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SEPPI’s range of forestry mulchers for tractors and PTO tractors has been expanded to include a new forestry mulcher. SEPPI M mulchers already cover the maximum power for tractors in the highest power class. This time, the focus is on compact tractors with the aim of offering an efficient maintenance tool for the most complex green spaces. Source: Timberbiz The MICROFORST pto with mechanical power take-off is the perfect addition to the range of accessories for 30 to 60 HP tractors. Thanks to its lightweight, this forestry mulcher is ideal for two-axle mowers such as AEBI TT or similar. The MICROFORST pto mulches brush and woody plants up to 13 cm in diameter. This mulcher is designed for PTO tractors that need a reliable mulcher for intense forestry works. The MICROFORST pto is designed for small tractors or public works vehicles up to 60 HP, and being a lightweight machine, also offers stability when working on slopes. The maximum recommended weight of the tractor is two tons. The technical characteristics of the MICROFORST pto are similar to those of larger forestry mulchers, but the mulcher weighs less than 600 kg. Thanks to its AR400 steel build, its resistance to wear and long service life are guaranteed despite its low weight. The standard Cut Control rotor with Mini Duo hammers with two tungsten carbide inserts combines high performance with a long service life and guarantees minimal and simple maintenance. The same type of hammers are used on all SEPPI forestry mulchers, even in the highest performance class. The Cut Control rotors are latest generation, with SEPPI Mini Duo tools and a new-concept depth limiter. Similar to a depth gauge on a chainsaw, the limiter controls the cutting depth and helps prevent the rotor from “choking”, thus guaranteeing an easy and quality milling process. A rotor with Mini Blade tools can be selected as an option. This makes the MICROFORST pto mulcher particularly efficient on trees that have not yet been felled, ensuring a quick and clean cut of the wood thanks to the particularly sharp Mini Blade tools. This dynamic forestry mulcher can be used by gardeners and landscapers for seasonal cleaning, in public and urban areas to clear bushes, and by farmers for land clearing.

German sports brand Adidas has partnered with non-profit environmental organisation Canopy to ensure its textiles, paper and paper packaging are free of fibre sourced from climate-critical forests. Source: Timberbiz Adidas has committed to Canopy’s CanopyStyle and Pack4Good initiatives and it is hoped the commitment will also help the brand to move to low-carbon and circular Next Gen alternatives for its textiles, paper and paper packaging products. The initiatives are said to be dedicated to eliminating the use of fibre sourced from climate-critical forests in textiles, paper, and paper packaging while promoting the adoption of low-carbon and circular alternatives. “Joining with Canopy marks an important stride for Adidas in our evolving journey towards sustainability. Adidas is committed to continued high-quality performance of our products whilst delivering meaningful and lasting ecological change for the planet. Being part of the CanopyStyle and Pack4Good initiatives is the next step for us on that journey,” Adidas senior director of sustainability Viviane Gut said. In addition to committing to sustainable sourcing practices, Adidas is also exploring solutions to reduce waste and reliance on virgin forest fibre. This includes using discarded clothing for viscose production and agricultural residues for paper packaging, thereby repurposing waste materials while reducing the pressure on vital forests. Adidas aims to increase the use of recycled materials in its paper packaging and prioritise sourcing from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified forests when virgin forest fibre is necessary. Canopy describes forests as playing a crucial role in maintaining a habitable planet and combating climate change. However, it notes the textile and paper industries contribute significantly to deforestation, with more than 3.4bn trees being cut down annually for fabric production and packaging materials.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the forest products industry, and Vanessa Simard, supervisor, Production Planning and Optimization, for Resolute’s Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (Quebec, Canada) operations is playing a key role in the shift. Source: Timberbiz Through academic research, Ms Simard analyzed how this rapidly evolving technology can help manufacturing facilities run more efficiently. She has been putting her skills to use at Resolute for more than ten years, collaborating with her colleagues to continuously improve productivity. The last few years have been pretty busy. Her work was published in multiple academic journals such as the International Journal of Production Research and the Journal of Data and Information Quality. She completed a PhD degree in Industrial Engineering at Université Laval in 2023. Her thesis, investigating technology’s potential to reduce the impact of uncertainty in the forestry supply chain through improved methods of data analysis, earned the 9th David Martell Student Paper Prize from the Canadian Operational Research Society. She has also taught a course in advanced operational research and even presented her research at an event hosted by the Canadian chapter of Women in AI, an organization dedicated to increasing female participation in AI. Beginning in 2013 with a research internship for her bachelor’s degree, Ms Simard spent time at several Resolute operations in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, acquiring a wealth of knowledge about forest products operations and process planning. She implemented a number of improvements, including a program to save time for mechanics filling out their reports. And while pursuing her master’s degree between 2015 and 2017 and continuing her career with Resolute, Ms Simard was instrumental in developing a major AI-based innovative solution that dramatically reduced the time required to plan the lumber drying process. The system was selected as a finalist for an Innovation Award from the Association pour le développement de la recherche et de l’innovation du Québec (ADRIQ). “Getting that ‘oh, wow!’ reaction from a colleague is a good feeling,” Ms Simard said. “I observe how a task is done, collect data and analyze it from various angles. Then I come back and shake things up with new tools and processes. When a task that used to take two hours can now be done in two minutes, that’s rewarding.”

Stakeholders globally are invited to provide feedback on the new PEFC RED II standards, developed to enable organisations to demonstrate compliance with RED II requirements and make RED II compliant declarations. Source: Timberbiz RED II, the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy Directive, establishes sustainability requirements for forestry feedstocks and greenhouse gas criteria for biomass fuels that companies in the renewable energy sector across the EU must comply with to be eligible for financial support by public authorities. PEFC is currently in the process to be recognised by the European Commission as one of the voluntary schemes that organisations can use to make their RED II compliant declarations. The recognition scope covers forest ligno-cellulosic material, including residues and waste, and biomass fuels made of this material. For this purpose, PEFC has developed the PEFC 5000 series of standards: PEFC ST 5002 will enable organisations sourcing ligno-cellulosic material to use the PEFC certification scheme to demonstrate compliance with RED II. It is based on the PEFC Chain of Custody standard to make it easier for organisations to integrate the RED II requirements within their chain of custody processes and audits. Prospective PEFC RED II certified organisations will need to already hold a PEFC chain of custody certificate (or achieve it at the same time as their RED II certification). PEFC ST 5003 covers the requirements for certification bodies providing audits against ST 5002. It will enable PEFC chain of custody notified certification bodies to extend their notification to operate PEFC RED II certification. PEFC RED II audits will follow the ST 2003 requirements, with additional elements such as requirements for the auditing of residues, wastes, and GHG emissions. ST 5003 also includes additional accreditation requirements. PEFC ST 5004 sets up the requirements for country or regional risk assessments against the RED II sustainability criteria conducted by an independent and competent in country-expert stakeholder or stakeholders, and the recognition of those risk assessments by PEFC. To receive the link to the draft standards go to https://podio.com/webforms/29406454/2413693 For more information contact PEFC at technical@pefc.org Deadline for comments is 20 April 2024.

New Zealand’s Government would be imposing a big obligation on future generations if it relied heavily on pine forests to meet the country’s 2050 “net zero” carbon goal, MPs have been told. Source: The Post Climate Change Commission chairperson Rod Carr told Parliament’s Environment select committee “we think trees are great”. But he said the commission was concerned about what might happen after 2050 if the country had achieved “net zero” by planting a large number of pine trees that might be unsustainable. “If they are a mono-age, mono-culture of planting, particularly on erosion-prone land, maintaining that forest cover in the face of disease, age, storm, fire is going to be an increasing obligation on future generations.” Up to two million hectares of farmland could be converted to pine forests under existing incentives, which placed no cap on the use of forestry to achieve net emissions targets, he said. “We recommend that the Government decide what is the acceptable level of gross emissions reduction and, by implication, what is the acceptable level of pine plantation offsets to achieve our existing targets.” People often forgot the 2050 commitment was to be “net zero” in every subsequent calendar year, Mr Carr told the committee. That meant that if the country relied too heavily on planting pine trees to achieve that, it would need to commit more and more land to forestry to offset emissions in the latter half of the century, he told the committee. “In the near term, an increase in the forest estate is helpful in putting us on our pathway to net zero, but it’s really risky if it is locked in as the way to keep it net zero.” The Climate Change Commission is due to provide Climate Change Minister Simon Watts with advice on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) on Thursday, including on the floor price for issuing carbon credits and the trigger price for releasing extra credits. That advice would be made public on 14 March, he said. “The commission believes the ETS can play a significant part in helping New Zealand lower its emissions, but also believes that in its current state, it will fail to do so,” Mr Carr said. That was partly because there was a significant “overhang” in the market of previously- issued emissions rights that it was hard to unpack, he said. The number of “banked” carbon credits that emitters were sitting on and a reliance on using forestry to offset emissions would risk New Zealand using older technologies to produce “not ‘green’ premium products but dirty discounted products”, he said. Act Party climate change spokesperson Simon Court voiced concern during the committee hearing over the use of child labour in the third world to produce the materials for EV car batteries, questioning “how far should we really cast the net when we’re thinking about what’s important to New Zealand?” Mr Carr said it was great there was a live social conscience about child labour, but there was “an element of selective bias sometimes what we choose to inquire about”. Out of the estimated 6 million child labourers on the planet, about 25,000 were involved in mining cobalt in Congo,” he said, saying also that half of the world’s lithium came from western Australia. “So, we should all be mindful of where we get our pyjamas and our shoes from as well as where we get our technology from.” There were parts of the world where uranium was mined and oil extracted in communities that had been “unable to get the advantage but suffered the consequences of those extractive technologies,” Mr Carr said. “We should be alive to that, but it is not a reason not to embrace low emission technologies because the people who will suffer most in a changing climate are those vulnerable communities”. Mr Carr suggested “carbon border adjustments” on certain imports appeared a reasonable way to address a separate concern that any strict emissions policies could result in manufacturers shifting production to countries with fewer protections. The European Union was evaluating and in some cases putting in place such levies, which were an alternative to New Zealand’s current practice of issuing “free” carbon credits to some firms in heavy industries that faced overseas competition, he said.  

The Stirling Group is putting together a tour for Australian and New Zealand furniture makers showcasing the manufacturing strengths of Italy’s three industry leading woodworking machinery factories. Source: Timberbiz Scheduled from 13-21 April 2024 the tour will culminate with the world leading furniture exhibition Salone del Mobile. Starting in Florence The Stirling Group will work in conjunction with the leading 5 to 11 axis CNC producer Bacci, to start the tour. Bacci has opened its state-of-the-art factory and will have the entire range of CNC machinery operating to demonstrate how efficiency, capabilities and technology provide the solutions to modern manufacturing solutions. The tour then moves to Schio, home of the Costa Levigatrici to witness the 2024 design and innovation of wide belt sanding and how the experience can improve your furniture manufacturing process. The tour finishes at ItalPresse headquarters in Bagnatica, the largest press manufacturer in the world and they will present their range of hydraulic presses and complete lines that cover craftwork bespoke furniture makers to large industrial applications. The highlight of the trip is the visit to the renowned Salone del Mobile, the international furniture show held in Milan. Participants will be immersed in a world of design, gaining inspiration from the latest trends and innovations in the furniture industry. It’s an opportunity to network with industry professionals and forge valuable connections. The Italy tour delves deep into optimizing manufacturing processes and streamlining operations. Each meticulously planned factory visit is designed to immerse participants in the capabilities of cutting-edge woodworking machinery, offering insights into their transformative potential for the furniture industry. For more information visit: https://stirlingmachinery.com.au/masters-of-timber/  

Certification plays a pivotal role in fostering environmentally conscious supply chains, and over the past week, Responsible Wood Sustainability Manager, Matt de Jongh, engaged in insightful discussions with certificate holders, Austpaper and DIY Resolutions and Australian Brushware Corporation in Melbourne. Source: Timberbiz These discussions highlighted the significance of responsible practices in promoting sustainable wood sourcing. Robert Lane, General Manager at Austpaper, emphasised their commitment to environmental responsibility. “We prioritise eco-friendly practices and responsible sourcing to minimise our environmental impact,” he said. “The Responsible Wood certification aligns with our vision for a more sustainable and responsible future.” Luke Cerra, Group Manager Procurement at DIY Resolutions and Australian Brushware Corporation, echoed this sentiment. “Our dedication to ethical and green initiatives is a cornerstone of our operations,” Mr Cerra said. “It’s not just about certifications; it’s about making a positive impact on the environment and ensuring a legacy of sustainability.” Certification through Responsible Wood provides a credible framework for companies devoted to eco-friendly operations. Austpaper and DIY Resolutions and Australian Brushware Corporation serve as exemplary models of this dedication, contributing significantly to a greener future. Mr de Jongh expressed his optimism about these engagements. “It’s heartening to see organisations like Austpaper and DIY Resolutions and Australian Brushware Corporation prioritising responsible wood sourcing,” he said. “Their commitment not only aligns with environmental goals but also enhances brand credibility and consumer trust.” As we navigate an evolving market, sustainability transcends being a mere trend; it’s a responsibility. By supporting certified entities like Austpaper and DIY Resolutions and Australian Brushware Corporation, we collectively drive positive change and safeguard our planet. The dedication of these organisations serves as a beacon, inspiring others to champion certification as catalysts for sustainable practices. The collaboration between Responsible Wood and its certificate holders underscores the crucial role of certification in promoting environmental responsibility. Austpaper and DIY Resolutions and Australian Brushware Corporation showcase that by prioritising responsible wood sourcing and embracing eco-friendly practices, businesses can contribute to a harmonious balance between industry growth and environmental stewardship. Let’s continue to champion these efforts and work towards a future where sustainability is not just a choice but a fundamental responsibility.

In a bid to foster sustainable plantation expansion and address barriers in the Murray Region Forestry Hub, the recently completed Plantation Land Suitability Analysis (MURR-2022-014) provides crucial insights for government consideration. Source: Timberbiz The Plantation Land Suitability Analysis was completed as part of a suite of reports that forms an understanding of the available and suitable land for the purpose of plantation establishment. The report aims to assist the reader and decision makers to analyse the barriers to plantation expansion in the Murray Region Forestry Hub area. This report utilizes data from the Climate Forecast Model project that was completed in 2021. The report considers the following focal groups, as determined as significant by industry for the purpose of growing Radiata Pine, to determine the feasibility or suitability of land for plantation expansion: Biophysical parameters for suitable plantation growth Physical constraints that restrict plantation location Permit zones and other considerations Land value. Read MRFH Advice to Government here. Read full report here.

The Tasmanian Forest Products Association wants all candidates in the upcoming March 23 State election to support the state’s forestry sector being included in next year’s fire control plan. Source: Timberbiz Speaking at the launch of the second of its four key priorities for this election – Climate Change and the Fire Threat – TFPA Chief Executive Officer Nick Steel said forestry has a key role to play in keeping Tasmanians safe. “It still too early to be sure, but we’re hoping we may have dodged a bullet in the 2024 fire season,” Mr Steel said. “But moving forward it’s key that our private estate owners are included in the Tasmanian fire preparation. “Our private estate owners control over 400,000 hectares of Tasmania’s forest estate. As such important landholders it’s vital that they are given the same technology and support that the public estate receives. “Our estate owners need to be included in the fire coordination network, as well as being included in the TasGRN network rollout, which provides up-to-date communication technology to those on the fire ground.” As well as asking to be included in the fire planning going forward, the TFPA would like all candidates to recognise the important role that forestry has to play in meeting our climate change obligations. “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has already recognised that a well-managed production forest is the best way to sequester carbon,” Mr Steel said. “That’s why we’re asking the new government to charge the State’s Climate Change Office to audit the State’s forests to better understand the benefits of the estate, and report of any threats or opportunities to leverage responsible forestry to further harnessed forestry’s carbon sequestration opportunities.”

Key Tasmanian Forest industry figures are pushing a radical proposal to allow logging of some of the state’s contentious forests in return for most being protected under Indigenous custodianship. Source: The Australian The concept discussed last month in behind-the-scenes talks involving industry, conservation and Aboriginal figures would see all but 50,000ha of 356,000ha of the most contested forests passed to Indigenous control. In return, the remaining 50,000ha would be made available for harvesting by a logging industry concerned it is running out of suitable native timber. The concept was discussed at the Mona Forest Economics Congress in November and again at a more intimate gathering at Marion Bay, southeast of Hobart, on 11 January. It remains highly contentious, with some conservationists staunchly opposed and accusing industry of “blackwashing” and seeking to “wedge” them against the Indigenous community. The 356,000ha of forests, including parts of takayna/Tarkine, Bruny Island and Blue Tier, were protected under the 2012 forest “peace deal” but later earmarked by government for “potential future” logging. Industry representatives involved in the discussions included Shawn Britton, acting chair of the Tasmanian Forest Products Association, and the organisation’s chief executive, Nick Steel. Mr Britton said while the association did not yet have a position on the concept, he believed it had some support and should be further developed. “It was an idea that had some reasonable interest and support and was an idea worthy of taking further,” he said. “I’m sure it will be discussed again. Resource security is always an issue. The industry will advocate and back a government that’s going to give the ­industry and its people secure resource outcomes.” Another industry participant, former Forestry Tasmania managing director Bob Gordon, said the concept was “worth exploring”. Mr Gordon, who has close ties with the ALP, said he had since had “general” discussions with some Labor figures about the idea. Having been involved in Indigenous timber projects in East Arnhem Land, he believed it could address a shortage of specialty timbers, while involving Aboriginal people in land management. Aboriginal elder Jimmy Everett, one of three Indigenous figures involved in the talks, said he opposed any logging of old growth but land handbacks would be supported. “We’ve never knocked back any land for return to the ­Aboriginal community, that’s for sure,” Mr Everett said. Most conservationists remain opposed to any logging inside the 356,000ha, known as Future Potential Production Forest, or FPPF. “I am absolutely horrified – this is an attempt to make it look like we can hand back Aboriginal ownership of forests but that there has to be a compromise with that,” said Jenny Weber, Bob Brown Foundation campaign manager. “No way is that OK. There shouldn’t have been any talk of logging the FPPF. Those forests are all high conservation value and should have been protected.” The foundation supported Aboriginal ownership without logging trade-offs. “This is definitely a very worrying move by the industry,” Ms Weber said. “It’s a wedge.” The future of the 356,000ha is set to be a state election issue, with Resources Minister Felix Ellis not ruling any option in or out. “We continue to work closely with industry as to if or when it might be necessary to make some of these forests available to Tasmanian sawmills,” Mr Ellis said. Labor resources spokesman Shane Broad said it was “not proposing any changes” to the forests’ status. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said her party “fully supported” Aboriginal land returns but that all 356,000ha should, as intended in 2012, be protected as national park.