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New, low-carbon construction materials and technologies allow the building and use of greener, climate-resilient homes in Canada which is why the Canadian government is funding FPInnovations for three projects. Source: Timberbiz The funding includes investments to support the use of low-carbon Canadian wood in the Canadian construction market and a project to support the use of zero-emissions vehicles in the forestry and commercial transportation sectors. These investments are provided through Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program and the Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI). To support the expansion of low-carbon construction materials, FPInnovations will collect and analyse market data and develop market intelligence with several collaborators in provinces across Canada. This will involve research and testing activities to enable the commercialization of various wood building systems and to generate the necessary data to enable these wood-based systems to be adopted in Canadian building codes. NRCan is providing more than Can$2.5 million through its GCWood Program to FPInnovations for these two initiatives. FPInnovations will also develop resources to support the use of vehicles that are zero-emission or use clean fuels through demonstrations, short operational trials and highlights — helping to reduce emissions and enhance the modernization of the Canadian forestry and commercial transportation sectors. NRCan is investing more than Can$212,000 to FPInnovations through the ZEVAI to support this initiative. Through a historic series of investments, including the GCWood program, the Government of Canada is helping forest sector workers in Montreal and across the country to adopt the most cutting-edge technologies available to drive down costs and help the construction industry access the low-carbon Canadian wood products it needs to build more homes for Canadians. The Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program encourages the use of innovative wood-based building technologies in construction projects. It supports Canada’s commitment to reach 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement and advance long-term priorities regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. GCWood invests in wood construction projects that generate many benefits, including: reduced GHG emissions from renewable and sustainable resources that help decarbonize the built environment accelerated adoption of innovative building technologies and systems updated building codes that allow for taller and larger wood buildings affordable housing and community infrastructure.

According to the Finnish Natural Resources Institute (Luke), roundwood harvested for industrial purposes in Finland was 4.1 million cubic metres in June 2024, an increase of 4% compared with June 2023. Sources: Global Wood, Luke Despite this rise, the volume was 3% lower than the average for the past five years. The total volume of removals in the first half of 2024 reached 29.4 million m3, lagging behind last year’s figure by 1.2 million m3. The removals included 2.0 million m3 of sawlogs and 2.1 million m3 of pulpwood. Industrial roundwood removals from non-industrial private forests accounted for 3.1 million m3, reflecting a 3% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, forests owned by forest industry companies and state-owned forests saw a total of 0.9 million m3 removed, an 8% rise from the same period in the previous year. Energywood removals in Finland totaled 713,000 m3 in June 2024, with 35% of this volume comprising delimbed stems and whole trees. From January to June 2024, industrial roundwood felling volumes in Finland reached 29.4 million m3, a 4% decline compared with the previous year and a 5% drop from the five-year average. Logs accounted for 12.8 million m3 of this total, showing stability from last year and a 1% increase over the five-year average. Pine and spruce logs had mixed results, with pine logs dropping by 1% while spruce logs remained unchanged from last year but fell 3% below the five-year average. Hardwood logs experienced a 3% growth compared to both the previous year and the five-year average. Pulpwood felling volumes reached 16.5 million m3, down 7% year-over-year and 8% below the five-year average. Specifically, pine pulpwood fell by 5% year-over-year and 6% below the five-year average, while spruce pulpwood decreased by 7% compared to the previous year and 5% from the five-year average. Hardwood pulpwood saw the steepest decline, dropping 9% from last year and 17% compared to the five-year average. Energywood felling volumes in Finland reached 2.8 million m3, decreasing by 5% compared with the previous year but rising 8% above the five-year average.  

FSC is celebrating the entry into force of the European Union’s Nature Restoration Law, a major step forward in the effort to restore and protect Europe’s forests and natural ecosystems. Source: Timberbiz Effective from 18 August 2024, the Nature Restoration Law sets forth ambitious goals to restore degraded ecosystems throughout Europe. “The implementation of the Nature Restoration Law marks a significant development in Europe’s commitment to environmental stewardship. It represents a significant move towards addressing habitat loss, strengthening ecosystems, and fostering long-term environmental resilience,” says Anand Punja, Chief Engagement and Partnerships Officer at FSC International. This landmark legislation is designed to enhance biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and ensure the preservation of Europe’s natural landscapes for future generations. The legislation aligns closely with FSC’s mission to uphold responsible forest management, and balances ecological integrity with social and economic benefits. A global organization with a multi-stakeholder approach, FSC is committed to collaborating with EU Member States, the EU Commission, industries, NGOs, and local communities to support the effective implementation of this law. “As the leader in responsible forest stewardship, FSC offers a range of tools that can help countries achieve their forest restoration targets and ensure a sustainable future for forests for all, forever,” Mr Punja said. To support these efforts, FSC offers initiatives like FSC Verified Impact and the FSC Remedy Framework, which aim to promote sustainable restoration efforts worldwide.

Ancient fossil beans about the size of modern limes, and among the largest seeds in the fossil record, may provide new insight into the evolution of today’s diverse Southeast Asian and Australian rainforests, according to Penn State researchers who identified the plants. Source: Timberbiz They discovered that the fossils represent a now extinct legume genus that lived in Southeast Asia that was closely related to modern Castanospermum, known as the black bean tree. This tree is only found today in the coastal rainforests of northern Australia and neighbouring islands. The team, which also included paleontologists based in Indonesia, Canada, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the United States, reported their findings in the International Journal of Plant Sciences. The fossils, discovered in Indonesian Borneo, date back to the Eocene period approximately 34 to 40 million years ago. They suggest that the ancestors of the black bean tree migrated from Asia into Australia during the tectonic-plate collision that brought the landmasses together and allowed for an exchange of plants and animals between the continents. The collision of the Southeast Asian and Australian tectonic plates, which began about 20 million years ago and continues today, led to a large exchange of plant and animal species between the landmasses, the scientists said. The findings provide the first macrofossil evidence of a plant lineage moving from Asia into Australia after the Asia-Australia tectonic collision, the researchers said. The fossils are also the oldest definite fossil legumes — the bean family — from the Malay Archipelago and the first fossil record anywhere of plants related to the black bean tree. “These fossil seeds suggest that the ancient relatives of Castanospermum migrated into Australia from Southeast Asia during the tectonic collision event and later went extinct in Asia,” said Edward Spagnuolo, a doctoral student in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State and lead author of the study. The suggestion is in opposition to most of the existing direct macrofossil evidence for plant migrations, which represents lineages that moved from Australia into Asia. According to the scientists, the lack of direct evidence for movement from Asia to Australia is at least partially due to a poor plant fossil record in the Malay Archipelago, which includes the Philippines, Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and parts of Malaysia. “It’s really hard to collect fossils in this part of the world,” Spagnuolo said. “Most surface rocks are destroyed by the heavy tropical rainfall or covered by vegetation, agriculture and buildings, so there are few places to look for fossils other than mine and quarry exposures. There is also very little paleontological infrastructure. We’re fortunate to have a partnership with Indonesian paleontologists at Institut Teknologi Bandung in Java, who make this work possible.” An international research team, including Peter Wilf, professor of geosciences at Penn State, collected the fossils in 2014 from the seams of a coal mine in South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. The collection included three large beans, pollen samples and about 40 leaves. Along with plants, the team also discovered diverse fossilized bird tracks, burrowing traces of marine invertebrates and fossil turtle remains, among other fossils recently published or under continued study. The seeds are some of the largest in the fossil record, excluding coconuts and some other palms. They would have grown in a pod that most likely reached up to 3 feet long, or the length of a baseball bat, and fit up to five seeds, the scientists said. After field work, the fossils were loaned to Penn State, where the seeds underwent CT scan imaging. Spagnuolo and Wilf analysed the fossil beans taxonomically, describing anatomical characters useful for identification, and found they most closely resembled modern Castanospermum, which has no previous fossil representatives. “Although some of the characteristics of these fossils are common across legumes, there is no fossil or living legume group besides Castanospermum that has a combination of features closely matching the fossils,” Spagnuolo said. “That makes us confident with our identification.” The fossil seeds were named Jantungspermum gunnellii. The genus name refers to the heart shape of the fossil — jantung means heart in Indonesian and spermum means seed in Latin. The species name honours the late Gregg Gunnell, a vertebrate paleontologist formerly of the Duke University Lemur Centre, who led the field trip. Legumes are a diverse family of flowering plants, with about 20,000 species alive today that include many large tropical trees, the scientists said. But despite their abundance and diversity in modern ecosystems, these seeds are the only definite legume fossils from before the Neogene period, the interval between 2.6 million and 23 million years ago, in the Southeast Asian wet tropics. “The tropics are the most diverse biome on Earth,” Wilf said. “We know very little from the fossil record about how tropical ecosystems evolved, especially in Asia, even as extinction risks are rising quickly, and we lose vast areas every year to deforestation. The Penn State paleobotany group is working on this problem in the field with colleagues in several Asian countries, and the new giant fossil beans from Borneo are a fantastic example of the discovery potential.” These findings confirm legumes’ presence in Southeast Asia and fill a critical hole in the fossil record, the scientists said. “We have a great legume fossil record for much of the world but not Southeast Asia,” Spagnuolo said. “Our work highlights the neglected paleobotanical potential of this region and the need for more fossil sampling in the Malay Archipelago.”

OneFortyOne has launched its photo competition, Corporate Affairs Manager Charlene Riley said the competition was designed to inspire students to venture into the forest and forge a deeper connection with their natural surroundings. Source: Timberbiz “Plantation pine forests are an iconic feature of our local landscape,” Ms Riley said. “The competition aims to encourage students to explore these incredible places and share their unique perspectives.” In addition to their photos, students will be asked to write a few words to share what they love about the forest. “The highlight of the competition in previous years has been reading why people love the forest,” Ms Riley said. “We’re looking forward to seeing some different perspectives from students this year, in both the photography and the written element of the competition.” Winners will be selected in primary school, and secondary school categories, and awarded with their choice of a new iPad Air, DJI drone, or GoPro. To enter, send photos, together with a completed entry form to weloveforests@onefortyone.com. Entries close Sunday 13 October 2024.

Three recently completed, FWPA-funded projects using data spanning 30 years in Australian forestry plantations have resulted in actionable recommendations and guidance for improving productivity, profitability and health of plantation forests. Sources: Timberbiz, FWPA The three projects were: A tool to predict fertiliser response & profitability in softwood plantations across Australia Optimising Nutrition Management of Hardwood Plantations for Sustainable Productivity & Profitability Optimising productivity of hardwood plantations: yield gap analysis for Eucalyptus globulus plantations in southern Australia Findings have provided insight into nutrition and environmental factors that limit plantation productivity. The three projects were developed to support increasing productivity from Australia’s plantation estate, which has remained static or in decline, in terms of area, for the past decade. “There is a strong desire within the industry for increased output to keep in-line with increased demand,” said lead researcher and McGrath Forestry Services Principal, John McGrath. “Land in Australia, especially high-quality land, is very expensive. That means the best option for foresters is to make sure they get the best out of the land they currently have.” The three projects each investigated aspects of enhancing productivity. The Softwood Nutrition Project looked to increase confidence in the use of fertiliser by providing reliable predictions of plantation response. The Hardwood Nutrition Project encompassed a network of trials across southern Australia, similarly, looking to provide predictability and guidance around fertiliser response and usage to increase productivity. It also observed interactions with climate, such as temperature and water, and soil nutrition. The Optimising Productivity – Hardwood Yield Gap Project looked at the historic gaps between potential hardwood plantation yield and productivity in southern Australia, compared with actual yields. In assessing why there may be a gap, the project aimed to identify management actions to reduce it. More information about the research is available here.

Forest owners are concerned that the environmental and socioeconomic benefits of pine forests have been misrepresented by rhetoric in a new land use report. The report, Why Pines?, produced and published by Our Land and Water (Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai) National Science Challenge (OLW), details the results of four research programs which looked at future land use under the current economic incentives and policies. Source: Timberbiz In each of the programs, all modelling indicated that increasing areas of exotic pine forest and decreasing areas of sheep and beef farming would be the most viable way of improving New Zealand’s environmental performance while achieving an acceptable level of economic return in future. New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) chief executive, Dr Elizabeth Heeg, says while the sector welcomes the science and modelling behind the report, a more critical examination of land use evidence is needed. “The recommendations lack scientific evidence, and the narrative fails to frame forestry as an important land use,” Dr Heeg said. Water quality was a core focus of the research program, with forestry found to outperform other land uses, particularly where farmland had been converted to pine. “Well managed pine is hugely beneficial to water quality, improving water nutrient levels and sediment yields,” Dr Heeg said. “The report’s findings mirror years of credible science analysing water quality in pine forests. “Paradoxically, that evidence doesn’t seem to be the outcome the OLW were looking for, with the authors raising more concern over forestry’s water quality than other land uses detailed in the report. “It is disappointing to see the results interpreted in such a dramatic way when pine is evidently a tool New Zealand can use in its policies and practices tool kit.” Dr Heeg says concerns over a loss of biodiversity from conversion to pine is also unfounded. “New Zealand’s pine forests house incredibly rich and healthy ecosystems that should be considered a valued part of New Zealand’s landscape,” she said. “They’re home to many invertebrate communities and 120 native fauna species which have been documented using pine forests as habitat. Species, such as the kiwi, are well protected by the high degree of pest management and monitoring carried out by forest owners too. “Pine forests support a rich mosaic of biodiversity, including protected areas of indigenous forest within the estate and riparian planting.” A mosaic approach to land use will be increasingly important given modelling indicating that around half the sheep and beef farming area will convert to forestry by 2050. New planting is also expected to expand the forest estate to an estimated 3.5 million hectares. Expansion of the estate won’t be as exponential as the report suggests however, noting that the OLW’s modelling is at odds with the Climate Change Commission’s 1.4-million-hectare prediction. “Transport costs, energy costs and a range of other factors have caused a downturn in new planting in recent times,” Dr Heeg said. “These inputs don’t appear to be accounted for in the modelling. “While expansion of the forest estate will be inevitable if New Zealand is to meet its climate change targets, forestry would need to multiply its new planting area by at least 25 to achieve that sort of growth by 2050.” Dr Heeg says the report’s emphasis on forestry’s expansion needn’t mean other land uses won’t be accommodated. “Forest owners are generally supportive of integrating a range of tree species on land, not just pine, to improve the landscape while returning benefits to the community,” she said. “Planting more trees – be that native or exotic species – helps diversify farmland, improve environmental performance, provide timber for construction and reduce emissions. “Landowners looking to exit sheep or beef farming or wanting to diversify their land by planting more trees should have the mandate to do so. “Forestry provides landowners with options, particularly for hillside landscapes that are ill- suited to other land uses. This integration benefits the community through jobs and generation of regional GDP too. “It needn’t be a one or the other approach as the report implies. Forestry and farming can co-exist. “What we wouldn’t want to see is a restriction of land uses and growing activities to slow conversion where there is a lack of science to justify it.”