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Tasmanian timber board wins an Effie

Australian timber industry news - Wed, 14/10/2026 - 01:32

The Tasmanian Timber Promotion Board and Bennett Agency have won an Effie in the Long-Term Effects – Product category at the 2026 Australian Effie Awards, presented at a gala dinner in Sydney last week. Source: Timberbiz The Effies recognise marketing that delivers measurable business results. This year’s program drew a record 144 finalists, the largest field in its history, with 32 agencies recognised. Original Tasmanian Timber was one of only two winners in its category, alongside work for national brands including Uber Eats, McDonald’s and Telstra across the program. When the campaign launched eight years ago, Tasmanian Oak was a commodity timber with little brand recognition. Funded by a voluntary levy from Tasmanian timber producers and matched by the Tasmanian Government, the campaign built a distinctive brand around four ideas: Australian, beautiful, sustainable and available. The results, tracked through independent brand research since 2018: Awareness among timber specifiers rose from 79% to 99% Consideration rose from 71% to 96% The share who use Tasmanian Oak most often more than doubled, from 21% to 55% The price of Tasmanian Oak standard grade flooring rose 66% over five years, ahead of Blackbutt (46%) and Spotted Gum (37%) (Indufor Timber Market Survey) The uplift in industry value is estimated at 94 times the annual marketing spend   The campaign held its ground through significant headwinds, including the end of Victorian native forest harvesting, which created a perception that Australian hardwood was no longer available. A dedicated Availability campaign turned that around: by 2025, “easily available/consistent supply” was Tasmanian Oak’s highest-scoring attribute against the competitive set. The Effie is the campaign’s seventh national award. “The Effies reward one thing: proof that marketing worked,” Claire Bennett, founder of Bennett Agency and Program Manager, Tasmanian Timber, said. “This campaign is proof that patient, consistent brand building works for a Tasmanian industry just as it does for the biggest brands in the country. “Eight years ago, Tasmanian Oak had little brand awareness. Today it’s the timber specifiers think of first, use most, and are prepared to pay more for,” she said. “That’s a credit to the contributors who backed a long-term vision, and to the Tasmanian Government for matching their commitment.” Carmen Windsor, Chair of the Tasmanian Timber campaign Steering Committee, said the award recognised the commitment of Tasmania’s timber producers, who chose to invest together in the brand of our timber rather than compete on price alone. She said the results showed that investment had paid back many times over for the whole industry.

The post Tasmanian timber board wins an Effie appeared first on Timberbiz.

Qld tech reports show how to gain greater value from existing resources

Australian timber industry news - Wed, 14/10/2026 - 01:32

Queensland’s forest and timber industry could generate greater value from existing resources through technology adoption, advanced manufacturing and next-generation engineered wood products, according to new technical reports released by the South & Central Queensland Regional Forestry Hub. Source: Timberbiz The reports identify practical opportunities to improve productivity, strengthen domestic manufacturing capability and increase value recovery across the forestry and wood products supply chain. The findings draw on research examining new harvesting technologies, advanced manufacturing systems and engineered wood product development, highlighting pathways to improve competitiveness and support future industry growth. “Queensland’s forestry and wood products industry has significant opportunities to improve productivity and create greater value from the resources we already have available,” said Kerry Fullarton, South & Central Queensland Regional Forestry Hub Manager. “The studies are helping identify practical ways technology and innovation can strengthen industry competitiveness and support future growth.” Research examining forest operations found businesses continue to face challenges associated with resource characterisation, difficult terrain, transport and scheduling inefficiencies, and workforce constraints. These issues can affect operational productivity and reduce value recovery from available forestry resources. The studies identified a range of emerging technologies that could help address these challenges, including remote sensing tools, improved inventory systems and digital technologies that support more effective planning and operational decision-making. “The opportunities identified aren’t simply about adopting new technology for technology’s sake,” said Mrs Fullarton. “They are about helping businesses improve efficiency, make better use of resources and strengthen operational performance across the supply chain.” A separate investigation into timber processing technologies found future competitive-ness will increasingly depend on industry’s ability to improve productivity and maximise value from available resources. The study identified opportunities associated with technology adoption, advanced manufacturing and value-adding across the forestry and wood processing sector. Advanced manufacturing was highlighted as an important pathway for creating higher-value products, strengthening domestic capability and improving industry competitiveness. “Innovation is helping shift the conversation from simply producing timber and wood products to creating greater value from every resource that enters the manufacturing process,” Mrs Fullarton said. “That creates opportunities for regional businesses, investment and long-term industry growth.” Technical reports into adhesive technologies used in engineered wood products found innovation will also play an important role in future product development. The study highlighted the critical role adhesives play in product strength, durability, performance and service life, while also identifying opportunities to support manufacturing innovation and improved utilisation of Queensland forestry and wood resources. Engineered wood products continue to create new opportunities for timber applications across construction and manufacturing markets, supporting the development of higher value products and new market opportunities. “Engineered wood products demonstrate how innovation can unlock entirely new opportunities for timber,” Mrs Fullarton said “As technology evolves, there are increasing opportunities to strengthen manufacturing capability, create new products and expand timber’s role in future construction and building systems.” Collectively, the Hub’s technical reports demonstrates how innovation can support productivity growth, improve resource utilisation, strengthen domestic manufacturing and help position Queensland’s forestry and wood products industry for future success. “The common theme across all of this work is that innovation is becoming increasingly important to future competitiveness,” Mrs Fullarton said. “Whether it’s harvesting systems, manufacturing processes or advanced timber and wood products, innovation is helping unlock the next generation of opportunities for Queensland’s forestry and wood products industry.”

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Shona Gawel appointed CEO at AFPA

Australian timber industry news - Wed, 14/10/2026 - 01:31

The Australian Forest Products Association has appointed Shona Gawel as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective from January 2027. Source: Timberbiz Ms Gawel joins AFPA following a highly successful tenure as Chief Executive Officer of GrainGrowers, where she led major strategic transformations, significantly elevated the organisation’s national advocacy profile, and delivered substantial value for members across Australia’s agricultural sector. With extensive leadership experience spanning member-based organisations, national advocacy, and the public sector, Ms Gawel brings a proven track record of influencing public policy, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and driving sustainable organisational growth. During her time at GrainGrowers, Ms Gawel successfully steered the organisation through complex policy environments ranging from supply chain resilience and sustainability frameworks to workforce participation initiatives while building trusted relationships across governments, regulators, and industry stakeholders. Holding tertiary qualifications in business and communications, Ms Gawel has developed a reputation for leading high-performing teams through periods of growth and change. “We are delighted to welcome Shona as national CEO of AFPA,” AFPA Chair John McKillop said. “She is a trusted leader with an exceptional track record working with members, government and key stakeholders to improve industry outcomes at a national level. Her guidance will be invaluable as AFPA continues to advance the sustainable growth and interests of Australia’s forest products sector.” Ms Gawel said the forest products industry was central to Australia’s housing, climate, and regional economic agenda. “I am thrilled to be joining AFPA at such a critical time and look forward to working alongside members, industry partners, and governments to ensure a strong, sustainable, and unified voice for the sector,” she said. AFPA warmly welcomes Ms Gawel to the leadership team as the association embarks on its next phase of growth and strategic advocacy. She will commence in the role in January, and the AFPA looks forward to introducing her to members and stakeholders during the first quarter of 2027.

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Major upgrade for SPEC Toolbox released

Australian timber industry news - Wed, 14/10/2026 - 01:30

SPEC Toolbox, the multi-supplier design platform used by thousands of structural engineers to design mass timber buildings, has today released version 3.0, the biggest release in the platform’s history. Source: Timberbiz It is a complete rebuild of how engineers design with mass timber and the products that connect it, so they can design mass timber in one place, and every calculation behind it is still deterministic. Mass timber is scaling globally and the product ecosystem around it, connectors, fasteners, fire, acoustics and engineered wood, is scaling with it. The engineering workflow has not kept pace. Supplier data is scattered, many brands ships their own tools, and designing in timber is often harder work than designing the same building in concrete or steel. Built for the engineer to keep coming back. SPEC Toolbox is obsessed with user experience. More than once the team has put a huge effort into a calculator only to find engineers could not make their way to it, and the effort was wasted. 3.0 puts navigation at the centre. Inputs sit top left, a live preview bottom left and outputs on the right, on one screen. Every output follows the same calculation logic, referenced to the clause, never a black box. If a check is failing the engineer clicks it and lands on it, with the inputs sitting beside it, so the fix is one more click. Ten calculators are on the new standard at launch, including CLT floors, CLT walls, columns, shear walls, screws and panel to panel connections, with the rest of the app following over the coming months. CLT panel to panel connections are now one calculator, so half lap, spline and butt joint are compared in a second. Shear walls run side by side, with connection type, dimensions and bracket suppliers compared next to each other in Europe and multi-storey walls configurable in the United States. CLT Floor moves between new, emerging and existing codes with a click, and the fire view returns the full fire design calculation straight away. Every supplier in the category. Side by side. Live. Since the beginning, SPEC Toolbox has integrated the supply chain’s product data to the specific ETA, ICC or evaluation report of each supplier: the tested values for each product, not generic ones. Minimum edge distances and spacings, withdrawal parameters, head pull-through, yield moment, and the timber densities and thicknesses the product has actually been tested in. Until now, comparing the best option meant clicking around to get there. The new Database View shows every certified product in the category live, ranked by utilisation against the engineer’s actual design. Around 20,000 screws are on the platform. An engineer who needs a partially threaded screw in the 100 to 130 mm range filters by head type, length and thread, and every screw that fits is ranked by utilisation on that check. Change a load and the order changes. Pick one and it writes straight into the calculation. The best design and the most cost-effective one are usually not the same screw, and now both are visible in the one place. In a market where general AI is abundant, structured supply chain data is the scarce part. Frontier AI, inside the engineer’s workflow, never producing a number. Frontier AI models can now reason over an engineering problem, and 3.0 brings that capability into mass timber engineering for the first time, as part of a better experience rather than a separate tool. SPEC Intelligence is live in 3.0, starting with screw connections. Asked to fix a failing check, it identifies the governing constraint and clause, proposes the smallest change that resolves it, and the calculation engine re-runs to prove the result. In one example, a connection failing on geometry at 140 per cent, with edge spacing below the EN 1995-1-1 clause 8.7.2 minimum, resolves by moving from eight screws at 35 mm to six at 60 mm: geometry returns to 87 per cent, axial to 55 per cent, and cost falls by 9 per cent. The AI advises that the verified engine computes, and the engineer remains the signatory. No number an engineer sees is produced by the model. “We’ve rebuilt the user experience for the entire app end to end. We’re hoping that with a better experience, more engineers will keep coming back to timber,” said Adam Jones, founder and CEO of SPEC Toolbox. “Making it easy is our mission, and that’s what 3.0 is about. The core workflows redesigned, every supplier in the category side by side, and an intelligence layer that helps engineers decide faster while our verified calculation engines do what they have always done. This is the biggest step we have taken since founding the company.” SPEC Toolbox is used by 7,500-plus registered engineers across four regions: Australia and New Zealand, Europe and the UK, the United States and Canada. More than a thousand North American engineers have designed on the platform. It carries certified product data from 40-plus supplier partners. SPEC Toolbox 3.0 is live from Wednesday 14 October 2026. Every calculator is free for engineers in every category and every region, as it has always been, and the platform is funded by its supplier partners. Pro adds design automation, the full Database View comparison and more SPEC Intelligence credits. SPEC Intelligence credits are included for every engineer, and existing projects and calculations carry over.

The post Major upgrade for SPEC Toolbox released appeared first on Timberbiz.

How a Logging Industry Downturn Fuels Wildfires

NYT Logging Industry - Tue, 13/10/2026 - 11:01
Loggers are finding it impossible to profitably harvest some federal forests. That leaves more fuel for fires to accumulate.

Delta Motion Expands Customer Training with New EtherCAT Course

International Forest Industries - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 10:58

New instructor-led, hands-on EtherCAT training helps engineers confidently deploy high-performance motion control systems.

Delta Motion, a leading manufacturer of high-performance motion controllers, is expanding its training offerings with the introduction of its new RMC EtherCAT Training course. Designed for machine builders, system integrators, and engineers, the new instructor-led training provides practical, hands-on experience configuring and commissioning EtherCAT networks with Delta Motion’s RMC200 Motion Controller.

The approximately five-hour course can be taken in-person, or remotely through a Live Online Training (LOT) course, as a standalone class, or combined with Delta Motion’s existing motion control training programs, giving customers the flexibility to tailor their learning experience to their specific applications and experience level.

As EtherCAT continues to see growing adoption across industrial applications, the new course equips users with the knowledge and confidence needed to integrate EtherCAT devices into advanced motion control systems.

During the training, each participant receives exclusive access to a dedicated training system featuring an RMC200 Motion Controller connected to connected to a simple EtherCAT network consisting of an EtherCAT servo drive and motor, and an EtherCAT position sensor.

Remote attendees see live video of the hardware that they are controlling. Through a combination of instructor presentations, demonstrations, and guided laboratory exercises, trainees gain real-world experience configuring EtherCAT devices, mapping PDO data, commissioning motion axes, troubleshooting networks, and using EtherCAT data within RMCTools.

“EtherCAT master capability gives our customers more flexibility, allowing both direct connection to I/O devices as well as connection via EtherCAT,” said Steve Nylund, CEO of Delta Motion. “Our new EtherCAT training reflects our ongoing investment in customer success—helping users get the most from their servo-electric and servo-hydraulic systems.”

The new EtherCAT course complements Delta Motion’s existing portfolio of instructor-led training, allowing customers to build a customized curriculum that aligns with their application requirements and experience. Whether taken independently or alongside Delta’s motion control courses, the training helps reduce commissioning time, improve troubleshooting skills, and accelerate successful project deployment.

Delta Motion has built its reputation on combining powerful motion control products with exceptional technical support and customer education. The addition of EtherCAT training further reinforces the company’s commitment to helping customers maximize the performance and value of their motion control systems as industry requirements continue to evolve.

For more information about Delta Motion’s EtherCAT Training or to register for an upcoming class, visit deltamotion.com.

Steve Nylund  CEO of Delta Motion

To read previous Delta Motion related posts click here

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HP joins WWF supporting forest conservation

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 08:01

Forests are essential to life on Earth. From the air we breathe to the water we drink, forests power our everyday lives. In fact, nearly three-quarters of the world’s population relies on forests for basics like food, fuel, and medicine. They are also home to incredible wildlife, including jaguars and koalas, and play a major role in con-fronting climate change. Source: Timberbiz That’s why this year, HP is contributing US$1,000,000 to support forest conservation for World Wildlife Fund (WWF), through the Together We Grow campaign—an initiative to raise awareness about the importance of forest conservation. Forests and printing are interconnected: one provides the resources; the other transforms them into tools for knowledge, creativity, and communication. Together, they tell the story of growth—of ideas, communities, nature, and opportunities that benefit both people and the planet. As one of the world’s largest print companies, HP recognizes that its business is deeply connected to the well-being of the world’s forests. HP is committed to protecting and restoring forests for the health of the climate, the planet, and all who live there. That commitment extends to how HP operates: The company requires recycled or sustainably certified fibre for all HP-brand paper and pa-per-based packaging for home and office printers, supplies, PCs, and displays, with a preference for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, ensuring that its products support responsible forest management. HP’s commitment is part of broader global work between HP and WWF aimed at making production forests more sustainable, protecting wild spaces, and restoring forests we’ve lost. The two organizations are currently working across some of the world’s most ecologically valuable and threatened forest landscapes: Brazil’s Atlantic Forest; Madre de Dios in the Peruvian Amazon; Australia’s eastern forests; key forest provinces in eastern and southern China; the Central Annamites in VietNam; and the Selva Maya on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. One of the first companies to join WWF’s Forests Forward corporate engagement program, HP is helping WWF advance solutions that will enhance sustainable forestry practices, protect wild spaces, and restore forests for the benefit of people and nature. These efforts are realized in part through WWF’s Nature-Based Solutions Origination Platform, which identifies and implements high-integrity interventions in priority tropical forest landscapes to address nature loss and foster sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience.  

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Record heat and droughts could be the new norm for forests

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 08:00

The 2023-24 El Niño brought simultaneous extreme heat and drought to 75% of tropical forests for months on end. Now, a new study indicates that those conditions may have been a preview of annual norms for future tropical forests just a couple of decades away, even under moderate-emissions scenarios, and even outside of El Niño years. Source: Timberbiz Marked by a buildup of unusually warm water in the eastern Pacific, El Niño events disrupt normal weather patterns across the broader equatorial region, bringing heavy rain to some places (like Chile and Argentina) and hotter, drier weather to many others (like northern South America and much of southeast Asia). The El Niño lasting from June of 2023 through roughly the same time in 2024, however, took place against the background of the warmest global year on record, amplifying hot and dry conditions. As the climate continues to warm, the stress of ever-more-frequent heat and drought could kill trees, limit forests’ carbon-storing abilities and trigger self-perpetuating rainfall losses. It could also cut off trade routes and food sources for people in tropical forests. “Many of the people that live in these forests are very interconnected with the forest,” said Johanna Van Passel, an ecologist at Ghent University and lead author of the study. “When the forests suffer, sodo they.” The study will appear in Earth’s Future, AGU’s journal for research on the state of the planet and its inhabitants and their future resilience in the Anthropocene. To get a better handle on the full extent and duration of the 2023-24 El Niño, Van Passel and her team analyzed 12 datasets of heat and drought observations over the past 25 years. Their study covered nearly 16 million square kilometres of tropical forest around the globe, looking for months-long periods roughly half a degree Celsius hotter than in a normal month. All tropical forests were not just hotter during the 2023-24 El Niño, they found, but stayed unusually hot for roughly 18 months, on average. 80% of forests were drier than usual (getting 22 to 56 fewer millimeters of monthly rain than normal, for multiple months), with parts of the Amazon experiencing a full two years of anomalous drought. At the port of Manaus in Brazil, water levels sank to their lowest level since records began over a century ago. Globally, three quarters of tropical forests endured extreme heat and drought simultaneously for an average of six months. Considering climate projections from 24 Earth system models under a range of emissions scenarios, the team then estimated the likelihood of these conditions occurring in tropical forests in any given year through the end of the century, even non-El-Niño years. Even if humanity reaches carbon neutrality by 2075, they found, the high annual temperatures of 2023and 2024 will become at least six times more likely in all tropical regions by 2100, compared to the past 25 years. In any less optimistic climate scenario, they become the annual norm in most tropical regions by 2043 — El Niño or no El Niño. “I will probably not live to see the end of the century, so that feels very far away,” Van Passel said. “But the fact that…according to the average of all these models, this is already happening in 20 years —that was very striking.” Projections for drought varied more widely. Asia will likely see less frequent drought, but for the Amazon, under a high-emissions scenario, the low rainfall of 2023-24 could become up to nine times as likely to occur in any given year. That matters because drought-stressed trees close pores on their leaves (called stomata), avoiding water loss but also preventing themselves from absorbing the carbon dioxide they need to survive. If droughts become too frequent, Van Passel said, “your tree could be starving” — and, in the process, failing to sequester the planet-warming gas. Other problems arise when heat and drought overlap. In intense heat, the internal mechanisms that allow trees to photosynthesize start to fail. To cool off, trees open their stomata to release water which then evaporates, a process akin to human sweating. But if a drought is happening at the same time, trees have little water to spare for this “sweating” function, better known as evapotranspiration. “It’s either dying of lack of water or dying of heat,” Van Passel said. “They have to choose one.” Water released to the air through evapotranspiration eventually falls back on the forest as rain — as much as 30% of the total rainfall, in the case of the Amazon. So when evapotranspiration wanes in one region, it deprives others of rainfall. Trees in those areas then reduce their own evapotranspiration to save water, and the cycle continues. Under increasingly hot, dry conditions, scientists say, this cycle could push tropical forests towards widespread tree die-offs. “You have this feedback loop,” Van Passel said. “If the forest is suffering, it will cause less rain to fall in other parts, and those forests will also start suffering.” The impacts cascade to communities living in tropical forests, too, whom Van Passel said derive much of their food and livelihood from plants and animals in the forest. Intense drought can also make it difficult to navigate the rivers that often serve as transportation arteries. “During 2023-24, some rivers were so low that these people were stuck and completely disconnected from everyone else,” Van Passel said. “They were almost starving because no food was able to reach them.” She stressed the importance of taking action to mitigate suffering for tropical forests and the people who depend on them. “With every step we can…decrease global fossil fuel use, the probabilities become better,” Van Passel said. “The future will be difficult…But it’s not hopeless, and we can do something to make it less bad.” This study appears in Earth’s Future , an open-access AGU journal. View and download the study at https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2026EF008071 PAPER TITLE: “The 2023–2024 El Niño as a Preview of Future Tropical Forest Climate”

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Chaos erupting in the US Forest Service

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 08:00

The US Forest Service is coping with a chaotic reorganization in hopes it will produce less bureaucracy and more local control in the long run, members of the Natural Resources Working Group learned last week at its first meeting in three months. Source: Payson Roundup The sweeping reorganization supposedly will take effect in January, which comes in the wake of deep cuts in Forest Service staffing across the nation. The National Forest Service Office will move from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City, Utah. At the same time, the current nine regions will be replaced by state offices. The Forest Ser-vice is also closing 23 research and development facilities. The administration said the goal of the reorganization is to both cut costs and move decision-making and budgetary power closer to the areas most affected. “The New Mexico state director will be Christine Bale,” explained Scot Rogers, the coordinator for the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), the nation’s most ambitious effort to reduce wildfire risk by using thinning projects to restore forest health. “We don’t have an Arizona State Director at this time. We’re not the only state in that situation.” A federal judge in September put the reorganization plan on hold until at least 2 October after four federal unions sued along with nonprofits, cities and counties. The lawsuit claimed the president or an agency could not order such a sweeping reorganization without the approval of Congress. “The NFFE (National Federation of Federal Employees) Forest Service council is glad to see Judge Chhabria is temporarily halting the relocations of critical employees,” said NFFE-FSC President Genny Kotyk, according to a release. “Their work is not only essential to the agency and the communities they serve but also mandated by Congress. This reorganization is a RIF (reduction in force) in disguise, downsizing without giving employees the decency of the protections and benefits ensured in our Master Agreement. The Forest Service Council will continue to negotiate with agency leadership and strongly opposes the relocations of our members.” The Forest Service in February laid off or pushed the early retirement of 6,000 employees, more than 15% of the total workforce. The layoffs have had major impacts on management of 19 million acres of Forest Service land in Arizona. It has also affected the ability of the six national forests in Arizona to process thinning projects to reduce wildfire risk. The NRWG was established by the Eastern Arizona Counties Association to provide a link between a struggling timber industry and the Forest Service. 4FRI is seeking to use thinning projects and managed fires to restore 4 million acres of forest in North-ern Arizona, where tree densities have increased from 50 to more like 1,000 trees per acre in the past half century. Brian Nowicki, with the Centre for Biological Diversity, asked, “I don’t know how funds flow through the region. Does money go to the regions and get disbursed to the forests and is that what we’re anticipating for whenever we have a budget?” The federal budget year starts in October. Congress in recent years has routinely re-lied on continuing resolutions, which means agencies don’t have final budgets until deep into the fiscal year. “I’m not real clear on the funding,” said one forest supervisor in attendance. “This new reorganization, we’re not real sure how it will affect the local unit.” Rogers said the existing system directs money to the regional offices, which then disburse money to the individual forests and programs. “We have a national portal, it’s not clear to me if that organization is going to be fully stood up. 11 January is the target date at this point.” “Interesting times,” said Nowicki. “Is there significance 11 January that I’m missing?” since it comes four months into the start of the fiscal year. “I haven’t looked at the calendar that far out. I just know that’s the date they gave us,” said the forest supervisor.

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Kauri dieback threatens more than trees

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 08:00

Kauri are among Aotearoa New Zealand’s tallest and longest-lived trees – and their place in our cultural landscape looms equally large. Source: The Conversation Centuries-old kauri such as Tāne Mahuta and Te Matua Nga-here are taonga, with deep cultural and spiritual significance to Māori. Also remarkable is the amount of carbon these trees hold. Large kauri have gradually accumulated enormous amounts of biomass, leaving great quantities of carbon stored in their trunks, branches and roots. Over the past two decades, however, these giants of our forests have faced a growing threat from kauri dieback. The disease is caused by the soil-borne water mould Phytophthora agathidicida, which infects kauri through their roots and disrupts their ability to take up water and nutrients. As it progresses, trees can lose foliage and branches and eventually die. The toll has been significant. Hundreds to thousands of kauri across New Zealand’s upper North Island have died, with some of the heaviest losses recorded in Northland and Auck-land’s Waitākere Ranges. As dieback spreads and affected trees decline, some of the carbon held in their living biomass is lost from that store – with direct implications for carbon sequestration and the broader health of these forest ecosystems. Our latest research sheds some new light on these important impacts. To build a clearer picture, we visited study plots in kauri forests in the Waitākere Ranges that had first been surveyed be-tween 2011 and 2014. Our study co-author, Toby Elliot, revisited the plots to measure the trees again, assess the condition of their canopies and record which had died or become established. We then used the size of each tree, along with the typical wood density of each species, to estimate how much living biomass the plots contained. This allowed us to see how the amount of carbon stored in living vegetation had changed over about a decade. We found that the more severe the kauri dieback, the less car-bon forests gained through tree growth – and the more they lost as trees declined and died. The difference was notable. For forest stands starting with an average 169 tonnes of carbon per hectare, healthy stands gained about 0.8 tonnes per hectare each year. Those showing signs of dieback instead lost about 0.1 tonnes, while severely affected stands lost around one tonne per hectare each year. That amounts to a shift of about 1.8 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year between healthy and severely affected forest. The reason is relatively simple. Healthy trees keep growing and accumulating carbon. Dieback slows that growth and, when trees eventually die, the carbon they contained is no longer part of the forest’s living vegetation. The largest changes occurred in forests that initially contained the most carbon – mature kauri forests with large trees that have accumulated carbon over many decades or centuries. In our study, mature forest plots held an average of about 248 tonnes of living carbon per hectare, compared with about 88 tonnes in younger, regenerating forest. Kauri themselves accounted for a particularly large share of this store. Where kauri were present, our modelling estimated they contributed, on average, about half of the living carbon, with their contribution becoming greater in more carbon-rich forests. This means the impact of kauri dieback depends on which trees die, as well as how many. When a large kauri dies, the amount of carbon removed from the living vegetation pool can be significant. Our modelling also suggests severely affected; carbon-rich stands can shift from accumulating carbon to losing it. These forests may not regain their previous carbon stocks, instead eventually stabilising with less living biomass and a reduced capacity to store and accumulate carbon. This makes protecting mature kauri forests particularly important for maintaining the carbon stored in these ecosystems. Our study measured carbon only in living vegetation, capturing just one part of the larger carbon cycle. Because we did not directly measure carbon in dead wood, litter and soils, we cannot determine how much of the carbon lost from living vegetation ultimately remains stored elsewhere in the ecosystem, or how quickly it is returned to the atmosphere. Longer-term measurements of these other potential stores will be needed to track where this carbon goes – and how that changes as kauri mortality increases. Protecting kauri from dieback therefore has implications beyond the survival of individual trees. Management approaches designed to slow disease progression and reduce symptoms, such as phosphite treatments, are being investigated and applied as part of broader kauri protection efforts. In the meantime, preventing the spread of dieback disease remains something visitors can help with staying on marked tracks and thoroughly cleaning footwear when entering and leaving kauri forests. Doing so helps protect kauri as taonga and the ecological functions of forests that have taken centuries to develop.

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FTMA’s Future Framing Markets Forum

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 07:59

There is an enormous amount happening across housing, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), prefabrication and future construction markets, and FTMA wants to make sure that frame and truss manufacturers are part of the conversation. Source: Timberbiz On Tuesday 20 October, FTMA will bring manufacturers together with government, researchers, training organisations and industry at the Future Framing Markets Forum at Parkroyal, Melbourne Airport. This won’t be a traditional conference. Presentations will provide an update on some of the major projects and initiatives underway, but a key part of the day will be facilitated table workshops, giving manufacturers the opportunity to ask questions, provide practical feedback, identify barriers and opportunities, and have a genuine say in what comes next. The program will include sessions on the Future Framing Initiative, System 600, the John Curtin Research Centre’s housing work and National Demonstration, Melbourne Polytechnic’s Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence, as well as senior state and territory government representatives discussing their housing and MMC priorities. There will be a deliberate mix with the seating, so manufacturers, government, researchers and industry representatives are talking directly with each other. The idea is to have people developing these programs to hear from the manufacturers who will ultimately be needed to help deliver them. There is good funding opportunities for our members to advance the sector, but we must be at the table and must have our voices heard. The Forum is open to all Australian timber frame and truss manufacturers, both FTMA members and non-members. FTMA Partners will be invited, while other supplier and industry participation will be limited and by invitation. This is deliberate, as manufacturers need to remain the focus of the day. There are significant opportunities developing for the sector. Some manufacturers are already investing heavily to move into new markets, while others are considering where they fit. This Forum is an opportunity to understand what is happening, what may be coming next and, most importantly, make sure our industry has a voice in shaping it. Tuesday 20 October 2026 9.30 am to 4.00 pm Parkroyal Melbourne Airport Networking drinks and canapés following the Forum FTMA Members: $150 + GST Non-Members: $200 + GST https://www.trybooking.com/au/event/future-framing-markets-forum-1655017

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From casual jobs to a career path

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 07:59

For Cain Octon, a full-time role at SA Pine’s Monarto operation offered more than just a job. It was a chance to find greater balance, build on his experience and create a pathway for the future. Source: NTHA Now completing a Certificate III in Timber and Woods Products Operations through NTHA Trainees and Apprentices, Mr Octon says the opportunity came at exactly the right time. “I worked in merchandise and metal fabrication before this and had a lot of temporary or casual jobs,” he said. “When this came up as a full-time job, I knew it would give me more of a balance in life.” While timber was a new industry for Mr Octon, it wasn’t completely unfamiliar territory. “It is an industry that I have not worked in directly, but close to it, so I thought it would be a good opportunity.” Through his NTHA Trainees and Apprentices training, Mr Octon is already building practical skills across the operation, including workplace health and safety and general handling. “The course itself is very straightforward, and so far, I have done a bit of WHS and general handling training,” he said. Mr Octon’s varied work background has also given him a head start. “I have a big background in a lot of different fields, so I am used to the processes as they are. I have already done this type of stuff, just in a different aspect.” But for Mr Octon, the Certificate III is about more than learning the job he is doing today. It is about opening the door to where he wants to go next. “I would like to eventually work my way up and be more in the office and work in the digital world a bit more, which I think this course will help me do,” he said. His goal is to continue building his career with SA Pine, while keeping an eye on the opportunities that could come with experience and further training. “I would like to continually work with SA Pine, but there are other ITI sites around the place that could present opportunities as well.” For someone who has spent years moving between temporary and casual work, Mr Octon is now building something very different: a career pathway with skills, a nationally recognised qualification and room to grow. And it all started with a full-time opportunity at SA Pine, supported by NTHA Trainees and Apprentices.

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Submissions on cockatoo national recovery plans

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 07:58

AFPA has made two submissions on draft national recovery plans for the Gang-gang Cockatoo and South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (SERTBC). Source: Timberbiz AFPA says that it supports the conservation and recovery of the Gang-gang Cockatoo and appropriate protection of confirmed breeding habitat, significant foraging areas, refuge areas and important native vegetation. For the SERTBC, AFPA broadly supports the proposed actions while emphasising that harvesting and silvicultural activities should not be unnecessarily restricted in areas adjacent to identified habitat. Read submission on Gang-gang Cockatoo https://ausfpa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AFPA-submission-NRP-Gang-gang-cockatoo.pdf Read submission on South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo https://ausfpa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AFPA-submission-NRP-South-eastern-red-tailed-black-cockatoo.pdf

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Central West NSW fire ban in place

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 07:57

A Solid Fuel Fire Ban is now in force in State forests across the Central West Region (Orange, Bathurst, Oberon) and will remain in place throughout the summer period as dry conditions continue to elevate bushfire risk. Source: Timberbiz The ban means campfires and barbecues using wood, charcoal and other solid fuels are not permitted in State forests. Gas barbecues and similar gas appliances may still be used unless a Total Fire Ban is declared by the NSW Rural Fire Service. Solid Fuel Fire Bans are applied during periods of high fire danger to help protect forests, visitors and local communities from bushfire. Forestry Corporation crews, alongside other firefighting agencies, have already responded to multiple major bushfire incidents across NSW this season with around 50 fires burning statewide this week. Forestry Corporation Fire and Stewardship Manager Lyndon Orpwood: “Campfires which are not extinguished correctly, and abandoned campfires in a highly flammable environment, are a major risk to communities, other forest users, and the environment,” Mr Orpwood said. “Forestry Corporation takes a cautious approach to fires so that we can retain the forest environment for people to enjoy.” While visitors will not be able to use wood-fuelled campfires throughout the fire threat period, they can still enjoy everything State forests have to offer, including camping, walking, mountain biking, fishing and nature-based recreation. Visitors are encouraged to check forest notices and closures before travelling and stay informed about fire conditions throughout the holiday period. During Solid Fuel Fire Bans, only gas appliances are permitted, and separate Total Fire Ban restrictions may also apply.

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Your view on timber truss bridges is needed

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 07:57

Share your views on the future of NSW’s historic timber truss bridges and their role in local communities. Source: Timberbiz The Timber Truss Bridge Strategy is Transport for NSW’s framework for deciding which historic timber road bridges should be conserved, how they should be maintained, and how heritage values can be balanced with modern transport requirements. Transport for NSW (Transport) wants to hear from local communities, councils, heritage organisations, industry groups and road users to help shape the 2027 review of this Strategy. Background The Timber Truss Bridge Strategy was first developed in 2010, when 26 of the state’s 48 timber truss road bridges were identified for retention due to their heritage significance. It was revised in 2012 and again in 2019, as further structural assessments and community consultation reshaped the list of bridges recommended for conservation and now includes 27 bridges to be retained. Today, the retained bridges represent a range of former bridge types, spanning different ages, sizes and configurations, and remain an important part of Australia’s cultural and engineering heritage. Ongoing feedback from the community has highlighted that some retained bridges may no longer meet contemporary community needs. Transport has committed to reviewing the strategy to ensure it continues to strike the right balance. Tell us what you think If you have feedback on the state’s historic timber truss road bridges, we want to hear from you. There are several ways you can share your feedback on the future of NSW’s historic timber truss bridges. Complete the survey to provide feedback on the Timber Truss Bridge Strategy and the future conservation and management of historic timber truss bridges. Pin a comment on the map to share location-specific feedback about a particular bridge and its importance to your community. Make a submission if you would like to provide more detailed feedback, supporting information, photographs or comments relating to multiple bridges. Your feedback will help inform the review’s recommendations on how these bridges are conserved and maintained into the future. You can respond at https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/TTBS-review/survey

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New Green Triangle freight plan drives a more complex freight task

Australian timber industry news - Thu, 08/10/2026 - 07:56

The refreshed Green Triangle freight plan targets high-productivity vehicle access, cross-border consistency and strategic road upgrades as timber, agriculture, minerals and renewable energy drive a larger and more complex regional freight task. Source: ATN The refreshed Green Triangle freight plan has identified high-productivity vehicle access, cross-border regulation and targeted infrastructure upgrades as priorities for one of Australia’s most significant regional freight networks. Spanning south-east South Australia and south-west Victoria, the Green Triangle al-ready carries a substantial timber and agricultural freight task. Mineral sands, renewable energy, critical minerals and additional processing capacity are expected to make that task larger and more complex over the next five to 10 years. The 2026 Green Triangle Freight Action Plan is designed to guide future infrastructure investment, business cases and policy action rather than serve as a standalone construction funding package. Its stated objectives include expanding High Productivity Vehicle access, improving road safety and strengthening connections between production areas, processing facilities and markets. Forestry remains at the centre of the regional freight economy. The Green Triangle is Australia’s largest plantation forestry region and supplies about 35% of house framing timber, 48% of packaging timber, 60% of poles and posts and 25% of particleboard. Forestry accounts for more than half of regional freight flows, primarily by road. The report says virtually all timber products are transported by truck, with the Port of Portland the main destination. However, the refreshed Green Triangle freight plan is looking beyond timber. Renewable energy projects, mineral sands and potential critical minerals developments are expected to generate substantial new freight movements. Grain, dairy and fertiliser transport are also expected to remain significant contributors. Victorian Ports and Freight Minister Melissa Horne said the region warranted long-term freight planning. “The Green Triangle is a nationally significant freight and industry region, and we are planning its future to keep creating regional jobs,” Horne said. The Green Triangle freight plan identifies several corridors requiring coordinated attention as freight demand grows. Priority routes include the Princes Highway between Warrnambool and Heywood and from Heywood towards Mount Gambier, the Riddoch Highway between Mount Gambier and Coonawarra, Portland-Casterton Road and Glenelg River Road between Mount Gambier and Nelson. The Mount Gambier West freight route to market and sections of the Henty Highway approaching Portland are also listed. The plan additionally identifies load-restricted bridges around Colac as constraints on freight productivity. The priorities were informed by consultation involving road freight operators, forestry businesses, local governments, Government agencies and the Port of Portland during late 2025 and early 2026. Improving High Productivity Vehicle access is one of the strongest trucking themes in the document. The plan identifies a broader industry shift towards moving more freight with fewer, larger vehicles to improve productivity and reduce emissions per tonne-kilometre. But network restrictions can prevent those combinations from being used efficiently. Bridge capacity, pavement condition and road geometry are among the physical constraints, while differences in heavy vehicle regulation between South Australia and Victoria add another layer of complexity. The plan specifically highlights inconsistent mass limits, permit requirements and defect rules as cross-border issues affecting productivity. Its strategic outcomes therefore include greater consistency in heavy vehicle regulation and route gazettal between the two states. Victorian Cross Border Commissioner Brett Davis said the plan would guide further cooperation between the jurisdictions. “This Plan will guide the next phase of cross-border cooperation for the Green Triangle region, which is an important economic zone for Victoria and South Australia, especially the border communities who live, work, operate businesses and invest here,” Davis said. Infrastructure condition remains one of the major challenges identified by the Green Triangle freight plan. The report says transport costs can represent between one-third and one-half of product value in general terms, making inefficient routing and restricted heavy vehicle access commercially significant. Bridge limitations and poor pavement conditions can prevent HPV access, increasing costs and reducing competitiveness. Limited overtaking opportunities, drainage and roadside vegetation are also identified as safety issues. At the same time, increasing oversize-overmass movements for wind energy developments are creating additional geometric challenges at intersections, bridge approaches and constrained sections of the network. One example is the Bridgewater Road bridge at Portland, where the existing 5.2-metre clearance prevents larger vehicles from using the route. Options are being assessed to improve access for over-dimensional trucks travelling to and from the Port of Portland. The type of freight using the network is changing, along with its volume. Wind farms, battery storage developments and potential hydrogen projects are expected to generate more oversize-overmass movements. Those loads require suitable route clearances, staging areas and intersection geometry. The report warns that without proactive planning; renewable energy logistics could compete with timber and agricultural freight for constrained corridor capacity. Timber processing is also reshaping freight patterns. The plan identifies an additional 650,000 cubic metres of processing capacity at Mount Gambier West, with further expansion possible. That will change how raw materials and processed products move through the network. The plan also considers how heavier and lower-emission vehicles could reshape infrastructure requirements. South Australia has already trialled an electric B-double in a forestry application. The Fennell Forestry truck travelled more than 100,000 kilometres during 2024 and 2025, and the report estimates it avoided more than 70,000 litres of diesel and more than 180 tonnes of carbon emissions. However, the transition introduces new infrastructure questions. The additional mass of some battery-electric and hydrogen prime movers affects pavement design and bridge loading, while broader adoption will depend on charging, grid, and refuelling infrastructure. Digital connectivity is another constraint. The plan says patchy 5G coverage can limit the effectiveness of electronic work diaries, fatigue and distraction monitoring, vehicle tracking and other fleet technologies. Rail forms another part of the regional strategy, particularly for bulk commodities. The Australian Government committed $150 million in 2024 to upgrading approximately 172 kilometres of the Portland-Maroona rail line. The works are intended to increase maximum axle loads from 19 tonnes to 23 tonnes and maximum track speed to 80km/h. The plan expects the upgrade to improve […]

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Takeaways from Climate Week NYC 2026

Australian timber industry news - Wed, 07/10/2026 - 01:34

Across hundreds of conversations among businesses, governments, financial institutions, Indigenous leaders, and civil society organizations at Climate Week NYC, one message stood out: climate, rights, and nature need to become business and policy priorities instead of niche issues. Source: Timberbiz FSC participated in events throughout the week to highlight responsible forest stewardship as an essential climate solution, emphasize the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ leadership and sustainable finance, and strengthen partnerships to scale up our impact. “The best measure of a healthy forest is a thriving community,” said FSC Indigenous Foundation Director Minnie Degawan, during a Nature4Climate Nature Hub panel, sending a clear signal that we must not think about nature and people in silos. Building resilience to a rapidly changing climate requires shared in-vestment. Forest communities who have done the least to cause the climate crisis are often bearing the greatest burden of adapting to its impacts. A panel with IDH, Root Capital, Satelligence, Blue Marble, and FSC at the Nature4Climate Nature Hub explored this challenge. Participants emphasized that climate resilience depends on connecting trusted data, certification, and finance so that responsibility and investment are shared across the value chain, helping to de-risk the transition for communities. Consumers also have a role to play. At an event hosted by the NYU Stern Centre for Sustainable Business, GlobeScan, and Sustainable Brands, FSC Chief Program Officer Ria Stout participated alongside representatives from IKEA, Mastercard, Amazon, and Unilever to explore how consumer demand is driving the sustainability agenda. Sustainability-marketed products are growing 4.9 times faster than conventionally marketed products across 36 consumer packaged goods categories, according to NYU Stern Centre for Sustainable Business’ Sustainable Market Share Index. However, affordability remains a barrier to wider adoption. Data emerged as a recurring theme across Climate Week discussions. As sustainability reporting requirements and climate disclosures increase, companies need data and evidence that connect sustainability outcomes with business priorities. FSC North America and the FSC Indigenous Foundation brought together representatives from environmental, rights, research, finance, and community-focused organizations for a conversation on how forests, food, climate, biodiversity, freshwater, rights, and community well-being can be addressed more effectively together. Indigenous Peoples’ leadership was central in Climate Week discussions. “Forests are more than carbon sinks. Carbon is, in fact, a co-benefit. For Indigenous Peoples, forests are home and relatives,” said Minnie Degawan at an event hosted by the Environmental Defense Fund and Emergent. Direct climate funding for Indigenous Peoples and local communities was another key topic. Despite exceeding the COP26 Forest Tenure Pledge target with USD 2.35 billion committed, Climate Week discussions emphasized that success depends not just on how much funding is provided, but on decision-making power and direct access to finance. The Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) launched the Forest Finance Roadmap Progress Report during Climate Week, highlighting progress toward closing the US$66.8 billion forest finance gap. It also shared growing support for the Tropical Forest Forever Facility; a blended finance initiative launched at COP30 to reward countries for conserving tropical rainforests. The UK announced a GBP 400 million commitment to the Facility during the week, adding to the momentum. Governments are crucial partners for translating commitments into action. \At the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force) panel, Sharon London, Partnerships Director at FSC Investments & Partnerships, joined governors, universities, NGOs and foundations to explore how governments can work with communities, NGOs, investors and the private sector to unlock finance, close capacity gaps, and turn climate commitments into action. Speakers emphasized that successful partnerships are built on trust, long-term relationships, and understanding of local realities. “Partnerships are how we connect policy, finance, certification, and the people working on the ground,” said Sharon London, reflecting on the event. There is growing interest from local governments in translating climate commitments into practical actions through partnerships, finance, and tools such as FSC certification. FSC and the GCF Task Force are advancing a letter of intent to build a platform for collaboration, joint projects, fundraising, knowledge-sharing, and policy engagement.

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A new forest map for Sweden – three maps into one

Australian timber industry news - Wed, 07/10/2026 - 01:33

Sweden’s newest Forest Map is a digital map from the Swedish Forest Agency that brings together three of the agency’s most widely used mapping tools in a common platform. Here, forestry can, among other things, calculate the amount of timber but also see where there may be valuable forest environments, ancient finds and the risk of forest damage. Source: Timberbiz “Three maps become one, which makes it easier than ever to plan for logging and other measures in the forest. This can contribute to better environmental consideration and more efficient forestry,” said Kajsa Wivstad, project manager for the Forest Map. In the Forest Map, the user can, for example, see where there are high natural values that may need to be taken into account, but also ancient remains and other cultural environments that must not be damaged. Here is information about which forests are protected, watercourses, soil conditions and where there is a risk of landslides. There is also data that makes it easier for the user to assess tree height and timber reserves. The Swedish Forest Agency launched the first map in 1999, which has since been developed in several stages. Until now, there have been mainly three highly appreciated and well-used maps with up to 2,000 visits each week: Forest pearls that show information about valuable forest environments but also information from the Artportal that guides the forest owner where consideration may be required when felling and other measures. Forest basic data describes forests and land and can be used in all types of forest planning. Damage to forests shows where damage has occurred from, among other things, fire and storms.   These three maps have now been removed, but the information from all three has been moved to the Forest Map, which can be used on computers, tablets and mobile phones. “The forest map is more user-friendly and easy to navigate with functions and menus that are easier to use. Then, of course, we will gradually develop the content of the map and take into account the views and suggestions for improvement from the users,” said Kajsa Wivstad. The target group for the Forest Map is broad and includes forest owners, forestry companies, authorities, municipalities, non-profit organizations and private actors such as environmental consultants, banks, brokers and insurance companies. The map is also aimed at users who do not have their own GIS systems but need access to qualified geographic information about forests and land. For a year, a beta version of the Forest Map has been available on the Swedish Forest Agency’s website for testing and development of the content.  

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Forestry and Forest Products sector’s Global Sustainability Progress Report

Australian timber industry news - Wed, 07/10/2026 - 01:32

The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) released its biennial Sustainability Progress Report which demonstrates progress in seven key areas of sustainability. The 2026 report also highlights the role the forest products sector can play in helping meet global climate goals. Source: Timberbiz “As the 2026 Sustainability Progress Report makes clear, the global forest products sector continues to make measurable progress toward a more sustainable future,” said José Carlos da Fonseca Jr, ICFPA President. “Across regions, our members are demonstrating that sustainably managed forests, renewable materials and paper recycling are essential to supporting communities, strengthening circularity and advancing responsible growth around the world.” The ICFPA Sustainability Progress Report tracks progress achieved in 2022-2023. The overall trend is positive – a reflection that the industry continues to improve in key sustainability areas from our baseline years. In addition to quantitative metrics that demonstrate our industry’s progress towards sustainability commitments, the report includes case studies to provide a more robust and qualitative reflection of our industry’s sustainability performance. Key progress on ICFPA’s sustainability performance indicators include: 51% of procured wood fibre came from third-party certified sustainably managed forests, a 39% increase from the 2000 baseline year. Greenhouse gas emission intensity decreased 295 from the 2004/2005 baseline year. The share of mill energy needs met by biomass and other renewable fuels increased to 66%, a 13% increase since 2004/2005. Sulphur dioxide emission intensity from on-site combustion sources decreased 80.5% from the 2004/2005 baseline year. Water use intensity decreased 6.4% from the baseline year. Investment in health and safety interventions yielded a 31.6% reduction in the global recordable incident rate from the 2006/2007 baseline with the number of recordable incidents falling to 2.81 per 100 employees annually. 62% of paper and paperboard consumed globally was used by mills to make new products, marking a 15% increase in the global recycling rate since the year 2000.   The 2026 ICFPA Sustainability Progress Report also includes the 2025 International Finalists for the prestigious ICFPA Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Award. The theme for the 2024-2025 Blue Sky Awards was “Building a Lower Carbon Economy with Climate Positive Forestry and Forest Products.” Currently, the ICFPA represents 16 pulp, paper, wood and fibre-based associations that encompass 27 countries, including many of the top pulp, paper and wood producers around the world.

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Annual fire conference strengthens relationships ahead of the fire season

Australian timber industry news - Wed, 07/10/2026 - 01:32

Around 70 staff from fire and land management agencies, emergency services, local government representatives and community members gathered in Patchewollock for the 56th Annual Big Desert and Wyperfeld Fire Conference. Source: Timberbiz The annual event continues to play an important role in strengthening relationships, sharing knowledge and preparing for the upcoming bushfire season across Victoria’s Mallee region. The conference brought together representatives from: Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) Country Fire Authority (CFA) Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) Agriculture Victoria, Victoria Police Parks Victoria VicSES Barengi Gadjin Land Council Department of Environment and Water of South Australia Emergency Management Victoria local government community stakeholders.   FFMVic Acting Mallee District Manager, Ash Christian, said the conference is a great opportunity to connect, learn and share insights about fire management in the Mallee region. ‘Bringing agencies and stakeholders together helps us reflect on the year gone by while preparing for the bushfire season ahead,’ Mr Christian said. The day began with a Welcome to Country delivered by the Barengi Gadjin Land Council, followed by opening remarks from FFMVic and CFA leaders, who high-lighted the value of collaboration in reducing bushfire risk and keeping communities safe. Attendees heard a range of presentations covering lessons from the past fire season and preparations for the season ahead. Topics included seasonal weather conditions, operational readiness, fuel management programs in the Big Desert and Wyperfeld areas, fire prevention and community preparedness, and recovery efforts following recent fires. A highlight of the conference was a detailed reconstruction of the Boinka Fire, where firefighters and fire managers shared insights into the challenges faced during the incident and the strategies used to manage it. The presentation provided valuable lessons that can help strengthen future fire response and planning. The conference also provided an opportunity for agencies to update attendees on current projects and priorities, reinforcing the importance of coordinated efforts across organisations before and during the fire season. Following the morning presentations, participants took part in a field tour of locations affected by the Baring and Bronzewing State Forest fire. Led by FFMVic and CFA personnel, the tour explored key suppression strategies used during the incident, including the role of strategic fuel breaks, planned burning and boundary management in supporting firefighting operations. The site visits gave attendees the opportunity to see firsthand how planning, partnerships and on-ground decision making can influence fire outcomes in complex landscapes. The Big Desert and Wyperfeld Fire Conference remains one of the region’s longest-running fire management forums. “For more than five decades it has provided a valuable opportunity for agencies, volunteers and community members to connect, learn from one another and share local knowledge,” he said. As preparations continue for the coming fire season, events like this help build stronger partnerships and a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in managing fire across Victoria’s unique Mallee environment.

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