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A new peer-reviewed study vindicates what the forestry sector has long argued: that native forest harvesting is not the primary cause of swift parrot decline, and that misdirecting conservation efforts toward the forestry sector will not improve the species’ outlook, according to Timber Towns Victoria. Source: Timberbiz Timber Towns Victoria President Cr Karen Stephens says for years, timber workers and their families have carried the economic and emotional burden of decisions that this research now calls into question. “This new scientific research is further evidence that Victorian timber communities were stripped of a vital renewable resource industry, devastating local livelihoods and causing significant mental pain and suffering, due to restrictions that were wrongly justified in part on swift parrot habitat concerns. “The impact on these communities has been profound — businesses closed, jobs disappeared, and families were left struggling under the weight of uncertainty and stress,” Cr Stephens said. The study, published in the journal Australian Forestry, was conducted by independent researcher Simon Grove, who reviewed the body of published research to test two competing explanations for the critically endangered species’ collapse. Mr Grove concluded the evidence firmly favours predation — specifically the killing of nesting females and their eggs or broods by sugar gliders, an introduced species — over habitat loss as the primary driver of decline. The swift parrot breeds in Tasmania and migrates to Victoria and other parts of south-eastern Australia, where it relies on eucalypt woodland and native forest. Nesting birds in both jurisdictions face predation by sugar gliders, whose range has expanded significantly. Mr Grove’s paper sets out two hypotheses — a forest habitat narrative and a predation narrative — and finds that neither the straightforward habitat hypothesis nor a more nuanced version linking sugar glider predation to the effects of forest disturbance is well supported by the available evidence. The predation hypothesis, by contrast, is grounded in empirical observation and supported by what the paper describes as apparently robust statistical modelling. The implications are direct. A conservation strategy focused solely on protecting existing breeding habitat would, the study concludes, make negligible material difference to the swift parrot’s fate in the short term, doing little more than ensuring remaining birds continue to be predated when nesting. Mr Grove is unequivocal: directing outrage toward the highly regulated forestry sector does nothing to further the species’ chances of surviving into the next decade and is in fact contributing to the problem rather than the solution. “For too long, swift parrot conservation has been used to partly justify restrictions that crippled Victorian timber towns. This research makes clear it is time to follow the science and end policies that unfairly punish regional communities,” Cr Stephens said TTV is calling on the Federal and Victorian governments to update their conservation response to reflect the best available science, prioritise practical predation mitigation at scale, and cease using swift parrot habitat concerns as a basis for restricting the forest management practices that Victoria’s timber towns and their families depend upon.

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Forest and Wood Communities Australia (FWCA) has welcomed the publication of a major peer-reviewed scientific review that concludes Australia’s native forests can be sustainably managed for timber production while protecting biodiversity, carbon values, water resources and other environmental outcomes. Source: Timberbiz The paper, Australia’s Native Forests Can Be Sustainably Managed for Wood Production Together with Other Important Forest Values, published in the journal Australian Forestry, brings together the expertise of highly respected forest scientists Dr John Raison, Professor EKS Nambiar, Dr Geoff Kile and Dr Lindsay Bren. FWCA Director Steve Dobbyns said the review should serve as a wake-up call for politicians and decision-makers who have increasingly relied on activist campaigns rather than scientific evidence when making forestry policy. “For too long, public debate about native forestry has been dominated by misinformation, emotion and ideology rather than facts,” Mr Dobbyns said. “This comprehensive scientific review examines many of the claims used to justify forest industry closures and harvesting bans and finds that they are often based on poor evidence, flawed assumptions or selective use of science.” The authors conclude that sustainable native forestry does not cause deforestation, does not threaten biodiversity at a landscape scale, does not increase wildfire risk and does not generate the large carbon emissions often claimed by anti-forestry campaigners. Importantly, the review highlights that native forest harvesting occurs on only a tiny proportion of Australia’s forest estate each year and that harvested areas are regenerated under strict regulatory requirements. “The reality is that Australian forestry operates under some of the world’s most rigorous environmental regulations,” Mr Dobbyns said. “The science confirms what forestry professionals, regional communities and independent experts have been saying for years – well-managed native forestry can coexist with biodiversity conservation, carbon storage and other community values.” Mr Dobbyns said the findings are particularly relevant as governments continue to make decisions affecting thousands of regional jobs, domestic timber supplies and the long-term management of public forests. “We have seen governments in Victoria and Western Australia close native forest industries based largely on claims that this paper directly challenges.” “These decisions have devastated regional communities, increased Australia’s dependence on imported timber and reduced our capacity to actively manage forests for bushfire risk and other values.” FWCA said the review also exposes the flawed assumption that plantations can immediately replace all wood currently sourced from native forests. “The authors make it clear that Australia already faces a growing timber deficit and increasing reliance on imports,” Mr Dobbyns said. “Politicians need to understand that if we stop producing timber from sustainably managed Australian forests, the demand doesn’t disappear. It is simply shifted offshore to countries that may have weaker environmental standards.” Mr Dobbyns said forestry policy must be based on evidence rather than activist pressure. “Every policymaker considering restrictions on forestry should read this paper before making decisions that affect regional communities, housing affordability, renewable materials supply and the long-term health of our forests.” “The authors demonstrate that sustainable native forestry remains an important part of responsible forest management and that blanket harvesting bans have no sound scientific foundation.” FWCA is calling on federal and state governments to ensure future forestry policy is informed by peer-reviewed science, practical forest management experience and a balanced assessment of environmental, social and economic outcomes. “Australia deserves evidence-based forestry policy,” Mr Dobbyns said. “Regional communities, forest workers and future generations should not pay the price for decisions driven by misinformation.” You can download Australia’s Native Forests Can Be Sustainably Managed for Wood Production Together with Other Important Forest Values here.

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Australia’s housing supply is increasingly more exposed to global pressures as cheap imported structural timber floods the market, undercutting local producers at a time when domestic capacity is already under pressure. Source: The Daily Telegraph New data shows imports of engineered timber (LVL) from China have surged 63% in 12 months, with prices well below domestic production costs. As Australian Forest Products Association NSW boss James Jooste explains, softwood timber is the most critical material when it comes to the housing construction sector. “Eightly% of detached homes that are built in New South Wales are built using softwood timber. There’s a good reason for that because it’s sustainable, it’s durable,” Mr Jooste said. Coupled with NSW’s building crisis, there is a growing concern that cheaper imports could undermine Australia’s sovereign capability, with local events like the closure of the Great Western Highway and rising fuel prices highlighting how fragile supply chains can be. “Whether its fuel, natural resources, or things like timber so we can build houses, we want to make sure we’re not exposed to supply chains when a war happens,” Mr Jooste said. “We need to have the ability on shore in Australia to make sure we’re self-sufficient with critical materials. “We fundamentally don’t want to be exposed to the global trade winds when we should be able to be focused in Australia on the on resources that we have in abundance to do things like build Australian homes made out of Australian timber.” The AFPA highlights a mass amount of timber is being dropped on Aussie shores from places like China, which is in direct competition with our locally grown trees. While this may appear to lower costs in the short term, critics argue that it undermines Australian manufacturing, reducing local supply capacity and increasing long-term exposure to global volatility. “We need to make sure that we invest in those businesses and companies that are doing it in Australia, I think that’s really important and I think a lot of Australians are saying that,” Jooste said. Imported engineered timber is now being sold for almost half the domestic price, directly replacing locally manufactured structural timber in homes, but the AFPA points out that supply isn’t the main problem with the housing industry in NSW. “We’re actually not in a housing crisis. We’re in a building crisis right now, we see that throughout timber mill yards because we’ve got excess timber in those yards,” Jooste explained. “At a time that we should be going hammer and tongs on getting that timber to be building new houses in New South Wales, where the government had a laser-like focus on trying to address this issue.” As the state approaches its next election in March 2027, the AFPA say its imperative for both parties to get their forestry industry action plan sorted as soon as possible. “It’s really important to get the planning done now and get some direction around how we want to support our domestic manufacturers in New South Wales. “We’ve got all the resources we need to make sure that when it comes to building houses, we have those materials close to areas we need. Without a strong domestic industry, Australia risks becoming dependent on imports for the very materials needed to meet housing targets — at higher long-term cost and risk to Australian jobs.

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The Green Triangle’s plantation community has formally recognised one of its most respected leaders by naming a bushland restoration project at Australian Bluegum Plantations’ (ABP) Les Johnson Plantation, near Dergholm, in honour of outgoing CEO Russ Hughes. Source: Timberbiz The dedication of the Russ Hughes Bushland Project acknowledges Mr Hughes’ decade-long commitment to biodiversity, conservation and sustainable land management – values that underpin the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo habitat restoration being delivered at the conservation site. Throughout his tenure with ABP, Mr Hughes championed environmental stewardship, strengthened relationships with local communities, and embedded conservation principles into everyday operational practice. Those commitments helped lay the foundation for initiatives such as the Russ Hughes Bushland Project, which directly supports the recovery of one of the region’s most threatened species. Delivered in partnership with BirdLife Australia and Greening Australia, the project focuses on restoring critical habitat, improving food availability and increasing nesting opportunities for the critically endangered Red-tailed Black Cockatoos. Mr Hughes joined ABP in 2015 building on his experience working with industry and First Nations communities as a professional forester in Canada. Incoming CEO Darren Shelden, who worked closely with Mr Hughes during his tenure, said the naming of the project was a fitting acknowledgement of his influence and work ethos. “Russ has always believed plantation forestry is about more than growing wood fibre – it’s about people, landscapes, and the legacy we leave behind. His leadership has set a benchmark for how industry can work hand-in-hand with nature,” Mr Shelden said. “This bushland restoration will stand as a living reminder of Russ’ passion for biodiversity and his deep respect for the environment. It’s a place where staff, families and visitors can connect with the landscape he cares so deeply about, including the precious stringybark and buloke habitats that support the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.” The Russ Hughes Bushland Project forms part of ABP’s broader environmental enhancement program, which includes native species plantings, habitat protection, wetland restoration and long-term conservation planning across the estate. Mr Shelden said Mr Hughes’ influence extended well beyond operational leadership. “Russ has been a mentor, a passionate industry advocate, and a trusted colleague to so many of us. His legacy is woven into the culture of this organisation. He is thoughtful, principled, and always looking to the future and supporting the next generation of foresters,” he said. “At the core of his work was leaving the landscape in a better condition than when it was found. This habitat restoration stands as a lasting tribute to his contribution.” A farewell gathering with staff, industry partners and long-term collaborators was recently held at Les Johnson Plantation to mark the occasion. The event included the planting of several native species to enhance long term habitat for the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. While stepping down as CEO, Mr Hughes continues to contribute to the sector as founding Chair of The Precinct Project, an advanced manufacturing initiative exploring new engineered wood products from plantation fibre grown in the Green Triangle. As a founding member of the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, he also played a pivotal role in shaping the project’s early vision. ABP board member and GTFIH Deputy Chair Laurie Hein said Mr Hughes had been influential in turning “ambition into action”. “Russ’ ability to galvanise industry, government and community partners has unlocked new opportunities. From habitat restoration and koala management programs to the early visioning of The Precinct project. The region is stronger, more resilient and forward-looking because of his valued contribution,” Mr Hein said.

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