Australian timber industry news

The Mobile Catalyst (MO.CA) is an advanced and ecological mobile home built using ‘zero-kilometre’ natural materials and digital construction techniques produced by the students and researchers of the Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings & Biocities program at Valldaura Labs, Spain. Source: Timberbiz The brief was extended from its initial definition of a home and developed to comprise an experiential engagement facilitator – a mobile catalyst – and thus the design was named MOCA. The main limitations arose from the trailer on which the home rests and local regulations. The final solution includes a platform 5.4 long and 2.4 wide on which the 3.6 m high house rests. The regulations also establish that the total weight of the construction (together with the trailer) cannot exceed 3,500 kg, and that the driver of the vehicle transporting the trailer must have Permit B96; values that became references and factors that influenced many design decisions. The design of MO.CA consists of two anchoring, solid toolboxes that contain tools and surfaces designed to initiate different activities in the central ‘reaction chamber’. The Toolbox A or Utility Toolbox is towards the front of the trailer and is the heavier toolbox. It includes all necessary utilities for a home; a kitchen, a shower area, a toilet, and a utility cabinet for electric and water metabolic systems. The Toolbox B or Activity Toolbox contains surfaces and tools that aid in activating the central space. An entrance door is provided on the Toolbox B side. It serves as the main access when the facade is closed or otherwise. The walls of the toolboxes are made with dowel laminated timber (DLT) panels of 4 cm thickness, mitigating the need for conventional toxic adhesives and maintaining the potential for circular reuse. The operable facade of the mobile home consists of two complementary layers – a set of glass doors and a fabric facade – that together make it possible to adapt the degree of enclosure of the central space, adapting to the weather conditions, the time of day and the activity happening within. The glass doors (four on each side) are designed to be either open, semi-open or closed. When closed, the central space is sheltered from the outside environment. When open, the interior/exterior boundary is dissolved. The outer layer is designed as lightweight timber frameworks covered with a water-resistant cotton fabric, secured with threaded cord. On the two long sides, the facade slides and folds up with the mechanical advantage of pulleys. The mobile home obtains all of its energy from the sun and is equipped to sustain 24 hours of use without recharging. The energy consumption majorly consists of the media-related activities taking place inside and some basic home appliances. In line with the light fabric envelope placed on the roof, a set of 3 light-flexible monocrystalline solar panels connect to a MultiPlus inverter (which can also be connected to an external grid) and a battery backup. The interior and envelope are lit with LED strips, accentuating the textile enclosure with an internal glow. Two beds (or sleeping shelves) are included on the mezzanine floor to leverage the verticality of the toolboxes (one of them extendable to two places). It comes with an extendable mattress that allows space for two people. A movable ladder accompanies the bed and is attached to the edge of the bed frame, which can be inclined for easier accessibility. The kitchen includes a sink, a one-burner stove and drawers under the kitchen counter. A fridge is also provided along with spaces to hang utensils. Indicators for the battery level and tank water level are fitted at the kitchen wall. The washroom includes a waterless humus toilet box and a shower area. The humus toilet system does not include water for flushing, thus, eliminating any blackwater produced except that from cooking or cleaning. This saves the hassle of disposing of or treating black water. The shower water is collected in a catchment basin and stored in the grey water tank. It is then filtered and pumped to the recycled water tank and reintroduced to the system. The water is treated through a three-stage filter system, followed by a UV filter. The faucet handles permit inhabitants to switch between the water from the fresh water tank or the recycled water tank depending on their intended use. An inlet allows water to be pumped from external sources as well. The water from the kitchen sink is stored in the black water tank. This water is drained to external infrastructures for treatment. All water tanks are placed beneath the flooring, connected to the trailer, freeing up space for other utilities. The system works on a 12 V battery charged by solar energy, powering three circulatory pumps. Ball float sensors in tanks and a tank water level indicator have also been included for efficient maintenance. Toolbox B features a wardrobe storing the custom furniture. When outside, the furniture activates the space to host a variety of activities, for instance an office, workshops, exhibitions or concerts. The furniture is designed to fold and to occupy minimal space in this tiny home. The design is a combination of timber, fabric and dowels making for a lightweight setup. The integrated set includes a table, six stools, two lounge chairs and six Fab-kits. A pair of fabric belt straps are used to secure the furniture when the mobile home is on the road. The doors of the wardrobe are made with timber and fabric. These doors are also lightweight and follow a similar design style as the rest of the furniture with the fabric being a key element. Fab-kits, stored behind the mezzanine ladder and at the entrance door, include a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and space for books, footwear, laundry and other objects. Underneath, 3 entrance ladders can be stored when not in use.

British Columbia (BC), Canada is celebrating the 10-billionth tree planted since reforestation programs began in 1930, with two billion of those trees planted in the past seven years. Source: Timberbiz “Throughout the province, people are seeing the impacts of climate change on our forests,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “To support healthy forests for people and communities, we are accelerating tree planting and building on decades of work restoring our forests that provide clean air, recreation, local jobs and so much more. Today’s tremendous achievement is a culmination of those efforts, in partnership with many forest licensees and hard-working tree planters.” Last year, 305 million seedlings were planted in BC forests. One of these seedlings was the 10-billionth planted since work began almost a century ago. In honour of this milestone, Ralston planted a ceremonial tree in Surrey’s Green Timbers Urban Forest Park. The park, dubbed the “birthplace of reforestation,” is home to the Province’s first reforestation eff orts in 1930. Forest tenure holders have been legally required to undertake reforestation efforts since 1987. In 2024, 235 million of the 290 million seedlings expected to be planted will be done through forestry companies, with an additional five million planted by First Nations. “Ten billion seedlings planted is a remarkable achievement in making sure our forests are with us for generations to come,” Ralston said. “It’s easy to get lost in the number, but there’s a very human story here, too. Planting 10 billion trees means 10billion carefully wielded shovels by 20 billion hands across almost 100 years. This is an accomplishment we can all be proud of, and it’s an honour to play a small part in that number by planting this tree today.” In addition to legislated reforestation efforts, the province will plant an additional 50 million trees this year through several provincial and federal programs. These initiatives focus reforestation efforts on areas that have been adversely affected by natural disturbances, such as mountain pine beetle infestations and wildfire. “The planting of 10 billion trees in our province is one of B.C.’s most important mega projects,” said John Betts, executive director, Western Forestry Contractors’ Association. “Besides the hard work involved, it’s an act of optimism where the full benefits won’t be realized until well into the future. It’s a fi ne legacy for all the thousands of nursery workers, planters and foresters involved over the years.” Included in the 10 billion is a milestone from the Ministry of Forests’ BC Timber Sales (BCTS), which is marking its one-billionth tree planted since the organization was founded in 2003. BCTS issues approximately 40 tree-planting contracts to local and small business operators throughout the province every season. By partnering with other Ministry of Forests branches, as well as industry and the planting contract community, it contributes to the successful planting of millions of seedlings each year. The province’s research and investment programs continue to work improving silviculture practices to boost the success of every seedling and help make sure BC’s forests are resilient in a changing climate. Climate resiliency is one reason why the province provided the Bulkley Valley Centre for Natural Resources Research and Management – a world-class research institute based in Smithers – with Can$10 million in 2023. Its new Silviculture Innovation Program will support research and innovative practices that better address forest and ecosystem health.

France’s agriculture ministry plans to subsidise tree felling and ease regulations on biomass burning as part of a push to stop the spread of bark beetle, a voracious pest decimating French forests whose spread has been boosted by global warming. Source: Reuters Since 2018, successive droughts and high temperatures in northeast France have made trees more vulnerable to beetle attacks, sparking massive mortality of spruce and fir, with an estimated 110,000 of the 520,000 hectares of forest in that region infested, the agriculture ministry said. To contain the insects’ spread, France will finance preventive felling of trees and debarking equipment, make it easier to burn infested wood for biomass, and help sell timber that has been infested but is still usable, the ministry said. Debarking felled trees in at-risk areas can help stop the beetles’ spread by preventing freshly felled healthy trees from becoming new breeding grounds. The government will subsidise timber companies’ acquisition of felling-debarking equipment, which debarks trees as they are cut, funding up to 65% of the cost up to 8,000 euros per unit. “The more advanced the infestation is, the less effective control measures are,” the ministry said in a statement. The government is also setting up national and regional crisis units to better map and control the insects’ spread. Spruce and pine are widely used for construction, furniture and paper. The ministry said that when identified at an early stage and felled at the right time, bark-beetle infested wood is perfectly suitable for construction. For wood that can no longer be used as timber, the government will ease regulations on burning it in biomass-fuelled power or heating plants, allowing wood to come from regions further away from the burning site. It will also boost state support for replanting forests.

New Zealand Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay concluded discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing this week, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. Source: Timberbiz “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its core,” Mr McClay said. “We discussed progress made on implementation of the 2022 FTA Upgrade provisions, and areas of bilateral cooperation including in support of business environment reforms in China and intellectual property rights protection.” Regional and multilateral trade developments were also discussed, following on a previous meeting on the margins of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi. Mr McClay also met with Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian. “New Zealand and China have a long-standing and close agricultural relationship,” Mr McClay says. “I welcomed the opportunity to meet Minister Tang to discuss our cooperation programmes, and to underline my commitment to strengthening the collaborative programme of work between our countries’ agricultural sectors.” Mr McClay’s meeting with the Administrator of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Guan Zhi’ou was an opportunity to advance the bilateral forestry relationship, including areas of cooperation under a refreshed bilateral forestry cooperation arrangement. “Growing our trade relationships and exports will boost New Zealand’s economy, and it is only through a strong economy we can lift incomes, reduce the cost of living and afford the public services Kiwis deserve.” Mr McClay now travels to Harbin and Shanghai. While in Harbin, Mr McClay will meet with the Governor of Heilongjiang Province and Chinese partners in the agriculture sector. The program in Shanghai will include engagements with New Zealand businesses in-market, including small and medium enterprises in the food and beverage, health and nutrition, services, and manufacturing sectors. Mr McClay will also meet with the Mayor of Shanghai, Gong Zheng.

Forest & Wood Products Australia has launched a new webinar series to address ongoing housing challenges in Australia and support the forestry industry in responding to supply chain challenges to plan for future housing needs. Source: Timberbiz The three-part webinar series covers presentations, panel discussions, and interactive Q&A sessions, offering participants the opportunity to engage with leading experts and contribute to the dialogue on shaping the future of housing and sustainable construction. “We are looking forward to hosting this webinar series to facilitate meaningful conversations through insights and challenges around the future of housing and the vital role the wood products industry plays” said FWPA Statistics and Economics Manager, Erick Hansnata. Session Overview Webinar 1: Australia’s Future Housing Affordability Tuesday, 30 April, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Speakers include Nerida Conisbee (Chief Economist at Ray White), Dr Liz Allen (Demographer and Senior Lecturer at the ANU Centre for Social Research Methods) and Dr. Tom Alves (Head of Development at AHURI). Register here. Webinar 2: Timber Supply Chain Challenges & Opportunities in the Future of Housing Tuesday, 7 May, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Register here. Webinar 3: Bridging the Housing Issues and the Timber Industry: A Policy Perspective Tuesday, 14 May,10:00 am – 12:00 pm Register here.

The prospect of a pick-up in home building activity in 2024 is not likely given the low volume of new homes sales in the first three months of 2024, according to the HIA. Source: Timberbiz The HIA New Home Sales report is a monthly survey of the largest volume home builders in the five largest states and is a leading indicator of future detached home construction. “New home sales increased by 4.9% in March compared to the previous month. This increase kept sales flat in the first three months of 2024 compared to the previous quarter,” HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt said. “Concerningly, sales in the first three months of this year remain 41.3% below the same quarter in 2021, 18.2% below the same quarter in 2020, and 18.9% below the same quarter in 2019. “There is an increasing divergence at a state level, as those markets with higher land prices endure a larger downturn in home sales,” he said. Sales in New South Wales and Victoria in the first three months of 2024 remained down significantly compared with recent years, including sales falling by 48.7% and 32.7% respectively, compared with the same quarter in 2019. “The higher land costs in New South Wales and Victoria is the principal reason why sales in these markets are more significantly affected by the rise in the cash rate,” Mr Devitt said. “Lowering the cost of delivering new homes to market is essential to achieving the Australian government’s target of 1.2 million new homes over the next five years.” New home sales in the month of March declined only in New South Wales (-21.6%). The rest of the large states saw monthly increases, led by South Australia (+14.2%), followed by Western Australia (+10.3%), Victoria (+10.1%) and Queensland (+2.3%). Sales in the three months to March 2024 increased compared to the previous year in Queensland (+41.0%), Western Australia (+25.6%), New South Wales (+21.3%) and South Australia (+4.4%). Victoria was flat (-0.2%) over the same period.  

The New Zealand Forest Owners Association says the just-released NZIER report commissioned by the Helen Clark Foundation on New Zealand’s food and fibre exports, fails to appreciate the economic, social and environmental benefits of production forestry. Source: Timberbiz The Pathways to Prosperity report clings to forestry misconceptions, claiming the sector is a pine ‘monoculture’, producing woody material and sediment in waterways and having a negative impact on rural communities. Forest Owners Association chief executive, Dr Elizabeth Heeg, says there is evidence to the contrary. “Forestry shows the greatest growth potential of all primary industries with an increasingly important role in strengthening our rural communities,” Dr Heeg says. “A report from PwC in 2020 found that forestry generated twice the number of jobs per hectare than hill country farming. That’s way outside any margin of error.” “New Zealand’s production forest estate is arguably also the only tool our country has available to meet its 2050 climate change targets.” “Our trees currently offset more than half of the nation’s total carbon emissions. These plantation forests have been solely responsible for reducing gross emissions from 76.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide down to 55.7 million tonnes.” The lack of appreciation for the scope of worldwide demand for timber and timber products in the future is perhaps the largest failure of the Clark Foundation report. “Not only will the worldwide demand for timber to replace carbon emitting concrete and steel, rise rapidly in the near future, but so too will the demand for wood-based biofuels and other plastic substitute products increase too,” Dr Heeg says. “This shift from log exports to higher value forestry bio-products is anticipated to increase the sector’s export value by approximately $12 to $19 billion according to the 2023 NZ Product Accelerator report.” The report’s undue emphasis on popular forestry misconceptions also downplays the important role of trees in maintaining a healthy environment. “The widespread belief there is a monoculture of pines is simply not true,” Dr Heeg says. “Both forestry and pastoral farming hold important roles in maintaining a mosaic of land uses and both are increasingly planting native vegetation along riparian strips, including sites where it’s too steep to plant trees or farm animals.” “Both industries have about 15 percent of their area in native vegetation. There is hardly any difference.” “Production forests are important habitats for supporting Aotearoa’s wildlife too,” Dr Heeg says. “There is strong evidence that native birds such as falcons and kiwi, prefer plantation forests due to greater food availability and the lack of predators, making it a safer environment.” “Forestry also has a unique role to play in minimising erosion. Research shows trees and their root systems stabilise the land for long periods, bind the soil and slow slip movement, decrease water runoff and erosion, and help in draining and improving soils.” “Likewise, our forests effectively filter out water contamination from other land use. These are major issues noted by the Clark Foundation report, but forestry’s role as a water purifier goes unrecognised.” “It is disappointing that the Helen Clark Foundation and NZIER are exacerbating misconceptions about forestry and missing a major productivity opportunity for New Zealand and its bioeconomy.”

With an ageing population placing increased strain on New Zealand’s public services, the country must earn more to maintain current living standards in the years ahead, a new discussion paper has found. Source: Timberbiz Released by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, Pathways to prosperity: Capturing more of the value of our food and fibre sector exports for New Zealand calls for “investment and policies that do not demand immediate results” to boost productivity in the food and fibre sector. The sector, which includes agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fishing and associated processing, accounts for 80% of New Zealand’s goods exports and is one of the main sources of income and tax revenue that fund public services. But it needs to earn more, says Peter Davis, Chair of the Helen Clark Foundation, which commissioned the discussion paper. “This country faces a key challenge in providing an ageing population with the quality healthcare, education and superannuation New Zealanders rightly expect,” Davis says. “New Zealand clearly needs to earn more as a country in the decades ahead to meet these expectations.” However, many New Zealand firms do not have the skills and scale necessary to compete effectively in unforgiving global markets, the paper’s authors Todd Krieble and Bill Kaye-Blake say. “We need to ensure we’re doing everything we can as a country to support the sector to grow its productivity and earn more from exports without putting more pressure on our people or our environment. “The good news is that our paper finds clear pathways New Zealand can take to achieve this.” Pathways include developing a more skilled workforce; consumer-driven marketing and product development; better investment, especially in processing; improving management and governance; and strategic collaboration to create scale and larger investment pools. The paper’s authors also identify key challenges to achieving greater productivity in the sector, which include lower levels of investment and technology in food and fibre processing compared to similar economies, and the risk-averse nature of firms (sometimes resulting from organisational structure, such as co-ops) and the mindsets of senior managers and directors. Krieble and Kaye-Blake suggest “time and patient money – that is, investment and policies that do not demand immediate results” could enable the sector to overcome these disadvantages. “Improving productivity will be hard, but maintaining the status quo will leave us with a middling economic performance and increasing anxiety about how New Zealand will pay its way in the future,” they say. “The sector’s challenges, especially in processing, have existed for decades and the underlying issues are not amenable to quick fixes. “We hope this paper provides a jumping off point for further discussions about the strengths of the sector, and how it can adapt and grow despite the challenges of the 21st Century.” Pathways to prosperity: Capturing more of the value of our food and fibre sector exports for New Zealand The discussion paper’s recommendations for the sector and for the Government include: Food and fibre exporters should be supported to be “mini-multinationals” – extracting more value from competitive export markets means companies, even small ones, have to do everything that bigger multinationals do: market research, product development, supply chain management, export clearance, and financial arrangements. Most food and fibre companies do not yet have all these capabilities and will need support in developing them. Government could identify businesses with the right set of capabilities and potential, and work with them proactively to build their exporting capabilities. Building on insights developed by MBIE and other agencies to focus government resources on those firms most likely to lift export intensity would mean working with firms that meet identified predictive characteristics of success rather than simply seeking to pick winners. Government with industry to understand what kind of investments would best support export growth and devise a long-term investment strategy. This approach could identify processes, technologies, training that would benefit both a company and the wider economy, helping New Zealand to develop the sorts of mini-multinationals that are needed to extract more value from export markets. Industry and government could collaborate to develop mechanisms that reduce investment risks in the food and fibre sector, given the sector’s importance to New Zealand and the higher risk profile it faces. For example, a government fund with an equity stake that invests at below-market rates could provide funding but capture the upside from ventures that succeed. More investment should be made into research the practice of management in New Zealand, given the importance of managerial capability in building export-capable firms. Consideration should also be given to subsidies or tax credits for managerial training for qualifying management and governance roles in the food and fibre sector. Government should consider requiring a minimum level of vocational training per year, and should ensure existing policies and programmes that incentivise businesses to undertake workforce training are working effectively and efficiently. Industry and Government should collaborate to explore options for more strategic collaboration among key players in the food and fibre sector. This should include investigation of the mechanisms and policies necessary to facilitate effective collaboration, while being mindful of limits set by competition and trade law. Funding could be directed to academic and applied research to determine the most promising forms of collaboration for the food and fibre sector. You can download the report here.

  The National Timber & Hardware Association has opened its 2024 State awards season, inviting nominations from businesses across all states and territories in Australia. Source: Timberbiz The NTHA Timber & Hardware Industry State awards occur bi-annually, serving as a platform to recognise outstanding contributions and inspire excellence throughout the industry. NTHA encourages businesses to take the opportunity to spotlight their achievements, elevate their brand, and contribute to the advancement of the timber and hardware sector collectively. “I am continually inspired by the exceptional calibre of our industry members. The NTHA Timber & Hardware Industry Awards stand as a testament to the relentless pursuit of excellence within our industry,” NTHA CEO, David Little said. “Through these awards, we celebrate both organisational and individual achievements, showcasing the collective brilliance that propels our industry forward. Each nominee represents a story of dedication, innovation, and unwavering commitment to excellence.” Nominations are now open for the following categories: NTHA Trainee/Apprentice of the Year NTHA Student of the Year Emerging Leader The REAL Difference Award 30+ Years Industry Service Trade Store of the Year Retail Store of the Year Under 2500sqm Retail Store of the Year Over 2500sqm Best Garden Centre Best Frame & Truss Operation Trade Supplier of the Year Retail Supplier of the Year Garden & Outdoor Supplier of the Year Safety Culture Award The time to nominate is limited, with deadlines varying across different states and territories. Winners will be announced at the State or Territory awards ceremonies for which they are nominated. Winners from the NTHA State Awards will continue to the national awards final in 2025. Dates and locations for the award finals are as follows: 14 June 2024 Victoria & Tasmania 27 July 2024 Queensland 9 August 2024 South Australia & Northern Territory 13 September 2024 New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory 11 October 2024 Western Australia “Our 2023 award win was a great morale boost for our management team and staff. The award recognition was encouragement to continue our journey of business transformation,” said Philip MacGregor, Managing Director, Hardware & General Supplies (Brookvale), the 2023 national award winner for Best Timber & Building Materials Store. “We have used the award in our advertising to our customers.  We have used the award in evidence to our staff that we are going in the right direction, a customer-focused business aiming to make it a great place to work and a great place to shop, to consolidate our profitability and to lead our markets.” To nominate for one or more of the 2024 award categories, visit: https://www.ntha.com.au/events/2024-state-awards/ For more information on nominations and award categories, visit: https://www.ntha.com.au/about-us/ntha-timber-hardware-industry-awards/  

Pentarch executive director Steve Dadd has rejected claims he favours an orderly transition away from native forest logging in New South Wales. Source: Timberbiz Mr Dadd, who is also Australian Forest Products Association Chairman, issued a statement yesterday clarifying statements attributed to him in an Australian Associated Press media release issued last week. In that media release businessman and activist Geoff Cousins was reported as supporting a campaign against the New South Wales government’s continued support for native forest logging. Mr Cousins was reported as saying he had recently met with Environment Minister Penny Sharpe and Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty, and that they both “accept that the status quo cannot continue”. Mr Cousins also claimed the Forestry Corporation’s two biggest customers, Pentarch Holdings and Brambles recently contacted him. Mr Cousins says both companies needed to understand that buying Forestry Corporation products resulting from the destruction of koala habitat is like supporting multinational companies that pay sweatshop workers a pittance. He claimed both companies expressed the desire for an orderly transition away from native forest logging to avoid the “shambles” Victoria saw when the government abruptly shut its business down, years earlier than expected. “The chair of the Forest Products Association, he said ‘yeah the last thing we want is what happened in Victoria’. I said Well you’re going to get it unless you take a lead.” But Mr Dadd said Mr Cousins’ claim that he expressed the desire for an orderly transition away from native forest logging was false. “I made no such statement about a transition out of native forestry,” Mr Dadd said. “We do not support any form of transition away from native forest harvesting.” Mr Dadd also clarified other statements made in the media release. “I did indeed meet with Mr Cousins in good faith to hear his views and invite him to visit our operations and unfortunately found him unwilling to engage on the many benefits of native forestry or acknowledge scientific evidence,” he said. “He is either denying the irrefutable science that native forestry has little impact on koala populations or is ignorant of the facts which are clearly stated on the Natural Resource Commission website. “To scurrilously compare native forestry to sweatshops is clever spin from an experienced advertising executive to further corrupt public opinion about the sustainable harvesting and regrowing of hardwood from just 1% of our forests. “Mr Cousins does not appear to recognise the benefits of carbon stored in hardwood products or the sequestration of carbon in regrowing forests where wildlife thrives. “He refuses to acknowledge the $1.1billion benefit the industry brings to the State of NSW or the 8900 families directly supported by the industry. “So, it’s difficult to understand how Mr Cousins can consider himself to have a balanced view on native forestry and we hope the NSW Government sees his opinions for what they are. “We accept the commitment to establishing a Great Koala National Park and are working with the NSW Government to ensure it achieves both a sustainable future for our business, the people and communities who rely on us and maximises benefits for the climate and koalas. “We are also hopeful that native forestry is recognised for its many scientifically proven benefits for the environment, as expressed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “We should accept our global responsibility in supplying ethically and fully certified hardwood rather than rely on imports from countries which do not have in place the same checks and balances as we do here.” Australian Forest Products Association CEO Diana Hallam said the group reached out to Mr Cousins after recent media reports about his views on native forests. “As Australia’s peak forest products industry advocacy body, we appreciate hearing people’s views and concerns,” she said. “Those who campaign against Australia’s native forestry sector are campaigning for worse environmental and climate outcomes. Our objective is to make sure more people understand that.”  

FSC has updated the FSC-POL-30-001a V1-1 Lists of Highly Hazardous Pesticides based on existing criteria, indicators, thresholds and sources through an accelerated revision process as described in FSC-PRO-01-001The Development and Revision of FSC Requirements. Source: Timberbiz The objective was to determine whether there have been any changes in the international recognised sources referenced by FSC since the last update. The FSC-POL-30-001a V1-1 Lists of Highly Hazardous Pesticides determine the hazard rating of chemical pesticides based on an existing set of criteria set out in Annex 1 of FSC-POL-30-001 V3-0 FSC Pesticides Policy. Such chemical pesticides are therefore considered to be highly hazardous in the FSC system and are classified as prohibited, highly restricted or restricted. There were 41 changes in total. These relate to the reclassification of pesticides, or the criteria met. Specifically, changes in the updated version include: 4 new pesticides were added 5 pesticides were deleted 8 pesticides were reclassified from one list to another There were 24 changes in the criteria that did not result in a reclassification to another list These changes marked in “track changes” in Draft 1-0 sent for consultation. This document is uploaded to the dedicated process page on FSC Connect, together with other relevant documents such as the consultation report. The updated FSC-POL-30-001a V1-1 Lists of Highly Hazardous Pesticides can be downloaded from the FSC Document Centre.

The AI application developed by Metsä Group and CollectiveCrunch for detecting insect damage has won the international Innovation of Innovations prize. Metsä Fibre’s Future Sawmill concept was recognised in the Business innovations category. Source: Timberbiz The international Quality Innovation Award (QIA) 2023 competition rewards the most notable innovations of the year. The award-winning application from Metsä Group and CollectiveCrunch detects insect damage in forests such as damage caused by spruce bark beetles before it is visible to the human eye. The application is based on artificial intelligence, machine learning and open data. The AI application shared the first prize with a technology innovation in the field of medicine. “Global warming is increasing the risks to the health of forests. This real-time method for detecting insect damage helps us preserve forest health and carbon sinks in a changing climate,” says Olli Leino, SVP, Development from Metsä Group’s Wood Supply and Forest Services. Metsä Group’s wood supply personnel has been using the application since June 2023. The application can be used to both pinpoint damage and schedule wood trade and harvesting to reduce the risk of damage spreading. The map material of risk sites produced by the application is visible in the Metsäverkko mobile application used by Metsä Group’s owner-members. If they wish, forest owners can use this material to visit the sites in person to check the risk areas and plan forestry work. The Future Sawmill concept developed by Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, was recognised in the Business Innovations (large companies) category. The concept improves the efficiency of sawn timber production, safety at work, the production operating model and product quality management. “We’re happy to have received this international recognition. We aim to develop the mechanical forest industry with industrial efficiency in mind. We wanted to create a concept for our sawmill, which is the most modern in the world, a forerunner in its technology, operating model and efficiency, and a global trendsetter in the field. This resulted in the Future Sawmill concept, which we used at our Rauma pine sawmill that came online in 2022,” says Ismo Nousiainen, Metsä Fibre’s CEO. The Quality Innovation Award was now organised for the 17th time. This year, the competition received 562 entries from eight countries/areas, and the best 24 of them were rewarded. The winners of national quality contests can enter the international competition. National quality associations selected the winners in a tight vote. The China Association for Quality hosted the traditional award ceremony in April 2024. Video presentation of the application here. The production process uses standard sheets of ​​​​timber. A robot cuts the sheets into components and assembles them into units that are transported to site, enabling complete customized homes to be built in a matter of weeks.

ABB Robotics announced it is collaborating with UK-based tech start-up AUAR, to advance the use of robotic micro-factories to build affordable, sustainable low energy timber homes. Source: Timberbiz AUAR’s transformative approach to integrating robotic automation into the building process will tackle skills shortages, boost sustainability, and improve health and safety by deploying robots in a global network of local micro-factories. These micro-factories will construct energy-efficient, affordable buildings from ​sheet timber​. AUAR reports today that it has completed a £2.6M seed round led by deep-tech and AI fund Miles Ahead, alongside ABB Robotics & Automation Ventures and several other investors. “The increasing capabilities of robots enabled by vision and AI, coupled with their inherent speed, flexibility and consistency, makes them the ideal solution for meeting the growing need for affordable, high quality, sustainable housing,” said Craig McDonnell, Managing Director Business Line Industries, ABB Robotics. “With 95% of building firms in our recent market survey describing sustainability as ‘important’ or ‘very important’ to their businesses, and 38% seeing robots as a way of reducing waste, our collaboration with AUAR opens new possibilities for homebuilders to deliver affordable sustainable homes at scale.” ABB is already heavily involved in helping construction companies automate their processes. ABB robots are widely used in a range of modular assembly and 3D printing building projects worldwide, as well as academic projects researching new ways to integrate robotic automation into construction.  The collaboration with AUAR follows the announcement by ABB working with German management consulting firm, Porsche Consulting, to develop innovative new practices in modular housing manufacture. ​​​​​AUAR is the brainchild of two architects​,​ Mollie Claypool (CEO) and Gilles Retsin (CTO/Chief Architect​) who have worked for over 10 years on robotics, automation, construction, and architecture. During that time, they have relied extensively on support from ABB Robotics to realize their vision. The relationship has already seen ABB Robotics win the prize for ‘Best Use of Robotics or Automation in Construction’ at the 2023 Robotics & Automation Awards. AUAR’s automated micro-factory approach provides a solution to many of the challenges facing building companies, including supply chain issues, project delivery and quality and skills shortages. Conventional buildings consist of thousands of different components shipped from around the world, making it almost impossible to automate construction. In contrast, AUAR’s goal is to work with one type of material and one type of machine to dramatically simplify the supply chain. While many of the assembly tasks are automated, AUAR’s approach supports local jobs by promoting the use of micro-factories close to construction sites, where local contractors and suppliers can coordinate delivery. The micro-factory approach is flexible enough to meet whatever each market demands. Each facility can be scaled to reflect local needs, with the ability to ramp up production by adding modular robot cells. “With the focus on the dual needs of building more affordable homes and minimizing the environmental footprint of buildings throughout their lifetime, automated modular construction presents a great opportunity to rethink the way that the buildings are constructed,” added McDonnell. “Our collaborations with AUAR and Porsche Consulting mark an exciting step in our efforts to accelerate the use of robotic automation in the construction industry to help address its challenges and deliver the sustainable buildings of the future.”

Joe Karten has news for anyone who thought the work-from-home revolution might convince tech giant Atlassian to cancel plans to build one of the world’s most environmentally sustainable skyscrapers in downtown Sydney. Source: Commercial Real Estate “We are out of the ground; out and away,” he says of the reinforced concrete core that has been laid as the foundation for the $1.5 billion Atlassian Central building. Karten is head of sustainability at construction giant Built, the company tasked with turning Atlassian’s green dream into 39 storeys of low-carbon reality. Atlassian Central was designed to have half the embodied carbon of a typical building and Karten told the Tech Zero podcast it would set a new standard for the construction industry at a time when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that buildings are responsible for 21 per cent of global emissions. “An aspiration for that project was to create a lighthouse to effectively change the standard that we will expect for buildings,” says Karten. Atlassian Central’s low-carbon goal will be achieved by using mass timber – a building material made from reinforced wood – in many places where concrete and steel would normally be used. Photovoltaic cells will be built into the exterior of the building while the aluminium used for louvres and window frames will be a super-low-carbon product made at Rio Tinto’s hydro-electric smelter in New Zealand. The concrete and steel that make up the core of the building are also low carbon versions of those materials, and the design will maximise natural ventilation to reduce power consumption for airconditioning. “What Atlassian has done has really set the bar high at a global level. And we’re going to see a lot of action around buildings that really tackle embodied carbon in a real and authentic way,” says Karten. Located next to Sydney’s Central railway station, the tower will cater for 5000 occupants. Atlassian says it expects staff to be housed there from 2027 onward. The tech giant is pushing ahead with the project despite offering staff a “work from anywhere” policy. Karten says smart companies see attractive, environmentally friendly workplaces as an asset in the competition for talent, even if the price tag on such buildings is higher. “They’ve [Atlassian] made no secret of the fact that they didn’t require the standard property developer margins on that project,” he says. “They invested some extra money of their own to create a real icon of a project. Now, that’s invaluable, because attracting talent, we know in tech, the war for talent is fierce. “Generation Y and younger are really preferencing sustainability on equal, if not more preferential terms than the economic or the financial. So it actually makes sense. “Just building the cheapest building is not attractive. It’s not going to get the right result.” The tech giant will own a minority stake in Atlassian Central, believed to be about 35 per cent, and will be the anchor tenant on a 15-year lease. Real estate development company Dexus will be the majority owner under a deal struck with Atlassian in 2022. Dexus said in February that about $1.2 billion of the $1.5 billion capital cost was still to be spent.

Perth has just had its driest six months on record, while Western Australia sweltered through its hottest summer on record. Those records are remarkable in their own right. But these records are having real consequences. Source: The Conversation Unlike us, trees and shrubs can’t escape the heat and aridity. While we turn up the air conditioning, they bear the full brunt of the changing climate. Our previous research has shown plants are more vulnerable to heatwaves than we had thought. Beginning in February 2024, large areas of vegetation started to turn brown and die off. With no real relief in sight, we unfortunately expect this mass plant death event to intensify and expand. Just like a coral bleaching event, WA’s plants are responding to the cumulative stress of the unusually long, hot and dry summer. And just like bleaching, global heating is likely to cause more regular mass plant deaths. The last time this happened in 2010-11, almost 20% of trees and shrubs in affected areas died. This is in line with climate change models, which pinpoint south-western Australia as a warming and drying hotspot. We have received reports from community members, colleagues, and authorities of dead and dying shrubs and trees spanning approximately 1,000 km from the Zuytdorp Cliffs near Shark Bay down to Albany on the southern coast. In areas along the west coast where it was hottest, dead or dying patches are larger while further south in the forests, the damage is so far limited to pockets of dead trees and shrinking tree canopies. At present, the die-off seems to have affected plants on and around shallow soils, including trees near granite outcrops and coastal heath. While February heatwaves directly killed some plants, it is likely the long, dry period finished the job. Despite some patchy rain last week, no substantial rain is forecast until May. It’s likely more areas will be hit, including our iconic wet forests in the south. Perth once again smashed temperature records this summer with a record thirteen days over 40° in 2024 to date. Even in April, we had a 37° day. This comes off the back of last year’s spring heatwaves, which broke monthly maximum and minimum temperature records in both September and November. While much of Australia’s east coast had more than enough rain, the west largely missed out. Rainfall has been below or very much below average over the past year, with the biggest rainfall deficits seen from Shark Bay’s Gascoyne region right down to the southwest corner at Cape Leeuwin. The summer’s heatwaves came from baking desert air, as high-pressure systems directed hot dry easterly winds from Australia’s arid interior over the region, just as we saw during the hot summer of 2021-2022, Long hot and dry periods are expected to become more common as a result of our warming climate. Declining rainfall will hit the historically wetter southwest hardest. This pocket of Australia is unique, cut off from the rest of the continent by desert. Here and only here live honey possums and numbats, towering karri and jarrah trees and red flowering gums. But it’s the southwest which has lost most rainfall so far, with annual levels already 20% lower than 50 years ago. Over the summer of 2010-2011, we saw a similar event sweep south-western Australia. It came about when a winter drought gave way to widespread heatwaves over summer. The result: die-off of forests and vegetation throughout the southwest. On land, the effects extended over a smaller area than we are seeing now. How bad was it? Pretty bad. Averaging across the region’s affected areas, 19% of trees and shrubs died, while the forests of the south-west lost approximately 16,000 hectares of canopy, about 1.5% of the forest. When forests die, the effects ripple through the ecosystem. The endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoo population crashed, declining by 60%, while the jarrah forest east of Perth was so hard hit it was categorised at “risk of collapse” by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This time, the summer has been longer and hotter, with impacts on plants more widespread. Climate change is steadily warming the world. Last year was the hottest on record, with temperatures shooting past predictions. Our trees and shrubs will keep browning off and dying until we get substantial rain. That means there’s no way to tell when our extraordinary range of forest and shrubland species will have the opportunity to recover. The longer-term trend is not good. As with coral bleaching, the situation will worsen until we reverse climate change. Large-scale plant die-offs like this will become more likely. What we do need are eyes on the ground to track what’s happening across this enormous state. Our ability to understand, model and respond is hampered by a lack of field data.

Scion’s New Zealand ForestSAT conference has opened for abstracts, the conference to be held from 9-13 September and will concentrate on demonstrating new tools and technologies that move science forward. Source: Timberbiz When submitting your abstract, you will be asked to select the main area that your abstract aligns with from the following list of Special Session and General Session topics. If your abstract fits across multiple topics, you can identify any relevant alternatives from the list as well. If you abstract does not align with any of the listed Special and General Session topics please select ‘Other’. General Session topics: Automation of data processing using cloud processing Citizen and community science to support forest monitoring Detection of drought and water stress Forest and vegetation spectroscopy Forest big data, deep learning Forest health Forest management and policy Forest monitoring Forest resilience monitoring Global Forest Observation Monitoring forest degradation and mortality Monitoring of protected forests, biodiversity and forest services Multi-source RS data integration / Fusion Precision forestry Scaling up LiDAR assessments of forest structure Synthetic forests Terrestrial laser scanning Tree species Other After completing the abstract submission process, you will receive an email confirming your submission. The closing date for submissions is 20 April 2024 you can submit here If you have any questions, please contact forestsat2024@theconferencecompany.com  

Almost 2.5-million hardwood and softwood seedlings are being dispatched from Forestry Corporation’s Grafton Nursery to be replanted in state forests across New South Wales. Source: Timberbiz The Grafton Nursery grows a mix of eucalyptus and pine seedlings, which are replanted in state forest timber plantations that have previously been harvested for renewable timber products. “These seedlings will be planted and grown for around 30 years to supply renewable timber for the next generation’s homes and infrastructure,” Forestry Corporation’s District Manager for Grafton Lyndon Orpwood said. “After timber harvest operations, state forests in New South Wales are regrown or replanted to continue the forest cycle into the future,” Mr Orpwood said. “Timber is the ultimate renewable resource and is crucial to the Australian construction industry. “Almost 100 million seedings have been raised at the Grafton nursery over the past two decades, ultimately helping to build people’s homes and to replenish vital public infrastructure including power poles, marine piers, bridges and platforms,” he said. Forestry Corporation’s pine and native hardwood seedling nursery at Grafton employs a permanent workforce of 13 staff, who are assisted with the annual dispatch by a seasonal workforce. When in full production, the Grafton Nursery produces around 50,000 seedlings a day with all stock grown from seed. The eucalypt and pine seedlings are being dispatched from the Grafton nursery across the state for replanting schedules in plantation forests. For plantation forests in southern NSW, Forestry Corporation produces seedlings at its Tumut Nursery. Since it opened in 1997, the southern NSW nursery has produced more than 176 million cold climate seedlings.

Foresta has secured a critical 10-year wood supply agreement to underpin production from its planned low emissions torrefied wood pellet manufacturing plant at Kawerau, New Zealand. Source: Timberbiz New Zealand’s largest forestry services company, PF Olsen, has agreed to supply 150,000 tonnes of logs, stumps and slash sourced from sustainably managed, Forest Stewardship Council accredited forests. “This is another significant step forward for our manufacturing plant with the supply representing around 61% of the total quantity of raw feedstock required for Stage 1AA and 1A of the plant,” said Foresta Managing Director Ray Mountfort. The plant will produce torrefied black wood pellets which are a seamless drop-in replacement for coal as a fuel source in boilers without any loss of energy intensity while also significantly reducing carbon emissions. A recent Genesis trial at Huntly power station using similar pellets reduced emissions by at least 90%. Foresta plans to invest some $300 million building the plant which at full production will employ more than 100 workers.PF Olsen is responsible for planting around 30% of all new forestry in New Zealand as well as managing over 160,000 ha in New Zealand. “We’re excited to be partnering with such a respected and significant player in the New Zealand forestry industry. “The supply agreement represents another piece in the jigsaw which means, pending funding, we can proceed with confidence with our plans to develop our manufacturing plant and begin construction later this year.” Foresta last week announced the signing of a 30-year lease (with a 20 year right of renewal) on a 9.6 ha property in Kawerau with Putauaki Trust. Foresta has also secured an off-take agreement with South Island energy distribution company Tailored Energy & Resources Ltd to supply 65,000 tonnes of pellets annually to its industrial customers and a harvesting contract with Silvertree Biomass Solutions. The planned plant will also produce natural pine-based chemicals (rosins and terpenes) from pine trees which can replace petroleum sourced chemicals. These are used in everyday items including flavours, fragrances, chewing gum, paint, ink and tyres.

A Latrobe Valley consultant has strongly criticised the lack of bushfire expertise on the state government panel investigating the future use of Victoria’s native forest estate. Source: LaTrobe Valley Express The government has established the Great Outdoors Taskforce to conduct the investigation of the state’s public land estate, which now includes forest previously used for timber harvesting. The taskforce will be chaired by a former Victorian Minister for Environment, Lisa Neville. Members of the taskforce include: Karen Cain, chair of the Eminent Panel for Community Engagement and a former chair of the Latrobe Valley Authority; Mellissa Wood, chair of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council and member of the Eminent Panel for Community Engagement; Graham Dear, board chair of the Victorian Fisheries Authority, and; Terry Robinson, CEO of Destination Gippsland.   John Cameron, a forest and business consultant with decades of experience, said wildfire was the single most important threat to the state’s 7.5 million hectares of native forest. “There is a clear need for a fire behaviour expert to be on the Great Outdoors Taskforce,” he said. Mr Cameron said at least one of several highly qualified bushfire experts should have been chosen, including a representative from Forestry Australia, the professional body that represents forest scientists, bush practitioners and experts in forest management. The work of the late Professor Kevin Tolhurst, who died suddenly last October, should be included in the investigation. “Kevin was an expert in wildfire behaviour, prescribed burning techniques and guidelines, ecological management of landscapes, fire risk management and ecological impacts of fire,” Mr Cameron said. “Victorian bushfire policy is hopelessly misguided, and based on shonky science steeped in ideology. Against misguided political, ideological and bureaucratic impediments, Kevin continued to deliver real science and practical management options.” Mr Cameron wrote a tribute to Dr Tolhurst last year with Traralgon resident and former CSIRO bushfire expert, David Packham. “Kevin’s last message to a gathering at Mallacoota on 5 October was, that if appropriate fuel reduction had been applied prior to the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire, Mallacoota would not have burned,” they wrote. Mr Cameron said Victoria’s black summer bushfires burnt 1.8 million ha, five lives were lost and millions of native fauna were killed. Within the region of the fire, only 0.6 per cent of the forest was fuel reduced in the four previous years, well below the five per cent recommended by the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission, he said. Mr Cameron also said there was a glaring falsehood in the government’s announcement of the task force, which stated that 1.8 million ha’s of native forest had been allocated to the native forest industry. When harvesting ended this year, the area of the Victorian forest available for timber harvesting was only about 4-6 per cent of the 7.5 million hectares of native forest. “This was only about 375,000 ha, or 0.4mill ha. The government is misleading the public again and again on the facts,” he said. The Minister for Environment, Steve Dimopoulos, said the taskforce would also include Traditional Owner representation. Their involvement will be flexible to allow for each Traditional Owner group to determine its involvement. The taskforce will consult with communities and stakeholders to ensure all options for future uses and care of the forest are heard and explored. It will consider opportunities to protect the environment and support recreational, social and commercial opportunities in their recommendations to government. This includes investigating which areas of the estate present opportunities for recreation and tourism, such as camping, hunting, hiking, trail-bike riding and four-wheel driving. The taskforce will also explore which areas need to be protected to safeguard threatened species, areas that qualify for protection as National Parks and opportunities for Traditional Owner management. The panel will prioritise areas of state forest where some decisions can be made now and advise on where more engagement is required. The work will be undertaken over the next 12 months and consultation details will be released in the coming weeks. Mr Dimopoulos said the end of native timber harvesting was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to design new ways of caring for the state’s forests while giving Victorians more opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. “This taskforce will play a critical role listening to Victorians about how best to manage our forests. Each member brings specialised knowledge to the panel ensuring thorough consideration of all options during consultation,” he said. For more information visit, www.deeca.vic.gov.au/futureforests/immediate-protection-areas/future-forests

Last week Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff signed an agreement with three Jacqui Lambie Network MPs, Miriam Beswick (Braddon), Andrew Jenner (Lyons), and Rebekah Pentland (Bass) which indicates that there will be stability for the timber industry. Source: Timberbiz However, support is not guaranteed as the three members have a clause in the agreement that allows them to give 24 hours’ notice if they intend to vote against the government. A discussion paper suggests that they do not agree with expanding native forest logging, but they do support more plantation timber. The JLN MPs said they would provide certainty to the Liberals by voting against all censure and no confidence motions except in cases of malfeasance or corruption and agreed to pass the government’s budget and money bills unamended. The three new MPs are not career politicians and now find themselves holding the balance of power in a hung parliament. The agreement will be reviewed after 12 months. The Rockliff Liberal Cabinet includes: Jeremy Rockliff: Premier, Tourism and Hospitality, Trade and Major Investment Eric Abetz: Business, Industry and Resources, Transport, Leader of the House Nick Duigan: Energy and Renewables, Parks and Environment Jane Howlett: Primary Industries and Water, Racing Eric Abetz served as the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation in the Howard Government between 2006 and 2007 and has been named Industry and Resources Minister overseeing Tasmanian forestry. As TFPA Chief Executive Officer Nick Steel pointed out Mr Abetz spent many years in the Federal Parliament representing Tasmania’s forestry industry on the national stage. He has shown he’s a strong supporter of the important and sustainable work of the industry and the 5,500 Tasmanians employed by it. The organisational structure of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania includes: Secretary Jason Jacobi Primary industries and Water Deirdre Wilson Agriculture, Forestry & Water Catherine Murdoch Forest Policy Tom Byrne The organisation structure diagram can be downloaded here.