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After more than 10 years of research, a new biocontrol tool has been released to help combat a beetle destroying valuable Eucalypt plantation forests in New Zealand, highlighting that the solutions can often be found in nature. Source: Timberbiz Forestry and wood products contributed NZ$6.6 billion in 2022 to the economy. Much of this is from radiata pine, but a small yet important part of New Zealand’s diversified forestry industry are Eucalypts. Eucalypts are highly valued for pulp and paper, with additional benefits in farm forestry, as well as a growing resource for naturally durable wood. The most common species, Eucalyptus nitens, packs a particularly weighty plantation punch by supporting the primary export industry. This fast-growing hardwood species’ short-fibre pulp has valuable characteristics which help create rigid cardboard packaging, which the export industry, particularly fresh produce, relies on to store and ship products around the world. Yet these small but mighty plantation forests have been under attack since the introduction of the Eucalyptus tortoise beetle (Paropsis charybdis) from Australia more than 100 years ago. The beetles cause serious damage, feeding on foliage and significantly reducing tree growth. The cumulative effect can also cause trees to die completely. Scientists have unleashed a torrent of revenge upon this pest starting as far back as the 1950s but haven’t managed to eradicate it or fully prevent the damage it causes. Recently, however, there has been a breakthrough with the introduction of a biological control agent into New Zealand from Tasmania, Australia to control the larvae of the Eucalyptus tortoise beetle – in the form of a small wasp. A natural predator of the beetle, this parasitoid wasp (Eadya daenerys – and yes, this particular sub species was lovingly named by a Game of Thrones enthusiast, after the mother of dragons) was released into Eucalyptus plantation forests in the Central North Island and Southland. Turns out they have proven much more challenging to rear than the beetle they attack. The team attached leaves with beetle larvae to Eucalypt trees after the larvae was already parasitised by the wasp in Scion’s laboratory. Parasitoids live most of their lives attached to, or inside, a single host. In this case, adult Eadya wasps lay eggs inside larvae of the Eucalyptus tortoise beetle. The parasitoid larvae feed within the host beetle larvae for about 15 days. They then emerge, killing the host, and pupate (grow) out of sight within holes in the soil, where they spin themselves into a silken cocoon. After hibernating for 10 months, the adult wasp hatches and the whole process begins again. A significant amount of testing and re-testing was undertaken before the Environmental Protection Authority agreed the wasp poses a minimal risk to New Zealand’s native or beneficial beetles. There’s also no risk to people, as the Eadya wasps don’t sting or develop colonies like German wasps, for example. Scion senior entomologist Dr Toni Withers has been working on stopping this destructive beetle for the past 25 years. “It’s not an easy beetle to overcome because there aren’t many natural predators in New Zealand and the adult beetles are very robust, meaning they’re prolific breeders and hard to kill.” Eucalyptus tortoise beetles produce two generations a year, meaning numbers grow at an alarming rate. Both larvae and adult beetles eat large amounts of young eucalypt leaves for many months of the year, causing widespread havoc. Management of the beetle to-date has largely been through aerial spraying. But industry has been committed to finding sustainable alternatives. Scion, along with industry partners Oji Fibre Solutions and Southwood Exports, have been working alongside the Ministry for Primary Industries to co-fund this Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures project. “This is another weapon in our armoury, adding to what’s already been established,” Withers says. “Biocontrols can be risky, but the cost benefits when it works is huge – 100 to one. And when it works, it should work forever.” The Eadya wasp was first discovered as a potential biocontrol agent 12 years ago in Tasmania. Scion has worked closely with the University of Tasmania, as well as other specialists from around the world, to understand the wasp down to a molecular level. Some of this work resulted in describing four different species of the wasp genus, previously unknown. Withers says the support from industry has been huge. “There’s been a real drive from industry to push the science forward and it’s been amazing to get the support we have.” Oji Fibre Solutions group manager Environment and External Relations Philip Millichamp says the company has a strong history working alongside Scion. “Scion is a key partner for us, particularly when it comes to innovation efforts around sustainability and creatinga more circular bioeconomy. “Eucalypts create high-value products, and we can’t easily change the species of tree in our mix, as they are important to the characteristics of the products we make. “We hope the release of the wasp will make a difference. It won’t be an overnight fix, so in the meantime we are continuing to look at other environmentally friendly options, which includes working with Scion on more benign pesticides and growing beetle-resistant Eucalyptus varieties.” This summer, scientists will not only release a second wave of wasps and infected larvae, they will also revisit previous release sites to try and find any visible signs of the wasps. But Withers says it will be like looking for a needle in a haystack. To date, three quarters of all the attempted forestry pest biocontrol projects in New Zealand have succeeded in establishing a natural enemy to provide biocontrol.

The Green Triangle’s timber plantation companies continue to invest in additional aerial fire-fighting capacity in the region to protect its plantation estate, the broader community and the natural environment this fire season. Source: Timberbiz The Green Triangle Fire Alliance (GTFA) operated a Squirrel helicopter from the Casterton airfield for the last two fire seasons and has contracted a larger Bell helicopter, with a greater water carrying capacity, for the next three fire seasons. The helicopter has been contracted through the Victorian Government, and forms part of the Victorian aerial fleet. The GTFA’s nine forest grower member companies are providing funding for it to be positioned in the region. GTFA General Manager Anthony Walsh said the helicopter’s 1250 litre bucket could draw water from a variety of sources close to the fire line. GTFA members have also invested in floating collar tanks that supply water to the helicopter in areas where is limited surface water. “This helicopter is highly complementary to the fixed wing fire bombers that operate in the region.” Mr Walsh said. “While the fixed wing bombers carry a greater load, the advantage of a helicopter is that it can find water in close proximity to a fire which enables very short turnaround times. “Other aircraft may leave the region to attend fires elsewhere across Victoria and South Australia, but this helicopter will remain at its Casterton base for the 14-week service period until March 2024.” Mr Walsh said that while the helicopter has been contracted through the Victorian Government, arrangements are in place for it to operate in South Australia as well. The helicopter extends the industry’s extensive investment in fire management which amounts to $15 million per year. The Green Triangle plantation industry collectively has 100 fire appliances with 300 trained fire fighters available, ready to rapidly respond to fires throughout the fire season. “This helicopter provides a further layer of support to our Forest Industry Brigades that work tirelessly over the summer months to not only defend our forest estate, but to protect our broader communities,” Mr Walsh said.

Forestry Australia President Dr Michelle Freeman has welcomed the Federal Court’s Decision to uphold a Regional Forest Agreement in New South Wales as did Forest and Wood Communities Australia (FWCA) and the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA). Source: Timberbiz “Commonsense has prevailed … native forestry can have a strong future in Australia,” Dr Freeman said. “Forest managers, growers, scientists and workers will breathe a sigh of relief that the challenge by the North East Forest Alliance to the Regional Forest Agreement covering North Coast NSW native timber harvesting operations has been dismissed. “Our Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) time and time again have proven to be a successful way of sustainably managing Australia’s forests for all their values, and the Federal Court has confirmed this today. “In public native forests that are available for timber harvesting, our RFAs have protections in place for conservation and heritage. This adaptable multi-layered approach ensures key forest types and biodiversity are managed and conserved across the landscape. “The findings of the Federal Court … confirms that RFAs achieve what they set out to do, with Justice Perry confirming the Court’s view that the RFAs provide an alternative mechanism through which the objectives of the national environmental laws can be achieved through a rigorous framework agreed by State and the Federal governments. “It is clear, RFAs strike the right balance between the sustainable harvesting of timber and providing rigorous environmental protections. “Our forestry sector, its workers, families and communities that depend on it, can now move on with certainty in their future. “Importantly, Australia’s entire forestry sector can keep on doing what it does best; sustainably managing our forests for their environmental, social, cultural and economic values.” AFPA CEO James Jooste said that the decision was a vindication that sustainable native forestry operations in NSW are well governed by the federal-state regulatory framework, Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) NSW CEO James Jooste said. “The Federal Court decision is a vindication for the sector and the contribution it makes to the economy, environment, communities and society in NSW, Australia and internationally. It’s also a message to activists that the RFA framework stands, and the native forestry sector has a right to operate without their irresponsible legal meddling in the daily lives of timber workers and their families. “The decision is also a major win for the climate, easing cost of living pressures and sovereign capability with so many renewable, sustainable and essential products created by the NSW native forestry sector. “I call on the Minns Government to continue recognising the importance of native forestry to the state and to work with us as plans progress for a Great Koala National Park on North Coast. Without the sector, we face a future of more timber and wood fibre imports from countries without Australia’s high regulatory standards, fewer quality job opportunities in our regions, increased cost of living and a stalled progression on emissions reduction. “The industry will now continue to get on with the job it’s there to do.” Forest and Wood Communities Australia said in a statement that the decision of the Australian Federal Court – throwing out a case brought forward by extremist “environmental” group North East Forest Alliance (NEFA), was a welcome victory for timber communities all over New South Wales. In making the ruling, Federal Court judge in charge – Justice Perry, noted that RFAs “are an alternative mechanism to deliver the EPBC requirements through the states” and that “whatever happens after the judgement will be a political decision, not a legal one”. FWCA Executive Officer Mick Harrington said that anti-rural and anti-forestry tendencies of groups like NEFA are now plainly in the view of everyday Australians with the Regional Forestry Agreement, a cornerstone of Australia’s forestry management framework recently reaffirmed as part of a sustainable sector that provides a renewable resource for all Australians to utilise – from firewood to benchtops alongside products like guitars and furniture – we can do it all with timber right here in Australia. “Certainty is paramount for the prosperity of our communities, families and businesses. The Federal Courts recognition of the ongoing validity of the Regional Forestry Agreement provides the stability necessary for our industry to thrive for generations to come,” Mr Harrington said. “Hopefully this decision signals to NEFA-esque extremist anti-everything activist types that not only is community sentiment on our side but that legally upheld RFAs are, in effect long term plans for the sustainability and conservation of Australia’s native forests that are a part of the world-class regulatory and legislative framework that we operate within.” Mr Harrington said that the  judgement’s significance goes beyond legal matters, it radiates through the very fibre of our communities allowing greater confidence from our business community, which often means greater employment opportunities and increased local investment in our hard-working local timber towns. This is not just a victory for our communities and the sustainable native timber sector but for the broader Australian society that values sustainable practices. Mr Harrington said that this was a welcome blow to extremist ideologs that seek to weaken our families, our forests and our future.

Australia’s forestry and timber industry breathed a collective sigh of relief after the decision of the Australian Federal Court to reject a challenge to the validity of the Intergovernmental North East Regional Forestry Agreement (NERFA). The Court examined the agreements that were made in 2000 and extended for 20 years in 2018. Source: Timberbiz The Court confirmed that the technical requirements for extending the RFA were met. The case was brought by the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) against the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of NSW with its lawyers arguing that the RFA should not have been renewed without assessment and approval under federal environment laws. The decision handed down by Federal Court Justice Melissa Perry was that the technical requirements for extending the RFA were met but the Court was unable to assess the evidence of the impact caused by native forest logging and that such matters were wholly political. The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) argued the Commonwealth was required to assess environmental values and principles of ecologically sustainable management when it was renewed but failed to do so. The EDO stated that these included impacts on endangered species, climate change and old growth forests. “A regional forest agreement provides an alternative mechanism by which the objects of the (federal) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act can be achieved by way of an intergovernmental agreement,” Justice Perry said. “As such, the question of whether or not to enter into or vary an intergovernmental agreement of this nature is essentially a political one, the most of which are matters for the government parties and not the courts to determine.” Therefore the agreement handed the responsibility for matters of national environment significance to NSW. NSW’s native hardwood forestry industry is worth $1.8 billion to the economy and employs 9,000 people, more than half of them in the state’s north-east in communities built on the sector. For generations they have provided a sustainable industry which selectively harvests forests for timber and fibre and manufactures the resource into high grade construction timber, decking, furniture and other products. Of the 20 million hectares of NSW forests less than one third of 1% is harvested every year. The three million hectares of public forest on the north coast supplies three quarters of the State’s hardwood. Following the decision NSW Premier Chris Minns said that the forestry industry in NSW had a future, but he also noted that his government planned to explore the next steps for the industry in conjunction with stakeholders. Timber NSW chair Andrew Hurford said that this Federal Court decision paved the way for those serious about ecological sustainable forest management and a sustainable timber industry.

Australia, along with 16 other countries, has committed to the “Initiative for Greening Construction with Sustainable Wood” at COP28 in Dubai. The pledge is that: “Recognising that wood from sustainably managed forests provides climate solutions within the construction sector, we commit to, by 2030, advancing policies and approaches that support low carbon construction and increase the use of wood from sustainably managed forests in the built environment. Such policies and approaches will reduce GHG emissions and increase stored carbon.” While this is an eminently sensible policy that is consistent with IPCC views on the importance of sustainable forest production in carbon sequestration, Australia’s commitment is something of a hollow gesture. How will Australia support this initiative with insufficient forest resources to service even the present demand? The WA and Victorian government have recently banned the production of timber from native forests and other states are under pressure to do the same. These decisions have been done for purely political reasons hiding behind spurious assertions such as maintaining carbon stocks, reduced growth rate due to climate change or the need to protect wildlife, none of which has been substantiated with scientific evidence. These decisions are completely at odds with the intent of the pledge that the Commonwealth has committed to. Both the WA and Victorian governments have committed to the establishment of plantations to replace native forest production knowing full well that they cannot do so for two to three decades into the future and that softwood cannot replace hardwood for many of its uses. The WA government has promised $35M per year for 10 years to plant 33,000 ha of mostly pine plantations. However, with limited availability of suitable land, sky rocketing land prices, opposition from some Shires and expected losses from wildfire (10,000 ha in last 12 years), no-one expects this figure to be reached. In any event, it will not produce in time to alleviate the looming timber supply shortage in WA. The same situation is likely in Victoria. With the withdrawal of native forest harvesting and a “too little, too late” plantation program, WA and probably most of Australia will be in no position to contribute to the Greening Construction pledge. Despite the high-sounding aspirations agreed to by Commonwealth and State Forestry Ministers as recently as July 2023 to: increasing resource security and domestic supply volumes; expanding the production of timber and wood products; expanding forestry’s contribution to climate change mitigation; expanding timber industry workforce opportunities and capacity; and continued sustainable management of forests. None of these statements bears any relation to the actions taken in WA and Victoria where the exact opposite has been done. “Green” timber construction, like the much-lauded mass engineered timber building ‘Boola Katitjin’ at Murdoch University in Perth, will continue to rely on imported timber resources. However, with the world demand for wood forecast to increase from 200% to 400% by 2050, supplies in Australia in the future will be more limited, at a substantially higher price and at the expense of other less well-managed forests. Despite the fact that Australia is the 7th most forested country and has 10 times the area of forest per head of population than the world average, we still import $7B of wood products from other countries’ forests. Australia’s commitment to “greening construction” is a meaningless pledge if it can only be done with other countries’ timber resources while sitting back smugly believing we are saving the planet by the unjustified reservation of our remaining multiple use native forests. Jack Bradshaw is a retired forester from the south-west of Western Australia. He worked for the Department of Conservation and Land Management and its predecessor, the Forests Department of Western Australia, before becoming a consultant in native forest management and silviculture.

Another court case was decided this week that threatened to crush the forestry industry, the timber industry and a raft of other industries that rely on its viability but this one came out in favour of the industry and whether the environmentalists understand it, it has come out in their favour as well. As we know hardwood timber is necessary and its necessity will not diminish if we no longer harvest it in Australia. We still need it for a great many things including power poles, wharf timbers, high quality architectural features and it is increasing being used in mass timber construction. If we don’t source it from Australian forests, we will source it elsewhere. Other countries are not as careful with their harvesting and regeneration efforts and that often passes unseen in the community. Much of the hardwood industry’s work is either misunderstood or not understood at all by the general community and the loud cries of the environmental groups drown out the commonsense dialogue of forestry. As AFCA General Manager Tim Lester points out the Regional Forest Agreements between the Commonwealth and States support the protection of environmental assets while allowing for this sustainable industry to operate. “The Federal Court has confirmed that RFAs provide an alternative pathway for delivering environmental protection of forests and biodiversity rather than creating a regulatory void,” he said. “The Regional Forest Agreements are based on striking the balance between environment responsibilities and the needs of our society and community. “RFAs improve management of the forest and therefore biodiversity and forest health by creating the space for a well-regulated, efficient and effective industry that optimises forest functioning, the protection of high value environmental assets and productivity now and for future generations. “As an industry we provide a win-win solution that manages and maintains forest landscapes, enables biodiversity to flourish and provides the best integrated climate and emissions solution available today. “This industry is also incredibly for creating sustainable and high-quality jobs in rural and regional areas, supports local economies and is quite literally helping to build the nation.”