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In 1943, as World War II made materials like steel scarcer, the US Navy turned to timber to construct airship hangars at Moffett Federal Airfield, located at what is now NASA Ames Research Centre. Source: Timberbiz The structures were built in just 208 days using Douglas fir, widely assumed to have been harvested from the forests of the Pacific Northwest, and became part of a strategic West Coast hub for blimp operations during the war. In 2014, Planetary Ventures, a subsidiary of Google, entered a long-term lease of the airfield and assumed management of the historic hangars. Though Hangar 3 stood for over 80 years, the structure was compromised by substantial engineering challenges. Ultimately, ongoing efforts to repair and preserve the historic structure could not prevent progressing damage, prompting the difficult decision to remove the now hazardous hangar. A typical demolition would have routed this historic timber to the landfill, but Google’s sustainability and real estate teams saw a different opportunity: salvaging the wood for reuse in modern buildings. Once engineering assessments confirmed Hangar 3 couldn’t be preserved in its original form, the question became how best to remove the structure. Typical demolition wasn’t an option: the wood within the structure had been exposed to a variety of chemicals, creating a high risk of contamination. So, the 1,000-foot-long structure would have to be systematically dismantled. Teams used high-reach excavators to surgically disassemble the hangar, salvaging approximately 119,000 board feet of the most structurally sound Douglas fir boards (roughly 178 tons of material). Some of this salvaged wood wasshipped back up to Spokane, Washington, for evaluation and remanufacturing and is now destined for a Google mass timber office prototype in the Dalles, Oregon. Reclaiming used lumber on such a large scale is often dismissed as unpredictable, labour-intensive and costly. Modern building codes assume builders are using freshly milled lumber, so there’s no easy path to certify reclaimed wood. In the absence of a roadmap, the Hangar 3 project team created their own. They consulted wood scientists, structural engineers and mass timber manufacturers to rigorously test the structural integrity of the salvaged timber. After planing the contaminated outer layers, testing yielded incredible news: the historic Douglas fir still possessed robust, predictable structural strength. In the end, approximately 66,000 board feet of the material successfully met the rigorous requirements for mass timber remanufacturing. The Hangar 3 journey underscores the opportunity presented by deconstruction and reuse. It shows that if we can view our existing physical assets as “material banks” for future uses, then we can minimize the economic and environmental costs of purchasing new materials. The timber salvaged from Hangar 3 is getting a new life in showcase installations across Google campuses in the Bay Area, California, and for mass timber construction at supporting office facilities on Google data centre campuses. You can read more about this, there is a white paper Reclaiming Structural Wood at Scale: From Airship Hangar to Portfolio Reuse at https://sustainability.google/reports/circularity-reclaiming-structural-wood/  

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Trees in China that were planted as part of huge reforestation projects appear to grow faster than those in natural forests, a new study finds. This is possibly because the reforestation trees are responding more strongly to the rising atmospheric carbon dioxide, scientists say. Source: LiveScience China is quickly turning green. The country has planted 66 billion trees since 1978, with plans for 34 billion more by the middle of this century, as part of its “Great Green Wall” to slow the spread of the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts. These new forests absorb large amounts of CO2, but it is unclear exactly how they differ from natural ones, study first author Yuhang Luo, a landscape ecologist at Peking University in Shenzhen, China, told Live Science. Luo and his colleagues set out to study how differences between natural and planted forests, including species diversity, tree density and age, might affect how the forests respond to rising CO2 and climate change. “Planted forests are widely used in climate mitigation strategies, but most global ecosystem models do not distinguish between forest types or represent age-related dynamics adequately,” Luo said. “So, we felt it was important to clarify how these factors interact — not just for scientific understanding, but also for improving the models and assumptions that underpin real-world forest policy and carbon accounting.” Planted forests are those purposefully created by humans, such as those in the Great Green Wall. Natural forests, on the other hand, grow without human intervention. The researchers used satellite data to track leaf area index, a measure of canopy density and a key driver of carbon uptake, to determine how fast the different forest types grew, and found a striking difference: Planted forests increased their leaf area 66% faster than natural ones. Most of that difference was due to planted forests being, on average, much younger than the natural ones, and young trees grow faster than old ones. But even when comparing forests of similar age and growing conditions, the planted ones still grew 4.6% faster, and the difference was even more pronounced in mixed and evergreen forests. This is largely due to how planted forests are managed. They tend to feature fast-growing species like eucalyptus and poplar and are often actively managed, with people removing competing vegetation and even fertilizing them. These interventions reduce competition for light, water, and nutrients, amplifying the fertilization effect of rising atmospheric CO2. This discrepancy peaks in planted forests when trees are around 30 to 40 years old and then declines noticeably after age 40. In contrast, natural forests grow more slowly but steadily, so have an advantage over the long term. “Planted forests can be a powerful short-term tool for carbon uptake, but this advantage is temporary,” Luo said. “For long-term carbon storage and resilience, natural forests remain irreplaceable.” Kevin Dsouza, who worked on reforestation models during his postdoctoral research at the University of Waterloo and was not involved in the new study, said the results make intuitive sense, as the sprawling leaves of young, fast-growing trees could lead to increased carbon take-up. But he is not sure that leaf area is the best measurement for tracking growth and carbon sequestration. “It’s not a bad proxy, but it doesn’t give you the full picture,” he said. “The canopy is just the top of the tree, and the carbon is stored in all sorts of different places like wood, bark, roots and soil.” Another study of Chinese forests found that natural forests actually accumulate more carbon above ground than planted ones in their early years, Dsouza pointed out, so these results should be considered carefully alongside other factors. Luo said the findings show that most global climate models are missing something when it comes to understanding how various forest types play a role in carbon sequestration and climate change. “Land use management works in more subtle and specific ways than we had assumed,” he said. “It is not just about planting more trees. It is also about when you plant them, what species you choose, and how you manage them over time.” Luo hopes these findings will help guide reforestation efforts, to ensure we get the most benefit from planting new forests to help mitigate the effects of climate change. “Our work offers a more practical guide for forest-based climate action: when to plant, what to plant, how long the benefits last, and what current models are getting wrong. We hope that helps people make better decisions,” he said.  

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Traceability was one of the strongest themes to emerge from the sold-out Threads of Tomorrow Summit in Auckland, New Zealand in June, highlighting the growing importance of transparent supply chains and credible verification of material origins and impacts. Source: Timberbiz FSC Australia and New Zealand joined industry leaders across the fashion and textiles sector at the event. The event brought together more than 220 people from across New Zealand’s fibre, textile and fashion value chain, from growers and farmers through to manufacturers, brands and retailers, for a day of discussion about where the industry is heading and what it will take to get there. Presented by Fashion & Textiles New Zealand, an FSC promotional licence holder, the summit was structured around three themes: Place, Possibility and Momentum. The morning began with a look at the current state of New Zealand’s fashion and textile sector, before shifting to discussions around design, storytelling, circularity and supply chain integrity. The final session focused on what comes next for the industry, including building business resilience, improving transparency and traceability, and finding new value in waste streams and by-products. As part of the Summit’s Innovation Hub, FSC showcased products from promotional licence holders and certificate holders, including Kazzi Kovers, Step One, Wattle Accessories, Sandos and Merry People. The display highlighted the many innovative ways forest-based materials are already being used across the sector and provided an opportunity to discuss responsible sourcing, certification and supply chain transparency with attendees. Trademarks and Partnerships Manager of FSC ANZ, Jennifer Nicita, said it was energising to connect with such passionate and driven voices from across the industry, all working towards a shared vision. “These collaborations reinforce the shift towards a more transparent and traceable industry, and a positive future for responsible fashion,” she said. FSC ANZ exhibited alongside other industry leaders in this space, including Wool Impact, Trust Trace, Inter-Weave and Wool Yarns, which brought a strong mix of perspectives across fibres, materials and traceability solutions.

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Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) Chief Executive Officer Andrew Leighton has concluded his tenure with the organisation following his decision to take on a new position as Chief Executive Officer of OneFortyOne Plantations. Source: Timberbiz To ensure continuity of leadership and operations, the FWPA board has appointed Craig Taylor as Acting Chief Executive Officer, effective from 1 July 2026, until a permanent CEO is appointed. Under Mr Leighton’s leadership, FWPA has strengthened its strategic focus, aligned investment priorities with member needs, and progressed key initiatives to support industry growth, market development and long-term research impact. He has played a key role in shaping a more integrated, industry-led approach to engagement, ensuring FWPA delivers clear, coordinated outcomes across research, marketing and stakeholder engagement. “It has been a privilege to work alongside such a committed team and an industry that is deeply invested in its future. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together to strengthen collaboration, sharpen our focus and position FWPA to deliver meaningful outcomes for members,” Mr Leighton said. “I leave knowing the organisation is well placed, with a clear direction and strong foundations to continue building impact for the industry.” FWPA wishes to thank Andrew for his leadership and contribution to the organisation and the broader industry during his time as CEO. “Andrew’s achievements while he has been CEO are significant but most importantly, he moved the culture of the organisation towards one of service to the industry, our levy payers and members. The Board wishes him every success at OneFortyOne Plantations,” FWPA Chair Craig Taylor thanked Andrew said. The board’s search for FWPA’s next CEO is progressing, with applications now closed. The recruitment process is being managed by a subcommittee of the board with assistance from Pacific Search Partners. FWPA remains focused on delivering value to members and industry stakeholders and looks forward to updating stakeholders on the appointment process in due course.

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Forestry Australia has raised concerns following the Australian Government’s approval of the Improved Native Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Native Forests Method, warning that the method creates risks that could undermine confidence in Australia’s carbon market. Source: Timberbiz The method was approved by Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson and will help fund the New South Wales Great Koala National, by stopping native timber harvesting in multiple-use public native forests. Forestry Australia President Dr Michelle Freeman said the organisation is very supportive of high-integrity carbon crediting for native forests, but that the method as approved had significant problems. “Forestry Australia strongly supports the development of high-integrity carbon methods for native forests. Our concern is that this method, as approved, falls short in a number of areas, including additionality, leakage and low ability to generate carbon outcomes.” At a time when media reports are highlighting that native hardwood previously sourced from Victoria is now being supplied from Tasmania, it is deeply concerning that the method will substantially underestimate the real leakage that occurs when harvesting stops. “If approved methods fail to fully account for leakage, or do not properly distinguish between genuine carbon abatement and policy-driven land-use change, such as in the case of the Great Koala National Park, then confidence in the ACCU Scheme is put at risk. Carbon markets must be grounded in science, transparency and integrity.” Forestry Australia also has concerns regarding the future stewardship of these forests. “Although the method allows for broader management activities in principle, the relevant provisions are so restrictive that they would, in effect, largely prevent active forest management for fire risk mitigation, forest health and long-term resilience. Despite the name, the method does not represent genuine improved native forest management.” Healthy, resilient and actively managed forests play an important role in storing carbon, reducing emissions and supporting biodiversity, cultural, social and economic outcomes. Improved outcomes could come from a range of evidence-based activities rather than from ceasing a single activity, Dr Freeman said. “Healthy forests require active management. Improved outcomes can come from restoration, ecological thinning, cultural burning, fuel management, assisted regeneration, more selective silviculture and other evidence-based interventions. Australia needs a carbon method that supports active, adaptive and science-based forest management across all tenures, not a one-off mechanism focused on stopping one activity in a very small part of the native forest estate.” Forestry Australia strongly supports investment in native forest management and the development of credible carbon methods that recognise the climate value of healthy, resilient forests, and has called for the risks in the approved method to be transparently addressed so that the ACCU Scheme can maintain the confidence of the market and the community.

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The Federal Government’s new carbon credits method for ‘protecting’ native forests will allow fossil fuel companies to greenwash their climate pollution and expand coal and gas production, according to The Australia Institute. Source: Timberbiz A new carbon accounting method, proposed to fund the creation of the Great Koala National Park in NSW, pits forest and biodiversity protection against acting on climate change, when those objectives are inseparable. “The science doesn’t say that it is okay for us to approve new gas and coal mines, as long as we save some trees at the same time. However, under this Great Koala National Park offsets scheme, that is exactly what is being proposed,” said Dr Richard Denniss, co-CEO of The Australia Institute. The Australia Institute says its research has shown that: Half of Australians (48%) agree that so-called carbon offsets are greenwash. Three in five Australians (62%) agree that so-called carbon offsets help polluters look like they are reducing emissions even when they aren’t. Three in five Australians (61%) say that stopping new gas and coal projects is an effective way to reduce emissions.   “It is simply climate denial to pretend that saving a forest can ‘offset’ the harm of approving a new gas or coal mine and expanding fossil fuel pollution,” Dr Denniss said. “Australia institute research has shown there is no shortage of offsets boondoggles in Australia, but there is a shortage of the bravery required to confront the fossil fuel industry and their friends in the carbon offset industry. “It is obscene to suggest that the only way we can save native forests is to allow the fossil fuel industry to use those forests to greenwash their growing emissions.” The Australia Institute says it provides intellectual and policy leadership and conducts research that drives the public debate and secures policy outcomes that make Australia better. The institutes motto is research that matters.

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Federal Member for Lyne, Alison Penfold MP, has condemned Chris Bowen’s approval of the Improved Native Forest Management (INFM) methodology, saying it will accelerate job losses across the NSW North Coast while fundamentally undermining the integrity of Australia’s carbon credit scheme. Source: Timberbiz Ms Penfold said the Minister’s decision clears the way for the NSW Labor Government to generate millions of dollars in Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by locking up State Forests as part of the proposed Great Koala National Park. “Workers have already lost their jobs because of the NSW Government’s harvesting moratorium, and this decision will only encourage further permanent job losses across the North Coast,” Ms Penfold said. “The people paying the price are not politicians in Sydney or Canberra. They are timber workers, contractors, truck drivers, sawmill employees, mechanics, small businesses and regional families who have built their lives around a sustainable forestry industry. “The Minister was required under the legislation to consider the likely economic and social impacts before approving this methodology. He concluded those impacts could be appropriately mitigated. I simply cannot fathom how he reached that conclusion. “Has Chris Bowen met the workers who have already lost their livelihoods? Has he spoken to the businesses already forced to make impossible decisions because of Labor’s forestry policies?” Ms Penfold said the decision represented far more than another environmental policy. “It fundamentally changes the purpose of Australia’s carbon credit scheme. “The ACCU scheme was established to encourage genuine new emissions reductions and carbon sequestration projects. It was never intended to reward governments for shutting down existing industries and then claiming carbon credits for doing so. “The Minns Government announced the Great Koala National Park first and then went looking for a funding source. Chris Bowen has now handed them exactly what they wanted. “Instead of encouraging genuinely additional carbon abatement, this methodology allows governments to monetise a political decision to prohibit an existing lawful activity. “If governments can create carbon credits simply by locking up productive land, we’ve fundamentally changed what Australia’s carbon market was created to do.” Ms Penfold said the decision reinforced a growing belief across regional Australia that Labor simply does not understand or value regional industries. “When Labor weighs up the interests of inner-city environmental activists against the livelihoods of people who live and work in regional Australia, regional communities lose every time. “This is another example of Labor treating regional industries as expendable while expecting country Australians to carry the economic burden.” Ms Penfold said the Minister’s decision was precisely the outcome she sought to prevent when she recently introduced her Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Amendment Bill 2026. “I introduced my Private Member’s Bill because I could see exactly where this was heading. “My Bill would have protected the integrity of the ACCU scheme by preventing governments from using Commonwealth carbon credits to fund political land-use decisions instead of genuine carbon abatement. “Unfortunately, Chris Bowen has chosen to ignore those concerns.” Ms Penfold called on the Government to immediately release the full advice, modelling and analysis provided by the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee that supported the Minister’s decision. “If Chris Bowen is confident this methodology satisfies the integrity standards required by law, he should release every piece of advice that underpinned his decision.” She also called on the Parliament to disallow the methodology. “The Parliament now has the opportunity to stop this dangerous precedent before lasting damage is done to Australia’s carbon markets and before Commonwealth carbon credits are used to subsidise a policy that has already cost North Coast jobs and threatens many more. “I urge every Member and Senator to stand with regional Australia, restore the integrity of the ACCU scheme and support the disallowance of this regulation.”

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Four of Australia’s most senior forest scientists have questioned the evidence underpinning native forest harvesting bans. In a new paper in the peer-reviewed journal Australian Forestry, they argue that closures of commercial native forest harvesting on public land in Victoria and Western Australia, and the push to extend such bans into New South Wales and Tasmania, rest on contested science. Source: Timberbiz The lead author is Dr John Raison, a former Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO who has spent nearly five decades studying native forests. He is joined by former CSIRO scientists Dr Sadanandan Nambiar AO, Dr Glen Kile, and University of Melbourne hydrologist Associate Professor Leon Bren. Between them, the authors bring more than 200 years of experience in sustainable forest management. The paper examines the scientific literature on six common claims made against native forest harvesting, spanning forest loss, water, fire and wildlife. They find a far more complex and nuanced picture than what is commonly portrayed to the public and in political discourse. Much of the science drawn upon to justify native forest harvesting closures comes from a singular narrow viewpoint that does not encompass or recognise the breadth of local and landscape-scale research that provides a counter-perspective. Blanket bans on harvesting, the authors warn, are only deepening the challenges Australia already confronts regarding maintaining the skills, capacity and resourcing needed to manage forests for their ongoing health and resilience and to meet domestic demand for wood products through locally sourced wood products. Australian Forestry managing editor Dr Mohammad Ghaffariyan said the paper brought together more than two centuries of combined research experience to ask a straightforward question about what the published evidence shows. “Australian Forestry exists to put work of this calibre in front of the people making decisions about our forests. Readers will weigh the findings for themselves, but the debate is better for having the evidence on the table,” he said.

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Dr John Raison, Former Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO penned an open letter to the managing director of the ABC. This is that letter. The management of Australia’s vast and diverse native forests, understandably, is open to a range of views and often conflicting suggestions and actions. The provision of balanced information to enable informed public discussion would help the community, and the ABC should play a constructive role. Unfortunately, the recent ABC 4 Corners program [‘Timber turmoil’, 22 June] was yet another catering for the anti-forestry campaign, designed and delivered accordingly. Understandably, it has been widely criticised as biased, unfair and factually flawed by many stakeholders. It was seriously deficient in reporting on the science underpinning sustainable management, including harvesting, of Australia’s native forests. We are advised that the ABC was provided with relevant scientific background papers and offers from senior scientists to be interviewed – but to no avail. We recently published a detailed scientific analysis and rebuttal of the main claims and allegations made by activists against the harvesting of native forests (Raison et al., 2026). The program repeated many of the false claims and ignored all alternative science-based information Prof Lindenmayer (author of a book entitled ‘The Forest Wars’, 2024) had several appearances and was interviewed (and used to promote the program). He repeated his well-publicised (including via several ABC programs) claims including that harvesting is accelerating the loss of old habitat trees and other biodiversity values, is increasing bushfire risks and threatens water supply. He accused state forest management agencies of ‘rape and pillage’ of native forests. These serious allegations were left unquestioned by the presenter. All the claims above have been strongly challenged or debunked by critical scientific research and analysis published by several academics and researchers, and by experienced forest managers. The aging process and repeated wildfires are the main factors driving loss of old trees, not harvesting. Detailed studies over extensive areas have shown that harvesting does not increase either the severity or area burnt by wildfires at the landscape scale because harvested areas are small and dispersed. Fire weather, heavy fuel loads and steep topography are the main drivers of extensive wildfires. Good planning and regulated harvesting are effective in protecting water values – repeated claims that harvest of mountain ash forests is a threat to Melbourne’s water are based on flawed and outdated modelling. In this program and on several occasions previously, the ABC seeks only the opinions and conclusions on native forestry from one academic source, as though Australia has no other science-based expertise spanning our diverse native forests and how to sustainably manage them. The extensive on-ground experience of many hundreds of dedicated forest managers across the country seems to matter little. This skewed approach is a disservice to the community and does not reflect well on our national broadcaster. The program used emotive techniques to create a negative image of native forest harvesting. Thus, we saw the reporter and Prof. Lindenmayer standing on large stumps to create the impression that cutting down old-growth trees is common when in fact almost all areas now harvested are regrowth originating after earlier harvesting or wildfire. Nationally, about 95 % of current harvesting uses lower impact selective removal trees – but background images used in the program mostly show intensive higher impact harvesting operations. Then an activist spotlights to locate a glider and argues that their identification of ‘den’ trees will save gliders from harvesting. No mention is made of the considerable efforts made by the Forestry Corporation in pre-harvest surveys, and in modifying harvest plans and practices to protect endangered species. First class long-term research and monitoring by scientists from the NSW Forestry Corporation, the NSW Environment Department and CSIRO which shows that koala numbers are increasing, and that regulated sustainable harvests have no impact on their populations is not even mentioned. The activist from the Wilderness Society made the usual allegation, without providing any evidence, that harvesting is destroying forests and creating major threats to biodiversity, especially old-growth forests. The program made much of so-called “timber turmoil”! At the hub of the story was the discovery (by the ABC and anti-forestry ‘detectives’) that a small quantity of logs from Tasmanian public forests are being sold and transported to Victoria for processing. What is improper or wrong about that? The logs are being legally sourced from sustainably managed, independently certified, forests and being converted into high value, strong, long lasting (storing carbon) and beautiful wood products which we use. Those industries support rural economies and jobs for hundreds of fellow Australians and is exactly what we should do and promote. Such activities are internationally recognised as one effective way to support climate change mitigation. The allegations made by Prof. Lindenmayer and by the Wilderness Society that Victorian taxpayers are subsidising a ‘zombie’ industry are flimsy and highly disrespectful. Broad claims and campaigns against native forestry, including calls for a total ban on harvesting, are largely based on misinformation, selective or flawed use of science, misplaced focus on iconic fauna and exaggerated accounts of occasional management failures. Such campaigns hinder the development of better policies and practices that can benefit both the environment and the community. What we urgently need is not more “Forest Wars” or one-sided activism, but science-based forest policies that support informed conservation and enable sustainable forest management for multiple forest values and community benefits.   Dr John Raison, Former Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Dr Sadanandan Nambiar AO, Former Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO References: D.B. Lindenmayer 2024. The forest wars: the ugly truth about what’s happening in our tall forests. Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin J. Raison, E. K. S. Nambiar, G. A. Kile & L. J. Bren. 2026 Australia’s native forests can be sustainably managed for wood production together with other important forest values. Australian Forestry, DOI: 10.1080/00049158.2026.2663997

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