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Ponsse demonstrated new solutions for sustainable harvesting at the FinnMETKO 2024 exhibition in Jämsä that support the daily activities of forest machine operators and help forest machine entrepreneurs monitor the profitability and productivity of their fleet.

Ponsse’s new forwarders Elk and Wisend and H7 harvester heads were showcased at the event for the first time. In addition, they presented a material concept for fossil-free steel. Ponsse is the first forest machine manufacturer in the world which has part of its forest machine made from fossil-free steel produced by SSAB.

Aiming for a fossil-free future

Ponsse has made the load space of the PONSSE Buffalo forwarder from SSAB’s fossil-free steel. This material concept focuses on the machining capabilities, behaviour and properties of the new material used in forest machine manufacturing. The load space has only been designed for material testing and does not correspond to production models. The material concept is part of the FORWARD27 ecosystem project.

New PONSSE Wisent and PONSSE Elk forwarders   

PONSSE Wisent forwarder offers load-carrying capacity, agility and productivity at diverse harvesting sites. The excellent weight distribution and geometry of the PONSSE Wisent makes it easy to also transport stems at thinning sites with dense and bendy trees.

PONSSE Elk forwarder operates reliably in changing conditions and at sites with long distances. The new Elk is an efficient and agile forwarder with an excellent load-carrying capacity relative to the machine weight.

The new forwarders feature a big cabin, large windows and thin window pillars, ensuring excellent visibility in every direction. The cabin can also be equipped with the PONSSE Seat, which effectively reduces swaying and impact directed at the operator during the working day.

PONSSE Active Cabin, a cabin suspension system which improves driving comfort, is the most recent addition to the range of optional equipment available for both PONSSE Elk and Wisent. On uneven forest trails and in demanding terrain, ergonomics and productivity improve when the system effectively suspends any strain directed at the cabin.

New PONSSE H7 harvester head 

The new PONSSE H7 harvester head features a powerful feed and an excellent power-to-weight ratio that improve productivity. Thanks to its improved geometry, the new H7 is able to process large stems with ease. The advanced PONSSE Active Speed function is a new feature in the H7 harvester head. It allows the speed of the harvester head to be adjusted according to the tree species and stem diameter. The strong structure, high sawing power and excellent grip geometry of the new harvester head make harvesting even quicker and more productive.

PONSSE Armrest & eArmrest 

Adjustable armrests are among Ponsse’s new solutions for improved ergonomics. Adjusted according to the forest machine operator’s dimensions and driving style, the armrests significantly reduce any stress directed at the nape and shoulders while working. As the adjustments are stored in memory, the operator does not need to adjust the armrests again at the beginning of each shift.

PONSSE Armrests are available as standard equipment for harvesters and forwarders and PONSSE eArmrests are available as optional for all harvesters and forwarders.

PONSSE Active Crane now also available for C5 and C6 loaders   

PONSSE Active Crane makes the crane even easier to use. The operator does not need to control different joint movements: they only need to move the harvester head in the desired direction at the desired speed. End damping makes operations even smoother.

Active Crane, available as an option, requires the Opti 5G control system. Available from Q1/2025

PONSSE High-Precision Positioning 

With the PONSSE High-Precision Positioning solution, the machine operator can see the precise location of the machine and harvester head. The solution uses the industry’s leading navigation and positioning tools, as well as Ponsse’s own advanced technologies such as Active Crane. As a result, the reliability of positioning is at a level not often within the reach of conventional systems.

High-Precision Positioning shows the precise location of the harvester head in a map view, significantly improving the productivity of harvesting. Using the solution, the operator can clearly identify the areas from where trees need to be harvested and those that must be avoided. The location of every stump is saved in the production file, and the forwarder operator can clearly see the harvester trail. New solutions improve the productivity and safety of operations.

High-Precision Positioning is available in Finland, Sweden and Germany for all PONSSE harvesters equipped with Active Crane, and it can also be installed as a retrofit solution. More information about availability in other market areas will be announced later.

PONSSE Scale – a wireless loader scale system 

PONSSE Scale is a wireless loader scale system, which weighs the load and sorts, saves and manages load data during all work stages. Accurate weight measurements ensure optimal loads. Weighing is fully automatic during both loading and unloading, and detailed data on each load is registered. Load data, logs and the measuring accuracy are available in easily readable reports. PONSSE Scale has excellent weather resistance and produces accurate results in all conditions, ranging from hot summer days to freezing cold.

PONSSE Scale can be installed in all new PONSSE forwarder models.

PONSSE Manager 2.0. – a platform for next-generation digital services

PONSSE Manager 2.0 is a platform for next-generation digital services and a forest machine management system. The system allows customers to track the location, productivity, and fuel consumption of their machines. It also monitors the growth of stands and the progress of plans. In addition, it can be used to manage machine transportation, monitor the production volumes of machines by assortment and print measuring certificates.

The digital platform allows users to create a custom landing page or dashboard, with immediate access to vital data. Important information can be read quickly, and changes are easy to spot. Further information: https://manager2.ponsse.com/

The Siirrot Pro application can now also be integrated into Ponsse Manager 2.0

Siirrot PRO is a paid application for planning machine transportation in advance, monitoring transportation in real time on a map, giving notifications of transportation stages to all parties and improving the efficiency of rapidly changing situations at worksites through communication. Transportation management using the app supports daily management, cost monitoring and transportation optimisation in machine companies.

To see more Ponsse related posts click here.

 

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The post Ponsse’s new solutions for sustainable harvesting on display at FinnMETKO appeared first on International Forest Industries.

The Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests launched its  PEFC-endorsed national Trees Outside Forests  certification standard in New Delhi last week. Source: Timberbiz “In India, trees outside forests resources play a vital role in the timber production sector, contributing significantly to meeting the country’s wood fibre needs. Currently, TOF resources are estimated to fulfil more than 85% of the industrial wood requirements,” said Abhilasha Guleria, Assistant Director of NCCF. “A significant portion of the timber production from TOF resources comes from marginal and small landholders.” Together with the Netherlands and Portugal, India is among the first three PEFC national members to achieve PEFC endorsement for their national requirements of TOF certification. That means that in these countries, people and organisations with trees growing outside of forests can now achieve PEFC certification of their sustainable management practices. The event was held with the presence of Eduardo Rojas Briales, Chair of PEFC International, and Richard Laity, Manager of PEFC in Asia Pacific, and enriched by the active participation of key stakeholders who play a crucial role in advancing sustainable forestry practices across various industries. The endorsed TOF standard is “an action to reality”, said Eduardo Rojas Briales, recognising the contribution of millions of small farmers to the forestry sector. “It is crucial to establish a consistent, adaptable framework that supports the widespread yet strategic contribution of millions of farmers to the wood supply, ensures the certification of these resources, and diversifies the income streams of small farmers,” he added. In his opening speech, he emphasised the immense potential of forestry in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in preserving vibrant rural areas with living standards equal to their urban counterparts. He also reaffirmed the founding principles of PEFC, including its bottom-up governance, key achievements, and emerging priorities, all guided by the meaningful mission to unlock the full potential of forests. While the definition of trees outside forests is similar around the world, their occurrence and function vary widely, calling for national requirements. In line with the PEFC bottom-up approach, each country develops their own national standard based on PEFC’s international TOF requirements, part of the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management Benchmark standard. The development of India’s TOF started from the recognition that trees outsides forests are the major supply of raw materials to market; however, so far, there has not been any working model for smallholders to organise themselves and get their wood certified. “The PEFC endorsement is a game-changer, bringing global recognition to India’s TOF standards and paving the way for the sustainable growth of our timber industry,” highlighted R. R. Rashmi, Member of the NCCF Governing Board. “The exporting wood-based industry, including furniture, pulp and paper, and handicrafts, largely benefit from this TOF certification, because it ensures a reliable supply of certified raw materials, meeting the increasing demands for legality and traceability in international timber regulations, such as the EUDR,” said A. M. Singh, Director General of NCCF. In the panel discussion after the launch, A.K. Bansal, PEFC International Board Member, also concluded that the newly launched TOF certification will support small forest owners and certified entity to access the global carbon market.

Remsoft has announced the launch of new Carbon Management capabilities that extend its suite of intelligent forestry planning solutions powered by the company’s flagship Woodstock Optimization Studio. Source: Timberbiz These advanced capabilities seamlessly integrate with Remsoft’s Strategic Optimization solution, responding to the growing demand within the forest industry for intelligent technology that enhances global sustainability performance. The new Carbon Management solution improves how forestry companies manage carbon offsets, combining advanced algorithms and data-based calculations to produce faster, more accurate carbon estimations for forest carbon projects. Approved by the American Carbon Registry and adhering to leading carbon crediting standards, Remsoft’s Woodstock modeling technology ensures that clients can confidently meet their compliance requirements. Current carbon management practices are often manual, labor-intensive, and error-prone, leading to conservative estimations that undervalue the true potential of forest assets and revenue. This cautious approach is primarily driven by the risk of regulatory penalties and the potential need to repay miscalculated carbon credits. Remsoft’s solution streamlines and accelerates the carbon modeling process, enabling forest managers to produce carbon models with unprecedented accuracy. This efficiency reduces what used to take months into just days, thereby maximizing revenue, accelerating project timelines, and easing regulatory compliance—all from one secure platform. “For those managing forests, our latest offering provides a way to simplify carbon modeling and more effectively balance sustainability, compliance, and profit,” said Doug Jones, Remsoft President. “Landowners, TIMOs, and forest managers can more precisely navigate the dual demands of environmental responsibility and financial performance to surpass their sustainability goals and unlock significant revenue opportunities.” Remsoft’s Carbon Management solution marks a significant advancement in improving the accuracy and efficiency of forest carbon management. Integrating these capabilities within Remsoft’s industry-standard Strategic Optimization solution empowers the industry’s continuing shift towards holistic forest management that effectively balances economic growth with forest health and sustainability. To learn more about Remsoft’s Carbon Management solution, visit https://remsoft.com/carbon-management/.

Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) and EPFL are spraying water vapour into the crowns of mature pine trees in the Pfynwald forest in the canton of Valais. The large-scale experiment is designed to reveal the impact of soil and air drought on forest trees in the context of climate change. Source: Timberbiz Something peculiar has been happening in the treetops of the Pfynwald forest in the canton of Valais since early summer: numerous high-pressure nozzles mounted on tall frames are spraying water vapour into the 12-metre-high treetops of mature Scots pines. The installation is part of the ‘VPDrought’ experiment, a world first that aims to unravel the effects of soil and air drought in a natural forest ecosystem. The water vapour increases the humidity – a sophisticated technique uses high-pressure nozzles to atomise water into tiny droplets that evaporate so quickly that neither the trees nor the ground get wet. The project, which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the WSL, the EPFL and the SwissForestLab, aims to understand how hot and dry conditions affect the resilience of forests and which processes lead to the death of trees. The climate is getting hotter and drier, as it already is in many places in the Valais. The consequences are already being felt: in the canton of Valais and in the neighbouring inner-Alpine dry valleys (the region of Innsbruck, Lower Austria, southern Styria, Vintschgau, Aosta Valley), Scots pine trees are dying and being replaced by more drought-tolerant oaks. The WSL has been studying the processes responsible for this in the Pfynwald forest for 21 years. Every night, it waters parts of this forest in order to study the trees with and without drought stress. Climate change is now adding another worrying environmental factor to the mix: increasing ‘air thirst’. The warmer the air, the more moisture it can absorb. This means that the heated atmosphere extracts more water from plants and soil. This ‘thirst’ is called vapour pressure deficit (VPD). VPD is a key factor in how much water trees evaporate through their leaves or needles, and thus has a major influence on the water supply and cooling of the plant. With rising temperatures, it is expected that the VPD will increase exponentially. High VPD values lead to excessive evaporation, which can cause plants to suffer from drought stress. In addition to the direct effects on plant physiology, a high VPD accelerates evaporation from soils, creating a vicious cycle of soil drying, land surface warming and drought stress for plants. What is unusual about VPDrought is that this experiment is investigating the influence of air and soil drought in a fully grown natural forest. To this end, the approximately 130-year-old forest pines are given different amounts of soil water: either the natural rainfall of approx. 600 mm/year, twice that amount (1200 mm/year) through irrigation, or only half the natural rainfall, i.e. approx. 300 mm/year, under a rain canopy. Secondly, high-pressure nozzles are used to disperse water vapour in the crowns of some of the trees during the day. The water vapour reduces the VPD – the ‘thirst’ of the air – by around 20 to 30 per cent. The research will be conducted from the plant cell to the tree and ecosystem level. The experiment started in 2024 and will run until 2028, with results expected in the next few years. An increasing VPD – i.e. air that is becoming increasingly ‘thirsty’ – is a challenge for both agriculture and forests. The continuous and selective measurements of over 100 parameters at the tree and ecosystem level should provide insights into how air and soil drought affects metabolic processes and the resilience of forests to drought. The findings contribute to improved climate-vegetation models and will be incorporated into future forestry strategies and the selection of future tree species.  

Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) has announced the opening of a public consultation period for two draft standards to shape the future of recycled timber use in Australia. Source: Timberbiz The proposed standards, FWPA Standard G01 for Recycled Structural Timber and FWPA Standard G02 for Recycled Decorative Timber, are designed to establish visual grading criteria for recycled hardwood timber in structural and decorative applications. In response to feedback from its members, FWPA has committed to a more active role in the development and revision of industry standards. The organisation is now coordinating and facilitating the creation of these standards, highlighting the potential benefits of industry-developed and owned guidelines. These benefits include increased efficiency, better alignment with industry needs, and the ability to address specific member concerns. FWPA also recognises the broader advantages of maintaining these standards as intellectual property, ensuring they are effectively managed and accessible. This initiative is further supported by FWPA’s WoodSolutions program, which continues to provide valuable resources and education to the timber industry. FWPA has appointed familiar industry specialist Jacqui Bates, Director of Dynamic Impact Group, as Project Manager to lead the development of these inaugural FWPA standards. “This landmark project will set new benchmarks for the industry and serve as a valuable resource for all stakeholders,” said Jacqui. “I am eager to contribute to their successful publication later this year.” In line with FWPA’s Strategic Plan 2023-2028, a Standards Development Program has been established with the aim to develop enhanced building standards and codes that support the use of wood products.  The program has commenced with formal procedures for comment and publication of standards as well as the formation of an industry Standards Reference Panel (SRP) which will provide guidance, support, and advice to FWPA from a stakeholder perspective when developing industry standards. FWPA aims to publish a minimum of two industry-owned standards per year through this program. The inaugural members of the SRP: Prof. Keith Crews (Chair: Advanced Timber Hub, University of Queensland – Academia) Andrew Dunn (TDA-NSW – Industry Associations) Craig Kay (Tilling Timber – Importers) Gavin Matthew (EWPAA – Panels) Tom Rickerby (Wesbeam – LVL, I-joists) Peter Robson (Pentarch – Hardwood) Tim Rossiter (MiTek – Frame & Truss, product users) Dave Belfield (Wespine – Softwood, treated products) Public consultation is open for the two draft FWPA Standards aimed at enhancing the safety and quality of recycled timber products. The proposed standards — FWPA Standard G01 for Recycled Structural Timber and FWPA Standard G02 for Recycled Decorative Timber — seek to establish clear and consistent guidelines for the industry, promoting the use of recycled timber and supporting environmental sustainability through material reuse. These standards are designed to offer a unified framework for grading recycled timber, which is expected to reduce variability in product quality and improve communication between suppliers and purchasers. By providing definitive guidelines, the standards aim to increase confidence among consumers and industry stakeholders, ultimately encouraging the broader adoption of recycled timber. Although these guidelines have served as interim measures, this marks the first time they will undergo a formal review and publication process. The six-week public comment period will run from September 3 to October 15, 2024, inviting feedback from industry professionals and the public. This initiative reflects FWPA’s commitment to industry ownership and intellectual property, marking a significant milestone in the organisation’s efforts to support its members. By developing and maintaining its own standards, FWPA aims to reduce costs for its members, eliminating the need to purchase standards from external organisations. “We are advancing these draft documents through our newly established procedures and collaborating with our reference panel to publish these standards for industry ownership,” Boris Iskra, Codes and Standards Manager at FWPA said. “Our goal is to have future industry standards incorporated into the Building Code of Australia, where appropriate, and to influence how timber can be utilised in the built environment.” While FWPA’s new standards will complement existing Australian Standards, the organisation remains committed to contributing to the broader standards landscape. FWPA will continue to participate in the development of Australian Standards and engage with timber and built environment committees. Through innovation, research, and marketing, FWPA strives to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the Australian forest and wood products industry. “Our organisation is committed to addressing industry needs concerning the standards development process and is looking forward to this first round of consultation to support our industry effectively,” said FWPA CEO, Andrew Leighton. The public comment period for these draft standards is now open until Tuesday 15 October, inviting stakeholders to contribute to the finalisation of these important guidelines.

Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan has been accused of failing to honour a commitment to meet directly with members of the East Gippsland timber industry. Source: Timberbiz And according to the Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull, this simply shows the government’s complete disdain for the sector. Mr Bull said that in answering a question in October 2023, Ms Allan made a promise in State Parliament that she clearly had no intention of keeping – she agreed to meet with timber workers. “I further pressed the Premier to nominate a date when she (and not a delegate), would meet with shafted harvest and haulage contractors,” Mr Bull said. “Ten months later, and eight months after the industry was callously closed by the Allan Labor Government, the Premier made no effort to fulfill this promise. “These are people who have forcibly lost their jobs and even now negotiations are not finalised in relation to packages,” he said. “At the very least they deserved the time to discuss their compensation with those responsible for putting them out of work, impacting country communities, families and livelihoods. “The Premier has broken her commitment to timber industry workers, and it was clearly a promise she never intended to keep,” said Mr Bull.

Tasmania has been experiencing damaging gale force winds resulting in many fallen trees including damage to privately-owned plantations and native forests. Source: Timberbiz Known in forestry terms as windthrow, trees are uprooted, broken, snapped and overthrown by fierce winds and storms. Unfortunately, these events are the responsibility of mother nature and can occur in any forested area throughout the world including urban areas and involves extensive clean ups, loss and destruction. In response to this recent event, Private Forests Tasmania has compiled information for affected landowners and are available to discuss your personal situation further should you require specific advice. It is important to note the immediate safety evaluation of affected trees within your property, access roads, homes, outbuildings and to livestock. Should you notice unstable trees or down powerlines, please contact the SES immediately on 132 500 or consult a private Tree Arborist to assist with removal of storm affected trees threatening homes and outbuildings. If your matter is less urgent, you may require the services of a consulting forester who can provide critical technical assistance in all phases of your forest management. Affected areas should be identified and monitored with appropriate remedial treatment techniques being identified and implemented where necessary. For example: Edge stabilisation (see below); Re-evaluate the wind risk of the remaining trees and decide to: clearfall, salvage windthrow or leave the windthrow; or if windthrow occurs along a boundary, do not salvage and create a similar new boundary. Retain windthrow as a windfirm buffer or create a new windfirm Edge Stabilisation Edge feathering will reduce wind-loading on boundary trees. Trees in the edge buffer should be removed in the following order of preference: Unsound trees with a large crown, including diseased, deformed, forked, scarred, root rot infested etc. Trees with asymmetric or stilt roots. Trees on unstable substrates, e.g. rocky knolls, large boulders, poorly drained depressions, etc. Tall non-veteran trees, especially with above features or large crowns. Residual trees should be left in the following order of preference: Sound, well-rooted veterans. Sound trees (strong roots and good taper) with relatively small, open crowns. Sound hung-up trees, where safety is not comprised. Stem removal should not exceed 15-20% of the trees in a strip 20-30m from the boundary (not recommended at all in single-story, dense stands). Topping and/or pruning of vulnerable trees may be necessary along boundaries to protect critical areas e.g. reserves, wildlife habitat, etc. 20-30% crown reduction appears to reduce wind risk. Combination of edge-feathering, topping and pruning should be effective in high-risk areas. Additional information is available on our website including Forest and wind risk in Tasmania – guidelines book and the Wind Risk Calculator tool which is available under our TOOLS tab. Private Forests Tasmania’s Directory of Services also has information on forestry professionals. Please phone us on 1300 661 009 for any additional information.

As Australia enters the summer bushfire season, Pano AI, a pioneer in early bushfire detection technology, has announced a major enhancement to its platform with the introduction of advanced weather forecasting data integration. Source: Timberbiz Launched yesterday in Sydney at the AFAC 24 Conference, Australia’s largest emergency management conference and exhibition, the new Weather Map Layers feature enables users to seamlessly track forecasted weather conditions in conjunction with real time fire threats, all in one platform. Arvind Satyam, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Pano AI, underscored the importance of having multiple data sources to enable faster and more informed response capabilities. “By providing visibility into temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind gusts and wind direction, Pano AI’s Weather Map Layers offers greater situational awareness, significantly improves decision-making during critical moments and allows for more tactical and appropriately scaled responses to fire risks.” Trained on hundreds of millions of images of landscapes across a variety of environments, Pano AI utilises ultra-high resolution cameras, satellites and artificial intelligence to help fire responders to swiftly identify and extinguish new ignitions before they become a threat. Last summer 33 fire events were averted in the Green Triangle due to Australia’s largest network of smoke detection cameras with plans progressing to expand the infrastructure to cover more blackspot areas for future seasons. The Green Triangle Fire Alliance’s (GTFA) network of 14 cameras, which provide a 360-degree scan of the landscape using AI technology, delivered 24-hour seven day a week observation across 1.3 million hectares of landscape, covering 10 local government areas. Operated by AI specialists Pano AI Pty Ltd, the cameras acted as the first point of detection before the human eye on several occasions and positively identified 24 planned fuel reduction burns for a total of 57 detections for the season. This was in addition to the detection of thousands of private permit burns late in the season. Head of Australia GTM Pano AI, Andrew Prolov, highlighted how weather information is an essential component of understanding bushfire risk. “We are committed to providing the most effective early detection technology to help identify bushfire risks and to prevent fires from escalating out of control,” Mr Prolov said. “The first few minutes are vital in preventing a bushfire from escalating out of control. While we can’t prevent fires from starting, our technology now offers the added capability to overlay important weather data to better understand the conditions in the regions that we are monitoring and to be aware of the changing weather landscape once a fire has started.” Key features of Pano AI’s Weather Map Layers integration: • Comprehensive Weather Data: Users can overlay essential weather data onto the Pano AI interactive map, including temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind gusts, and a dynamic wind particle animation representing wind speed and direction. • Hourly Updates: At the top of each hour, Weather Map Layers will display the forecast for the current hour with a data resolution of 28km. This ensures users have the most current information when responding to fire threats. • Enhanced Fire Management: Responders can tailor their responses to fire risks more effectively by using weather forecasting data to predict how a fire might behave based on weather conditions, enabling more informed and strategic decision-making. Pano AI is deployed across five states of Australia, and now has a presence in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania with 28 separate stations covering over 2 million hectares including forestry, farmland and renewable energy zones.