respondents as the scarcest group, ahead of both mid-level and apprentice-level workers. When the people in shortest supply are the most experienced, the knowledge that separates good work from merely acceptable work is the first thing to leave with them. The hardest workers to find aren’t the entry-level ones. They’re the master-level tradespeople at the top of the ladder, named by 41.6% of respondents as the scarcest group, ahead of both mid-level and apprentice-level workers. When the people in shortest supply are the most experienced, the knowledge that separates good work from merely acceptable work is the first thing to leave with them. Ask what’s causing the shortage and the answers point to demographics more than dollars. Fewer young people entering the trades was the most-cited cause at 59%, followed by an aging, retiring workforce at 45.6%. Low starting wages came in well down the list. The picture respondents paint is a generational one: the trade is losing its veterans faster than it’s bringing in replacements. Then comes the contradiction. Asked for the single most effective fix, the same respondents reached for pay first. Raising starting salaries topped the list at 29%, ahead of earlier exposure in schools, more apprenticeships, or better trade-school training. They don’t mainly blame low pay for the problem but pay is the lever they grab to solve it, and a money fix for a demographic problem may not pull as hard as they hope. The aging-out worry isn’t just sentiment. Most of the new-worker demand projected for 2026 traces to retirement rather than fresh construction activity (Associated Builders and Contractors, Jan. 2026). And the anxiety climbs right alongside experience. Among the youngest respondents (18-34), 39.2% think the shortage is getting worse; that share rises through every age band to 60.7% of those 55 and older. The workers closest to retirement, the master-level talent already in shortest supply, are the most worried about who’s coming up behind them.

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Researchers at McGill University, Canada, have confirmed that aspen play a key role in forest fire prevention and mitigation across Canada. Planting these trees near communities can reduce both the likelihood and severity of fires and limit how far they spread, the researchers said. Source: Timberbiz “Aspen is not a 100% effective fire deterrent, but compared with other species, it is a better choice to plant around communities or critical infrastructure,” said Flavie Pelletier, lead author and recent PhD graduate in Natural Resource Sciences. While individual aspen trees burn easily due to traits like thin bark, large aspen stands have the opposite effect, with bigger patches linked to lower fire severity. This study, which found that aspen trees are much more common at fire perimeters than within burned areas, was the first to demonstrate the pattern on a national scale. The team had expected aspen stands to burn more severely in spring, when trees are drier due to the lack of leaves. However, researchers did not observe any significant link between the season and fire severity or the proportion of aspen along the perimeters, Pelletier said. “This is the strongest indicator that aspen serves as a fire barrier,” she said. “The bigger the aspen patch, the lower in severity the fire tends to be. Even with higher fire weather, as during the historic 2023 fire season, aspen’s ability to slow fire progression appears stable.” “Fire weather” refers to the conditions that cause wildfires to start, spread or change behaviour. Pelletier said that the team used previously unavailable remote-sensing data to do a large-scale analysis of how fires and aspen interact. The researchers developed an algorithmic tool that creates near-real-time maps of forest stand disturbances, such as wildfires, using remote-sensing data from NASA’s Landsat and the European Space Agency Sentinel-2. These fire maps can be cross-referenced with other datasets, like the newly available maps of dominant tree species from the Canadian Forest Service, to inform new analysis, such as the one on aspen. Pelletier said the Canadian Forest Service may adopt the tool as a second data stream to complement its coarse daily fire maps, enabling faster and more precise information on wildfires. Because some forestry companies remove aspen to promote commercially valuable conifers, the findings could also influence forest management practices. “There is value in retaining aspen for biodiversity, but also because mixed stands that include aspen may be less likely to be entirely lost in a fire,” Pelletier said. About this study “Populus tremuloides as a natural fire barrier in Canada’s boreal forest under a changing climate,” by Flavie Pelletier (McGill), Jeffrey A. Cardille (McGill) and Joanne White (Canadian Forest Service), was published in Forest Ecology and Management. The study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Forest Service of Natural Resources Canada.

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Greater use of sustainably sourced wood could help reposition the construction sector from a major greenhouse gas emitter to a driver of climate change mitigation, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Bauhaus Earth. Source: Timberbiz The findings come at a time when the built environment accounts for 37% of global energy and process-related emissions. With the global urban population set to double by 2050, a substantial part of the world’s future housing still needs to be built, mostly in Asia and Africa. Launched during London Climate Action Week 2026, Wood products in the bioeconomy: scenario-based assessment of the potential for engineered wood products in climate change mitigation examines the potential use of wood in construction to reshape demand across the forest sector. In particular, engineered wood products – created by bonding together layers, fibres or pieces of wood to create strong building materials – are gaining momentum in construction, offering reduced carbon emissions compared to conventional materials such as steel and concrete. The report underscores that unlocking the climate benefits of wood in the construction sector will depend on strategies to ensure that rising demand supports climate goals without putting additional pressure on forests. “Using engineered wood products in construction can significantly support climate mitigation but success will depend on coordinated policies that address regional imbalances, climate risks and governance,” said Zhimin Wu, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of the Forestry Division. The report finds that an increase in urban adoption of engineered wood products in construction beyond current trends could increase the annual demand by 50 million m3 globally per year and potentially by as much as 250 million m3, depending on the rate of adoption. This potential increase could deliver significant climate benefits. The study suggests that with a boost in urban adoption to 20 percent of new residential buildings built with engineered wood products, global emissions could be reduced by 236 MtCO2-eq per year for the period 2025 to 2070, compared with business-as-usual scenarios. About two thirds of this would be delivered from the storage of carbon in engineered wood products, with the remaining benefit resulting from the substitution of wood for more carbon-intensive materials. The study also highlights the scale of regional impacts. Under the same 20% boost scenario, Asia would require an additional 40 million m3 coniferous sawnwood, almost a 30 percent increase from current production levels, while Africa would require nearly 20 million m3, representing an increase of 165%. Furthermore, the study assesses possible impacts of climate change on forest productivity and competitiveness, as they are also expected to affect future supply. The study identified the potential for North America to shift from being a net exporter to a net importer of industrial roundwood, while Europe could become a stronger exporter. The report stresses that realizing the climate benefits of engineered wood products will depend on how forests are managed and how wood resources are used. Currently, approximately half of global industrial roundwood is supplied by naturally regenerating forests, with planted forests accounting for the rest, the study explains. Planted forests will need to play an increasingly important role in meeting rising demand, but the extent to which they can meet future demand depends on factors such as national policies, sustainable forest management practices and competition for land. At the same time, around half of all wood removals globally is still used as low-cost fuel, and a gradual shift away from traditional woodfuel use could increase the availability of roundwood for engineered wood products, the report notes. To maximize the benefits of engineered wood product use as part of a transition to a global bioeconomy, the report recommends early adoption of a series of strategies. These include embedding wood-based solutions in construction, energy and industrial value chains, using and recycling wood products efficiently, and managing trade flows between regions with internationally coordinated governance. At the same time, the report highlights the importance of sustainability standards and strong governance frameworks to ensure forest conservation and restoration and protecting naturally regenerating forests. The report concludes that coordinated action is needed to guide the transition to a forest-based bioeconomy and to ensure that growing demand for wood products supports both climate and sustainability goals. The report was prepared in the context of the Global Forest Resources Assessment with the assistance of the European Union.

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After a period of some 50 years, former TPNG foresters met in South East Queensland in July. Dick McCarthy, editor of the PNGAF magazine series – Australian foresters in Papua and New Guinea from 1922 to 1975, travelled to Queensland to acknowledge the efforts by many of the TPNG foresters who provided invaluable assistance over the last decade in documenting those forest scientists’ efforts. Source: Timberbiz The PNGAF project, in serialised magazine format posted on the site www.issuu.com/rbmccarthy covers the history of Australian foresters in PNG from 1922 up till 1975. It attempts to explain the strange coming together of methods, opportunities, and motives of early Australian foresters to enact lasting social changes within the PNG Forest Sector. At the same time, it provides an insight into the introduction of sustainable forest management practices and tree growing into the privately owned forest lands of PNG. Many people and organisations have contributed and continue to contribute to this social forest history project especially because its format is non-commercial and for educational purposes. The main gathering was held at the beautiful Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve – Mountain View Restaurant Maleny on Monday 13th July 2026.  It was a fitting venue for a group whose professional lives had revolved around scientific forest management of PNG’s forests. The reunion was made possible through the efforts of Des and June Harries assisted by Dr Barry Gray. Their hospitality and organisation were greatly appreciated. For some it had been over fifty years since they last met. Although the years have passed quickly, conversation certainly hadn’t. Within minutes the group was recalling their days in the PNG Forest Service, the people they worked alongside, the challenges faced and the friendships that developed while working in one of the world’s most remarkable and relatively unexplored forest environments. During the visit they presented Dick McCarthy with a copy of The Magic of Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, accompanied by a thoughtful inscription acknowledging his work in recording the history of forestry in Papua New Guinea. It was an unexpected and much-valued gesture that he will forever honour. By 1975, Australian foresters had undertaken initiatives for the development of detailed flora mapped inventories of the various forest systems of PNG; community based forest management interventions including a forest concession system catering for all parties, ie landowners, government agencies and developers; industrial wood processes for the conversion and treatment of PNG woods coupled with development of a structured wood processing and construction industry.; silvicultural techniques and establishment of PNG species in plantation format; forestry technical and tertiary training institutions and the involvement of the Papua New Guinea people in their forests economic development. This ongoing PNGAF social history project would not be possible without the ongoing support and input of PNG historians and especially senior Queensland Forest Scientists. The implications for Australia and PNG of political, economic and security development in terms of PNG forestry is that there is a long standing and significant wood trade between Australia and PNG especially Queensland, encompassed within a sphere of similar forest types, similar plantation species and forest products bound by many existing long-term areas of mutual co-operation (e.g., forestry training) within the respective government and private sectors. During the period up to 1975, there was a need for PNG as an emerging nation to develop its forest sector to assist in creating its own economy utilising its resources (including wood fibre) but at the same time ensuring peoples’ interests were protected. This PNGAF project is to ensure that this forestry knowledge and the lessons of the past help current and future forest sector personnel to develop their own perspective re developing PNG’s forest sector.

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A million native trees have been planted in Greater Wellington regional parks, a milestone in efforts to reforest former grazing land through the council’s Recloaking Papatūānuku planting program. Source: Timberbiz The millionth tree was planted in Queen Elizabeth Park, celebrating the ongoing work of mana whenua, community groups, and volunteers at planting days facilitated by Greater Wellington. Council Chair Daran Ponter says the programme is about working with the community to restore ecosystems that sustain wildlife and forests that protect the climate. “A million native trees is a special milestone for our region, and a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together for te taiao,” says Cr Ponter. “Recloaking Papatūānuku is about much more than planting trees. It’s about restoring the health of our regional parks, improving habitat for native species, enhancing the well-being of our waterways, and giving communities a practical way to care for the whenua that sustains us.” Since 2019, 420 of about 2,000 hectares of former grazing land in regional parks has been replanted. In the coming years, 200,000 native trees are expected to be planted every winter under the planting program. Greater Wellington Project Lead for Parks Restoration Kellie Benner says the program’s success is underpinned by strong partnerships with mana whenua, community groups and local businesses. “The plants we use are sourced from a diverse network of nurseries, including Rimutaka Prison’s nursery in Trentham and iwi-run nurseries like Otaraua in Kāpiti,” Ms Benner said. “We work with local contracting crews, Māori-owned businesses, and community volunteer groups who are passionate about environmental restoration; work that has a positive impact not only on the environment, but the community as a whole. “Park visitors can see the transition for themselves. In just a few short years, the land has changed from pasture with very little biodiversity to regenerating native areas that are full of life.” Greater Wellington manages eight regional parks covering 33,000 hectares. While the parks contain areas of lush native forest, much of the land was historically converted to farmland, reducing biodiversity and displacing native wildlife. Greater Wellington Director of Delivery Jack Mace says planting does more than change how the parks look. “Restoring our parks means improving the health of our streams, wetlands, rivers and inlets. Planting along waterways helps create habitat for fish, reduces erosion and the amount of sediment and nutrients getting into the water,” Mr Mace said. “By gradually retiring stock from these areas, emissions from grazing in our regional parks have nearly halved since 2019. At the same time, forests that capture carbon are re-growing on land previously converted to pasture. “The million trees we celebrate today are just part of the story. Many of our regions’ landowners are passionate about restoring the environment. We’re working alongside them to replant native forests, stabilise erosion, and protect wetlands and waterways on private land. The planting in our parks has taken root across the region.” Greater Wellington hosts regular community planting days during the winter months that mana whenua, community groups and volunteers are encouraged to attend.

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Unfavourable economic conditions in the wine industry are leaving some Riverland grape growers with no choice but to start from scratch however, a senior local politician says current State Government solutions to address mass vineyard waste “are not fixing the problem”. Source: Australian Regional & Rural News Chaffey MP Tim Whetstone met with Riverland Barrel Pruners and Harvesting (RBPH) owner Tate Milne last Friday, with conversations centred on the current issues local farmers are facing while transitioning away from grape growing. Tasked with the recent jobs of clearing the land of multiple growers in the region, Mr Milne said struggling farmers are often left with mass amounts of vineyard trellis posts – something which he claims is the “biggest issue” for those attempting to clear their block. Treated with copper chrome and arsenate (CCA), the pine posts cannot be recycled, mulched, or burned, with South Australian laws requiring the waste to be disposed of at licensed landfills. While local farmers can dispose of their pine posts at the Monash-based Cleanaway site, the posts are classed as general waste, and due to their weight, can cost up to $400 per tonne. The Vineyard Post Reuse Pilot, part of The Timber Circularity Project, is developing a practical end-of-life alternative and it is the culmination of trials run by the FABAL Group. Using innovative technology to process the vineyard posts for reuse, it represents a step forward for the Timber Circularity Project in developing pathways for CCA treated timber posts. Between 1.7 and 4.3 million treated timber posts are currently being removed from Australian vineyards annually, representing 15,000 to 38,000 tonnes per year. This initiative is addressing that problem by safely stripping them to be repurposed as fence posts or landscaping materials using a system that can readily be adopted by vineyard managers and farmers. At $3.50 – $5.50 per post, times 600 – 700 per hectare, there’s potential to save up to $3000 a hectare in waste management. Dr Pene Mitchell, Research Fellow from National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life who is leading the project, puts it plainly. “If we treat timber, we can get 20 plus years out of it. If we change to concrete or steel or plastic, the overall sustainable impact is much more significant: “We really need to find a solution for treated timber in a circular economy,” Dr Mitchell said. “A lot of farmers just want to be able to transform their block to the next crop, of which tends to be almonds or pistachios – crops that don’t need the posts,” Mr Milne said. “Most of the time, farmers are just having to leave them in piles. “I guess it was always going to be an issue. However, now with the industry collapsing, it’s a bigger issue than ever.” Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven said – while speaking in Parliament last month – it was necessary to increase options for managing removed vineyard posts. “The first stream of the South Australian Wine Recovery Program is focused on vineyard waste management of already abandoned or removed vineyards,” Ms Scriven said. “A range of projects have commenced to position South Australia’s leadership in the management of the nation’s growing stockpile of CCA treated timber posts, including establishment of a national stewardship framework. “This is addressing the reuse, recovery, management and safe disposal of treated timber. “In April 2026, the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence, a not-for-profit charity, was engaged to develop the framework. A feasibility study has evaluated the viability of establishing dedicated aggregation sites for removed CCA-treated vineyard posts, with 15 high-potential existing waste handling sites shortlisted in South Australian wine regions.” Mr Whetstone said the current actions of the State Government to address the CCA-treated posts “was not fixing the problem”. “There are currently 30 million pine posts sitting in piles and clogging up the system in South Australia’s industry, with majority found in the Riverland,” he said. “We need collection points and designated areas where posts can be responsibility stored until we find a purpose for them. “A lot of the issues we’re dealing with at the moment are government driven – through the pandemic we had political interference – which put China on notice – and (China) put obstacles in our way, concerning agricultural products, and particularly wine. “It is now the responsibility of the government to come in a help people in their current transition.”

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Tasmania’s Zanetto Builders dominated the 2026 HIA Australian GreenSmart Awards, taking home three national titles, including the coveted HIA Australian GreenSmart Home of the Year, partnered by Clipsal by Schneider Electric, for the exceptional Bluebush Passivhaus. Source: Timberbiz Designed to perform in Tasmania’s cool temperate climate, the 287sqm Passive House Classic-certified residence combines contemporary architecture with exceptional building performance. Thoughtfully oriented to capture natural light and expansive views, it features super-insulated timber-framed walls, an approximate R11 roof assembly and a measured airtightness result of just 0.5 ACH@50Pa, making it one of the tightest residential buildings ever tested in Tasmania. Triple-glazed European windows, balanced mechanical ventilation with heat recovery and a fully electrified design work together to deliver exceptional thermal comfort, indoor air quality and energy efficiency. Complemented by rooftop solar PV, heat-pump hot water, rainwater harvesting and low-VOC materials, Bluebush demonstrates how advanced building science, architectural design and sustainability can combine to create a healthy, resilient and remarkably comfortable family home. This project was also awarded HIA Australian GreenSmart Custom Built Home, partnered by Bondor. Continuing their outstanding success, Zanetto Builders claimed the HIA Australian GreenSmart Multi Dwelling Development for two all-electric coastal homes that challenge the convention of a single oversized dwelling. Inspired by Tasmania’s traditional east coast shacks, the homes combine passive solar design, high-performance construction and carefully selected materials, while responding sensitively to their coastal setting. This category is partnered by Toyota for Business. Presented as part of the HIA Future Homes Forum, the HIA Australian GreenSmart Awards brought together builders, designers, manufacturers, suppliers and sustainability leaders from across Australia to celebrate excellence and explore the latest innovations shaping the future of residential construction. GJ Gardner Homes Warragul, Victoria won the HIA Australian GreenSmart Display/Project Home. Designed to operate independently of the grid, this display home showcases a holistic approach to sustainable living. Solar, integrated battery storage and smart energy management technology work together to significantly reduce reliance on traditional electricity sources. This category is partnered by The Australian Reinforcing Company. Davies Design & Construction, Tasmania won HIA Australian GreenSmart Energy Efficiency, partnered by Clipsal by Schneider Electric, for one of Tasmania’s few Certified Passive House Plus homes. Behind its understated rural appearance, the home combines a high-performance building envelope, triple-glazed windows, heat recovery ventilation and rooftop solar to achieve exceptional energy efficiency and year-round comfort. Joe Mercieca, of Blue Eco Homes, NSW was named HIA Australian GreenSmart Professional, partnered by HIA Insurance Services, recognising more than four decades of leadership in sustainable residential construction and his ongoing commitment to advancing high-performance building practices across the industry. Shepherd Homes, Victoria won the HIA Australian GreenSmart Renovation/Addition Project, partnered by Electrolux, for the thoughtful transformation of a heritage miner’s cottage, blending careful restoration with a contemporary, energy-efficient extension to preserve the character of the home while enhancing its performance and liveability. Nulook Homes and Solar Dwellings, Western Australia won the HIA Australian GreenSmart Sustainable Home for a 10 Star NatHERS-rated, carbon-negative home. Through passive solar design, high-performance insulation, rooftop solar and water-saving initiatives, the home achieves exceptional environmental performance on a standard suburban site. This category is partnered by ForestOne. HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin said the HIA Australian GreenSmart Awards set the benchmark for the latest in environmental design excellence, industry innovation and sustainable building practices. “Consumer demand for practical, affordable, smart, connected and durable environmental solutions for residential housing continues to grow. “Our commitment to sustainable building outcomes and leading housing innovation has not altered for more than 25 years since the HIA GreenSmart program was introduced. Our members demonstrate that quality building and design, comfort, and ongoing value for money can co-exist in a sustainable built environment. “The HIA GreenSmart Awards highlight our members who excel at delivering year-round comfortable homes into the market. Each winner and finalist is congratulated for achieving success at a national level,” Ms Martin said.

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Mid North Coast residents of New South Wales are being invited to collect free firewood and learn valuable chainsaw safety skills at a two-day event in Kiwarrak State Forest near Old Bar. Source: Timberbiz Forestry Corporation staff will combine their annual chainsaw refresher training with a community event on Thursday, July 30 and Friday, July 31 designed to help locals prepare for the colder months. Firewood made available to the public has been sourced from timber left following a sustainable plantation thinning operation in Kiwarrak State Forest. The plantation was heavily impacted by the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires and the thinning operation has removed dead and fire damaged trees, improving forest health, reducing fuel loads and maintaining safe access for recreational users. Forestry Corporation staff will be undertaking chainsaw training on the site and members of the public are welcome to cut and collect a ute or trailer load of firewood free of charge and Forestry staff will be on hand to help pensioners, who need assistance loading firewood. During the event, Forestry Corporation staff will provide practical demonstrations on chainsaw maintenance, sharpening techniques, personal protective equipment and safe operating practices while answering questions from the public about working safely with chainsaws. Forestry Corporation Production Manager Andrew Goodman said the event was an opportunity to support the community while ensuring staff maintained important chainsaw safety skills. “This event allows our staff to complete important chainsaw refresher training while providing something meaningful back to the community by offering chainsaw operating advice and making firewood available to those who need it,” Mr Goodman said. “We know many pensioners and families rely on firewood to keep warm through winter and rising living costs can make that increasingly challenging. Much of the timber available is dry and ready to burn and we’re particularly keen to assist pensioners in the local community who cannot collect firewood on their own from State forests.” The plantation management work also mitigates bushfire risk to the community of Old Bar. “By removing dead and damaged trees and reducing fuel loads, we’re helping create a safer forest environment while improving access for the community and supporting ongoing forest health,” Mr Goodman said. “State forests are managed to provide a range of benefits for local communities, from renewable timber and recreation opportunities through to affordable firewood and bushfire risk reduction. “We encourage anyone who uses a chainsaw, collects firewood or simply wants to learn more about sustainable forestry to come along, meet our team, take advantage of the safety information and take home some firewood.” Visitors will also be able to learn about Forestry Corporation’s low-cost firewood permit system and how state forests are sustainably managed to provide renewable timber products while protecting environmental values. Event details: Community Firewood and Chainsaw Safety Days – Old Bar Thursday 30 July and Friday 31 July from 8am to 3pm daily. Kiwarrak State Forest, 201-225 Saltwater Road, approximately 500 metres past Forest Lane. https://maps.app.goo.gl/8TdbprayZgA6NEa28?g_st=i&utm_campaign=ac-im

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The quarterly Timber Market Survey (TMS) report presents Australian timber price movement data collected through the quarterly surveying of a representative range of timber product traders in eastern Australia. Source: Timberbiz The TMS collects data on the movement in buying price of a wide range of domestic and imported timber products purchased and stocked by survey participants. The TMS does not collect participants’ quarterly product volume data. Individual survey results are assigned an overall weighting based on participant business size. Aggregated state-level results are weighted based on TMS state weightings. Price movement data are presented in nominal terms unless otherwise stated. All TMS reports contain price trend results for softwood timber, panels, and engineered wood products. In addition, the June and December quarter reports contain price trend information for a range of hardwood products. Price changes in this report are based solely on TMS survey data; individuals may experience different price movements in their markets. The TMS is prepared by Indufor (Australia). Funding is provided by Forestry Corporation of New South Wales, the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, HQPlantations, OneFortyOne Plantations, Green Triangle Forest Products, Sustainable Timber Tasmania, Hancock Victorian Plantations, and Southern Cross Forests. Find the latest and past surveys at: https://induforgroup.com/knowledge-hub/timber-market-survey/

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Forest & Wood Communities Australia is calling on Federal Parliament to disallow the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative – Improved Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Native Forests) Methodology Determination 2026, warning that the method risks issuing carbon credits for shutting down sustainable timber production while shifting the environmental, economic and emissions impacts elsewhere. Source: Timberbiz FWCA Chair Steve Dobbyns said the INFM method should be disallowed before any Australian Carbon Credit Units are issued. “Carbon credits should represent genuine climate benefit,” Mr Dobbyns said. “They should not be used to financially reward governments for closing sustainable public native forestry while timber demand simply moves to imports, interstate supply chains or private landholders. “That is not emissions reduction. That is displacement.” ERAC’s own advice confirms that leakage, additionality and transparency were central concerns raised through consultation. The final method replaced the original flat 5% indirect leakage deduction with project-level assessment, but only within a possible deduction range of 0 to 40%. FWCA says that 40% cap is impossible to justify against Venn et al. (2026), which found that reduced Australian native forest harvesting has driven growing import dependency, with a long-run timber harvest leakage rate of 81.3%. Venn et al. also found that 86.8% of displaced demand was met by countries with elevated illegality-risk profiles. “Venn et al. found a long-run timber harvest leakage rate of 81.3%,” Mr Dobbyns said. “That international leakage estimate alone is more than double the INFM method’s 40% cap, before inter-State leakage or private native forestry displacement are properly accounted for. “The timber demand does not disappear. It is shifted, along with jobs, emissions risk and biodiversity pressure.” FWCA says the contradiction is made worse by advice given directly to Venn et al. during discussions with ERAC. “We understand Professor Karen Hussey, Chair of ERAC, clarified in a meeting with Tyron Venn that ERAC did not have to consider leakage to imports when assessing the method,” Mr Dobbyns said. “If that is correct, it exposes the hypocrisy at the heart of the INFM approval. “ERAC says leakage was a key integrity concern, yet the largest leakage pathway identified by Venn et al. — import substitution — was apparently outside the scope ERAC had to consider. “You cannot claim a carbon method is conservative while excluding the market response most likely to undermine the claimed abatement.” FWCA also says Venn et al.’s import leakage work does not capture inter-State leakage, such as the supply shift from Victoria to Tasmania highlighted by ABC’s Four Corners program Timber Turmoil, nor does it resolve leakage onto private native forests. “For private native forestry, there is no comprehensive, transparent production baseline equivalent to public forest sustainable yield and wood supply records,” Mr Dobbyns said. “You cannot credibly deduct leakage against a baseline that does not properly exist. “Worse still, the Great Koala National Park moratorium has already distorted the market. Pentarch’s State forest log supply was cut off by the NSW Government, and the company has been forced to shift its entire supply focus onto private property. “That means any future private native forestry baseline may already be contaminated by the policy shock.” FWCA says the INFM approval process has also failed to transparently assess the economic and social impacts of the method. “The INFM is not an abstract carbon accounting exercise,” Mr Dobbyns said. “It is a method designed to reward the permanent removal of timber supply from multiple-use public native forests. That has direct consequences for workers, contractors, mills, downstream businesses, private landholders and regional communities.” FWCA disputes the NSW Government’s claim that the Great Koala National Park moratorium and INFM pathway only affect six timber mills and approximately 300 jobs. “That figure is not a serious socio-economic assessment,” Mr Dobbyns said. “It is a narrow political framing of the immediate damage. It does not account for harvesting contractors, haulage operators, roading contractors, mechanics, private native forestry operators, downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, builders, fencing suppliers, firewood operators, farm and infrastructure users, or the regional communities built around those supply chains.” The EY Economic Contribution Study of the NSW hardwood timber industry found that the North East NSW hardwood industry contributes $1.84 billion in gross revenue, $700 million in gross value added and supports 5,700 full-time equivalent jobs. Across NSW, the hardwood industry contributes $2.9 billion in gross revenue, $1.1 billion in gross value added and supports 8,900 full-time equivalent jobs. “The North Coast hardwood industry is not just six mills,” Mr Dobbyns said. “It is an integrated regional supply chain. “Over the INFM’s 15-year crediting period, the North East NSW hardwood industry represents a $10.5 billion regional economic base. Over the 100-year permanence period, it represents a $70 billion economic base. “That does not mean every dollar disappears, but it proves the NSW Government’s ‘six mills and 300 jobs’ line is grossly inadequate.” FWCA says the economics become even harder to justify when the 15-year crediting period is compared with the 100-year permanence obligation. “The NSW Government can receive carbon-credit income for 15 years, but the public is left with the management obligation for the remaining 85 years,” Mr Dobbyns said. “Who pays for fire management, roads, weeds, pests, compliance, visitor infrastructure, cultural heritage management and ongoing administration after the carbon-credit income stops? “The answer is obvious: taxpayers. “The State would be trading a renewable, productive, regionally embedded timber economy for 15 years of carbon-credit income, then leaving future taxpayers to fund the remaining 85 years of management. “How is that rational economic or social responsibility?” FWCA is calling for the INFM Determination to be disallowed until there has been an independent assessment of import leakage, inter-State displacement, private native forestry baseline integrity, the effect of pre-existing moratoria, regional socio-economic impacts and the long-term taxpayer liability created after carbon-credit income stops. “If the carbon benefit cannot survive proper leakage analysis, and the method cannot survive a proper socio-economic assessment, it should not be credited,” Mr Dobbyns said. “That is why this instrument should be disallowed.”

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