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ABARES Australian forest and wood products statistics (AFWPS) is a collection of data on key indicators of activity in the Australian forest and wood products sector. The production statistics for the 2022-23 year have been released. Source: Timberbiz The overview is supported by summary tables in Excel format and a Power BI data visualisation that provides users with an interactive dashboard to interrogate the data. This issue includes new 2022–23 data for key domestic indicators of forestry sector activity such as the value and volume of logs harvested, the performance of the wood product manufacturing sector and changes in Australia’s commercial plantation estate. This report also presents 2022–23 data (first published in November 2023) on forest sector employment, data on new housing commencements and the trade of wood products. Time series charts are expressed in real terms (adjusted for inflation). You can download the statistics here.    

Australia’s drive towards sustainability and a circular economy has heightened the focus on recycling timber, a renewable, natural resource, ideal for the circular bioeconomy. Currently, 60% of used timber ends up in landfill, with the remainder mostly burnt as fuel. Source: Timberbiz Using timber over multiple life cycles ensures long term carbon sequestration and increased resource efficiency. Preservative treated timber and engineered wood products (EWP) provide additional advantages; the life of treated timber is extended by more than 10 times and EWP increases use of wood resources, structural integrity, and size. These wood products directly contribute to carbon neutrality and will aid the transition to a net positive future. However, while beneficial during their service life for their durability and strength, these materials pose significant challenges for reuse and recycling at end-of-life due to chemical treatments and adhesives. The Timber Circularity Project is a three-year industry-funded initiative led by the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life (NCTDDL) at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC). The project has been running for just over a year with support from Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) and key industry stakeholders including Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Wine Australia (WA), Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA), Frame & Truss Manufacturers Association of Australia (FTMA), Koppers, Hexion and Azelis. Professor Tripti Singh, NCTDDL Director, overseas a team of individuals working on the project including Dr Penelope Mitchell, who is working full time as Project Leader, Dr Martin Strandgard, Dr Melanie Harris, Dr Mohammad Reza Ghaffariyan, Dr Nami Kartal, and Associate Professor Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava. The project addresses the challenges of recycling treated timber and EWP, and some significant advances have already been made in quantifying and analysing the condition of end-of-life resources nationally. The team has conducted site visits and surveys and are currently geospatially mapping resource volumes by location and type. Regulatory challenges have also been assessed and a draft report completed, which is aiding the development of Information sheets designed to aid industry advocacy with regulators. Industry insights to align key messaging for regulators will be obtained during an upcoming workshop. Logistics, which are critical for integrating treated timber into a circular economy, are also being analysed, and an initial case study has been undertaken to compare different scenarios for collection, loading, transport, and chipping of resources for use in new applications. “Recycled wood fibre will be required for existing products such as particleboard as well as emerging products including low-carbon concrete blocks and wood-plastic composites,” said Dr. Penelope Mitchell, project leader. “However, the presence in wood products of glues and chemical treatments such as copper chromium arsenic (CCA), complicates recycling efforts.” CCA treated timber, comprising 30% of treated timber in Australia, poses specific challenges due to potential leaching of chemicals and heavy metals when recycled. Research to extract these substances effectively and economically has been conducted over the last few decades. “Research into extraction methods using chemical and biological means has shown promise,” continued Professor Tripti Singh, NCTDDL Director. “Yet, scaling these methods to meet regulatory standards and managing resultant toxic waste remain significant hurdles.” Although high extraction rates are possible in laboratory scenarios, scaling up is costly and not currently viable under current economic models. There is also the issue with the resultant hazardous extractants produced by any remediation methods. Clean timber will be required for many applications, particularly if the timber is used in concrete or other porous applications where leaching may occur. While the project team are continuing to investigate viable remediation options, other avenues for CCA treated timber are required immediately if the 2030 Government target for a circular economy are to be met. The Timber Circularity team has undertaken an assessment on potential solutions for Australian end-of-life timber resources and ordered them in a hierarchy from reuse through to energy production. The solutions have been mapped against considerations including ecological impact, technical issues, scale, and economics. After analysis of the solutions and subsequent site visits, three distinct opportunities have been selected to further as pilot studies across different states in Australia. Undertaking different pilots in three states will allow the evaluation of the regulatory landscapes, logistical requirements, and market potential for recycled timber products. These pilot studies are crucial for understanding the feasibility of large-scale implementation and identifying scalable solutions. “With the Australian Government’s target of achieving a circular economy by 2030, it’s essential that we find sustainable pathways for all timber,” highlighted Dr Mitchell. “This project not only addresses environmental concerns but also explores the economic viability, logistics and regulatory challenges for recycling timber into higher-value products.” The project’s comprehensive approach includes: Quantifying available end-of-life timber resources and their condition Mapping geospatial data to visualize resource distribution Addressing state-by-state regulatory challenges Analysing logistics and infrastructure needs for timber recycling Developing a hierarchy matrix for evaluating recycling solutions Undertaking pilot projects and documenting case studies. “By converting challenges into opportunities, the Timber Circularity project aims to demonstrate how treated timber can play a pivotal role in Australia’s circular bioeconomy,” concluded Professor Singh.

The long-awaited concept design for Hobart’s proposed multi-purpose stadium at Macquarie Point reveals it will be “the largest timber roofed stadium in the world”. Source: Hobart Mercury The release of the design comes more than two years after former Liberal Premier Peter Gutwein announced in March 2022 plans for the stadium to “create a spectacular and iconic entry to the city.” The concept designs have been done just eight weeks after Australian firm, Cox Architecture, was awarded the $37.9m contract as the lead architect in early May. It has been involved in Australia’s last four major oval stadiums, including Perth Stadium and the redeveloped Adelaide Oval. Sport and Events Minister Nic Street said he was excited to share the eagerly awaited concept designs for the stadium which is still to be assessed as a Project of State Significance by the Tasmanian Planning Commission. “We’ve worked to design a welcoming, functional and uniquely Tasmanian multipurpose stadium, for this space,” he said. “When completed, the stadium will be the largest timber roofed stadium in the world. “While developing this stadium is an important step in realising our dream of seeing our own AFL and AFLW teams running out on our own field, this facility will offer so much more.” The concept design features a low profile built-form and a woven-style façade that the architects say has been informed by the form and shape of the roundhouse structure that used to be part of the Hobart Rail Yard at Macquarie Point. Mr Street said the fixed, dome-shaped roof also was an important part of the design. “The maritime heritage of the broader area has also been taken into account, and culturally informed under the guidance of Aboriginal community members,” he said. “The transparent roof, which is supported by an internal steel and timber frame, provides an opportunity to showcase Tasmanian timber. “The frame will support a fully transparent ETFE material, which is a plastic based material designed to have a high corrosion resistance and strength over a wide temperature range. “This will allow light in, support natural turf growth, and avoid the need for large light towers.” The stadium includes a 1500-person function room with views to kunanyi/ Mount Wellington, a design suitable to host top quality cricket games and a stage pocket in a stand to support concerts and events, which will minimise impact on the field and reduce costs for event operators. The architects say the easy to follow and accessible design features include a single continuous concourse that services the whole stadium, “which means you can enter any gate and easily find your seat”. A seating bowl design is aimed at bringing crowds “close to the action”. There will be separated back of house and catering facilities with a below ground service road to separate vehicles and stadium visitors and users. Mr Street said as well as the concept designs work was continuing on preparing an application to assess the multipurpose stadium through the Project of State Significance process. He said a submission was expected to be made this month. The state government has capped its expenditure on the stadium at $375m. State Parliament approved an order for the stadium to be declared project of state significance in November last year. (State Significance) Order 2023. This Premier Jeremy Rockliff directed the Planning Commission to undertake an integrated assessment of the project and address the environmental, social, economic and community impacts. The commission met the Macquarie Point Development Corporation last month to discuss matters including the timing of submission of reports, clarification of the level of information required to satisfy the guidelines and the process for managing amendments and for consultation with relevant agencies. The AFL agreed to Tasmania getting the 19th licence for an AFL and AFLW team provided it partnered with the federal government for construction of a 23,000-seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point. The concept designs are available at www.macpoint.com/stadium