Forest Products Industry

A pioneering drone seeding initiative in south-west England – one of the largest of its kind using native tree seeds to date – has the potential to transform rainforest restoration, say those involved. Source: Positive.news The project, by the Woodland Trust, has seen high-tech drones scatter 75,000 seeds across the Bodmin landscape in Cornwall. The drones, which weigh 110kg and can carry up to 58kg of seeds each, hover a few metres above the ground and can access areas where the planting of trees by hand isn’t feasible. Joining forces with the South West Rainforest Alliance, the Woodland Trust aims to use the technique to triple the land area of temperate rainforest across Cornwall and Dev-on from 8% to 24% by 2050. Three-quarters of Devon and Cornwall was once rainforest, but 90% of this has now been lost. “These are among the most threatened ecosystems on Earth,” explained Sam Manning, project officer for south west rainforests at the Woodland Trust. “They are biodiversity hotspots, home to more than 2,000 species of lichen. Sadly, rainforests cover just 1% of the Earth’s land surface, and we are one of only a small handful of rainforest nations left on Earth.” Restoring and expanding our temperate rainforests could prove vital in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises, Manning said. A key part of that is developing ways to create and expand woodland that are faster, cheaper and that reach sites that are in-accessible or unsafe for human tree planters, or patches where soils are too thin to al-low planting with spades. There are various potential benefits to using drones in place of volunteers, exponents say, including their speed and cost, as well as the improved accessibility. “Many potential woodland creation sites are either too steep, unsafe or remote for people to plant or scatter seeds,” said Manning. Scattering tree seeds that are native to these rainforests, including common oak, alder, wild cherry, downy birch and hazel, the drones seeded 11 hectares of land in eight hours. But there are limitations to the technique, including weather making the intervention less possible or effective, and low seed survival rates. Research shows that a large pro-portion of seeds dropped by drones are unlikely to survive due to poor soil conditions, predation or due to the environments being unsuitable. To explore such concerns, the project has developed control areas across the sites, to compare drone seeding and natural rainforest regeneration. With an aim to revisit all trial sites at various points over the next three years, the Woodland Trust will review the rate of seed germination and how the planted trees are developing. “We hope to see a success rate of seed to tree of at least 25% for this trial, which in turn could inspire practitioners and funders to invest time and money into refining the effectiveness of drones for woodland creation,” said Manning. There are other challenges associated with a project of such scale, with a limited sup-ply chain of tree seeds to meet the vast areas involved, and only a handful of companies with legal permission to operate drones in this way, though this is swiftly evolving. “We hope increasing demand for this kind of product will lead to an increasing supply chain and could revolutionise woodland creation,” said Manning. There has never been a better time to remember that we are a rainforest people who live on a rainforest island Up to 20% of the British Isles was once rainforest, but due to deforestation across the uplands, this has now been reduced to less than 1% of its original range. Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, author of Our Oaken Bones, a book exploring rainforests, owns part of the land where the seeding has taken place. “If we’re to reverse this destruction, then we will need to leverage innovative technology-enabled solutions wherever possible. I cannot think of a better example of this than the drone seeding project that the Woodland Trust has embarked on in the Cabilla Valley,” he said. “There has never been a better time to remember that we are a rainforest people who live on a rainforest island.”

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) welcomes the successful conclusion of the resumed UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16.2) in Rome, which has delivered crucial agreements on resource mobilization and the financial mechanisms to implement it.  Source: Timberbiz With the focus now shifting to implementation, delegates also adopted other pending decisions to help advance the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), including mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting, and reviewing. For the first time in biodiversity negotiations, countries have agreed to a text specifically on tracking their own progress, including the way that the indicators will be measured and used. This will ensure that all Parties are tracking progress in a way that can be interpreted by national policymakers and provide data that can be aggregated up to the global level to provide an integral picture of implementation for the KMGBF. FSC welcomes the outcomes of the Rome meeting, particularly the decisions made on biodiversity monitoring and reporting. As a mission-based market influencer, FSC is pleased to see the increasing recognition of the role of the market, for example in Target 15, which requires governments “to set legal, administrative, or policy measures” to encourage and enable the private sector to monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity. This is an important step in tackling the biodiversity challenge we still face, and we look forward to helping the business sector relying on forests to understand their forest biodiversity impacts better and take necessary actions to move their businesses towards creating a forest-positive world. For companies using FSC certification, it already provides robust tools to collect data, make verifiable claims, and find markets that bring additional financial value to the protection and maintenance of critical ecosystem services. These tools empower foresters and businesses across consumer and investment value chains to demonstrate their sustainability efforts and comply with other sustainability reporting and disclosure frameworks, such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). “For over 30 years, FSC has promoted sustainable forest management practices that enable forest stewards to conserve, improve, restore essential ecosystem services including biodiversity,” said FSC Director General, Subhra Bhattacharjee. “The decisions taken in Rome validate our approach and create new opportunities for the forest sector to demonstrate leadership in climate action.” The outcomes of COP16.2 create momentum for forest-dependent businesses to strengthen their commitment to nature by certifying their forest management operations, deforestation-free supply chains, and investing in biodiversity conservation and restoration initiatives. Business action is essential to achieving all targets and goals of the KMGBF. FSC certification offers a strong, ready-to-use framework to support these efforts to-wards 2030. As we approach the Climate COP30 in 2025, FSC remains committed to working with businesses, governments, and civil society to accelerate the transition to forest stewardship. By choosing FSC, companies contribute to achieving the goals of the KMGBF and building resilience in their operations while meeting growing stakeholder expectations for environmental and social responsibility.

The Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recognized 210 communities as 2024 Tree Cities of the World. Source: Timberbiz The joint program contributes to FAO’s Green Cities initiative, which is designed to strengthen green infrastructure in both urban and rural communities. This year marks the largest number of cities ever honoured since the Tree Cities of the World program began in 2018, celebrating cities and towns that leverage urban forestry to enhance the liveability and sustainability of their local area. “The cities recognized for 2024 are leading by example in providing green spaces and infrastructure that help define a sense of place and well-being where people live, work, play and learn,” said Zhimin Wu, Director of FAO’s Forestry Division. “When properly planned, green spaces and infrastructure can mitigate the risk of natural disasters, contribute to climate change adaptation strategies, enhance social cohesion and make cities safer and more resilient.” Sophie Plitt, program manager at the Arbor Day Foundation said: “Tree Cities of the World is more than a recognition program. It’s a rapidly growing global movement, transforming how communities view and value their urban forest. It goes beyond borders, connecting passionate organizers and tireless tree planters, and uniting them under the shared mission of making our world’s communities healthier places to live. “This record-breaking 2024 class is a testament to the power of trees in every corner of the world and we’re excited to honour these cities and their important work.” This year’s 210 Tree Cities of the World represent 24 countries and six continents. The Tree Cities of the World program includes communities ranging in population size from 1,500 to 12 million people. Globally, more than 134 million people live in Tree Cities of the World, speaking 37 major languages. By gaining recognition through the program, many municipalities have garnered increased funding for community forest management, access to a unique global network of urban forestry professionals, and greater local support for canopy growth. “In 2024, the City of Toronto planted over 130,000 trees, managed over 1,000 hectares of natural area parkland, and made significant strides to achieve equitable distribution of the urban forest across our diverse city,” said Teresa Bosco, Manager of Forest Policy and Planning for Toronto, Canada. “We are thrilled to be part of a growing global network of cities recognized for their dedication to building strong and resilient urban forests and being leaders in stewardship, resource allocation, and innovation.” To earn Tree Cities of the World recognition, a city must uphold five core standards: establish responsibility for the care of trees; enact a law or policy that governs the management of trees and forests; maintain an updated assessment of local tree resources; allocate resources for a tree management plan; and hold an annual celebration of trees to educate local residents. Click here to see a full list of the recognized 2024 Tree Cities of the World. https://treecitiesoftheworld.org/directory.cfm

Professor John Ralph has joined Scion as its newest Emeritus Scientist. Having retired from his full-time role as a Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Mr Ralph joins Scion to advance the bioeconomy through his pioneering work in sustainable forestry and lignin research. Source: Timberbiz His efforts will bolster New Zealand’s leadership in fossil-free resource innovation. Mr Ralph’s 43-year career began at New Zealand Forest Research Institute (now Scion) in1974 and centres on what he calls the “unrivaled role of chemistry in unlocking lignin’s secrets.” A plant cell wall science innovator, he has developed advanced NMR methods and redesigned lignins for better biomass processing. His work earned him the 2024 Marcus Wallenberg Prize from the King of Sweden for advancing lignin understanding. The Marcus Wallenberg Prize is a prestigious international award often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Forestry.” He has advised global bioenergy leaders, including the US Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Centre and the British Royal Society. Mr Ralph holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from Canterbury University, New Zealand (1976), and a PhD in Chemistry and Forestry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1982). His current research at Scion’s NMR Suite explores lignin biosynthesis and valorization, enhancing biofuel and bioproduct efficiency, supported by collaborators like the US Department of Energy and Swiss National Fund. On his recent visit to Rotorua, he explored our newly upgraded NMR facility and toured the campus to engage with key members of our science team, including Stefan Hill, Florian Graichen, and Marie Joo Le Guen. Mr Ralph was clearly impressed by the new suite, describing it as “one of the most beautiful labs” he’s seen for NMR. His passion for advanced analytical chemistry shone through and he encouraged everyone with an interest in chemistry to engage with the new facility, “anyone who knows any chemistry should have NMR as part of their arsenal.”

The urgent need for social and affordable housing in Australia is undeniable. The global call for responsible sourcing and source disclosure is equally pressing, driven by Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations. Source: Timberbiz These two critical challenges intersect in the innovative use of timber construction, a topic explored in depth at the recent WoodSolutions webinar, “Innovative Timber Construction Solutions for Social and Affordable Housing.” Responsible Wood was proud to be a part of this important conversation with our Sustainability Manager, Matt de Jongh, who contributed expertise on responsible procurement and certification’s role in contributing to ESG. The webinar showcased the Haven Home Safe (HHS) project in Horsham, Victoria, a 25-home development built using modular, carbon-storing, and low embodied emission timber construction. This project is a great example of how combining prefabricated de-sign, responsible sourcing, and energy-efficient solutions can deliver impactful housing outcomes that address social needs and environmental responsibility. The webinar also offered valuable insights for the building professionals, architects, engineers, developers, and builders in attendance. Participants gained insights into how modular timber construction can accelerate project timelines while also lowering car-bon footprints and minimising construction waste. Attendees were provided practical strategies for integrating prefabricated design to achieve impressive seven-star NatHERS energy ratings. A key focus of the discussion was the role of certified wood procurement in aligning with ESG principles. Matt de Jongh highlighted Responsible Wood’s commitment to ensuring that timber used in projects like the HHS development comes from sustainably managed forests. Matt emphasised the benefits of choosing certified timber, including its positive biodiversity impacts. In addition, Matt spoke to the advantages of supporting local communities and timber product manufacturing, emphasising the positive environmental and social impacts this has on communities. The Horsham project’s carbon emissions study, presented by Jack Haber from HHS, demonstrated the clear advantages of using timber framing for this project, over alternative materials like steel and concrete. This data underscores the potential of timber construction to contribute significantly to reducing the built environment’s carbon footprint. Craig Chatman from ARKit further explored the importance of offsite prefabrication in delivering high-quality housing solutions efficiently, particularly for organisations like HHS. The webinar topics broadly highlighted the interconnectedness of ESG issues. Social responsibility is addressed through the provision of much-needed affordable housing. Environmental sustainability is achieved through the use of renewable, carbon-storing timber and energy-efficient designs. Good governance is ensured by adhering to re-sponsible sourcing practices and transparent reporting. The use of certified timber, as championed by Responsible Wood, is essential for realising the full potential of sustainable construction. It provides assurance that the wood used in these projects is sourced from forests managed according to strict environmental, social, and economic criteria. This commitment to responsible forestry practices is a key component of a truly sustainable built environment. For more information about Responsible Wood certification and its role in sustainable construction, please contact Responsible Wood. You can also access resources from the WoodSolutions webinar, including technical guides, webinars, and the Timber Talks podcast, by visiting their website. View modular timber construction solutions for affordable housing in Australia at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0dxA7Oj5wg&t=2s