Australian timber industry news

The Taiwan Forestry Research Institute said it is promoting full utilization of Taiwan’s incense cedar to develop a high-value circular economy for forest resources. Source: Taipei Times Incense cedar is an endemic species of Taiwan and is one of Taiwan’s five major coniferous tree species, the institute said. It is distributed in mountainous areas of northern and central Taiwan at elevations of 300m to 1,900m, it said. Taiwan incense cedar is the primary tree species used for reforestation in warm forests between 500m and 1,800m above sea level, the institute said. While Taiwan incense cedar wood is popular with consumers thanks to its distinctive aroma, surplus materials generated during the process of forest tending, pruning and wood processing are usually used as fuel or disposed of, it said. The institute’s Chiayi Research Centre promoted research on the reutilization of Taiwan incense cedar surplus materials at the Yunshui Experiment Station from last year to this year, the institute said. Water distillation was applied to extract Taiwan incense cedar oil from surplus materials, while the remaining materials would be ground into scented powder or made into incense cones, it said. The institute said that water distillation is a well-established extraction technique. It uses high-temperature steam to release volatile aromatic compounds from plants, which would then be condensed and separated to obtain natural essential oils, the institute said. Water distillation can preserve the plant’s aroma and active compounds without adding organic solvents, it said. That helps meet modern consumers’ demand for natural, safe and environmentally friendly products, the institute said. Taiwan incense cedar essential oil is rich in compounds such as ferruginol, alpha-pinene and limonene, it said. Ferruginol is highly antibacterial and antioxidant, the institute said, adding that it can inhibit skin disease-associated pathogens and tyrosinase, a key enzyme involved in skin pigmentation, it added.

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With extreme wildfire activity exhausting all available federal firefighting resources and the national wildfire system operating at its highest level of readiness, the US Department of the Interior has finalized two categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act to expedite Bureau of Land Management timber salvage and forest thinning projects. Source: Timberbiz These new administrative authorities are designed to bypass bureaucratic delays and immediately expedite critical timber salvage and forest thinning projects. “The Trump administration is committed to giving our land managers the tools they need to reduce wildfire risk before the next fire starts,” said Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor. “These categorical exclusions remove unnecessary delays so we can accelerate common-sense forest management projects that reduce hazardous fuels, strengthen forest health and resilience, and better protect firefighters, communities and our public lands from catastrophic wildfire.” Categorical exclusions are categories of actions that have been determined to not typically have significant environmental impacts, eliminating the need to do a full environmental review. Streamlining National Environmental Policy Act compliance through categorical exclusions removes regulatory burdens and speeds up the process, saving time and resources. The new exclusions allow the Bureau of Land Management to remove dead, dying and excess trees more quickly and reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health, support landscape rehabilitation post-fire, while strengthening rural economies. They apply to routine salvage and thinning projects of up to 5,000 acres. Forests across the West have been heavily impacted by years of mismanagement that has led to more destructive wildfires, exacerbated by drought, insects, and disease, leaving millions of acres vulnerable to future wildfires. The previous administration inexplicably stripped timber harvest authorities from the BLM late in 2024. Since 2000, wildfires have burned an average of 7.3 million acres annually, with BLM lands seeing an average of 236,530 acres affected each year. This year alone, wildfires have devastated over 2.7 million acres of BLM-managed lands, and more than 7.4 million acres of all jurisdictions nationwide, underscoring the urgent need for effective forest management and fuels reduction strategies.

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Sumitomo Forestry, SCA and The Navigator Company have joined the PEFC Alliance. Together, the three organisations represent millions of hectares of sustainably managed forests and bring extensive expertise from across the forest value chain. Source: Timberbiz Founded in Japan in 1691, Sumitomo Forestry has more than 300 years of experience in forest- and wood-based businesses. Today, the company owns and manages more than 370,000 hectares of forest in Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Canada and the United States. Its activities span sustainable forest management, timber processing, wood construction and renewable energy. “Because our businesses cover both upstream and downstream sectors of the forest value chain, we have the perspectives of both a producer and a consumer,” said Yuko Iizuka, Head of Sustainability at Sumitomo Forestry. “We believe these dual perspectives enable us to share practical insights and contribute to the PEFC community. We look forward to working with PEFC to promote sustainable forest management, responsible wood use and transparency across the value chain.” SCA manages 2.7 million hectares of forest in Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and operates sawmills, pulp and paper mills, renewable energy and logistics businesses, giving it broad expertise across the forest sector. “As one of the largest private forest owners, we have a great responsibility to conduct forest management in a sustainable manner,” said Jörgen Bendz, Forestry Director at SCA. “One of the strengths of PEFC is its ability to change and adapt to new conditions to remain relevant.” The Navigator Company is an integrated forest-based company headquartered in Portugal, with operations spanning sustainable forest management, pulp and paper production, tissue, renewable energy and sustainable packaging solutions. “It is very important to be part of the discussions,” said Sofia Castelão, Head of Management Systems. “We are at a time when we have a lot of European Union regulation, and credibility is very important for our systems. “We intend to work with PEFC International and, of course, the national PEFC members through the specific working groups to deal with special matters and improve and develop new solutions.” International stakeholder members play an important role in bringing knowledge, experience and market perspectives from across the global forest sector into the PEFC alliance. Membership is open to companies, organisations and associations with principles and objectives in line with PEFC. International stakeholder members are part of the PEFC General Assembly, the highest decision-making body of the organisation, which sets the strategic direction of PEFC. They can join PEFC working groups and committees on relevant topics including standards revision, marketing and regional promotions. They can partner with other PEFC members on projects around the world and nominate representatives for the PEFC Board of Directors.

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Melbourne Polytechnic is inviting industry, education and construction sector stakeholders to help shape a new Modern Methods of Construction Showcase Building being developed as part of the Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence at its Heidelberg campus. Source: Timberbiz A survey is now open to gather feedback that will help inform the functional brief for the new facility. The Showcase Building is being designed as a hands-on learning and demonstration environment where students, industry and researchers can explore modern methods of construction in practice, bringing together prefabrication, advanced manufacturing, digital construction and emerging building technologies. Set to become Victoria’s leading demonstration and education facility for modern methods of construction, it will also serve as a national destination for learning, innovation and collaboration. We are seeking industry expertise to help shape the Showcase Building through a survey. We want to understand feedback on the capabilities, infrastructure and learning experiences that will provide the greatest long-term value to industry and the wider sector. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and responses are anonymous. Complete the survey by 31 August 2026. You can access the survey here.

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A Facilitator has been appointed to advise the New Zealand Government on what further support or intervention may be needed around forestry in the Tairāwhiti Gisborne region. Source: Timberbiz Doug Leeder, former Chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council and former Chair of Local Government New Zealand’s Regional Sector Group has been appointed. Mr Leeder will work with Council leadership, members of the Council’s Assurance Review panel and other stakeholders, on the complexity of consenting and land use change. He will provide advice directly to Forestry Minister Todd McClay, and to other Ministers as required. The New Zealand Forest Owners Association, Eastland Wood Council, Forest Industry Contractors Association and Ngāti Porou Forests have jointly backed the Government’s decision. Mr McClay said the Government was aware of growing sector-wide concern about the approach the Gisborne District Council is taking to land use change, including its use of draft enforcement orders on woody debris and sediment management. He said that stronger compliance measures may be necessary however, they must be workable and proportionate, and they must not undermine progress towards land transition. “Forestry and wood processing matter enormously to Tairāwhiti and to the people employed in them,” Mr McClay said. “Industry is telling me it faces decisions it considers unworkable and costly, and growing uncertainty about the future of the sector in the region. “I am advised this is affecting the willingness of investors to pursue processing ventures, both in Tairāwhiti and elsewhere in the country. “I want the relationship between the Council and stakeholders reset, with all parties working together in a constructive and structured way. That means supporting effective long-term forestry management, the environment, jobs and local businesses.” In 2024, Mr McClay established the Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group (TFAG) to build confidence between all parties, and to allow the Government and Council to work closely with the sector to remove woody biomass from the district. The group has reduced risk across 173 kilometres of river network and removed almost 40,000 cubic metres of woody debris from high-risk locations. TFAG will now move to the next stage of the clean-up. That includes supporting landowners and operators to accelerate consenting on legacy biomass through pilot projects, monitoring progress, maintaining engagement with the community, and helping inform decisions about land use change. “TFAG has worked because central government, the Council and the sector all came together. I have invited the Council’s continued support and participation,” Mr McClay said. “I want to recognise the significant efforts of the Council, the forestry sector and the community in dealing with the compounding effects of weather events. The appointment of a Facilitator will help drive better outcomes for forestry, the environment and the wider community.” NZFOA Chief Executive Dr Elizabeth Heeg says the appointment of Mr Leeder provided an opportunity to make progress on difficult questions around land use, woody debris and forestry-related environmental issues. “Forestry wants a system that protects the environment while allowing businesses to keep investing and operating responsibly in the region,” Dr Heeg said. “Tairāwhiti needs to see decision-making that recognises where land use has to change, while allowing forestry to continue on land where it remains appropriate.” “Bringing Government, Gisborne District Council, iwi, communities and industry together with an independent facilitator gives us a practical way to work through those issues.” Eastland Wood Council Chairman Julian Kohn said decisions about forestry have consequences for everyone living in Tairāwhiti. “NZIER research has shown forestry accounts for 7.9% of Tairāwhiti’s GDP, the highest proportional contribution of any region in New Zealand. Around NZ$295 million per year is added to the regional economy through forestry and logging, support services and wood processing,” he said. “We want environmental issues addressed, but the decisions made through this process also have to recognise the scale of forestry’s contribution to Tairāwhiti and the communities that depend on it.” Ngāti Porou Forests Chairman Whaimutu Dewes said decisions about land use have long-term consequences for iwi landowners and communities. “For iwi landowners, there is a responsibility to look after the whenua for generations to come but also to create opportunities for our people today. Forestry supports whānau by generating employment and providing income from whenua to sustain our communities,” he said. “Bringing iwi, communities, Government, Council and industry together gives us a better chance of making decisions that achieve both.” Forest Industry Contractors Association Chief Executive Rowan Struthers said contractors and forestry workers will bring an important operational perspective to the process. “Decisions about forestry directly affect crews, trucking companies, machinery operators and local businesses,” Mr Struthers said. “Our members want high environmental standards and clear expectations, but those expectations also have to work on the ground. “The experience of the people carrying out harvesting and other forestry work will be important as practical solutions are developed.”

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Good information is one of the industry’s most valuable resources. Whether it’s helping a builder answer a customer’s question, supporting a merchant with technical information or giving fabricators practical tools to engage their networks, clear and consistent communication helps build confidence in timber framing. Source: Timberbiz That’s why WoodSolutions, with support from FWPA and in collaboration with the Frame and Truss Manufacturers Association (FTMA) and campaign funding partners, has launched a coordinated national campaign to help industry share the benefits of structural timber. The campaign brings together a suite of professionally developed resources that funding partners and industry stakeholders can use through their own communications. Rather than every business developing its own materials, the campaign provides a shared set of evidence-based assets that are practical, consistent and ready to use. Over 14 weeks, participants will receive weekly campaign packs featuring social media, graphics, newsletter content and simple discussion notes designed to support conversations across the timber framing supply chain. To support consistent industry messaging, the campaign provides 14 ready-to-use campaign packs available through the WoodSolutions website. Each pack includes customer flyers, social media graphics and conversation starters, with a different timber framing benefit highlighted each week throughout the campaign. Each week’s content focuses on a different benefit of lightweight timber framing, drawing on trusted WoodSolutions technical resources and research. From renewable forestry and carbon storage to thermal performance, structural capability and construction efficiency, the campaign brings together practical information in a format that’s easy to understand and share. The initiative reflects FWPA’s ongoing commitment to supporting industry beyond research and development. By investing in practical communication tools, FWPA and WoodSolutions are helping funding partners confidently promote the value of timber framing while strengthening consistency across the sector. Research and technical guidance only create value when they’re used. This campaign helps turn existing industry knowledge into practical conversations that support confidence in timber framing across the supply chain. It’s also a reminder that meaningful industry communication isn’t driven by a single organisation. It comes from manufacturers, suppliers, merchants, builders and industry partners all contributing to the same conversation. When those voices work together, the collective impact extends far beyond what any one business could achieve alone. Funding partners and industry stakeholders are encouraged to download the campaign materials through the WoodSolutions Timber Framing Campaign page and use them throughout the campaign. Because every conversation is an opportunity to build greater understanding of timber framing, and every shared message helps strengthen the industry’s voice.

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Forest & Wood Communities Australia (FWCA) is calling on The Australia Institute and more than 50 environmental organisations involved in a newly announced national campaign to end native forest harvesting to disclose who is funding the campaign, how much is being spent and whether any government, philanthropic or tax-advantaged funding is supporting it. Source: Timberbiz The organisations announced on 17 August that they were meeting in Canberra to coordinate a national campaign seeking an immediate end to native forest logging, clearing and conversion and permanent protection of native forests across Australia. The media release says the meeting was being hosted by The Australia Institute. However, neither the media release nor the campaign’s published Forest Protection Principles identifies who was specifically financing the meeting or the coordinated national campaign. FWCA Chair Steve Dobbyns said environmental organisations were entitled to advocate for policy change, but the same organisations regularly demanding transparency from governments and businesses should be prepared to disclose the financial backing behind a campaign of this scale. “There is nothing improper about people donating to environmental organisations and nothing improper about those organisations participating in public debate. But transparency has to work both ways,” Mr Dobbyns said. “This is not simply a few local residents meeting to discuss their neighbourhood forest. It is an organised national policy campaign involving more than 50 organisations, coordinated across six states and territories, seeking to eliminate an Australian renewable industry.” “Before Australians are told this is simply a ‘people-powered movement’, they are entitled to know who is actually paying for the campaign.” The scale of some of the organisations involved is substantial. The Australia Institute’s audited 2024-25 accounts report $10.88 million in total revenue, including more than $10.05 million in donations. Its annual report says it is independently funded by donations from philanthropic trusts and individuals and by grants and commissioned research from businesses, unions and non-government organisations. The Australian Conservation Foundation reported $18.64 million in revenue and other income in 2024-25, including approximately $12.74 million in donations, $2.91 million in bequests and $1.66 million in grants. The Australia Institute, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society and Bob Brown Foundation are all registered charities with Deductible Gift Recipient status, allowing eligible donors to claim tax deductions for gifts. Mr Dobbyns said charitable and DGR status did not invalidate their right to campaign, but it strengthened the case for transparency where organisations were seeking major changes to public policy and expenditure. “These organisations benefit from tax concessions while campaigning to remove productive forests from timber supply, close regional industries and fundamentally restructure how Australia’s forests are managed.” “That makes transparency a legitimate public-interest issue. Who is funding this campaign? What are they funding? And what policy outcomes have funders specifically paid organisations to pursue?” FWCA is asking the campaign organisers to disclose: Who funded the national meeting being hosted by The Australia Institute? Who paid, or is paying, participants’ travel, accommodation and meeting expenses? Who funded the Protect Native Forests website, campaign development, communications, advertising and media coordination? What is the total budget for the national campaign? Have philanthropic foundations or other institutional donors provided restricted or project-specific funding for campaigns to end native forest harvesting? Have any overseas philanthropic organisations or foundations contributed to the campaign or participating organisations specifically for Australian forest policy advocacy? Have any Commonwealth, state or local government grants, government-funded positions or publicly funded resources been used directly or indirectly in developing or promoting the campaign? What cash or in-kind contributions have participating organisations made to the campaign? Will The Australia Institute and the major organisations involved publish the institutional sources and amounts of funding specifically supporting the campaign?   From shutting down forestry to a $10 billion-a-year public fund FWCA said the financial questions become even more important when the full Forest Protection Principles are examined. Those principles go considerably further than the 17 August media release. They call for governments to increase long-term public funding for forest conservation and restoration and establish an independent publicly funded statutory Nature Fund, nominating minimum recurring expenditure of around $10 billion per year as an example. “This deserves far more scrutiny than it has received,” Mr Dobbyns said. “The campaigners want governments to shut down a renewable timber-producing industry and permanently remove productive forests from timber supply, while proposing a new publicly funded conservation model involving expenditure on an extraordinary scale. “They cannot simply discuss the claimed environmental benefits and pretend the economic side of the ledger does not exist.” Australia’s own national forestry agency, ABARES, states that wood products from sustainably managed native forests are renewable because trees regenerate following harvesting. Australian forest reporting also distinguishes harvested forests that remain forest from permanent forest conversion. Mr Dobbyns said deliberately bundling native forest harvesting, land clearing and forest conversion into one political slogan blurred fundamentally different land-management activities. “Sustainable native forestry is not synonymous with permanently clearing a forest,” he said. “A production forest is harvested and regenerated to forest. That is precisely why Australia’s national greenhouse accounts classify harvested native forests within ‘Forest remaining Forest’. “Ending Australian timber production does not end Australia’s demand for timber. It simply means that demand has to be met somewhere else – through plantations where suitable resource exists, imports, alternative materials or shortages and higher prices.” FWCA said any credible national discussion about closing native forestry must therefore examine the consequences for domestic timber supply, housing and construction, regional employment, sovereign manufacturing capacity, imports, carbon leakage and the environmental standards of timber-producing countries that may replace Australian supply. Transparency should work both ways FWCA also noted the irony that The Australia Institute itself published research in November 2025 arguing that charitable and philanthropic contributions by corporations should be subject to clearer and more consistent disclosure so that the public can make informed decisions. “We agree with the principle,” Mr Dobbyns said. “If transparency about who funds an activity and what that money supports is important when corporations give money to charities, surely it is equally […]

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Forestry Australia’s longest-serving member Norm Lewis passed away on August 12. He was 109 years old. Source: Timberbiz Mr Lewis, ISO DipFor BSc DipFor FIFA, worked for the Woods and Forests Department in South Australia from about 1957 until 1981, when he retired as Assistant Director, Forest Operations Division. He was an advocate for thinning, having studied it in other parts of the world as a Russell Grimwade Scholar and in 1963 produced a guide to the “Optimum thinning range of Pinus radiata in South Australia“. He was also the author of “A Hundred Years of State Forestry, South Australia, 1875-1975” (1975). Forestry Australia CEO Jacquie Martin said in a note to members that Mr Lewis’s extraordinary leadership, contribution and longevity as a forester, and as a member of the Forestry Australia community was something very special. “We know many South Australian members will have known him personally or through his long association with The Institute of Foresters,” she said. “Norm’s exceptional legacy, significant influence on the science and art of forestry, and his enduring connection to Forestry Australia are deeply valued.” His funeral will be held at 1.00 pm on Tuesday 25 August 2026 at the Main Chapel of Berry’s Funeral Home, 204 Magill Road, Norwood. For those unable to attend in person, livestreaming information and the opportunity to leave a message of condolence are available through the funeral notice at https://www.mytributes.com.au/notice/funeral-notices/lewis-norman-benjamin/6372447/  

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Just over two years after its launch, Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) has backed 39 research and innovation projects worth more than $67 million across Australia’s forest and wood products sector. Source: Timberbiz The national institute, supported by a $100 million Australian Government investment, has brought together more than 100 industry and research partners and over 300 people across Australia, including growers, processors, manufacturers, Indigenous enterprises, government agencies and researchers. Its progress is detailed in the AFWI Highlights Report 2024–2026, launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins, at the Australian Forest Products Association’s National Forestry Day event at Parliament House. Since its official launch in March 2024, AFWI has invested about $29 million in research and innovation projects, supported by a further $38 million in partner contributions. Ms Collins said AFWI had made strong progress in its first two years. “AFWI has made strong progress in just over two years, with its investments already translating into practical outcomes across Australia’s forest and wood products sector,” Minister Collins said. “I congratulate everyone involved and look forward to hearing more about the impacts being delivered and the further opportunities this national capability can unlock for industry, regions and communities.” AFWI CEO and Executive Director Dr Joseph Lawrence said the report showed how quickly AFWI had grown from a new initiative into a national research and innovation network. “In just over two years, AFWI has grown from a new national initiative into a substantial industry-led innovation network operating across Australia,” Dr Lawrence said. “We are bringing together industry, research and government to tackle key challenges: healthier and more productive forests, getting more value from Australian fibre, developing new bioeconomy opportunities and helping unlock manufactured timber housing at scale.” AFWI’s work is structured around four pillars: Healthier Forests, Maximising Fibre, Climate Solutions and Housing Innovation. Projects span forest productivity and resilience, biosecurity and climate adaptation, low-carbon fuels and bioproducts, engineered timber products, advanced manufacturing and new approaches to timber construction. AFWI is also rebuilding Australia’s long-term forest and wood products research capability through three Research Centres, hosted by the University of Melbourne, the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of Tasmania. Across the portfolio, more than 90 early-career researchers are developing expertise while working directly with industry on practical challenges and pathways to adoption. Moving research into industry A major focus for AFWI’s next phase will be helping research move into industry, including through advanced timber manufacturing, manufactured housing and new bioeconomy opportunities. AFWI’s The Precinct initiative, led by IndustryEdge, is bringing together industry, research and government partners to develop new engineered wood products, prefabricated dwellings and bio-based co-products at scale. The initiative is designed to grow domestic manufacturing capability, reduce exports of lower-value fibre and substitute imported engineered wood products with higher-value Australian-made products. AFWI also provided technical support to the John Curtin Research Centre’s report, Manufacturing Homes: A National Strategy for Solving Australia’s Housing Crisis, which sets out a national strategy for expanding modular and offsite construction capacity in Australia. The report calls for AFWI’s proposed National Demonstration of Australian Manufactured Timber Housing as an early proof point. The proposed $300 million-scale demonstration would involve 600 manufactured timber dwellings across six to ten sites, showing how Australian timber, advanced manufacturing and modern construction methods could contribute to housing delivery at scale. Dr Lawrence said these initiatives reflected the type of practical, large-scale work AFWI was established to support. “The next phase is about taking the capability and partnerships we have built and turning them into larger-scale outcomes, from healthier and more productive forests and new bioeconomy industries through to advanced timber manufacturing and manufactured housing,” Dr Lawrence said. “Australia has an opportunity to turn more of our renewable timber fibre into higher-value products here at home, strengthening regional economies and sovereign manufacturing capability while contributing practical solutions to Australia’s housing challenge.” AFWI’s focus will increasingly be on helping research move into commercial pathways, standards, investment opportunities, new technologies and practical industry adoption. “The foundations are now firmly in place. Our focus is on ensuring research moves into industry, investment and implementation, and delivers tangible benefits for Australian businesses, regional communities and the nation,” Dr Lawrence said. AFWI acknowledged the Australian Government and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for their investment and support, the University of Tasmania as AFWI’s host institution, and the industry, research, government, Indigenous and regional partners contributing to its work. AFWI also acknowledged the Australian Forest Products Association for hosting the launch as part of National Forestry Day. The AFWI Highlights Report 2024–2026 is available at https://www.afwi.au/afwi-highlights-report-2024-2026/

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Recent commentary has highlighted just how easy it is for misconceptions about the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to spread. In some cases, a lack of understanding can result in significant financial opportunities being missed. At the opposite end of the spectrum, forest owners who do not fully understand the long-term implications of registering their forest in the ETS can find themselves with legal obligations they neither expected nor budgeted for. While the ETS has been with us for nearly 18 years, it has undergone several significant updates. It is therefore understandable that many people struggle to keep up with these changes and the impact they have on forest owners across New Zealand. In particular, there seems to be some confusion around how carbon credits are claimed in the ETS and the long-term obligations that forest owners face as participants in the scheme. These obligations depend largely on which of the three ETS carbon accounting categories a forest is registered under: Stock Change, Averaging or Permanent Forest. Until the end of 2022, all ETS forests used Stock Change, or the “saw-tooth” model for carbon accounting. In 2023, two additional categories – Averaging and Permanent Forest –were introduced to better reflect the different objectives of rotational forests destined for harvest and continuous-cover permanent forests. For forests registered under the Stock Change category, carbon credits can be claimed annually but carbon losses due to harvesting must also be accounted for, which can result in a significant quantity of carbon credits needing to be surrendered back to the Crown. If the forests are not harvested, the forest owner will continue to accrue carbon credits across the lifespan of the forest. Averaging accounting is well suited to forest owners who are planting a forest with the intention of harvesting. Carbon credits are claimed until the long-term average age for the species, typically 16–26 years for exotic forests. Beyond this point no further carbon credits are claimed. For forests harvested after reaching their long-term average age, a full surrender of carbon credits is only required if the land is not replanted within four years or converted to a non-forestry land use. The Permanent Forest category is aptly named; forest owners entering their forests into this category should be prepared to keep the trees in the ground in perpetuity. The minimum sign-up period into this category is 50 years and during this time the forest owner is unable to voluntarily withdraw from the scheme or clear-fell their forest. Carbon credits continue to accrue across the lifespan of the forest. Selective tree harvesting can be undertaken, as long as 30% canopy cover is maintained across the entire forest area. Whilst the benefits and outcomes under Averaging Accounting are easily understood, the waters can be murkier for forests registered under Stock Change or the Permanent Forest category. This often leads to questions such as: My forest is registered under Stock Change, how many carbon credits can I sell liability-free, and still harvest my forest? The answer to this is that it very much depends; planting year, species, length of time registered in the ETS, harvest age, year of replant and replanted species are all inputs into this equation that can significantly impact the end result. This carbon accounting method is the most complex and advice from a forestry professional is highly recommended. My forest is registered in the Permanent Forest category, what will happen once the 50-year sign-up period is over? Some forest owners have entered this category thinking that they will claim carbon credits for 50 years, exit the ETS and harvest their forests. While exiting the scheme after 50 years is technically possible, doing so would generally require the surrender of a substantial quantity of carbon credits. Whether that is financially viable will depend largely on the carbon price at that time. The ETS is a complex beast, and it is essential to understand the weave of the specific forest characteristics, registration category, historic and future carbon credit claims and on-going compliance requirements. I cannot stress enough the importance of seeking professional advice before registering your forest in the ETS, purchasing a forest that has been registered in the ETS or selling carbon credits. Kirsten Stuart is the Company Forester & Consultant for Laurie Forestry  

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The European Union Deforestation Regulation has been postponed, amended and simplified since it came about in 2023, yet the central compliance challenge confronting wood pellet producers has barely changed. Source: Biomass Magazine Producers shipping into the European Union will need to demonstrate that their fibre is legal and deforestation-free, identify the plots where the wood was harvested and preserve the connection between those plots and the finished product. That requirement reaches beyond conventional sustainability certification and deep into supplier networks that were not designed to provide plot-level information. The latest delay moved the primary application date to 30 December 2026, while providing additional time for certain small and microenterprises. The United States has also been classified as a low-risk country, reducing some risk assessment and mitigation obligations for US suppliers. Neither development eliminates the need to collect geolocation data, document legality and maintain traceability. Instead, the added time has revealed a widening divide between companies that continued preparing and those that treated postponement as permission to wait. “The delays gave producers much-needed time to figure out how to collect geolocation data and work with suppliers to prepare for compliance,” said Barry Parrish, director of sustainability at ResourceWise. “The low-risk designation also eased some of the burden by removing the need for formal risk assessment and risk mitigation, allowing producers to focus more directly on data collection and traceability.” That focus is moving EUDR from the policy office to the procurement desk. Compliance will ultimately depend less on what pellet producers already know about their overall supply bases than on whether they can connect individual consignments to sufficiently detailed, verifiable records from forests, landowners, loggers, sawmills and other upstream suppliers. The full story is at: https://biomassmagazine.com/articles/the-traceability-test

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US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L Rollins announced the US Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to rescind in its entirety the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a one-size-fits-all restriction that, according the government, has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to wildfire risk reduction work across large swaths of America’s national forests. Source: Timberbiz “Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions – overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease – turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes,” said Mr Rollins. “For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities. Today, we filed a proposal to restore authority to local forest managers who know the land best, removing the barriers that have kept them from doing the work the land demands. It’s time to turn the page on the failed roadless rule and return our forests to health and productivity.” For 25 years, the 2001 Roadless Rule restricted road construction and limited the Forest Service’s ability to carry out critical active management work within inventoried roadless areas. Today, that includes more than 44 million acres of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. The rescission is intended to prioritize local agency decision-making over regulatory rules that are the same across the country, regardless of specific land management issues and needs. “This proposed rule is commonsense policy sought since the first Trump administration. In the years since, the need for it has only become more apparent,” said Deputy Secretary Stephen A. Vaden. “It is a credit to President Trump that we can begin to put into place a rule that will allow us to properly manage our national forests, because the first step to managing forests is to have access to them.” The agency will seek public comment on the proposal and on a draft of the environmental impact statement filed today in the Federal Register. The rescission removes national designation of roadless areas but does not mandate timber cutting or road construction. The action removes regulatory burden and sends decisions about roadless areas to the local national forest managers. “Active forest management is not an option. It’s essential,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “More than 40% of inventoried roadless areas, primarily in the West, have high or very high wildfire hazard potential. And only 5% of those areas have received hazardous fuels reduction treatments since 2014. “At the same time, more than a quarter of these lands, 11.3 million acres, are already near existing roads. Acting now, thoughtfully and decisively, is the best way to restore the balance, reduce wildfire risk, and secure the long-term health of our forests and neighbouring communities.” Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said that for 25 years, the heavy thumb of Washington DC has hindered Montana’s ability to properly manage wildfire risk and road development on nearly 60% of Forest Service land across the Treasure State. “Today’s long overdue decision will empower states like Montana to pursue proper forest management on federal lands with local communities in mind. I’m grateful to President Donald J. Trump and Secretary Rollins for their strong leadership in restoring common sense to active forest management.” The proposed rescission reflects the administration’s commitment to return authority to local line officers and ensure they have the tools needed to restore forest health and productivity. The rescission aligns with Executive Order 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens, Executive Order 14225, Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production, Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, and Executive Order 14153, Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential. Returning roadless-area decisions to forest-level land management planning provides flexibility the national rule did not. Future land management decisions would be based on natural resource conditions and needs and informed by states, tribes, and communities. Rescinding the rule allows forest managers to address watershed, economic, and wildfire-risk conditions within the sideboards of existing laws, regulations, and policy. That would put those decisions within the same planning framework that guides individual plans throughout the National Forest System. More than 95% of inventoried roadless areas are in 10 Western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The proposed rule does not apply to national forests in Colorado and Idaho because those lands are under separate state-specific roadless regulations.

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Combining drone data and machine learning can help cover a lot more ground in monitoring forest soil health, University of Alberta research shows. Source: Timberbiz Using both tools to map and monitor soil fungal diversity — a key indicator of a healthy forest ecosystem — proved highly effective and could help ease the need for taking boots-on-the-ground soil samples over huge areas of forest, says Dr. Cameron Carlyle, a professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and a co-author on the study. “To understand patterns across the landscape relies heavily on manual soil collection and DNA sequencing across many locations, which means it’s labour-intensive and expensive,” he notes. “But by integrating remote sensing data — information collected from drones — with soil measurements and machine learning, the research provides a more cost-effective and scalable way to map out fungal soil diversity.” Keeping track of that diversity is vital, adds Wanwan Yu, who led the research as a visiting PhD researcher in Carlyle’s lab. “Soil fungi are central to forest function, influencing nutrient cycling, decomposition and tree growth,” she said. “Without that monitoring, we risk losing critical information on biodiversity patterns, ecosystem stability and the ability to manage and conserve forests effectively, particularly in the face of environmental change.” The study, conducted in a 40-year-old planted forest located in a nature reserve in China, looked at alpha diversity — the number of different fungal species living in one specific spot — and beta diversity — how much the types of fungal species change from one area to another across the forest. The team collected 538 soil samples from a 26-hectare area and used DNA sequencing to identify the different types of fungi present. Drones were also flown over the forest to collect high-resolution images, measure tree heights and track how much light the leaves reflected, gauging factors such as chlorophyll content and water levels. The information was then processed by a smart computer program called a random forest model to test whether the drone data could reliably predict what was happening in the soil fungi community. The results showed that host tree species, the landscape and soil properties jointly shaped fungal patterns. Soil fungal diversity changes significantly depending on tree species, as well as among trees of the same species, by creating different micro-environments that shape the fungal community. Nor was there one single driving factor in soil fungal diversity. Rather, the variety and the shifting patterns of fungal species across the forest were influenced by different combinations of environmental factors, the study showed. The research also revealed that machine learning was successful in predicting about 53% of the beta diversity of fungi, and did a moderate job of predicting alpha diversity, ranging from 28% to 45%, depending on the specific measurement used. While the combined high-tech approach used in the study can’t completely replace more detailed, localized information provided only through hands-on field sampling of soil, it could improve the coverage and efficiency of monitoring general diversity patterns across huge, varied areas of forest, Yu suggests. “It helps extend information from limited sampling points — which can miss important spatial patterns and vulnerable biodiversity hotspots — to broader landscapes that would be difficult or costly to monitor using traditional methods alone.” The work provides a practical way to include belowground biodiversity in forest restoration, conservation and long-term monitoring efforts, Carlyle adds. “This tool allows forest managers, reclamation companies and conservation researchers to efficiently monitor underground soil health to support better long-term land management and restoration.”

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A school-based traineeship creating a pathway for young people into timber manufacturing careers has been named a finalist in the Industry Collaboration category of the 2026 South Australian Training Awards. Source: Timberbiz The Timber and Wood Products Operations Traineeship brings together the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub (GTFIH), Group Training Employment (GTE), LITA Training and host employers Porta Products, OneFortyOne, AAM Timber and Timberlink. Trainees remain at school while completing paid employment, nationally recognised training and workplace experience across the four host businesses. Developed in response to a shared need for skilled, work-ready production operators, the program provides an entry point into timber manufacturing, with opportunities to progress into further training, employment and technical roles. The program grew from the Green Triangle Forestry Skills Centre Pilot, which established local delivery of the Certificate II and Certificate III in Timber and Wood Products Operations. All five trainees in the inaugural 2025 cohort successfully completed the traineeship and Certificate II, with a second cohort now underway. The Green Triangle is one of Australia’s most significant forestry and timber processing regions. Continued investment in manufacturing capability, new timber products, automation and process technology is also changing the skills required within modern production environments. GTFIH Chair Dr Ruth Schubert said the finalist recognition highlighted the importance of developing local skills alongside industry investment. “The Green Triangle is home to a nationally significant timber industry, and we are continuing to see major investment in processing, manufacturing and technology across the region,” Dr Schubert said. “That creates exciting opportunities for young people, but also means we need to develop the skilled workforce required to support the industry into the future. To have this collaboration recognised at a state level is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.” GTFIH Workforce Development Manager Lara Kroeger said the traineeship allowed young people to experience an industry they may otherwise know little about. “Across the four host businesses, trainees experience different products, technologies and production systems, while seeing the core skills that connect the industry and the range of careers that can grow from an entry-level production role,” Ms Kroeger said. GTFIH is also working with employers to explore a similar school-based traineeship linked to the Certificate II in Forest Operations, extending the approach into other parts of the forestry value chain. The winner of the Industry Collaboration Award will be announced at the South Australian Training Awards Gala Presentation Dinner in Adelaide on Friday 11 September 2026.

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The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA), Eastland Wood Council (EWC), Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) and Ngāti Porou Forests have jointly backed the Government’s decision to appoint Doug Leeder as an independent facilitator to support land transition and long-term forestry management in Tairāwhiti. Source: Timberbiz NZFOA Chief Executive Dr Elizabeth Heeg says the appointment provides an opportunity to make progress on difficult questions around land use, woody debris and forestry-related environmental issues. “Forestry wants a system that protects the environment while allowing businesses to keep investing and operating responsibly in the region,” Ms Heeg said. “Tairāwhiti needs to see decision-making that recognises where land use has to change, while allowing forestry to continue on land where it remains appropriate. “Bringing Government, Gisborne District Council, iwi, communities and industry together with an independent facilitator gives us a practical way to work through those issues.” Eastland Wood Council Chairman Julian Kohn says decisions about forestry have consequences for everyone living in Tairāwhiti. “NZIER research has shown forestry accounts for 7.9 per cent of Tairāwhiti’s GDP, the highest proportional contribution of any region in New Zealand. Around $295 million per year is added to the regional economy through forestry and logging, support services and wood processing,” he said. “We want environmental issues addressed, but the decisions made through this process also have to recognise the scale of forestry’s contribution to Tairāwhiti and the communities that depend on it.” Ngāti Porou Forests Chairman Whaimutu Dewes says decisions about land use have long-term consequences for iwi landowners and communities. “For iwi landowners, there is a responsibility to look after the whenua for generations to come but also to create opportunities for our people today. Forestry supports whānau by generating employment and providing income from whenua to sustain our communities,” Mr Dewes said. “Bringing iwi, communities, Government, Council and industry together gives us a better chance of making decisions that achieve both.” Forest Industry Contractors Association Chief Executive Rowan Struthers says contractors and forestry workers will bring an important operational perspective to the process. “Decisions about forestry directly affect crews, trucking companies, machinery operators and local businesses,” Mr Struthers said. “Our members want high environmental standards and clear expectations, but those expectations also have to work on the ground. “The experience of the people carrying out harvesting and other forestry work will be important as practical solutions are developed.”

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Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) has appointed Craig Taylor and Calton Frame as Non-Executive Directors of the Sustainable Timber Tasmania Board, following approval by the Cabinet and Governor-in-Council. Source: Timberbiz Craig Taylor is a highly regarded forestry and governance professional with more than 40 years’ experience across forest management, wood products manufacturing, commercial strategy and industry leadership. He began his career with the Forestry Commission of NSW before joining Boral Wood Products and then Wesfi working in timber and wood product sales.  He subsequently worked in forestry consulting at Jaakko Pöyry before joining The Fifth Estate Consultancy where he is currently a director. He has significant board experience as Chair of Forest and Wood Products Australia and Director of PF Olsen Limited. Mr Taylor brings extensive expertise in forestry operations, corporate governance, investment and divestment of forestry assets and strategy. Calton Frame is an experienced finance, risk and governance professional with a strong background in Tasmania’s forestry sector. His career includes both natural and planted forest management initially with North Forest Products and then Gunns where he gained major project development and financing experience and ultimately managing Gunns on behalf of the liquidators as the CEO. More recently he was Business Development Manager and Company Secretary at Scotch Oakburn school in Launceston. Mr Frame brings significant expertise in governance, strategy and risk management and financial stewardship in forestry and education. He has both practical experience and deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the forestry industry.

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A secure domestic timber supply will be essential to meeting Australia’s future housing needs, according to the Housing Industry Association. HIA Chief Executive Industry and Policy Simon Croft speaking at the launch of National Forestry Day yesterday, said Australia’s forestry and timber industries played a vital role in supporting housing construction, regional economies and the nation’s growing population. Source: Timberbiz “Australia’s rising population will require hundreds of thousands of additional homes in the years ahead, and a secure domestic supply of timber is fundamental to achieving that outcome,” Mr Croft said. “On National Forestry Day, it is important to recognise the thousands of Australians working across the forestry and timber supply chain who make an essential contribution to housing, regional communities and the broader economy.” Mr Croft said the residential building industry relies heavily on a stable supply of locally produced timber products, including structural framing, engineered wood products, flooring, cladding and other essential building materials. “Timber remains one of the most important building materials used in Australian homes and is a cornerstone of residential construction across the country,” he said. “A strong domestic forestry sector gives builders and consumers’ confidence that key building materials will be available when needed and at competitive prices.” Mr Croft said recent years had highlighted the importance of supply chain resilience and the need for long-term planning to support future housing demand. “The experience of recent years demonstrated how quickly supply constraints can affect housing affordability, construction costs and project delivery timelines,” he said. “As governments work to increase housing supply across Australia, it is critical that building material supply keeps pace with demand.” HIA supports policies that encourage long-term investment in forestry resources, timber processing capacity and regional manufacturing to strengthen Australia’s supply chain resilience. “Australia needs a long-term vision for timber supply that recognises the role forestry plays in supporting housing construction, regional employment and economic growth,” Mr Croft said. “Investment decisions made today will determine whether future generations have access to the building materials needed to construct the homes, schools, hospitals and infrastructure our growing population will require.” Mr Croft said sustainable forestry and responsible timber production should be recognised as important contributors to Australia’s housing future. “The forestry and timber sector supports jobs, regional communities and the delivery of new housing across the country,” he said. “Ensuring a secure and sustainable timber supply chain will be essential to meeting Australia’s housing needs and supporting national economic growth for decades to come.

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Australia’s sustainable forest and forest products industries were celebrated yesterday as part of National Forestry Day to highlight the sector’s vital contribution to the nation’s economy and increasing housing supply. Source: Timberbiz National Forestry Day is a once-a-year opportunity to embrace and showcase an industry generating more than $24 billion in economic value and supporting 180,000 jobs. “From regional areas to capital cities, National Forestry Day is all about raising awareness among policymakers, elected representatives and the wider community about the many essential benefits of Australia’s innovative forest industries,” AFPA acting Chief Executive Officer Richard Hyett said. “Our sector is truly a growing success story.” This year’s theme, ‘Grown for Australian homes’, highlights the fundamental role of sustainably produced local timber and wood in meeting Australia’s housing and construction needs.  From timber house frames, flooring and furniture to paper, tissues and packaging, forest products are an essential part of Australian life. “Unlike other everyday items, timber and wood-fibre products are renewable and can help tackle climate change by storing carbon and providing alternatives to more emissions-intensive materials,” Mr Hyett said. “As Australia’s sixth-largest manufacturing sector, the forest products industry also proudly supports around 80,000 direct and 100,000 indirect jobs mainly in regional areas, while the national plantation estate stores an estimated 258 million tonnes of CO₂-e. “We encourage everyone to celebrate this important day through workplace events, tree planting, community activities, visits from elected representatives or by sharing National Forestry Day content online and using #NatForestryDay26. “Australian-made forestry products are critical to our daily lives – and today is about celebrating what our industry provides every day, including flooring, decking, furniture, pallets, packaging, and power poles.” National Forestry Day was first launched in 2022 and continues to provide a positive opportunity to recognise the people, innovation and sustainable products that keep Australia growing.

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Forest scientists have welcomed the deferral of the Senate vote on the Improved Native Forest Management Method (INFM) to 15 September, saying the additional four weeks should be used to publish the modelling behind the method and correct its accounting. Source: Timberbiz The disallowance motion, lodged by NSW Nationals Senator Ross Cadell, had been listed for debate yesterday. Forestry Australia President Dr Michelle Freeman said the time should go into the technical work. “The deferral is welcome. Four weeks is enough to publish the modelling and correct the accounting, and that is what we are asking for,” Dr Freeman said. “Senators should be voting on a method that has been tested in the open.” The INFM Method allows state governments to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by ending timber harvesting in state forests. New South Wales intends to register the area encompassing the Great Koala National Park on the mid North Coast, as the first project. A briefing note published by Forestry Australia on 31 July tested the method’s modelling and accounting framework and found it structurally biased towards over-crediting. That means the method may issue more carbon credits than the actual climate outcome can justify. “The method uses inappropriate modelling approaches and accounting timeframes to characterise harvesting impacts and forest regrowth post-harvest,” Dr Freeman said. “These choices mean the climate benefit claimed by the INFM method could be overstated by 40 to 100 per cent. For a method that might generate ACCUs worth hundreds of millions of dollars this is a material issue.” Meanwhile, a second briefing note, published last week, identified an additional problem. Credits are calculated across the whole project area, while the obligation to keep that carbon standing for 100 years applies only inside mapped carbon protection areas. Harvesting can therefore be reduced outside protection areas during the crediting years, earn credits, and return to earlier levels once the crediting stops. Requests for the underlying modelling have gone unanswered since consultation opened more than a year ago. “Forestry Australia raised our concerns more than a year ago and asked for the data and modelling that would allay them. We have asked to be proven wrong, yet still nothing has been released. Further, material changes were made after public consultation closed without the chance for independent scrutiny. ” Dr Freeman said. “The lack of transparency around the development of this method is deeply concerning. It does not meet expectations for a high integrity ACCU scheme method”. Forestry Australia also shares the concerns widely communicated by other environmental and industry stakeholders that the method does not sufficiently deal with additionality and leakage. Forestry Australia has asked for corrections to the INFM Method before any project is registered or any credit issued. Some of these requests include: Lengthen the accounting window Align forest modelling with Australia’s national greenhouse accounts, and Attach permanence obligations to every tonne credited.   A working model already exists. The 2022 Plantation Forestry Method assesses carbon outcomes over the long term, modelling carbon stocks over 100-years, not the 15 years used by the INFM Method. Importantly, financial assessments and forest management plans behind plantation method projects are reviewed and signed off by independent experts, such as Registered Forestry Professionals. “The plantation method shows what a forest carbon method looks like when it is built properly,” Dr Freeman said. “The accounting window matches the life of the forest, and a registered professional puts their name to the plan.” “Forestry Australia wants the ACCU Scheme to succeed. Its integrity depends on every credit representing a genuine, additional and conservatively measured climate benefit. That is what protects buyers and the landholders already delivering real carbon outcomes,” Dr Freeman said. “We need ACCU scheme methods that support these roles, whilst delivering genuine carbon benefits.”

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The Coalition is seeking crossbench support to disallow what it describes as Labor’s dodgy carbon credit method. Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said the Improved Native Forest Management method needed to be torn up, because it doesn’t contribute to Australia’s emissions-reduction objectives, and is wrong. Source: Timberbiz “Labor’s INFM method is just another way for Labor to force their net zero agenda on our forestry community, destroying lives and jobs in the process,” Senator Canavan said. “Labor is setting up a scheme to use taxpayer money to pay states to shut down productive native forestry for carbon credits that don’t represent the emissions savings being claimed. “The Coalition does not support the INFM method. That’s why The Coalition will vote to disallow the INFM method, and we call on the crossbench to do the same.” Shadow Minister for Forestry Darren Chester said the method was built around a NSW Government election promise, and it will be paid for by Australian taxpayers while delivering no genuine reduction in emissions. “I represent the Gippsland communities that have lived through the shutdown of native forestry in Victoria, and I know where this road leads,” Mr Chester said. “It leads to mills closed, skilled workers gone, and towns left to pick up the pieces. “This method doesn’t just fail on the science. At a time when Australia is facing a housing crisis, we need more Australian timber, not less. “Locking up entire forest regions for 100 years means less timber to build Australian homes, higher construction costs, and greater reliance on imports from countries with lower environmental standards. “You either use your own timber sustainably, or you use someone else’s. The Nationals will keep fighting to urge the Government to make the right choice.” Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Dan Tehan said around half of credits that New South Wales claim would likely not generate genuine climate credit. “We have long known The INFM doesn’t factor in leakage or harvested wood products, so the true extent of over-crediting could be even more,” Mr Tehan said. The Nationals’ New South Wales Senator Ross Cadell has written to all crossbench Senators, asking for their support. The disallowance motion will be listed on September 15, giving the crossbench the time needed to consider its impact. “We must stop Labor’s latest forestry failure and carbon credit scam,” Senator Cadell said. “This week, we are urging the crossbench to support our disallowance motion. With today being the National Forestry Day in Australia, it is a great opportunity for the crossbench to consider our request.” Australian Forest Products Association acting CEO Richard Hyett has warned over-crediting occurs when a project issues more ACCUs than the actual amount of carbon it has saved or removed from the atmosphere. This occurs under the INFM Method because forest regrowth occurring after timber harvesting is not factored into the carbon calculations, the method relies on new ‘no harvest’ areas being progressively added to a project throughout the 15-year crediting period, and/or the settings for harvesting are incorrect. “Forestry Australia’s careful analysis indicates that the INFM Method contains accounting and modelling choices that cumulatively act to overstate carbon benefits by 40 to 100 per cent,” Mr Hyett said. “This is important, because ACCUs are used to offset real emissions elsewhere in the country. It is critical that we maintain the integrity of the ACCU system and stop methods that do not meet the standards, so we thank the Nationals and all those that have supported the delay to critically analyse this flawed method.”  

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