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Japanese companies Idemitsu Kosan and Morisora Biorefinery have signed a memorandum of understanding with the aim of establishing a supply chain for 100% domestically produced ATJ1-SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) derived from bioethanol made from domestic wood resources. Source: Timberbiz By integrating domestically produced second-generation bioethanol derived from woody biomass (referred to as “E2G”) with the ATJ technology currently undergoing verification and evaluation by Idemitsu Kosan, the two companies will jointly explore the feasibility of establishing a supply chain that covers the entire process from feedstock development to SAF use within Japan. Morisora BR aims to produce E2G from domestic timber for use as a feedstock for SAF and other applications. The two companies will integrate the domestically produced E2G planned by Morisora BR with the ATJ-SAF production that Idemitsu Kosan is exploring for verification purposes and will conduct a comprehensive study covering the entire process from feedstock development to SAF use. Specifically, the companies will proceed with planning the logistics connecting the E2G production facility and the ATJ-SAF production plant in Japan, while also exploring ways to disseminate information about domestically produced ATJ-SAF and examining the institutional frameworks and enabling environment necessary for its social implementation. Through this initiative, they will work to identify and resolve challenges related to establishing a supply chain for domestically produced ATJ-SAF. In the aviation industry, the societal implementation of SAF is seen as an effective means of achieving decarbonization. There are several types of feedstocks and production methods for SAF, and currently, SAF production using HEFA3 technology is leading the way globally. However, securing feedstocks is a challenge for the widespread adoption of SAF, and diversifying these feedstocks is also required from the perspective of energy security. ATJ is a technology that can contribute to the stable procurement and diversification of feedstocks by using alcohol produced from various biomass as a raw material for SAF, and Idemitsu Kosan is undertaking a pilot production project to verify its feasibility. If a supply chain for ATJ-SAF using domestically produced E2G derived from non‑edible resources represented by woody biomass as a feedstock is established, it will be possible to complete the entire process, from feedstock production to product manufacturing, domestically while avoiding competition with food crops. Going forward, the two companies aim to enhance the feasibility of establishing a 100% domestically produced ATJ-SAF supply chain and contribute to decarbonization and energy security in Japan’s aviation sector.

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The new H820 harvester and 820 feller buncher models are the simplest, most compact, and lightest weight carriers in the Tigercat-TCi lineup. Source: Timberbiz The 820 feller buncher is best suited to the 5400 felling saw and best applied to small diameter timber and first thinning applications. It is equipped with a lighter weight ER boom with less lift capacity compared to the 822E feller buncher. The H820 harvester is equipped with a simple, conventional 10 metre boom system, best suited to the TCi 544 harvesting head. The H820 is an good solution for cost effective harvesting in small diameter timber stands and thinning applications where powerful lifting capacity is not a primary concern. The long-reach boom results in reduced machine travel for improved fuel economy and track component life. The lighter weight, lower capacity boom sets for both machines require less counterweight. This reduces the overall weight of the machine for improved fuel economy and track life, contributing to lower overall cost of ownership. Both boom systems offer a tight tuck for excellent performance in thinning applications. The 820 series machines will be marketed under the TCi brand in Europe.

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Long-term collaboration, industrial scalability and future-ready materials are driving the next chapter in sustainable panel production. Source: Timberbiz When Koskisen launched its Zero product family together with Stora Enso’s NeoLigno binder in 2022, the ambition was clear: to challenge conventional wood panel production with a safer and more sustainable alternative. Today, as the wood products industry prepares for increasingly stringent formaldehyde regulations and growing customer expectations around healthy materials, that early decision looks more relevant than ever. The collaboration between Koskisen and Stora Enso has now entered a new phase with the launch of Zero Flooring board/construction board — a new board within the Zero family designed for more demanding applications while maintaining the same formaldehyde-free profile. Unlike conventional fossil-based binders, NeoLigno is a bio-based binder derived from lignin, one of the main components naturally found in wood. The resulting Zero panels are free from added formaldehyde and other harmful compounds, offering a future-ready alternative for furniture and interior applications. “What makes this collaboration unique is that it has moved far beyond innovation pilots. Together with Koskisen, we have demonstrated that formaldehyde-free panels can work in large-scale industrial production while meeting high performance expectations,” said Tuomo Heikkinen, VP, Head of Bio-Based Chemicals at Stora Enso Biomaterials. For Koskisen, the launch of the original Zero Panel marked an important strategic step toward more sustainable and healthier material solutions. Since then, market interest has continued to grow as awareness around indoor air quality and upcoming regulation increases. “We saw early on that the market was moving toward safer and more sustainable materials. With Zero, we wanted to offer customers a genuinely different alternative — without compromising on quality or performance. The continued development of the Zero family shows that this direction is here to stay,” said Riitta Ahokas, RDI Manager at Koskisen. The introduction of Zero Flooring board/construction board demonstrates how the collaboration continues to evolve through product development and shared innovation ambitions. It also reflects a broader shift within the industry, where manufacturers are increasingly looking for renewable and lower-emission material solutions. As regulatory pressure grows across Europe, both companies believe the transition toward formaldehyde-free materials will accelerate further.

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Biological control in forest plantations can confound even the scientists designing it, and a new NSW study has delivered a striking example. Source: Timberbiz A cryptogenic nematode strain, not the Kamona inoculant deliberately released by researchers, was responsible for collapsing a Sirex wood wasp outbreak in an un-thinned pine plantation, according to a peer-reviewed study in the latest edition of Australian Forestry, co-authored by A.J. Carnegie, M. Nagel, D. Sargeant, K.N.E. Fitza and H.F. Nahrung. The study tracked a Sirex noctilio outbreak in an un-thinned Pinus radiata plantation in NSW from 2015, when the attack was first detected, through to 2020. The plantation was 11 years old at discovery and carrying between 3,000 and 6,500 stems per hectare, stocking levels far above commercial norms, driven by years of ineffective pine wildling control. Beginning in 2016, researchers inoculated naturally struck trees with the Kamona strain of the nematode Deladenus siricidicola. By 2019, a total of 16 million nematodes had been released across the site. By 2020, the outbreak had effectively subsided. Ground plot surveys showed 40% of trees had been struck by Sirex, with suppressed trees and wildings accounting for the overwhelming share of attack. The parasitic wasp Ibalia leucospoides contributed to control, parasitising roughly 30 per cent of Sirex larvae. Nematode parasitism climbed from under 5 per cent at the outbreak’s outset to 95 per cent of all emerging female sirex by 2019. Taken at face value, that trajectory looked like a biocontrol success. But molecular analysis complicated that conclusion entirely. None of the nematodes recovered from emerging Sirex was Kamona. All belonged to a newly identified strain, Lineage D, a cryptogenic organism whose origin and arrival pathway remain unresolved. Control had been achieved through what the authors describe as adventive classical biocontrol: the action of a naturally occurring exotic natural enemy, not the deliberate inoculation program scientists had designed and monitored over four years. By 2020, a reduction in susceptible host trees, particularly suppressed wildings, had also likely contributed, though the stand still carried a substantial number of vulnerable stems. The authors set out to separate the weight of natural enemy pressure from host tree availability in regulating the outbreak. The answer cut across both. “This study shows that biological control in forests and plantations can be complex and sometimes unexpected. It gives useful insights for improving Sirex management in Australia,” according to Dr Mohammad Ghaffariyan, managing editor of Australian Forestry, who is based at the University of the Sunshine Coast. The paper was accepted in January 2026 and appears on pages 178–187 of Australian Forestry — the 100-year-old journal for Forestry Australia, the authority for Australia’s 1,100 forest scientists and forest growers. For more information: Carnegie, A. J., Nagel, M., Sargeant, D., Fitza, K. N. E., & Nahrung, H. F. (2025). Did a cryptogenic nematode strain control a sirex wood wasp outbreak? Australian Forestry, 88(4), 178–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049158.2026.2627706

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The City of Hobart is calling on the Tasmanian community to come out of the woodwork and apply for a piece of the two giant sequoias that were removed from St David’s Park. The two trees, which stood at 30 and 32 metres tall, were removed in April after multiple attempts to revive the dying trees. Source: Timberbiz One of the four largest pieces has already been earmarked for a special City of Hobart project, which will see local carver Andrew Evans, also known as the Constant Whittler on Instagram, turn one large sequoia barrel into a unique, large-scale sculpture for one of Hobart’s parks. An open day to view the timber will be held on Thursday 18 June. Mr Evans, pictured, will be seconded from the City’s tracks and trails team to work on this project. The timber will also be used to create new interpretive elements for the Hobart waterfront to share Palawa and other local stories. The bulk of the timber, which was sealed to protect it from weathering as soon as it was taken out of St David’s Park, will be given to local artists and community groups to use the wood for creative or community projects through an Expression of Interest process. For makers who prefer to work with milled wood, there is a store of milled elm timber from a mature tree in Franklin Square that was sadly vandalised and subsequently removed in 2005. “While many of us are still saddened by the loss of these two trees from St David’s Park it will be exciting to see how local artists can turn the sequoia timber into something special,” Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said. “The beautiful soft red wood is durable and easily worked, and it’s extremely rare to see so much timber of this nature released into the local artisan community, let alone for free. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for our makers to turn the sad passing of these beautiful trees into something special that will last for generations to come and properly honour the loss of these trees.” Timber available includes: Large trunk sections, suitable for substantial sculptural or structural projects. These sections range from approximately 1 to 8 metres in length, with diameters of up to around 1.5–2 metres at the base, depending on the piece. Medium trunk and limb sections, suitable for individual artworks or functional pieces, generally measuring up to approximately 1 metre in length, with varying diameters. Smaller cut sections and offcuts, suitable for smaller creative works, community projects or collaborative uses.   Final timber allocation, sizing and suitability will be confirmed as part of the Expression of Interest assessment process. The timber catalogue can be viewed online. Applications for pieces of the giant sequoias can be made through an Expression of Interest process. To apply visit: www.hobartcity.com.au/giant-sequoia-EOI

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Following the success of last year’s New Zealand event, which saw close to 300 delegates dive into the latest bioeconomy innovations, Residues2Revenues 2026 is expanding. For the first time this premier technology event will be held in Australia. Source: Timberbiz This is an event that caters for the forest owner, wood processor, government planner, bioenergy user, or technology provider, and provides a blueprint to transforming wood residues into profitable biofuels, bioenergy, and renewable bioproducts. Turnout to Residues2Revenues 2025 in Rotorua, New Zealand event was combined with the inaugural Bioeconomy Innovations 2025 Conference and saw close to 300 delegates take in the latest innovations and technologies for extracting energy and value from wood fibres. The program for the Australian event has been released which will be held in Brisbane on 23-24 September 2026. An early bird offer is currently open but ends Friday 26 June 2026. The program will benefit: Forest owners and managers Harvesting and log cartage contractors Wood processing and manufacturing operations Wood fuel suppliers Regional and District Council planners Government policy staff Wood chip, biomass and wood pellet users Energy heat plant users and manufacturers Researchers Equipment, product and service suppliers to the industry   For more information visit: https://innovatek.co.nz/event/residues2revenues-2026/

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Small woodlot owners and farm foresters are welcoming the arrival of a high-tech tool providing better insights into exactly what trees are growing where around the country. Source: Farmers Weekly The technology comes as foresters and processors seek alternatives to pine plantings to deliver higher value returns, while still needing critical mass among districts’ smaller holdings to justify growing those alternative species. New Zealand’s Ministry of Forestry/Te Uru Rakau (TUR) signed a contract earlier this year for a consortium to produce a spatial database mapping all commercial forest down to one hectare, by species and age. The use of machine learning and LiDAR tech is incorporated to recognise non-P.radiata species and to also estimate tree height and age. Graham West, a Rotorua farm forester and past president of the Farm Forestry Association, said the satellite-based machine learning technology will far surpass previous efforts to measure tree crop type and exact area. “For larger (over 40ha) woodlots generally the national survey data is provided by those large companies that have that data on planting and area well at hand. “However small growers largely do not participate in the survey or send in data, so we do not have an accurate picture on what they are growing, or exact area,” he said. Last year’s national exotic forest survey highlighted how significant small woodlot owners are in NZ’s forest landscape. Of the 1.8 million hectares in exotic forest, almost quarter of a million hectares is estimated to be held in sub 40ha woodlot titles. This is the second largest area after the 10,000ha-plus estates that claim 1.1 million hectares nationally. Central North Island has the largest area in small woodlots, accounting for 58,000ha. West has worked to develop the Treefarmer forestry support programme from forest grower levy funds for use by all smaller scale foresters. “Part of the work is to incorporate data from the new system into Treefarmer, and the early development version has built Hawke’s Bay into it.” West said for smaller woodlot owners who may wish to plant an alternative to pine trees, having more information about what plantations there are in their district is invaluable. “This will allow you to consider what species to plant based on what others have planted in your district.” Getting an economic critical mass of similar species in a district would significantly leverage the higher values some species can generate. Also being able to use the tech to identify tree age would mean at harvest time felling costs could be shared by woodlot owners in a district. Motueka farm forester Roger May told Farmers Weekly such a tool was critical if NZ forestry was to move beyond its lower value raw pine timber exports. “We had NZ$2.8 billion of forestry imports last year. “That is almost 50% of our forestry exports, and NZ$150 million of those imports included special purpose timber. Having a system like this enabling us to better understand where our higher value timbers are being grown is critical to help boost that sector in area planted, and efficiency.” West said foresters can gain an insight to the tech at the Mystery Creek Fieldays Forestry site this year.

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Concerns about “globalist ideologies” and potential restrictions on forest access have prompted a coastal council to put its opposition on the record. Source: About Regional Big Spotty is believed to be the world’s tallest spotted gum (standing at 72 metres) and has a 12 m circumference. Its home is within North Brooman State Forest, in the southern Shoalhaven region. At a recent meeting, there were claps as Shoalhaven City Council (SCC) voted to support a motion that called for protection of public access into the forest, as well as job security for forestry workers. Councillor Brett Steele said the region’s logging industry was “being sacrificed at the altar of globalist ideologies”, with this process risking closed and unmaintained forests. He had initially put his motion up for debate earlier this year, but it was referred to the May meeting. “We need to look closely at the broader policy agenda driving these decisions … What the majority of us don’t realise is that we have not just put our name to protecting Big Spotty,” Cr Steele said. “What your signature is actually required for is so that organisers can gain what they call a social licence to create the Great Southern Forest National Park.” Should it go ahead, the new national park would span from the Illawarra region down to the Victorian border. Cr Steele’s motion saw the council flag its opposition to the creation of a flora reserve as part of a push to ensure public access to the outdoors. Cr Steele said the calls for a flora reserve didn’t stack up. He pointed to the 60 m exclusion zone around Big Spotty, which prevents logging near it. “To those calling on the State Government and signing petitions to create a Big Spotty Flora Reserve, if you’re serious about protecting Big Spotty, guess what? “Your wish was granted 50 years ago by the Forestry Corporation.” He said those calls had led to “continued targeting” of the Shoalhaven’s logging industry by “activist groups”, while landowners faced uncertainty about access to their properties. He also wanted NSW Forestry Corporation to consider funding tourism infrastructure at the high-profile tree and camping to continue at its current levels in the nearby forest. Should logging finish in NSW, the motion also called for ongoing access and maintenance of forest road networks, as well as support for unemployed forestry workers. However, Cr Gillian Boyd said there was no “concrete proposal” to create a Great Southern Forest National Park before the NSW Government. She also said that, should a flora reserve be created in Brooman State Forest, it would still be managed by the NSW Forestry Corporation. “It doesn’t affect the people around it … Any suggestion that a declared flora reserve around Big Spotty will restrict horse riding and four-wheel driving or mountain biking in Broman State Forest generally is completely unfounded.” Cr Jemma Tribe sought to have Cr Steele remove the part of his motion that called for the council to explicitly reject any rezoning to Brooman State Forest for environmental conservation reasons. When he refused, she said it left her speaking against his proposal. “[Its inclusion] ties the hands of future decision-makers … Ruling out any future changes would not be appropriate on those grounds.” Earlier this year, Cr Debbie Killian sought to have SCC add its voice to calls for the forest to be declared the Big Spotty Flora Reserve, but the motion was narrowly defeated. She labelled Cr Steele’s motion as divisive and hit out at his suggestion there was a larger motive behind the calls to protect Big Spotty. “The people who signed petitions about Big Spotty and the Brooman Forest … [are] not stupid. They’re not signing things that they don’t know they’re signing.” She also said that the end of logging had long been on the horizon, with the NSW Government needing to manage the transition period. “It’s been coming for 20 years,” she said. An argument that the future of the wider logging industry was out of the council’s hands was echoed by Cr Ben Krikstolaitis. “If you’re running a restaurant and the clothing shop across the road is going to shut down, do you volunteer your time and money to rehabilitate those people? “In fact, that will come through the shutdown process [of native logging] … We don’t have a department of rehabilitating businesses that have been shut down.” Crs Killian, Boyd, Tribe, Krikstolaitis and Matthew Norris voted against the proposal.

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The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has called on the Federal Government to urgently strengthen sanctions against Russian timber products, warning that current measures are failing to prevent Russian timber from entering the Australian market through third countries. Source: Timberbiz In a recent submission, AFPA has highlighted serious concerns that increasingly large volumes of Russian timber products are being rerouted through countries such as China before being imported into Australia and used in housing and construction. AFPA Acting CEO Richard Hyett said stronger action must be taken to protect Australian timber manufacturers and the integrity of Australia’s forestry and wood products market. “The latest evidence suggests significant volumes of Russian timber continue to find their way into the Australian market, despite existing sanctions,” Mr Hyett said. “We estimate up to 100,000 cubic metres of timber imported into Australia each year could contain Russian material, which means up to 15,000 new homes built each year may include Russian timber.” AFPA’s submission to a Senate inquiry recommended several key actions be taken by the Government, including extending the current 35% tariff to all products containing Russian materials regardless of where they are imported from, introducing Country of Origin labelling, as well as launching anti-dumping investigations into those products, and increasing border compliance activity to identify and stop rerouted timber imports before they enter the Australian market. “Australia has become a target for Russian products because, unlike the European Union, the United States and other trading partners, Australia has taken very limited action to address Russian timber being rerouted through third countries,” Mr Hyett said. “Local timber manufacturers continue to face unfair competition from often inferior imported products that can be sold at prices well below market value.  This is costing Australian businesses market share and placing pressure on local jobs, economic growth and investment. “Enforcing stronger sanctions would also support Australian manufacturers, uphold our international commitments and ensure a level playing field for domestic producers

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When the Victorian Government announced the early closure of native timber harvesting, regional communities were told two things. First, that the science demanded it. Second, that a well-funded transition would create new industries and new opportunities to replace what was being lost. Today, more than two years after the industry was shut down, both promises are looking increasingly hollow. The closure of native forestry was one of the most significant economic decisions ever imposed on regional Victoria. It affected not only timber workers, but entire communities built around a complex economic ecosystem of sawmills, contractors, truck drivers, mechanics, engineers, fuel suppliers, equipment operators and small businesses. These were not abstract jobs on a spreadsheet. They were careers, apprenticeships, family incomes and the economic backbone of towns like Orbost, Nowa Nowa, Swifts Creek, Noojee, Heyfield and beyond. To justify the decision, the Victorian Government committed more than $1.5 billion in transition funding. Taxpayers were told this money would support workers, create replacement industries and secure a prosperous future for affected communities. So, what did $1.5 billion buy? According to the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, no-one can properly answer that question. The Auditor-General’s 2026 report found significant weaknesses in how the transition was monitored and measured. The department could not demonstrate whether workers were better off, whether replacement jobs were secure, or whether many of the claimed employment outcomes had actually been achieved. Most alarming of all was the decline in employment quality. Before the closure, more than 81% of workers were employed full-time. After the transition, that figure fell to around 60%. Casual, contract and part-time work increased substantially. That is not a successful transition. That is a downgrade. That is less kids being able to play sport or play an instrument, less ability to pay for holidays, medications and schooling, less security and more anxiety in a period where cost of living has gone through the roof. Government representatives point to businesses that remain operational. But keeping a business alive is not the same as replacing an industry. The real question was never whether individual operators could survive. The real question was whether the transition would replace the wages, skills, manufacturing capacity and economic activity that native forestry generated. The evidence says emphatically it has not. Across affected communities, millions of dollars were spent on consultants, feasibility studies, economic development strategies, community planning exercises and tourism concepts. Communities received reports. They received workshops. They received visions for the future. What they did not receive was a replacement economic engine. Outside a handful of notable projects, particularly Australian Sustainable Hardwoods in Heyfield, there is little evidence that industries of comparable scale have emerged. Many former logging contractors now operate in earthmoving, grain haulage or other sectors. Some businesses have adapted successfully. That is a credit to the resilience of regional people. But adaptation should not be confused with replacement. Most transition funding helped businesses survive the loss of forestry. It did not rebuild the economic ecosystem that forestry supported. At the same time, the scientific case used to justify the closure is facing increasing scrutiny. A recent paper published in Australian Forestry by former CSIRO Chief Research Scientist John Raison, former CSIRO scientists Sadanandan Nambiar and Glen Kile, and University of Melbourne hydrologist Leon Bren challenges many of the assumptions underpinning calls for a total ban on native forestry. Collectively, these researchers represent more than 200 years of experience in forestry science, ecology and hydrology. Their conclusion is stark. They argue there is no scientific basis for a total ban on sustainable native timber harvesting. The paper disputes claims that sustainable forestry constitutes deforestation. It challenges assertions regarding carbon emissions, water security and biodiversity impacts. It also argues that active forest management has an important role in reducing bushfire risk. Importantly, the authors do not advocate for reckless exploitation of forests. They advocate for sustainable management. That distinction matters. The debate has often been framed as a choice between logging and conservation. It is not. The real choice is between active management and abandonment. For generations, the native timber industry operated under some of the most heavily regulated forest management frameworks in the world. That framework was not perfect. It should continue to evolve. Environmental standards should continue to improve. Harvesting practices should continue to be guided by the best available science. But improvement is not the same thing as abolition. In fact, the lesson of the last two years is that abolition was a deliberate political choice of those who never need to win a vote in the bush to form government. Victoria has lost not only an industry but also a workforce with specialist expertise in forest roads, firebreak construction, fuel management, access track maintenance and landscape stewardship. At a time when bushfire risk continues to grow, those capabilities are more valuable than ever. The promise was that regional communities would be stronger after forestry. Instead, many communities are still searching for the industries that were supposed to replace it. The promise was that the science was settled. Instead, respected scientists are now publicly questioning the rationale for a total ban. The promise was that $1.5 billion would build a new future. Instead, the Government cannot demonstrate that it has. It is time for an honest reassessment. Victoria must bring back the carefully regulated native timber industry, informed by modern science and important environmental safeguards. Just picture this, something which has been my dream for many years – and with a new dawn of the native timber sector when reintroduced. A reintroduced native timber industry should not only provide timber and regional jobs, but also help fund active management of the public land estate. A portion of revenue from sustainable timber harvesting could be directed towards practical, on-ground conservation works such as blackberry control, feral pig and fox management, carp harvesting, weed eradication, track maintenance and firebreak construction. The harvesting of a small proportion of Victoria’s public forests each year could generate income to employ local contractors, Landcare groups, Traditional […]

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