Australian timber industry news

Swedish property company Fabege wants to significantly scale up the amount of materials the construction sector reuses, which is why the company has opened a reuse hub – a large, physical warehouse that exclusively stocks reused materials. Source: Timberbiz The company’s 2,000-square-metre warehouse in Stockholm is currently only used for Fabege projects. However, plan is for it to be a reuse market for the entire property industry. “Getting everyone from landlords and property managers to tenants and architects to agree on an ambition level. It’s important to convey how the extent of a redevelopment affects its climate footprint –preserving existing structures and reusing building materials creates a significantly lower footprint compared to using new materials,” Sandra Holmström, Sustainability Specialist at Fabege said. “Then you have to focus on which building materials are cost-effective to reuse and which provide substantial environmental benefits. You have to think about what quality requirements you have for reused materials, so that you don’t incur additional inventory costs or pay to dismantle things that aren’t used. “Because we own properties that are also independent companies, transactions need to be conducted in such a way so that we don’t forfeit the right to deduct input VAT in property-owning companies. It’s become a rather complicated process, which should be made easier. “Our view is based on a review conducted by the Swedish Association for Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR). “According to Sweden’s Environmental Code and Waste Ordinance, it’s the owner’s intention that determines whether a material is waste or not, it has nothing to do with the condition or characteristics of a given material. So, if you have materials, it’s important that you’re careful about transparency and traceability and that you document all your reused materials.”  

For 30 years, the US’ The Home Depot has led the industry charge on sustainable wood products – and now the retailer is strengthening that commitment. Behind most products you see at The Home Depot, there are forests. Recognising this, the world’s biggest home improvement retailer takes its responsibility to those forests seriously. Source: Sustainability Founded in 1978 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank, The Home Depot has grown to become one of the largest and most recognisable retailers in the US, with 2,200 stores worldwide and annual revenue of US$157.29 billion. “While our business has changed since 1979, our values remain the same,” CEO Ted Decker said in the company’s recently released forestry report. “One of those values is Doing the Right Thing, and as the world’s largest home improvement retailer, we’re in a unique position to enact positive change through our sustainable forestry initiatives.” Already leading the industry charge in FSC-certified wood product sales in the US, most wood sourced by The Home Depot hails from regions with sustainable forests. But the company knows it can always do more. Recently releasing its 2023 Sustainable Forestry Report, The Home Depot announced a set of strengthened standards and commitments designed to protect more tropical ecosystems, including those most at risk and the rich biodiversity the planet needs to thrive. This means that by the end of FY26, all wood products sourced to the US and Canada from an additional set of high-risk regions will need to bear third-party certification or be plantation-grown. This covers most of Home Depot’s overall wood sourcing and includes regions such as Cerrado in Brazil, home to 5% of the planet’s animals and plants, as well as Gran Chaco and Atlantic Forest biomes in South America. Described by Green Century Funds as a “welcome step in the right direction”, the new policy is an expansion of the retailer’s long-established and continued strategy in sustainable sourcing. It’s been 30 years since the first certified-sustainable wood shelving arrived in The Home Depot aisles and 25 years since the company issued its Wood Purchasing Policy. Recognising the positive impact Home Depot could achieve by working with suppliers that adhere to set standards of forest management and tree species selection, the policy committed to stop buying from endangered regions by the end of 2002 with a particular focus on lauan, cedar and redwood. In the 25 years since, the US$369 billion business has established supply chain protocols to ensure visibility into where its products come from and to safeguard the health of these forests, updating its policy along the way. One example is the company’s preference for certified wood. Wood is considered ‘certified’ if it has been managed and harvested under strict guidelines and monitored by a third party to ensure sustainable practices are allowed. Since 2018, the retailer has required Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for wood sourced from regions most at risk for deforestation, specifically the Amazon basin, the Congo basin, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Offering FSC-certified products across various categories, from board lumber to doors to patio furniture, the company strives to choose suppliers that have secured one or more recognised certifications including FSC, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Among achievements, Home Depot has transitioned many vendors to FSC-certified wood in America working with vendors to shift more than 80% of its lauan wood used in the production of doors to wood from more sustainable sources and moving more than 90% of its cedar purchases to second and third-growth forests in the US. The company has also significantly increased its FSC-certified redwood, with its two primary suppliers both delivering a strong procurement preference for FSC-certified wood. One FSC-certified supplier, Mendocino Redwood Company (MRC), is an example of how private forest management can protect and restore the ecological attributes of the forest. With around 228,800 acres of forestland, MRC harnesses a management technique to create a wildfire-resilient forest. Wildfire-resilient forests can continue to be carbon sinks and aid in global efforts to fight climate change. They also maintain wildlife habitat for various species, and water quality. Among other certified and preferred suppliers, Canada-based J.D. Irving (JDI) has proven that sustainable forestry management is good not just for trees, but also for the planet and business. With lumber products and forestry activities certified by SFI and woodlands certified by FSC, JDI’s entire forest products value chain is carbon negative, absorbing more carbon than it emits a study by the University of New Brunswick finds.

Investment managers who have bought up forestland are going tree by tree to figure out whether they should be felled for timber or kept up for carbon-credit generation. Source: WSJ Growing demand for credits means investing in forests isn’t just about producing timber, but it can take a lot of legwork to determine what role each tree should play in a portfolio, as well as ensure it is delivering its promised environmental benefit if left standing. “If you invest in a forest, the question we ask is, ‘How do you manage wood products versus carbon?’” said Brian Kernohan, chief sustainability officer, private markets, at Manulife Investment Management. “The answer to us is, ‘What do our clients want?’” Manulife, which has 5.4 million acres of forest in its investment portfolio, calculates the value of each tree to inform its harvest strategy. Every tree in a forest has to be evaluated based on species growth rates and product value. If the carbon credit value is high enough, it stays up even if for just a few more years. If not, it’s cut down for timber. Broad-leaf trees, for example, are better for carbon sequestration but take longer to grow, creating up to 500 to 600 credits per hectare but taking over 100 years to reach maturity. Conifer trees, on the other hand, create half the number of credits per hectare, but only take 35 to 40 years to mature, which can make them more useful in getting to net-zero emissions faster. Mr Kernohan said that until recently, forest land wasn’t valuable enough to be considered worth investing in solely for carbon sequestration. “We’re now able to realize that value,” he said. The voluntary carbon credit market could be worth as much as US$40 billion by 2030, up from US$2 billion in 2021, according to a report from Boston Consulting Group and Shell. It offers a way for companies to help negate the carbon emissions they produce from operations and can be especially useful for those in hard-to-abate sectors such as energy generation and heavy industry. Demand for carbon credits has grown rapidly both in the US and overseas, but in the past couple of years it has started to slow after questions were raised about whether projects are delivering what they promised. Last year, an investigation by UK newspaper the Guardian, German weekly Die Zeit and SourceMaterial, a journalism nonprofit, found that many certified carbon credits that are bought and sold didn’t actually represent genuine reductions in carbon emissions. “The issue with the whole market is the diversity in the types of credits and the methodologies used to calculate it,” said Tom Frith, investment manager at JustCarbon, a carbon-credit project financing firm. “It’s really hard to tell what is kosher. For a business, it’s much easier to think of buying carbon credits as investing in an [individual] project rather than a uniform product.” There are different types of carbon credits. Removal credits, for example, are generated by how much carbon dioxide a company removes from the atmosphere and are seen as more valuable because the carbon tonnage can be more easily calculated. Meanwhile, avoidance credits can be more difficult to accurately calculate as they are generated through an activity not happening—for example, not cutting down a tree. Tree-planting initiatives also generate removal credits because they remove carbon through photosynthesis. The potential demand is giving rise to firms known as carbon developers such as Finite Carbon based in Wayne, Pa. Finite Carbon works with institutional investors trying to establish how much people are willing to pay for carbon removal, and landowners who might be in a position to turn away from their traditional income sources in favor of carbon removal. “You have a decision to make,” Daniel Crawford, vice president of commercial operations at Finite Carbon, said. “You have acquired this tree, so what is the value and where will the value come from? There’s now this new operation of carbon value for what is sequestered and stored.” Mr Crawford said that the carbon value for existing tree assets only becomes viable if there is demand for lumber and timber within the area of the forest. If the tree was never going to be cut down, then there was never a case for carbon saving, he said. In that case, there should be no avoidance credit. Manulife in 2021 invested in a forest in Maine solely to sequester carbon. “Some wood is better for furniture or paper and some types of trees better for carbon sequestration. It’s about understanding potential,” said Mr Kernohan. He added that a forest at the south end of Penobscot Lake had a very high carbon value, giving Manulife more of a reason to invest in that land. Other firms are planting new trees to be used for carbon credits which mature over a longer period. Richard Kelly, co-founder of Foresight Sustainable Forestry based in the UK, said it is aiming to plant nine million trees by spring 2025, with half of the portfolio dedicated to carbon removal. Mr Kelly said planting trees and issuing credits based on them protects the trees from being felled and removes any debate over whether they were ever going to be cut down.  

A landmark new initiative, Catalysing Australia’s Biosecurity (CAB), will see a forecast initial co-investment of more than $55 million over six years from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, government, industry and a range of partners to strengthen the nation’s biosecurity defences. Source: Timberbiz This is in addition to the extra $1 billion in biosecurity funding over the next four years, announced by the Australian government in the Biosecurity Sustainable Funding Package in Budget 2023-24. The CAB initiative, co-led with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), is expected to scale over time providing better coordination as well as alignment of biosecurity research development and extension outcomes in the National Biosecurity Strategy. CSIRO’s Chief Executive Dr Doug Hilton said the initiative, which falls under the CSIRO Missions program, is critical to safeguard the nation. “Biosecurity is on the frontline of keeping Australia and Australians safe – it means protecting Australia’s unique biodiversity, ensuring our food security and minimising the risk of the transmission of infectious diseases,” Dr Hilton said. “Our biosecurity defences, processes and protections have to be robust; they have to be world class and they must be science-based, which is why CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, is part of this initiative.” DAFF Secretary and Director of Biosecurity Adam Fennessy PSM said the CAB initiative would help to transform research and innovation in the nation’s current biosecurity system. “This ground-breaking initiative between CSIRO and DAFF is a significant step towards achieving the National Biosecurity Strategy’s (NBS) long-term outcome of a connected, efficient and science-based biosecurity system,” Mr Fennessy said. “Our recently launched NBS Implementation Plan highlights the need for integration supported by technology, research and data.” CAB’s initial suite of innovative projects include: Investing significantly to prepare for emergency animal diseases such as the Japanese encephalitis virus and lumpy skin disease; Trialling the BeeRight and eDNA technology to detect varroa mites in bee hives; Delivering a real-time biosecurity alerts service in partnership with Atlas of Living Australia; Deploying advanced pest management systems at the crop and landscape scale in collaboration with Hort Innovation; Developing an Australian Biosecurity Research Database to guide strategic investments and decision-making. The initiative will draw on cutting-edge developments in AI, machine learning, decision support platforms, genomics, robotics, drones, remote sensing, big data analytics and next-generation biological solutions, like advanced therapeutics and genetic control options. CAB also has a focus on empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to contribute their expertise towards national biosecurity efforts. The initiative also has the potential to enhance regional prosperity and security, particularly through providing new funding opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises. Mr Fennessy said protecting Australia’s biosecurity is a shared responsibility that demands innovative solutions and strong partnerships. “CAB is a testament to the power of partnership, with cross-sectoral efforts representing a significant step forward in our collective efforts to safeguard Australia’s agricultural industries, environment, and communities for future generations,” Mr Fennessy said.  

A fatal and fast-spreading tree disease, Dutch elm disease, has been discovered in Waipā, New Zealand. Tests this week confirmed a tree in Te Awamutu, on private property, has the fungal disease which is almost always deadly. Source: Waikato Times The council says infected trees should be removed and “immediately chipped, burnt or buried”. Checks are starting for the more than 250 council-maintained elms and parks around the district. Waipā District Council arborist planner James Richardson said Dutch elm disease is considered one of the most devastating tree diseases in the world. Elm bark beetles spread the disease by carrying the fungus from an infected tree and boring into new trees nearby. It can also be spread to other elms via the trees’ connected root systems, movement of firewood or by contaminated pruning tools. It does not affect trees unrelated to the elm species. “It is very concerning to have confirmation the disease is now in Waipā. We will be working closely with Waikato Regional Council, SPS Biosecurity and Environmental Services, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), local arborists, Cambridge Tree Trust and the community to limit the spread of the disease.” Symptoms develop quickly within a four-to-five-week period and signs of the disease include wilting, curling, yellowing of leaves or dying or dead branches, the council said. There is no known cure for infected trees. “When removing the infected trees, all material should be immediately chipped, burnt or buried on site or at a landfill site, incorrect processing can spread the disease further. People should contact MPI if they suspect their elm trees to be infected”, Richardson said. Elms can be identified by their large leaves, which feature serrated edges, symmetrical veins, an asymmetrical leaf base and feels like sandpaper. The next steps for council will be to collaborate with SPS Biosecurity and Environmental Services to monitor the spread of the disease. Waipā District Council has more than 250 elm trees it maintains in parks and streets. Staff will be monitoring and assessing them regularly to identify any trees with the disease early and manage any actions required.

Members for the Mount Gambier Research, Education and Training Precinct steering committee met last week to move forward plans for development in the area. Source: The SE Voice The steering committee discussed the planned work at the precinct on Wireless Road East which includes a Technical College, the Forestry Centre of Excellence and funding for new workshop areas at TAFE. The two-storey college will be built at the front southwest corner of the precinct and will feature workshops and classrooms on the ground level, along with short stay accommodation on the upper level to enable students from outlying towns and districts to attend the Mount Gambier Technical College. The committee was also briefed on the progress of the Forestry Centre of Excellence which will be built on the eastern side of the Mount Gambier campus of the University of South Australia. In total, $59m is being invested by the State Government into the precinct. Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer said the investment in the Technical College at the precinct is aimed at providing the best opportunity for students to prepare to enter the workforce or further their career path. “The technical colleges are one of the key ways the Malinauskas Labor Government is addressing the skills need for South Australia – to ensure we are driving the skills focus in sectors of demand,” Minister Boyer said. “They are about increasing choices and options for students and providing them with direct pathways to specific industry sectors where there are careers in demand right here in South Australia. “We have been widely consulting across the Limestone Coast to ensure we meet industry demand and ensure employment pathways that secure the future of the potential students, employers and the state.” The steering committee, made up of government, education and industry representatives, is providing advice to Precinct Leader Peter Gandolfi on building and strengthening the precinct’s ties with business and community organisations. Mr Gandolfi said the next 18 months will be an exciting period. “The precinct will be a hive of construction activity and the steering committee will be providing advice on how to best use the site and secure it as the premier destination for research, education and training in the region,” he said.

Last month, an uncontrollable blaze ravaged hundreds of hectares of timber plantation at Mount Lonarch, west of Ballarat, marking a significant loss for Hancock Victorian Plantation Holdings (HVP Plantations). The fire, which ignited on 22 February, destroyed 1,000 hectares of pine trees, heavily impacting the supply chain for mills in Victoria and beyond. Source: bnn Breaking HVP Plantations’ corporate fire manager, Richard Mailer, disclosed that despite the substantial loss, efforts are underway to salvage what remains of the damaged plantation. HVP Plantations rallied a force of 100 personnel from across Victoria and Queensland to combat the fire alongside the Country Fire Authority and Forest Fire Management Victoria. Their tireless work through day and night succeeded in saving 700ha of the 1,700ha estate. The company’s swift action underlines its commitment to forest management and fire prevention, especially in the face of increasing bushfire threats exacerbated by climate change. This incident has been the company’s most substantial loss since the Black Summer fires of 2019-20, which saw 6,000ha of its estate turned to ash. The devastation at Mount Lonarch is more than a temporary setback for HVP Plantations; it poses significant questions about the future sustainability of timber supply in Victoria, Australia’s largest plantation timber estate region. The company, owned by international investment funds, manages 183,000ha of plantation forests in Victoria, making fire management a strategic priority to safeguard its assets and the broader industry. Plans are already in place to replant the affected estate with radiata pine this coming winter, in an effort to mitigate the long-term impact on the supply chain. Amidst the backdrop of a changing climate, the challenges facing plantation forestry in Australia are mounting. Professor David Lindenmayer from the Australian National University Fenner School of Environment and Society highlighted the increasing frequency of extreme forest fire danger index days, a trend that underscores the urgent need for smarter plantation design and the adoption of new technologies for early fire detection and suppression. The national plantation estate’s shrinkage by 15% between 2009 and 2022, as reported by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, further emphasizes the critical role of effective fire management in the industry’s future. The recent bushfire at Mount Lonarch serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities facing the timber industry in an era of global warming. While the immediate response from HVP Plantations and firefighting teams has been commendable, the incident highlights the broader challenges of sustainable forestry management and the importance of innovation in fire prevention and control. As Victoria and the rest of Australia brace for a hotter, drier future, the lessons learned from Mount Lonarch will undoubtedly shape the strategies and technologies deployed to protect the nation’s precious forest resources.

Finalising fair timber industry departure packages and fast tracking the now four-year bushfire rebuild were yet again raised in State Parliament last week by Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull. Source: Timberbiz “It beggars belief that this Government is closing down an entire industry and the one thing it can do to support the community – get the bushfire rebuild done – continues to lag,” Mr Bull said. “It is proof this city centric government does not support rural areas or have a genuine desire to help our region through a tough period. “The one thing they could do to assist towns like Orbost is get on with the job and restore this important tourism infrastructure. “It is probably unfair on snails to say they get things done at snails’ pace. It’s not an indictment on local workers on the ground, it’s the upper echelons, but they are frozen in bureaucratic approvals and infected with a serious attitude of non-urgency,” he said. “On the issue of timber workers more specifically, Mr Bull said this was meant to be all put to bed by Christmas, and now we hear an announcement is pending to wind up VicForests in a few months’ time, but the reality is more workers remain in limbo. “Packages have been set to a budget rather than a fair outcome, down the line businesses that were promised support remain in limbo, and the government continues to haggle with mills over exit packages. “Their families have not been treated courteously or fairly. “An example of the contempt is the person who is handling the exit strategy went on holidays for much of February with an out-of-office reply saying their emails would not be monitored while they were away – all while families seek a fair outcome that they are not being offered.”

The Labor Government has promised to act immediately to provide security for the thousands of forest industry employees by ensuring open, transparent and secure access to resource by Tasmanian businesses with investments in Tasmania. Source: Timberbiz And if elected at the 23 March State elections, Labor has promised to ensure Tasmanian contractors get a fair go at Tasmanian contracts and that the special species sector can get better access to logs. “Labor has listened to the timber industry and worked very closely with them over the past few years and this policy reflects our dedication to work together to secure a sustainable future for the industry,” Labor Leader Rebecca White said. “Also, importantly, our policy will not create division and reignite the forest wars which will in fact drive away major customers and put Tasmanian timber jobs and businesses at risk. “The timber industry is a vital part of the Tasmanian economy and crucial to regional Tasmania,” she said. “A Labor Government that I lead will put Tasmanian timber workers and companies first, not mainland companies.” Shadow Resources Minister Shane Broad said that for the past 10 years the Liberal Government had taken the Tasmanian timber industry for granted by using it as a political football while failing to address growing concerns about resource security and transparency. “Under the Liberals’ watch contracted volumes have not been delivered, iconic special species logs have dwindled to almost nothing and local logging contractors have been overlooked for cashed up mainland operators,” Mr Broad said. “Labor will ensure that contracts are extended out to 2040 and include plantation sawlogs, special species are managed independently and that a 25 per cent local benefits test applies to logging and haulage contracts,” he said. “Labor agrees that an independent pricing mechanism is needed to ensure contract terms are fair and can be independently audited.” The Tasmanian Forest Products Association’s CEO Nick Steel said Labor’s plan would back Tasmanian workers, the economy and build on the important work forestry did to meet the State’s lofty climate ambitions. “This plan does offer our industry, and the 51500 Tasmanians employed in forestry, a secure, productive and responsible future,” Mr Steel said. “I thank the Tasmanian Labor Party for working directly with the TFPA and industry to develop a plan that ticks off many boxes in our election wish list.” Mr Steel said grants to encourage on-island processing, increasing the local benefit weighting to 25% on all Tasmanian timber contracts, ensuring our private foresters are included in the TasGRN rollout, and continuing to fund the Tasmanian Timber Promotions Board will all make a big difference to industry. “By backing our Home-Grown Timber Future Policy, Labor is ensuring that our businesses can compete with interstate operators,” Mr Steel said. “Improving the quality of our wood on-island will not only support thousands of jobs but will also give a significant boost to the Tasmanian economy,” Mr Steel said. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Tasmanian Labor Party to ensure that all facets of our 2024 Election Wishlist are implemented – helping our businesses employ Tasmanians, contribute to our state’s economy and continue to sequester carbon. “Regardless the result of the election, the TFPA is pleased that both major parties are backing our industry, and we’re confident forestry has a strong future after 23 March,” Mr Steel said. Labor’s plans for Tasmania: STOP the current plantation sawlog Expression of Interest process being conducted by Sustainable Timbers Tasmania (STT), a process which could see mills starved of logs, workers thrown on the scrapheap and more logs exported out of Tasmania. REVIEW the available resources – both native forest and plantation – in an open and transparent process with independent oversight. PROTECT existing Tasmanian businesses and their workers to ensure they have the highest priority to obtain long term secure contracts for wood supply. No sawlog or peelers will be exported in whole log form if they can be processed in Tasmania. DEVELOP a framework for prioritising access to STT’s wood supply capacity that is in the best interests of the State with a particular reference to regional Tasmania. PROVIDE confidence to existing STT customers by giving them the opportunity to negotiate enforceable contracts on commercial terms for their existing volumes, as a minimum until 2040. ENFORCE the local benefits weighting of 25 per cent so that Tasmanian contractors get a fair go. ENSURE the future of the special species sector by the creation of a standalone Special Timbers Authority tasked with managing all aspects of non-blackwood special species timber supply and management. ESTABLISH an independent Forest Products Price Oversight Body to ensure Tasmanians obtain a fair price for their resources. ALLOCATE $5 million towards developing new ways to process logs on-island. PROVIDE $350,000 for a heli-harvesting trial of dead Huon pine. COMMIT to funding the Tasmanian Timber Promotion Board in future Budgets. COMMIT to including private forest estate owners in the TasGRN rollout. REWRITE the STT Ministerial Charter to reflect our Tasmania First Timber Policy

Opal has told workers it plans to cut 220 jobs across Australia and New Zealand businesses. Source: Timberbiz It is understood 45 jobs, mainly office staff, will go at the company’s Maryvale plant in the LaTrobe Valley. Opal, one of the Australia’s largest paper and packaging companies,  is the local subsidiary of Japanese paper giant Nippon and runs a paper production mill at Maryvale. It also operates a stationery manufacturer in the Melbourne suburb of Preston and has a site in Botany, New South Wales, which produces container board. Two hundred jobs were cut at the company’s Maryvale mill when it ceased white paper production in December 2022. In a statement to staff seen by Timberbiz, Opal chief executive Chris Nagaura blamed the decision to axe the jobs on “a series of unplanned challenges”, including COVID-19 and rising energy costs. He also said “market disruptions” from the company’s decision to cease white paper production at the Maryvale site were “continuing to severely impact Opal’s financial performance”. “Compounding this, unnecessary complexity and inefficiency exists across Opal,” Mr Nagaura said in the statement. “Consequently, our operating costs are higher than they need to be.” According to the statement, the measures to improve Opal’s performance will affect the entire company. An Opal spokesperson told the ABC the company was reviewing its “organisation structure across salaried roles” as a result of challenges that had affected its profitability. “There will be no impact on Opal’s customers from these changes,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Opal is committed to fully supporting our valued team members as we work through this transition.” The ABC says the statement did not address which parts of the business would be affected by the cuts. Opal is one of the Latrobe Valley’s largest private employers and still manufactures brown paper products at Maryvale. It is unclear which parts of the business will be affected, but unions representing staff at the Maryvale mill believe some jobs will be lost at the site. Electrical Trades Union Gippsland organiser Peter Mooney told the ABC he understood there would be “some impact” at the Maryvale site, but did not know how many local jobs would be lost. “What impact in total is very unclear and we would like to ask some questions of the local management as soon as possible to find out exactly is going on and what this actually means for the site,” he said. “Some of our members are starting to say, ‘Is there a future with Opal in the paper manufacturing area?'” The ABC said Mr Mooney believed the workforce deserved answers to the questions raised by the announcement.

With the new C/3/MAX tooth, FAE boosts the productivity, efficiency, and strength of its top-tier forestry mulchers with Bite Limiter technology. Source: Timberbiz The new C/3/MAX tooth is the ultra-strong alternative to the BL/MAX blade for high-end FAE forestry mulchers featuring Bite Limiter technology. This technology reduces power demand and promotes a consistent working speed for excellent performance mulching any type of wood. The large cutting surface with tungsten carbide inserts and an optimized profile is made of specially heat-treated, ultra-strong materials, giving the new C/3/MAX tooth superior shredding ability and making it extraordinarily wear-resistant. The C/3/MAX tooth is excellent for shredding hardwood and softwood trees, above-ground stumps, shrubs, and branches. The new C/3/MAX is available as an optional tooth for BL4/SSL, BL4/EX, and BL5/EX forestry mulchers. The tooth can also be mounted on 200/U head with Bite Limiter rotor for special vehicles and FAE’s PT series tracked carriers.

The Engine is a coworking and shared lab space located in Building 750 on MIT’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where start-ups and technology entrepreneurs try to develop inventions that can tackle the world’s most challenging problems. Foray Bioscience, a company started by Ashley Beckwith, recently joined the fold. Her company aims to disrupt traditional manufacturing of wood products, which involves harvesting lots of trees. Source: Timberbiz Ms Beckwith has witnessed how the construction of new housing developments encroached on forests, which sparked her interest in plant research. She founded Foray in 2022, after completing her PhD in mechanical engineering at MIT. She explains how growing demand for wood products is driving the loss of natural forests, in the last 25 years the world has lost about 500,000 square miles. With Foray she hopes to change that, using a technology platform she’s developed that combines cell culture and tissue engineering. Foray’s process involves extracting live cells from the leaves of plants such as the black cottonwood, a popular species for making fibre products, which is used as a model plant for testing the company’s methods. Leaves are first cultured into a kind of liquid broth until the cells reproduce. Then cells are transferred into a gel containing two plant hormones, auxin and cytokinin, allowing researchers to coax the cells to grow into wood-like structures. In this phase, the cell cultures can also be tweaked to produce secondary products such as aromatics for making perfumes and embryos to generate seeds. In the lab, Foray has demonstrated the feasibility of making samples of fragrance products, and they’re working to refine their process to improve and scale production. But generating successful cell lines, finding the right recipe to turn on the production of target products in the cells, is especially challenging. And because fragrance products are largely derived from more than one compound, getting those in the correct proportions hasn’t been easy. “We’re bringing biomanufacturing to forestry, and leveraging its tools to protect and restore forests,” Ms Beckwith said. Applications could range from food and medical products to cosmetics and bioplastics. Trees are rich in useful chemicals with significant medicinal value: tree-sourced compounds serve as chemotherapeutics, vaccine adjuvants, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Shawn Mansfield, a professor of forestry and tree biotechnology at the University of British Columbia, says he’s skeptical that the technology can have much impact in the big scheme of things. Mr Mansfield, who has worked with cottonwoods and plant tissue techniques, says the production of specialty chemicals “will not offset the harvest of trees.” But Ms Beckwith says that because she and her colleagues can grow tree cells in a controlled environment, they can grow the products up to “100 x faster” with less land than what’s possible with traditional methods. This means they can harvest what the trees make without cutting any trees down. Ms Beckwith and her team hope to commercialize Foray’s biomanufacturing technology and generate profit through the products that they’re developing. But it’s still early days; the company has yet to send any samples for external validation, and scaling the technology would require significant financial and research investment. They hope what they’re learning about the process could aid seed production to support forest restoration in the near future.

SCA’s electric timber truck continues to transport timber between Gimonäs timber terminal and Obbola paper mill outside Umeå, Sweden. It has now been in operation for more than 1.5 years. Source: Timberbiz Everything is working as intended, and we receive inquiries from haulage companies and others who want to learn more about heavy electric vehicle transport, according to Mikael Sundelin, Head of Business Development at Industrial Supply. Since SCA’s unique electric timber truck was put into operation in June 2022, it has covered a distance of 46,000 kilometres, equivalent to more than one lap around the globe. Over a year of operation, the electric timber truck contributes to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 55,000 kg per year. With a capacity to carry 80 tons, the electric timber truck’s daily task is to transport timber between Gimonäs timber terminal and Obbola paper mill outside Umeå. The round trip covers a distance of 30 km, and it completes approximately six rounds per day. The truck needs to be charged about two times during a working day. The significant interest in the electric timber truck has led it to undertake some other tasks. In 2023, SCA drove it on a forest road with winter conditions outside Umeå to assess its ability to transport timber directly from the forest to Obbola paper mill. It also faced a more challenging environment during a few March days in Näsåker, together with Själander Åkeri AB, a partner of SCA Skog. “It has been fun and rewarding to be able to test the vehicle with both longer and heavier transports in proper winter conditions and in a more hilly landscape than we have around Umeå. All tests have gone very well,” Mr Sundelin said. SCA receives data, including electric consumption primarily, from Scania. “It is evident that consumption has decreased as our drivers become more experienced and learn to drive it in an optimal way. During winter, especially on extremely cold days, it consumes more electricity, but we already knew that – it’s the same for electric cars,” Mr Sundelin said. All driving and various tests provide SCA with valuable insights into electric propulsion for heavy transports. “This is, as mentioned, a first step towards electric propulsion in heavy road transport, which is incredibly significant. It’s exciting that SCA, together with innovative partners, can drive sustainability development. “We also receive inquiries from haulage companies and others who want to learn more about electric propulsion for heavy transports for goods other than timber,” he said. “Sustainability and reduced carbon dioxide emissions are important for SCA and the entire society. Our forests and forest products have long generated significant climate benefits, and our industries have made considerable progress towards fossil-free operations. Therefore, it is natural for us to have high climate ambitions for our transportation as well, says Susanne Rutqvist, SCA’s spokesperson on climate issues.

The planned new global operating model aims to strengthen Ponsse’s long-term competitiveness, efficiency and enable even better customer service and aims to create an organisation that focuses on sales and service, including both its own operations and dealers in planned five market areas: the Nordics, Europe, South America, North America and Asia, Australia and Africa.  Source: Timberbiz The operational model would be supported by global support functions with harmonised processes and policies. With this potential new operating model for the future, Ponsse wants to ensure an even better customer focus and a globally harmonised and efficient operations and creating sustainable organisation for the future. This potential planned change would apply across the Ponsse organisation. The current operating model does not support global ways of working and the cost structure of the current model is not sustainable. According to initial estimates, the planned measures could result in the reduction of approximately 120-140 jobs globally, additionally new roles could be generated. The planned measures could result in total annual savings of approximately €10M (approx $16.6M) from 2026 onwards. The new potential operating model is planned to be effective as of 1 June 2024, when the Ponsse Leadership team under the leadership of CEO Juho Nummela will establish the following operations: Sales & Service organisation, including market areas, led by Marko Mattila Technology & R&D, led by Juha Inberg Digital Services & IT, led by Miika Soininen Operations inc. Supply Chain, Procurement and Logistics, led by Tommi Väänänen Service Excellence, led by Tapio Mertanen Finance, by Petri Härkönen People Safety & Culture, led by Tiina Kautonen Responsibility & Environment, led by Katja Paananen. The proposed global operating model and related changes may be subject to local consultations in Ponsse countries and are not final until these processes are completed.  

OjiFS Packaging New Zealand has been awarded a prestigious World Packaging Organisation (WPO) WorldStar 2024 Award for EmGuard, its innovative plant guard design for customer, FuturEcology. Source: Timberbiz This premier global packaging award is a testament to the company’s in-house design talent, consistent excellence in packaging innovation and is a symbol for ‘creating sustainable solutions to make a difference every day’. OjiFS’ EmGuard plant guard was earlier awarded bronze in the ‘Outside of the Box’ category at the 2023 Australasian ‘Packaging Innovation and Design Awards’ (PIDA). The PIDA recognition allowed OjiFS to contend for the 2024 WorldStar Awards. OjiFS’ fibre-based plant guards embody innovation, sustainability and design intelligence. Crafted predominantly from recycled pulp, this product replaces plastic alternatives and demonstrates a commitment to replacing single-use plastics with renewable materials. The smart design of the plant guards forms a protective triangle around saplings, secured with a bamboo stake, which not only simplifies the planting process but provides key advantages. Protection: It safeguards young plants from chemicals, maintenance activities and wildlife; significantly increasing survival rates. Compliance with Standards: Fully aligned with the ANZ Regional 2025 Packaging Targets and Sustainable Packaging Design Principles. No Removal Needed: Designed to degrade naturally, eliminating the need for manual removal and reducing labour. This is the second WorldStar Award for OjiFS Packaging New Zealand, it was awarded a win in the 2020 food category for customer, RJ’s, Retail Ready Tray.

Timber expert Andrew Dunn will be leading a mass timber manufacturing and construction tour to Europe travelling from Austria to Germany, to visit pioneering factories, facilities and projects spotlighting CLT, glulam and other leading edge timber technologies. Source: Timberbiz As an added bonus you will stay at uniquely crafted wood hotels and residences showcasing clever architecture and interior design. The tour will allow participants the opportunity to network with local builders, engineers, and product specialists who are advancing renewable timber’s future across Europe’s built landscape. Whether you are an architect, engineer, developer or construction professional, this is your opportunity to step inside the origins and future of mass timber building. Witness first hand how European innovation is driving a modern, sustainable construction revolution using one of humanity’s oldest natural materials. The event goes for six days travelling from Vienna, Austria, to Milan, Italy by luxury coach. It starts on Sunday, 26 May and finishes Saturday, 1 June 2024, and is limited to 20 people. The tour costs $6,950 per person on a single room basis (twin share price on application), including applicable GST. Flights/travel to and from Vienna and Milan additional. More information here.  

WorkSafe is pulling out of funding safety programs to the tune of up to NZ$15 million a year, skittling a “really valuable” one in the high-risk forestry industry. ACC, which gives WorkSafe the money, says it stopping the funding will make no difference to the overall spend. Source: Radio New Zealand (RNZ) “This decision does not reduce the overall amount of funds that ACC allocates to injury prevention initiatives,” the two agencies told RNZ. But for the Forestry Industry Safety Council (FISC), the impact has been harsh. It has just found out that 35% to 40% of its NZ$1.1-2m annual funding will be hit. “So, the amount of work that FISC can do is clearly now reduced,” council chair Simon O’Grady said. The council was now preparing by 31 March to axe three jobs and a program in Gisborne and Northland that was at the fore of companies and others hearing from frontline workers about the risks they faced, and what to did about them, he said. “We wanted strategically to roll that out nationally, but that’s clearly not able to take place without funding.” WorkSafe has not said how many other agencies might be put in a similar position like the disruption facing the forestry council. WorkSafe is usually the lead agency on safety education, aimed at industries with the highest death and serious injury rates: forestry, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and healthcare and social assistance. However, it has been in a financial hole and cut more than 100 staff late last year, while facing regular criticism that it is too soft on lawbreakers. WorkSafe and ACC only confirmed the funding change when RNZ approached them, and then only provided the details on Thursday after repeated questioning over two days. Mr O’Grady said the rationale for the move had not been made clear to them. “I mean, if there is reduced funding going into the programs that directly affect health and safety in our forests and other industries, then you would imagine that that … would have a flow-on effect and we’re certainly concerned that might be the outcome.” The agencies said on Thursday the change was because the funding arrangement was for six years old and they were both now altering their strategies. “We’ll be shifting our approach to ensure the funds are invested in line with these strategies and have the greatest impact,” said a joint statement from deputy chief executives, Tane Cassidy at ACC, and Paula Collins at WorkSafe. The changes were “very recently” finalised, and it would tell its sector partners about “any potential impacts” WorkSafe told RNZ earlier. A final funding round under the outgoing arrangement would run from 1 July to March 2025. “ACC is now looking at opportunities to invest funds previously allocated to WorkSafe,” Cassidy and Collins said. O’Grady said they were seeking talks with ACC along these lines. In the meantime, they would tighten their belt to focus funds on their core safety certification work. ACC has direct funding contracts worth several million dollars each, and spanning several years, with Farmstrong, ShopCare, and CHASNZ (construction), and said these were not changing. Mr O’Grady said it appeared forestry was being treated differently for some reason. “We will look at aspects of the Toroawhi program that are most valuable and we will see if we can actually start to get those happening in other ways.” The government’s directives to public agencies to cut costs had not come into it as far as the council knew, he said. “I’m not drawing any connection between the government’s position and the actions that have been taken here.”

The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has welcomed the announcement that the University of Sunshine Coast and University of Melbourne will be invited to form Australian Forest and Wood Innovations research centres, joining the third research centre being established at the University of Tasmania in Launceston. Source: Timberbiz The University of Melbourne Research Centre will be based at the Burnley Campus in Richmond, Victoria and University of the Sunshine Coast’s Research Centre will be based at the Sunshine Coast Campus in Sippy Downs, Queensland. “I congratulate both preferred candidates, in the University of Sunshine Coast and University of Melbourne. I also acknowledge the hard work put in by other institutions through a competitive expression of interest process,” AFPA Acting Chief Executive Officer Richard Hyett said. Each research centre will have access to $24.5 million in funding as part of the $100 million AFWI grant agreement with the University of Tasmania. “AFPA is very proud of the AFWI progress after playing a key role in its inception, based on the need for more varied and advanced forest products research in Australia,” Mr Hyett said. “I’m confident these new centres will offer groundbreaking research into how we can maximise value from resource, boost the credentials and uses of timber and fibre as a climate solution and boost the innovation agenda across industry.” The University of Sunshine Coast Research Centre will be complemented by the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life, supported by Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA).

Forestry Corporation is honouring the significant contribution that women make in the forestry industry. Friday marks International Women’s Day, this year carrying the theme of Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress. Source: Timberbiz As a major player in Australian forestry – a traditionally male-dominated industry – Forestry Corporation stands proud of its gender equality in the workplace. Women currently make up a quarter of the workforce with many female leaders in management roles standing at the forefront of the industry. Forestry Corporation’s Talent & OD Business Partner Amba Addinsall said there has been a marked increase in female representation in Forestry Corporation’s executive and leadership teams. “Our executive leadership team has hit gender parity for the first time ever and 24% of our senior leaders are now women,” Ms Addinsall said. “This is an increase of 4% over two years and really celebrates the calibre of women that we have in the workplace.” “They are creating more inclusive teams and are role modelling what’s possible for our newer recruits.” Some of the women across Forestry Corporation have shared their thoughts and experiences for International Women’s Day giving an insight into their careers: Kirrily Oliver, Harvesting Supervisor, Bathurst: “My daily role involves supervising our harvesting contractors, making sure they stick to the outlines, processes and safety and environmental guidelines set for production in the field. This involves daily checks in the field with many kilometres travelled daily across our beautiful forests. Aside from our daily roles, we are also fully trained and certified firefighters when required working to protect our teammates and our great assets – our forests. I was stuck in typical office-based roles for nearly 20 years and one day thought what else could I be doing in my life in my early 40s. Until I started working in the role, I never knew how much went into the business regarding how in-depth the management of forests is and the huge amount of work that goes into the renewable side of the business, through to how everyone is welcomed as part of the broader teams, male or female. I am generally looking forward to starting Certificate III in Forestry Operations through TAFE. I feel this will broaden my knowledge within the corporation and hopefully give me a long career within Forestry as women make the same contribution in forestry daily. We are all equal and do a fabulous job in our roles within the industry.” Meg Clery: Field Ecologist, Eden: “I have been a field ecologist with Forestry Corporation for three years. Previously, I worked as a ranger with National Parks and Wildlife for eight years. I’ve always loved working outdoors in forests. As an ecologist I hold a strong interest in animals. Outside of my field work, I have a hobby of bird watching and painting birds. Mostly everything I do is animal or nature related. I love working in beautiful forests where there is so much biodiversity.” My field work takes me from the coast up into the tablelands and I enjoy being part of Forestry’s moves to increase its environmental credentials. The variety of work as an ecologist is amazing from fauna monitoring of small mammals, birds, frogs to floral surveys in being able to find beautiful orchids growing in nature. We also do night work, a lot of camera trapping studies spending a lot of time analysing interactions and images of animals and surveying threatened species. Generally, the ecology team is female-dominant in forestry across the state, and I guess that comes down to women finding the attraction of studying animals.” Kristen Coady: Land Access Officer, Dubbo: “A career in forestry is more than just trees and timber. Our forests have a wide range of social, ecological and cultural values and women have a huge role to play in the promotion and protection of these values and our natural assets. Women in forestry are hardworking and supportive of each other and passionate about the sustainability of the forests that we manage. My role as a Land Access Officer involves facilitating community use of our forests for many purposes including research, grazing, active and passive recreation and also pest and weed management across the cypress forests of Western NSW. I wanted a career that allowed me to spend time in the bush while also putting my environmental science degree and previous business experience to use. This job is the perfect balance and I encourage other women with similar interests to consider a career in forestry.” Madi Stewardson: Harvest Planner, Batemans Bay: “For me, International Women’s Day is a chance to reflect on the contributions of the past female figures that have inspired me to be where I am today. I work as a harvest planner in Batemans Bay, bringing together the working parts of a harvesting operation to see the forest utilised for wood product whilst maintaining its ecological, social, and cultural values. Having recently graduated with a Master of Research, Forestry has offered me a unique opportunity to further my practical skills whilst fostering a sense of custodianship to my patch. I place a high importance on the resilience a diverse team of people creates and look forward to the heights we may be able to achieve through gender parity.”  

A re-elected Liberal Government in Tasmania would extend all existing native wood supply contracts for 14 Tasmanian sawmillers beyond the current 2027 expiry date, to 2040. Source: Timberbiz Premier Jeremy Rockliff said that with State Labor Governments across the country ending native forestry and demand for wood increasing, the Liberals know that Tasmanian businesses need resource certainty for the future. “This is why we announced that we would make available up to 158,000 additional cubic metres of sawlog to industry by unlocking the State’s Wood Bank,” Mr Rockliff said. “With this additional volume coming online, we are now able to extend wood supply contracts which will provide new certainty for multi-generational Tasmanian businesses. “This is certainty to invest, grow and create jobs.” A re-elected Liberal Government would also update Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s Ministerial Charter to focus on supporting the development of Tasmanian-based wood processing, as it has done in past years. The Tasmanian Forest Products Association welcomed the second day of forestry policy announcements by the Tasmanian Liberals ahead of the 23 March state election. TFPA Chief Executive Officer Nick Steel said these policies would benefit the sustainable forestry industry, Tasmanian jobs, and the economy. “It’s pleasing to see the Liberals have recognised the importance of the first priority in the TFPA Election Wish List – Supporting Tasmanian Businesses,” Mr Steel said. “Continuing its commitment to the State’s On-Island Processing Grants program will make a real difference to Tasmanian forestry businesses and their ability to adapt to future demands. “And we welcome the Liberals commitment to updating Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s (STT) Ministerial Charter to focus on backing the industry and Tasmanian jobs. “We stand ready to continue to work with the Tasmanian Liberals to ensure the updating of STT’s Ministerial Charter will achieve the best benefit for all Tasmanians,” Me Steel said. However, Mr Steel said there was still more work to be done. “We look forward to working with the Liberals in developing its plantation forestry policy and are seeking a commitment to the retooling and reskilling of our processing businesses to make best use of that plantation resource as it becomes available,” Mr Steel said. “(Friday’s) announcement is a great start in protecting jobs, boosting the Tasmanian economy and allowing the forestry industry to continue to sequester carbon to meet Tasmania’s tough climate change ambitions. “Whilst there’s still more work to be done on the Liberal’s plan, the TFPA welcomes the chance to work with them to provide certainty for the industry, improve the lives of Tasmanian families and the economy in the years ahead,” Mr Steel said. Resources Minister Felix Ellis Ellis announced the policy on Friday during a visit to McKay Timber’s Glenorchy sawmill. He said the destruction of native forestry by State Labor Governments in mainland states had put new pressures on Tasmanian forestry. “Updating STT’s Ministerial Charter will ensure that its focus continues to be squarely on backing in Tasmanian industry because Tasmanian wood should support Tasmanian jobs,” Mr Ellis said. “All of this is on top of the support provided to help Tasmanian sawmillers and processers upgrade and move further up the value chain through our On-Island Processing Program. “A re-elected majority Liberal Government will build on the success of our On-Island Processing Program by committing an additional $5 million to this program. “Already, this program has supported upgrades and projects across Tasmania, helping local businesses turn existing wood supplies, as well as residues, into higher-value products,” he said. “This includes projects such as McKay Timber’s truss plant facilities for the manufacture of wall and roof trusses and upgraded finger jointing and laminating plant.” McKay Timber general manager Brett McKay welcomed the extended contracts. “Every business looks for certainty moving forward into the future, sovereign risk is always top of the list for anyone, we are very pleased to see the extension come forward to 2040,” he told the Mercury. However, Mr McKay was lukewarm on the government’s proposal to “unlock” 40,000ha of native forests. “None of us really want to go back to the old days,” Mr McKay said. Mr Ellis said that under the Liberals’ watch, forestry has had the confidence and security to invest and grow. Jobs, investment, wood production and exports are up. “It’s a far cry from the desperate days of the Labor-Green Government when forestry was gutted and two out of every three jobs in the sector lost. “Labor simply cannot be trusted on forestry,” he said. “Given half a chance they will do a deal again with the Greens and the Coalition of Chaos which would shut down an industry which is vital to our building sector and also providing fibre for a plastic-free future.”