Australian timber industry news

FAE is expanding its range of top-of-the-line forestry mulchers for excavators with the introduction of the new UMM/S/EX model for excavators up to 40 tons; particularly for feller bunchers. Source: Timberbiz The new UMM/S/EX can be used for mulching trees and vegetation with a diameter of up to 40 cm and is compatible with excavators from 25 to 40 tons. Its hydraulic capacity ranges from 250 to 450 L/min., and it can handle pressure of up to 400 bar. This mulcher model is recommended for use anywhere a large mulching capacity is required, including in wooded areas or green spaces. The UMM/S/EX has been designed with a number of specific features to provide top performance. Its VT automatic variable displacement motor allows for increased torque, and its double Poly Chain belt transmission ensures optimum power transfer and reliability over time. Spike PRO bolted counter blades produce very fine mulch and make maintenance easy, while the mulching chamber features bolted protections made of an anti-wear material. The sturdy type-C rotor makes it possible to use different tooth models for different applications and comes with side teeth, which help keep the crushing chamber clean at all times. Finally, with a sturdy steel frame, the UMM/S/EX is built to last. This head is available in UMM/S/EX/VT-150 size. With the introduction of the UMM/S/EX, FAE forestry mulchers can now be used with even more powerful vehicles, which have only been used in a limited capacity for this application up to now. FAE’s range of heads includes forestry mulchers, tillers, stump cutters, stone crushers, soil stabilizers, road planers, wheel saws and multitasks. Its line of tracked carriers includes tracked carriers with cabs and remote-controlled tracked carriers. FAE was founded in 1989 in Fondo, Italy, where its headquarters are still located, it has an office in Melbourne, Australia.

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Wildfires intensified across southern Europe on Wednesday with a round-the-clock battle to protect the perimeter of Greece’s third-largest city and at least three deaths reported in Spain, Turkey and Albania. Sources: Associated Press and NBC News Outside the Greek port city of Patras, firefighters struggled to protect homes and agricultural facilities as flames tore through pine forests and olive groves. Tall columns of flames rose behind apartment blocks on the outskirts of the city, while dozens of vehicles were torched as flames swept through a nearby impound lot. “Today is another very difficult day with the level of fire risk remaining very high across many parts of the country,” Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakoyiannis said. At least 15 firefighters were hospitalized or received medical attention for burns, smoke inhalation or exhaustion, he added. As water-dropping planes and helicopters swooped overhead, residents joined the effort, beating back flames with cut branches or dousing them with buckets of water. Firefighting resources were stretched thin in many affected countries as they battled multiple outbreaks following weeks of heat waves and temperature spikes across the Mediterranean region. On the Greek island of Chios, exhausted firefighters slept on the roadside following a night-long shift. Aircraft rotated between blazes on the western Greek mainland, the Patras area and the island of Zakynthos. Athens also sent assistance to neighbouring Albania, joining an international effort to combat dozens of wildfires. An 80-year-old man died in one blaze south of the capital, Tirana, officials said Wednesday. Residents of four villages were evacuated in central Albania near a former army ammunition depot. In the southern Korca district, near the Greek border, explosions were reported from buried World War II-era artillery shells. Authorities said dozens of homes were gutted in a central region of the country. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed condolences after the death of a firefighting volunteer in the hard-hit Castile and León region north of the capital, Madrid, where thousands have been displaced by evacuations. “The wildfire situation remains serious, and taking extra precautions is essential,” Sánchez wrote in an online post. “Thank you, once again, to all those working tirelessly to fight the flames.” Evacuation centres were filled to capacity in parts of central Spain, with some spending the night outdoors on folding beds. The most severe fires pushed northward into more rural areas, where some residents hosed the walls of their homes to try and protect them from fire.

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Canadian lumber duties just jumped to 35.19%, more than double what they were in January. At the start of 2025, the combined “all others” duty on Canadian softwood lumber was 14.40%. This included 7.66% anti-dumping and 6.74% countervailing duties. Two Department of Commerce rulings in July and August increased the total to 35.19%, made up of 20.56% anti-dumping and 14.63% countervailing. Source: HBS Dealer When Canadian prices rise, US mills often raise their own prices in response. As Brian Rodgers, purchasing manager at Shepley Wood Products, recently told the Boston Globe, “Everybody follows the numbers. It doesn’t matter what side of the border it’s coming from.” This market behaviour reduces negotiating room for dealers and tightens margins no matter where the lumber originates. Tony Shepley, president of Shepley Wood Products, emphasized the industry’s responsibility to protect housing affordability: “It’s our mission as an industry to protect consumers, to not let housing get driven further out of reach.” There is a prevailing trend unfolding where more architectural and engineering specifications are calling for Canadian SPF (spruce-pine-fir). The reason is not quality but differences in grading rules and design values. Canadian SPF and American SPFs are graded differently and are not interchangeable under many construction specifications. This means that when a project specifies Canadian SPF, dealers must supply it to meet the requirement. Some New Hampshire retailers report that this has shifted their entire inventory to Canadian SPF. This is not a marginal factor, as the United States already purchases nearly 70% of all Canadian softwood lumber exports. The more specifications lean toward Canadian SPF, the more entrenched that reliance becomes, narrowing opportunities for American SPFs to compete. Eric Murphy, purchasing and marketing manager at East Coast Lumber & Building Supply Company and incoming president of the New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association (NHRLA), explained: “We’re seeing the specifications in project plans leave us with no real choice. If the plan calls for Canadian SPF, that’s what we have to supply. Over time, it’s pushed us to the point where we now only stock Canadian SPF. It’s not a question of preference; it’s about meeting the requirements of the jobs our customers are building.” The NHRLA is working to introduce state legislation that would require a preference for American SPFs when pricing and performance are competitive. Without action, this specification trend could further increase dependence on Canadian lumber at the same time tariffs and duties are reaching historic highs. The softwood lumber dispute between the United States and Canada has lasted for decades, with duties in place for much of that time. This long history has reshaped supply chains. While tariffs and duties are meant to raise the price of imports and protect domestic producers, they have also prompted Canadian sawmills to relocate to the United States to avoid paying the duties. As I explained in a recent CBS 3 Vermont interview, we have seen with these tariffs that have been in place for decades on Canadian lumber, sawmills have moved into the United States to avoid the tariff, so it actually has brought in a certain level of manufacturing jobs. These relocations have created American jobs and investment but have not eliminated upward pressure on prices. ABMA supports a negotiated resolution to the U.S.–Canada softwood lumber dispute that addresses unfair trade practices while ensuring stable supply and predictable pricing for dealers, mills and builders. Tariffs and duties can be an effective enforcement tool, but they are no substitute for a long-term, enforceable trade framework. Our outlook is that the current 35.19% duty rate when combined with the emerging structural preference for Canadian SPF over American SPFs will keep price pressure high. Without resolution, retailers will remain tied to a pricing structure driven as much by policy shifts as by actual supply and demand fundamentals. “Our industry has lived with these duties for decades, and we’ve adapted but what we want most is a resolution that delivers long-term stability. Duties and tariffs at this level send a clear signal that the status quo isn’t sustainable, and they can be a tool to bring both sides back to the table. The sooner we can achieve a fair agreement, the better it will be for the entire North American lumber supply chain,” said Rod Wiles, Vice President of Human Resources at Hammond Lumber Company and Chair of the American Building Materials Alliance.

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Studying at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Nicholas Stratmann feels he has found a uniquely perfect place to complete his honours research into eucalyptus conservation. Source: Timberbiz “You don’t have to go far from campus to be in the bush,” he said. “That connection to place is a big part of what keeps me motivated.” Originally from Victoria, Mr Stratmann has long been fascinated by Australia’s rich botanical diversity. And it was Tasmania’s unique native flora – particularly its diverse species of eucalyptus, that inspired him to relocate to the island state and specialise in it. Mr Stratmann is currently working on an honours project focused on understanding and conserving Tasmania’s eucalyptus populations, which are increasingly vulnerable to the pressures of climate change, land use, and habitat loss. “Eucalypts are incredibly important, not just ecologically, but culturally and economically,” he said. “They’re keystone species in many Australian ecosystems, and Tasmania is home to some of the most distinctive and rare types.” His research involves sampling eucalyptus populations across different parts of the state and analysing their genetic diversity and local adaptation to climate. The aim is to assess how populations are structured across the landscape, as well as how adapted these populations are to their environments. This helps to inform conservation strategies, particularly in the face of climate uncertainty. “Understanding the genetic variation within and between eucalyptus species can tell us which populations are more resilient, which ones are isolated, and where we need to prioritise conservation efforts,” Mr Stratmann said. Mr Stratmann made the move to Hobart after learning about the University’s strength in environmental science and its close ties with conservation organisations and research initiatives across the state. “I knew I wanted to do work that could have a real-world impact,” he said. “Tasmania offered the chance to study in a place where nature is still accessible and relatively intact and where people are passionate about protecting it.” That move was made easier by the welcoming academic environment he discovered at the University of Tasmania. The support he received from supervisors and staff helped him settle in quickly and focus on his research from day one. “There’s a really strong research culture here. My supervisors have been incredibly generous with their time and knowledge, and the university has excellent facilities for both field and lab work,” Mr Stratmann said. “It’s been a great environment to grow in as a scientist.” Mr Stratmann’s work will be used by landholders and community groups who are actively involved in environmental restoration and native vegetation management. And he also hopes to continue with postgraduate research into eucalyptus genetics once his honours project is complete. “Engaging with people on the ground is one of the most rewarding parts of this work,” he said. “Conservation is a shared responsibility, and it’s exciting to see how research can support community-driven efforts,” he said. “There’s still so much we don’t know, and I feel really lucky to be contributing to that knowledge here in Tasmania.” View a video at https://youtu.be/f_GI9CH7bbY

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For architect Kim Baber, Principal of Baber Studio, being awarded the Richard Stanton Memorial Leadership Award for his work on the timber-rich Maryborough Fire Station was an opportunity to highlight what’s possible when working with sustainably sourced materials. Source: Timberbiz “As architects and designers, we have a lot of responsibility to ensure selection of the materials we use and the impact of the buildings we create are managed in a responsible way,” Mr Baber said. With nominations for this year’s Richard Stanton Award now closed, Mr Barber believes the recognition of awards like this one play a broader role in promoting better practice across the industry, with leadership in timber design grounded in accountability. “It’s not just about recognising good design practices. We need to understand where materials are coming from, that they’re being used properly and how that’s going to impact the future life of the building – and the footprint of the resource extraction from the current environment,” he said. A cyclone-rated emergency services building, the Maryborough Fire Station is estimated to contain approximately 500m3 of Australian grown timber from Responsible Wood-certified softwood plantations. The result of many years of advocacy to the state government, the project was a collaborative effort between Mr Baber’s firm, Kim Baber Architects, Hyne Timber, XLAM and Hutchinson Builders. “It was really rewarding to see that effort translate into a timber building that’s so valued by both its users and the local community,” Mr Baber said. Fittingly, the $2000 bursary he received for his award win was put towards a trip to Japan to present at a Tohoku University seminar series focused on resilient timber design, and how mass timber can be used in buildings designed for extreme weather events. “In Japan, their focus is often seismic resilience but they’re also facing typhoons and tsunamis. We were able to share insights into designing for cyclonic conditions here in Australia, I was able to put my bursary towards making that trip happen,” Mr Baber said. The Richard Stanton Memorial Leadership Award recognises the winner with a $2000 bursary for work like: Significant and valuable contributions to sustainability Innovation, improvement, or excellence in sustainable forest management or the fabrication, supply, or utilisation of certified forest products Strong commitment to the principles of sustainable forest management Innovation and improvement in promoting Responsible Wood and/or PEFC-certified products.

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Forestry Corporation’s Chris Scollen, a seasoned Crew Leader and Operations Planner, has deployed to Canada to assist with the nation’s fire containment efforts. NSW has this year sent 140 firefighters to Canada, and more than 400 firefighters from across Australia and New Zealand have deployed since June. Source: Timberbiz Mr Scollen, who is based at Taree, has worked with Forestry Corporation for five years and volunteered with the NSW Rural Fire Service for 25 years. He joins 14 other NSW and ACT fire specialists to serve as a Safety Officer in a mixed Incident Management Team (IMT) that oversees fire control across the province. He will spend 33 days on deployment. “The role I am undertaking involves identifying hazards that arise in the field, whether that be weather changes, a shift in fire intensity, or high winds, and also mapping dangerous trees to ensure firefighter safety remains the number one priority,” Mr Scollen said. “A lot of the major fires are burning in rugged, isolated terrain so I’ll also be coordinating plans to ensure firefighters can exit the field safely as fires evolve, and this includes forming helicopter insertion and extraction safety plans.” Mr Scollen said he was looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to learn about new fire behaviour and containment strategies in the Canadian landscape. Forestry Corporation’s firefighting crews have been part of these consecutive deployments. The fires burning across Canada have grown in both size and number as summer in the Northern Hemisphere has intensified. More than 4,000 fires have burnt across 14 million hectares of land.

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Around 50 people joined Private Forests Tasmania at farmer Dougal Morrison’s property at St Peters Pass in Oatlands to celebrate the launch of operations as part of the Stems for CO2 Project. Source: Timberbiz During the event, attendees heard from Private Forests Tasmania about its project and insights from participating farmers Mr Morrison and Alison Napier. Professor Matthew Harrison from the University of Tasmania spoke about carbon forestry, the Australian Carbon Credit Units Scheme and different types of forestry carbon projects that could be registered in Tasmania. In addition, a presentation on FullCAM carbon modelling was shared by Bernard Prosser, which included examples of the carbon modelling undertaken as part of the Stems for CO2 project. Participants then received an operations update at the site of one of Mr Morrison’s woodlot plantings adjacent to the Midlands Highway. It was great opportunity to introduce the Stems for CO2 Project to neighbouring landowners, and to share information about the benefits of planting trees for timber and carbon outcomes. To find out more about Private Forests Tasmania’s Stems for CO2 Project, visit https://pft.tas.gov.au/stems-for-co2-program-2024  

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Reducing the time period within which a consent authority must process and decide an application for a resource consent for a specified wood processing activity to one year after the date the application is lodged as outlined within the new Resource Consenting (RMA) Act passed in the New Zealand parliament this week is applauded by the wood products industry. Source: Timberbiz “With examples of resource consent renewal for wood processing sites taking up to 13 years and costing in excess of NZ$2 million due to the drawn-out regional council processes, a more efficient system is essential,” said Chief Executive of the Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of NZ (WPMA), Mark Ross. “The new Act amends the RMA to open up a consenting pathway for all wood processing and related activities, which is intended to reduce costs and time frames, plus open up much-needed investment opportunities for the industry. “In adopting this change, the Government has listened to WPMA and our members and for that we thank the Minister responsible for reform, Chris Bishop, and Act MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court, for providing the leadership needed to back future development of both new and existing wood processing facilities.” As a low net emissions industry, wood processing offers many public benefits, including being a high-value regional employer, adding value to commodities that are otherwise exported in raw form, along with providing domestic resilience in terms of the supply of building materials, residues for sustainable packaging and biofuel. The full replacement for the RMA will be introduced to parliament this year, be passed into law next year, and be in effect by 2027, but in the meantime, through this Amendment Bill, it should be a quicker and simpler process to consent wood processing activities, incentivising future growth within the industry. As defined in the new RMA Act, wood processing activity means the establishment, operation, or maintenance of a facility that specialises in the production of long-lived wood products, products derived from wood fibre, or wood-derived bioenergy, for example, the production of sawn timber, panel products (for example, veneer, plywood, laminated veneer, lumber, particle board, or fibreboard), pulp, paper, and paperboard, wood chips, bioproducts, chemicals, and materials; or provides for the storage of logs, processed wood products, or hazardous materials used in or produced by the operation of the facility.

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SFM is collaborating with land data analytics company Agtuary to support its assessment of properties suitable for carbon project development, helping to streamline decision-making and enhance the integrity of its project pipeline. Source: Timberbiz Through Agtuary’s transparent, science-backed benchmarking platform, SFM will be able to evaluate the carbon potential and land value of properties with greater speed, accuracy and consistency. The engagement will enable SFM to make earlier, more informed decisions about where carbon projects can deliver strong environmental and commercial outcomes. “Agtuary’s customisable platform allows us to align scientific data with our project criteria — from carbon sequestration to co-benefit potential — all while ensuring transparency and efficiency in our processes,” said SFM’s Managing Director, Andrew Morgan. “It’s a smart investment in both technology and rigour as we continue to grow our portfolio of high-integrity carbon projects.” Agtuary enables third-party assessments using independent data sources and geospatial modelling, providing valuable insights on land performance, opportunity, and value. The platform will support SFM’s ongoing efforts to identify properties in Australia that can support long-term, sustainable land use change through carbon forestry. “SFM is applying Agtuary in exactly the way it’s intended — as a decision-support tool grounded in science and built for practical outcomes,” said Brent Wedesweiler, Chief Operating Officer at Agtuary. “We’re pleased to be contributing to projects that create measurable environmental and economic value.” This collaboration underscores SFM’s continued leadership in sustainable forestry and carbon development and reinforces its commitment to evidence-based project design.

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‘The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomed the opportunity to represent the forestry sector at the recent Agriculture Productivity Roundtable convened by Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins. Source: Timberbiz “Like all sectors, improved productivity is a priority for us, and we believe the answers lie with various reforms and changes including, strategic regional planning, improved R&D outcomes to maximise resource opportunities, as well as technology upgrades,” AFPA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Richard Hyett said. “Our sector provides the solutions to many of the Government’s challenges, including helping solve the housing crisis and decarbonising the economy. It’s important we work with Minister Collins and her Ministerial colleagues in the Albanese Government to get the policy settings right, to improve productivity for our sector and to enhance our national contribution to the economy, climate and the creation of essential products,” Mr Hyett said. At the Roundtable, AFPA focussed on the importance of strategic regional planning, increased forestry research and development investment, improved timber and wood-fibre outcomes, along with improved supply chain technology and policy settings that promote the sustainability of the forestry industry and its products. The Strategic Forest and Renewable Materials Partnership – made up of industry, unions and other sector stakeholders working with Government, has developed the Timber Fibre Strategy, released several weeks ago. It also recommends a number of Albanese Government actions to drive a step change improvement in productivity, including: Recognising forestry and wood products as a priority industry under the Government’s Future Made in Australia Network Promoting investment in workplace productivity across the sector including trialling the “smarter” High Performance Workplace model to encourage programs, projects and pilots De-risking investment in modern manufacturing capability by improving cross-government regulatory reform “We have a huge potential using our amazing materials, maximising use and value of the resource as well as developing new uses. It’s all key to our future success,” Mr Hyett said.  

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Optoppen is a Dutch word which translates as “topping up”. It is also the name of an online resource that will help anyone interested in airspace development – adding storeys to a building’s roof. Source: Timberbiz Using timber to extend upwards makes sense: it is a much lighter construction material than most. This means it can potentially add storeys without the need for strengthening the building’s foundations. The Optoppen website hosts an interactive tool to help clients identify the opportunity of their site for additional floors. This tool allows asset owners and urban planners to quickly assess the potential a building has for a rooftop extension. It provides a high-level structural assessment and reports the possible amount of floor space that could be created – together with the amount of carbon sequestered in the mass timber, as well as the structural embodied carbon of the construction. It also provides useful examples of existing Optoppen extensions, and it has a fascinating library of timber-based rooftop extension projects from a healthy mix of countries. You can also read about the various policies in Europe that are relevant to this kind of project. One intriguing part of the Optoppen site is its interactive ‘City Opportunities’ page. There you can read about the new units that timber rooftop extensions could create in the cities of London, Rotterdam and Barcelona. The existing buildings in those cities were assessed in terms of numbers, heights and typologies; numbers were crunched; and some promising conclusions were reached about Optoppen’s potential. In London, Optoppen could deliver 515,000 new flats. That amounts to 45,752,900m2 of internal area: an increase of some 7.7%. The timber used would sequester 4,330,400 tonnes of CO2e, that’s the equivalent of over 5.5 million Sitka Spruce trees. Similar studies found that up to 125,000 flats could be added to Rotterdam’s rooftops; and over 195,000 to Barcelona’s. London has a hugely varied range of building typologies, from low-rise terraces to Edwardian mansion blocks, to more modern office buildings and high-rise blocks of flats. All of these typologies have potential for adding storeys, with different boroughs presenting different scales of opportunities. The study breaks that 515,000 total down by borough. You can select a particular London borough to see at a glance what Optoppen gains could be made there. Southwark could gain 24,800 new flats (2,010,200m2), while Westminster could gain 48,300 (4,059,200m2). The assessment of all this for London was based upon available information on parameters for urban density, for each borough, to assess opportunities for adding flats to those over 3 floors. “We took our data from public information published by the Greater London Authority (GLA) on buildings in each London borough,” explains Kelly Harrison a Director at Whitby Wood. “Using information on building heights, we could determine the number of storeys. We then used available statistical data on each borough’s building use and typologies. “A borough might be comprised of 20% residential and 80% commercial or industrial, for example. For each borough, we took the average building height and number of storeys for each use type, to estimate how much timber you could add on top using the Optoppen tool.” The information is therefore based on a few assumptions, but with some conservatism, the overall picture that it gives remains a reliable estimation. “For Rotterdam, we could calculate that Optoppen could provide a 16% increase in units,” Ms Kelly said. “But for London, we had to be very conservative in our assumptions, as the data wasn’t as good, and the size of the city much greater.” The conclusions about London’s Optoppen potential were based on buildings of three storeys or more, and less than 20. That is because buildings lower than that would likely require foundation strengthening, and those over could give large additional area results, which could be unreliable and skew results. “That limitation assumes we don’t touch any foundations,” Ms Kelly said. “You could add many more if you were strengthening or adding new foundations, but this adds embodied carbon and is almost impossible to quantify, so is a limitation of the study.” While the Optoppen website does talk about these numbers in terms of “flats”, the point is more about the sheer amount of new useable space that Optoppen could provide. “Really, it is about adding a percentage of floor area, but talking purely in terms of square metres is not necessarily meaningful to everyone,” Ms Kelly said. “So, we’ve tried to contextualise it for people by suggesting how many tw obedroom flats that space could be.” The particular use, and the viability, of an Optoppen project will vary from area to area. “Viability is of course a crucial part of any development,” Ms Kelly said. “The whole point of the Optoppen website is to demonstrate that it can be done: to show what it could mean for a building asset in terms of unlocking all that space. “The tool helps early decisions making, to give a clear brief to the design team, who need to all be on the same page to make this work, as found in our stakeholder roundtable discussions. “ The case studies give precedent, and the deep dive research studies in the Netherlands show how you can overcome the detail. We have recently also included a Swedish Design Guide, also translated to English to give further detail.” Ms Kelly suggests that councils in particular are increasingly interested in this work. They have ambitious new housing targets, and many of them are already stretched in terms of need. The organisation Trust for London has highlighted that every London borough (bar Hounslow) has a higher proportion of households in temporary accommodation (TA) than the England average. In nine London boroughs, the proportion of residents in TA is five times the rest of England. For a council, adding storeys to a four-storey council block would be much more cost-effective than the enormous monthly costs of housing those without homes in TA or hotels. Ms Kelly also points out that in areas […]

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Misiones, Argentina, is home to the world’s only edible tree: The Yacaratia, a species that you can eat as it is perfectly safe for human consumption. Source: Columbia One According to a Misiones local tour guide and expert naturalist, Gloria Gomez the yacaratiá is a plant that belongs to the papaya family, native to the Paraná jungle. “Here we call it mamón del monte. I understand that might be a rude word in Spain [sucker], but here papaya is known as mamón,” she said. Wood from trees is not edible anywhere else in the world, this phenomenon is exclusive to the Jacaratia Spinosa tree in Misiones, Argentina. What makes this more intriguing, however, is the fact that its wood is edible because it doesn’t contain cellulose, and it also has a high water content (moisture). Its high concentration of water does not make it automatically edible, however. Ms Gomez explains that before consumption, the wood has to be harvested for 24 hours in order for it to be safe for humans. This is what makes the Yacaratia so unique, as there are trees whose bark a human can eat, like the willow, pine, or poplar, but not the wood. The Yacaratia tree was discovered by Argentina’s Guarani indigenous people. This tree was rediscovered relatively recently. In 1991, Argentinian forest engineer Roberto Pascutti found a manuscript written by a Jesuit named Basaldua, which mentioned a rather odd custom from the Guarani people, which involved eating worms off the Yacaratia’s wood. “The Guaraní used to eat it raw or lightly roasted over embers,” but it was “the forestry engineer Pascutti who patented the project for making this wood edible,” Ms Gomez said. Mr Pascutti spent five years in the jungle with Guarani communities. He created and patented the process in which the wood of the Yacaratia tree became edible. According to the tourist guide from the El Soberbio municipality, the Yacaratia wood is prepared in the middle of the Argentinian jungle by removing the outer bark and cooking the inner part of the wood. Others claim, however, that boiling the wood is enough. There are some who eat it raw. People often eat the wood with caramels and other sweets. It is also commercialized as a sort of wood jam. Recently, influencers from Argentina went viral as they prepared the Yacaratia as a Milanesa, a national dish, naming it “Wooden Milanesa” (Milanesa de Madera). According to the tourist guide from the El Soberbio municipality, the Yacaratia wood is prepared in the middle of the Argentinian jungle by removing the outer bark and cooking the inner part of the wood.

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FSC and Assurance Services International (ASI) have concluded the Vietnam Forest Management Transaction Verification (TV) loop. The TV loop introduced an additional level of scrutiny, leading to the voluntary exit or mandated removal of non diligent organizations by certification bodies. Source: Timberbiz FSC and ASI launched the Vietnam Forest Management TV loop in 2023 to trace the trade patterns and volume of timber-based feedstock originating from FSC-certified forests and ending in wood pellet manufacturing certificate holders. ASI collected transaction data between January to December 2022 from 56 Forest Management and 368 Chain of Custody certificate holders, covering an area of over 241,600 hectares of forest in Vietnam. Based on the high-risk volume mismatches and other integrity risks identified in the first phase of the TV loop, ASI conducted further investigations into 10 supply chain clusters, taking into consideration information earlier submitted to ASI by whistleblowers and insights from previous investigations in the regional pellet market. During the TV loop, six certificate holders were terminated by their certification body because they did not respond to the request for transaction data submission. A handful of certificate holders also voluntarily withdrew their certificates, particularly in cases where withdrawal potentially helped them avoid scrutiny. Main findings and actions Actions resulting in blockage: ASI has recommended FSC to suspend and block three certificate holders from the FSC system. FSC is currently examining the evidence ASI has provided to initiate the blockage process. Additionally, one certificate holder who deliberately impeded the investigation is also being considered for blockage. Self-billing integrity risk: Many of the Forest Management certificate holders participating in this TV loop were group entities. ASI observed that some of these group entities let the group members handle sales with buyers directly, with the buyer preparing the invoices and associated documents. However, the group entity (who holds the FSC certificate) is not aware of the sales and does not manage them as required. While sales by group members are permitted under FSC-STD-30-005 V2-1  (Standard Forest Management Groups), certain risks may arise as identified in this TV Loop, particularly in ensuring full conformity with FSC requirements. Clarification on harvesting practices: FSC standards require that harvesting of products and services be conducted at levels that are permanently sustained. In this investigation, ASI identified that some acacia plantations in Vietnam are operating on shortened harvest cycles. While these operations may be certified, FSC acknowledges the potential environmental considerations associated with shortened rotation period and emphasizes the importance of consistent interpretation and application of the requirements by both certification bodies and certificate holders. Further exploration of this issue may be warranted where relevant. The wood pellet sector is dynamic and fast growing. With a global push on emission reduction, especially from fossil-fuel generated emissions, government policy is encouraging energy companies to switch to wood pellets and other biomass fuels. In the Asia Pacific region, both the Republic of Korea and Japan have provided subsidies to further this agenda. While the Republic of Korea revoked their policy in January 2025, Japan continues to incentivise the use of biomass fuels. Vietnamese wood pellet manufacturers trade extensively with Japan, hence the demand for FSC-certified wood pellets is high. Therefore, it is very important for FSC and ASI to monitor trade and volume patterns of FSC-certified wood pellets – from forest to pellet. The insights gained from the Vietnam Forest Management TV loop present an opportunity to further strengthen transparency and reinforce good practices across supply chains. FSC will continue to engage with stakeholders, certification bodies, and certificate holders to support the consistent implementation of FSC requirements and promote ongoing system improvements.

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High electricity costs and the insecurity of future gas availability are key drivers for the Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of NZ (WPMA) to provide support for the Protecting industry, jobs and household budgets as the gas runs out research report released by the Green Building Council. Source: Timberbiz While various options to solve future energy shortfalls have been mooted, this report goes a step further and outlines a well-defined case based on the acceleration of heat pumps in our homes to free up gas and electricity for industry growth. “The uncertainty created by energy demands is a serious threat to manufacturing growth within New Zealand and we need to ensure there is positive action, especially from Government,” said Mark Ross, WPMA Chief Executive. “The closure of three wood manufacturing mills in 2024 due to escalating electricity and gas prices has scarred local communities and the economy leaving our industry energy exposed.” Although not outright future energy solutions on their own, the recommendations within the Green Building Councils’ report, such as requiring new buildings to be ‘all-electric’ and expanding the Warmer Kiwi Homes to include a wider range of insulation products and retrofit for the least energy efficient low-income homes, are well argued and require further consideration by Government. “Enabling secure and affordable energy for our industry will assist in encouraging further investment in pulp, paperboard and value-added wood processing production within New Zealand,” said Mr Ross. “It is pleasing to see the Green Building Council rise to the Prime Ministers challenge of finding new energy solutions, potentially freeing up additional electricity and gas for our industry.” New Zealand’s energy prices for manufacturers are significantly higher than in countries where our major competitors reside. The opportunities to fix the energy problem are out there, with WPMA promoting this report and a long-term dual-party energy strategy to keep our businesses open, protect jobs, and build a more secure and affordable future. The full report can be found at https://wpma.org.nz/assets/Reports/NZGBC-Protecting-Our-Gas-Supply-Report-Single-Pages.pdf

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Responsible Wood has renewed its support for WoodSolutions’ Renewable Timber Framing Campaign for the year ahead. The campaign provides builders and construction businesses with free promotional resources to bridge the gap between industry knowledge and client understanding. Source: Timberbiz By highlighting the sustainability, wellness, sturdiness and durability benefits of timber, the campaign helps architects, builders and other timber users empower clients with a powerful ‘why’ for selecting timber framing for their home or project. “We’re proud to support WoodSolutions’ Renewable Timber Framing Campaign, particularly given its capacity to communicate the benefits of timber from responsibly managed forests,” said Responsible Wood CEO, Simon Dorries. “By promoting the use of certified timber framing, the campaign encourages sustainable choices that benefit both the environment and the quality of construction. “This aligns with our goal to grow awareness around sustainably certified timber, from Sustainable Forest Management through to Chain of Custody Certification that gives industry and end users the confidence they’re making a responsible choice with their material selection,” he said. The Timber Framing Campaign offers a wide range of free resources—from client brochures and social media assets to videos and case studies—all designed to help construction professionals confidently promote timber as a superior framing material. With growing awareness of timber’s environmental benefits and proven performance, the campaign strengthens the connection between sustainable forest products and modern building needs. To learn more about the campaign, and access the suite of free materials, here: https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/timber-framing.  

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  Forestry Corporation is deploying early fire detection cameras across NSW State forests in the largest rollout of this groundbreaking technology in Australia. The network will be installed across the state’s major softwood growing regions, covering 1.2 million hectares of land from Northern NSW to the NSW-Victoria border with cameras installed at 22 strategic locations. Source: Timberbiz Key regions monitored by the cameras include Tumut, Moss Vale, Bombala, Walcha, and Bathurst, including three wind farm development zones near Bathurst and Tumut. The cameras will not only help protect critical plantation assets but also neighbouring communities, national parks and privately-owned agricultural land. The cameras will be provided by technology provider Pano AI. Powered by artificial intelligence, these cameras scan the landscape, track changes in pixel colour detecting smoke columns, delivering real-time alerts to fire crews and allowing rapid fire response. Land Management & Innovation Manager Jamie Carter said the cameras will enhance Forestry Corporation’s existing fire tower network, which is the largest in the country, by providing additional coverage and extending fire detection during overnight hours and in low-visibility conditions. “This is a significant milestone after four years of trialing and refining our approach to early fire detection,” Mr Carter said. “Following the significant impact of the 2019–2020 Black Summer fires where 25% of the pine plantation estate was burnt, Forestry Corporation has focused on aligning technological advancement with the needs of the NSW softwood estate. “This solution provides a critical edge in the crucial first 30 minutes after ignition, which is hugely important from a firefighting perspective,” he said. Fire detection technology has been extensively trialled in the US, South Africa and Europe and here in Australia trained to local conditions. Pano AI’s Head of Australia GTM Andrew Prolov said the partnership with Forestry Corporation was a clear signal that the technology is now mature and accepted by industry and emergency services, playing a key role in protecting lives and livelihoods. “Pano’s solution is trained on billions of images from diverse landscapes, micro-climates, and seasons across Australia and internationally,” Mr Prolov said. “By combining AI detection with advanced geospatial insights, it helps Forestry Corporation understand the full context of each fire detected,” he said. Research shows that 80–85% of the area monitored by Forestry Corporation’s fire towers also includes surrounding private property and public lands providing a significant and wide-reaching community benefit. In regions like Bathurst, tower operators detect and report more than half of all fires, often placing the first call to emergency services across these land tenures. “This technology won’t replace our highly skilled fire tower operators, but it’s a powerful addition to our early detection suite. We’re proud to lead the way in this field,” Mr Carter said. The rollout directly responds to key recommendations from the Independent NSW Bushfire Inquiry that followed the 2019 /2020 Black Summer fires, calling for enhanced remote fire detection capabilities. Over the last two decades, approximately 70,000 hectares of softwood forests in NSW have been impacted by fire. With State forests producing enough timber each year to build 40,000 new homes, strengthening early fire detection is critical to safeguarding the state’s timber supply. For more information visit www.forestrycorporation.com.au

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The Australian Forest Products Association is renewing calls for governments nationally to maintain more multiple-use public forests, better recognise their community amenity benefits and their critical provision for sustainably sourced timber and wood-fibre resources to build the nation. Source: Timberbiz “The NSW Parliament has been inquiring into access restrictions to public lands and waterways. This is a timely opportunity to remind policy and decision makers of the benefits multiple-use public forests provide for the community, through recreation and other uses and through sustainable forestry,” Deputy Chief Executive Officer of AFPA, Richard Hyett said. “It’s also an opportunity to call out the worrying trend of more forest lockups and conversion to national parks.” NSW [1] has a very large conservation reserve network including a comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve network encompassing more than 7.5 million hectares of national parks and reserves. In NSW alone over the past 30 years, more than 1.2 million hectares of state forests have been converted to national parks, meaning nearly 10% of NSW’s total area has become national park. At the same time, Australia’s total forest area grew by 2.8 million hectares from 2008 to 2021, while total multiple-use public native forest area, has more than halved since the mid-1990s, equating now to about three per cent of Australia’s total forest area. “This is miniscule compared with the European Union where 84% of the Native (Natural) forest is available for sustainable wood production and it needs to be considered in that context,” Mr Hyett said. “Despite this, activists continue to demand that well managed multiple-use public native forests be locked up instead of demanding that under resourced National Parks be better managed to deliver the appropriate protections for biodiversity and threatened species for which they were created.” Multiple-use public forests provide an enormous array of benefits, including: Sustainable timber and wood-fibre resources Recreational and educational opportunities for bush users An active management style that encourages carbon sequestration Flexibility to manage for fire, disease and other risks Often, better biodiversity and habitat outcomes “In many cases, the revenue generated from activities in these forests, helps contribute to their conservation and ongoing management. We should also remember and acknowledge that many of Australia’s private forestry estates are made available for recreational activities, broadening the benefits these forests provide to the community,” Mr Hyett said. Furthermore, the recently released Federal Government’s Timber Fibre Strategy points to the growing gap between domestic sawn timber demand, for activities like housing construction, and domestic supply capacity – already exacerbated by reduced access to sustainable native forest timber. “Sadly, multiple-use public forests have become a soft target for governments to satisfy misguided activists who irresponsibly demand that forests sit under lock and key,” Mr Hyett said. “It’s time for governments to better recognise the value of forests that are open for use, including sustainable forestry, and give them better consideration, rather than the lazy approach of lockups and conversion to national parks.” [1] https://www.forestrycorporation.com.au/about/our-strategy

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Trade with China and Thailand will become easier following an agreement with the Federal Government to transition to paperless certification on agricultural goods. Source: Timberbiz The move will allow for faster processing at the border, while creating greater information security. China and Australia signed a memorandum of understanding during the Prime Minister Mr Albanese’s recent visit to China, which will see paper sanitary and phytosanitary certificates replaced with paperless eCertificate exchange. In 2023-24, exports of agriculture, fisheries and forestry products to China were valued at over $17 billion dollars, with this modernisation to simplify and help grow exports with our largest trading partner. This reflects the benefit of the Federal Government removing trade impediments with China, including lobster, wine, barley, coal, cotton, timber logs, oaten hay, copper ores and concentrates and red meat exports. The agreement with Thailand will initially extend to plant imports to both countries, with the new e-certification system to support future implementation of Australia and Thailand’s commitments to paperless trade, as part of broader trade cooperation. This includes under the Thailand Australia Free Trade Agreement, which has seen two-way trade more than double during its 20 years in force. The streamlined certification process will support Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry exports to Thailand, worth $1.5 billion in 2023-24, to grow. These two new paperless certification agreements are part of the Federal Government’s ongoing work to strengthen agricultural productivity, improve two-way trade, and to unlock more export opportunities for Australia’s farmers and producers.

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Timber Queensland has backed the release of the Prosper 2050 blueprint at the Ekka in Brisbane this week. “What we like about the blueprint is that growing the primary industries sector for both food and fibre also creates direct downstream benefits for the built environment,” Timber Queensland CEO Mick Stephens said. Source: Timberbiz “This is not only about producing the best clean, green food across the state, but also the best timber as a renewable and green building material for housing and infrastructure projects,” Mr Stephens said. Launching the blueprint at the Ekka, set to become the site of the Athletes’ Village and a major precinct upgrade for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, reinforced the case for Queensland timber as a cornerstone of iconic, sustainable infrastructure that delivers value well beyond 2032. “The launch of Prosper 2050 and the draft Queensland Future Timber Plan by the Primary Industries Minister during Ekka week is laying the groundwork for the timber industry to work collaboratively with the Government on long-term solutions to meet growing building demand,” Mr Stephens said. “The announcement on the transformation of the Brisbane showgrounds and development of the Athletes Village at the Bowen Hills site as part of the 2032 Olympics represents a significant opportunity for such collaboration. “Queensland has a long and rich heritage of using durable and sustainable local timber for its housing and public building needs. Incorporating this heritage into new iconic projects such as the Athletes Village and sporting venues can showcase both modern innovation with timber building systems and their biophilic health benefits for athletes and future occupants alike. “At the Paris Olympics for example, the Athletes Village and Aquatics Centre were both built using mass timber systems as part of a dedicated program for sustainability.” Mr Stephens said that procurement policies that preference sustainable construction materials such as timber could play an important role in delivering future infrastructure solutions in terms of sustainability, on-site workplace safety and total project cost-savings through prefabrication systems. “These opportunities will be fully explored as part of the proactive agenda with the Government for the forestry and timber construction industry,” he said. Industry trends and opportunities from farm forestry incorporating timber and beef production through to housing demand and modern methods of timber construction will be a focus of the Doing Timber Business in Queensland Conference to be held in Brisbane September 2-3, 2025. Watch the video here.

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The adversarial politics of the past can no longer exist. We need both sides to learn to reach across the aisle and look for the values they share, not the ones they disagree, writes Nick Steel. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Tasmania has once again elected a hung parliament. After the July election, with neither of the major parties reaching the 18 seats needed for a majority, who will lead the state, and how long this parliament will last is anyone’s guess. But that’s why this is a moment for genuine collaboration. In this parliament, governing will not be a solo sport. To make it work will require teamwork, negotiation, and a willingness to set aside political ego in favour of long-term outcomes. Both major parties need to step up, work with each other and the crossbench, and find the common ground that can drive our state forward. One place to start is with traditional industries – the backbone of regional Tasmania. Forestry, aquaculture, mining, energy and farming have long supported thousands of jobs and underpinned local economies. They are not relics of the past. When managed sustainably, these industries can generate the economic activity Tasmania desperately needs. The state’s finances are under strain. Net debt has tripled in three years and could reach $13 billion by 2027-28. In this environment, the choice is clear. We either build the industries that can carry their own weight and create jobs, or we resign ourselves to shrinking opportunity. Forestry can be both economically valuable and environmentally responsible. Collaboration could make it happen. The Liberals value economic growth. Labor recognises the importance of jobs in traditional sectors. Both parties have come out and supported traditional industries in this recent election. Together, they could agree on a sustainable forestry framework that protects jobs, supports regional communities, and encourages innovation in processing and value-adding. The alternative is political gridlock. The risk of policy inflexibility from both sides could stall decision-making and lead to yet another election. Tasmanians are tired of that cycle. We want stability, real action, and policies that deliver for all Tasmanians. The way forward is clear. The Liberals and Labor must put pragmatism ahead of posturing, work together, and build consensus on industries that matter. Supporting forestry and other traditional sectors is not just good politics, it is essential for Tasmania’s future. In this hung parliament, collaboration is not a luxury. It is the only way to get things done. Nick Steel is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tasmanian Forest Products Association.

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