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The Taiwan Forestry Research Institute said it is promoting full utilization of Taiwan’s incense cedar to develop a high-value circular economy for forest resources. Source: Taipei Times Incense cedar is an endemic species of Taiwan and is one of Taiwan’s five major coniferous tree species, the institute said. It is distributed in mountainous areas of northern and central Taiwan at elevations of 300m to 1,900m, it said. Taiwan incense cedar is the primary tree species used for reforestation in warm forests between 500m and 1,800m above sea level, the institute said. While Taiwan incense cedar wood is popular with consumers thanks to its distinctive aroma, surplus materials generated during the process of forest tending, pruning and wood processing are usually used as fuel or disposed of, it said. The institute’s Chiayi Research Centre promoted research on the reutilization of Taiwan incense cedar surplus materials at the Yunshui Experiment Station from last year to this year, the institute said. Water distillation was applied to extract Taiwan incense cedar oil from surplus materials, while the remaining materials would be ground into scented powder or made into incense cones, it said. The institute said that water distillation is a well-established extraction technique. It uses high-temperature steam to release volatile aromatic compounds from plants, which would then be condensed and separated to obtain natural essential oils, the institute said. Water distillation can preserve the plant’s aroma and active compounds without adding organic solvents, it said. That helps meet modern consumers’ demand for natural, safe and environmentally friendly products, the institute said. Taiwan incense cedar essential oil is rich in compounds such as ferruginol, alpha-pinene and limonene, it said. Ferruginol is highly antibacterial and antioxidant, the institute said, adding that it can inhibit skin disease-associated pathogens and tyrosinase, a key enzyme involved in skin pigmentation, it added.

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With extreme wildfire activity exhausting all available federal firefighting resources and the national wildfire system operating at its highest level of readiness, the US Department of the Interior has finalized two categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act to expedite Bureau of Land Management timber salvage and forest thinning projects. Source: Timberbiz These new administrative authorities are designed to bypass bureaucratic delays and immediately expedite critical timber salvage and forest thinning projects. “The Trump administration is committed to giving our land managers the tools they need to reduce wildfire risk before the next fire starts,” said Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor. “These categorical exclusions remove unnecessary delays so we can accelerate common-sense forest management projects that reduce hazardous fuels, strengthen forest health and resilience, and better protect firefighters, communities and our public lands from catastrophic wildfire.” Categorical exclusions are categories of actions that have been determined to not typically have significant environmental impacts, eliminating the need to do a full environmental review. Streamlining National Environmental Policy Act compliance through categorical exclusions removes regulatory burdens and speeds up the process, saving time and resources. The new exclusions allow the Bureau of Land Management to remove dead, dying and excess trees more quickly and reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health, support landscape rehabilitation post-fire, while strengthening rural economies. They apply to routine salvage and thinning projects of up to 5,000 acres. Forests across the West have been heavily impacted by years of mismanagement that has led to more destructive wildfires, exacerbated by drought, insects, and disease, leaving millions of acres vulnerable to future wildfires. The previous administration inexplicably stripped timber harvest authorities from the BLM late in 2024. Since 2000, wildfires have burned an average of 7.3 million acres annually, with BLM lands seeing an average of 236,530 acres affected each year. This year alone, wildfires have devastated over 2.7 million acres of BLM-managed lands, and more than 7.4 million acres of all jurisdictions nationwide, underscoring the urgent need for effective forest management and fuels reduction strategies.

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Sumitomo Forestry, SCA and The Navigator Company have joined the PEFC Alliance. Together, the three organisations represent millions of hectares of sustainably managed forests and bring extensive expertise from across the forest value chain. Source: Timberbiz Founded in Japan in 1691, Sumitomo Forestry has more than 300 years of experience in forest- and wood-based businesses. Today, the company owns and manages more than 370,000 hectares of forest in Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Canada and the United States. Its activities span sustainable forest management, timber processing, wood construction and renewable energy. “Because our businesses cover both upstream and downstream sectors of the forest value chain, we have the perspectives of both a producer and a consumer,” said Yuko Iizuka, Head of Sustainability at Sumitomo Forestry. “We believe these dual perspectives enable us to share practical insights and contribute to the PEFC community. We look forward to working with PEFC to promote sustainable forest management, responsible wood use and transparency across the value chain.” SCA manages 2.7 million hectares of forest in Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and operates sawmills, pulp and paper mills, renewable energy and logistics businesses, giving it broad expertise across the forest sector. “As one of the largest private forest owners, we have a great responsibility to conduct forest management in a sustainable manner,” said Jörgen Bendz, Forestry Director at SCA. “One of the strengths of PEFC is its ability to change and adapt to new conditions to remain relevant.” The Navigator Company is an integrated forest-based company headquartered in Portugal, with operations spanning sustainable forest management, pulp and paper production, tissue, renewable energy and sustainable packaging solutions. “It is very important to be part of the discussions,” said Sofia Castelão, Head of Management Systems. “We are at a time when we have a lot of European Union regulation, and credibility is very important for our systems. “We intend to work with PEFC International and, of course, the national PEFC members through the specific working groups to deal with special matters and improve and develop new solutions.” International stakeholder members play an important role in bringing knowledge, experience and market perspectives from across the global forest sector into the PEFC alliance. Membership is open to companies, organisations and associations with principles and objectives in line with PEFC. International stakeholder members are part of the PEFC General Assembly, the highest decision-making body of the organisation, which sets the strategic direction of PEFC. They can join PEFC working groups and committees on relevant topics including standards revision, marketing and regional promotions. They can partner with other PEFC members on projects around the world and nominate representatives for the PEFC Board of Directors.

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Melbourne Polytechnic is inviting industry, education and construction sector stakeholders to help shape a new Modern Methods of Construction Showcase Building being developed as part of the Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence at its Heidelberg campus. Source: Timberbiz A survey is now open to gather feedback that will help inform the functional brief for the new facility. The Showcase Building is being designed as a hands-on learning and demonstration environment where students, industry and researchers can explore modern methods of construction in practice, bringing together prefabrication, advanced manufacturing, digital construction and emerging building technologies. Set to become Victoria’s leading demonstration and education facility for modern methods of construction, it will also serve as a national destination for learning, innovation and collaboration. We are seeking industry expertise to help shape the Showcase Building through a survey. We want to understand feedback on the capabilities, infrastructure and learning experiences that will provide the greatest long-term value to industry and the wider sector. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and responses are anonymous. Complete the survey by 31 August 2026. You can access the survey here.

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A Facilitator has been appointed to advise the New Zealand Government on what further support or intervention may be needed around forestry in the Tairāwhiti Gisborne region. Source: Timberbiz Doug Leeder, former Chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council and former Chair of Local Government New Zealand’s Regional Sector Group has been appointed. Mr Leeder will work with Council leadership, members of the Council’s Assurance Review panel and other stakeholders, on the complexity of consenting and land use change. He will provide advice directly to Forestry Minister Todd McClay, and to other Ministers as required. The New Zealand Forest Owners Association, Eastland Wood Council, Forest Industry Contractors Association and Ngāti Porou Forests have jointly backed the Government’s decision. Mr McClay said the Government was aware of growing sector-wide concern about the approach the Gisborne District Council is taking to land use change, including its use of draft enforcement orders on woody debris and sediment management. He said that stronger compliance measures may be necessary however, they must be workable and proportionate, and they must not undermine progress towards land transition. “Forestry and wood processing matter enormously to Tairāwhiti and to the people employed in them,” Mr McClay said. “Industry is telling me it faces decisions it considers unworkable and costly, and growing uncertainty about the future of the sector in the region. “I am advised this is affecting the willingness of investors to pursue processing ventures, both in Tairāwhiti and elsewhere in the country. “I want the relationship between the Council and stakeholders reset, with all parties working together in a constructive and structured way. That means supporting effective long-term forestry management, the environment, jobs and local businesses.” In 2024, Mr McClay established the Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group (TFAG) to build confidence between all parties, and to allow the Government and Council to work closely with the sector to remove woody biomass from the district. The group has reduced risk across 173 kilometres of river network and removed almost 40,000 cubic metres of woody debris from high-risk locations. TFAG will now move to the next stage of the clean-up. That includes supporting landowners and operators to accelerate consenting on legacy biomass through pilot projects, monitoring progress, maintaining engagement with the community, and helping inform decisions about land use change. “TFAG has worked because central government, the Council and the sector all came together. I have invited the Council’s continued support and participation,” Mr McClay said. “I want to recognise the significant efforts of the Council, the forestry sector and the community in dealing with the compounding effects of weather events. The appointment of a Facilitator will help drive better outcomes for forestry, the environment and the wider community.” NZFOA Chief Executive Dr Elizabeth Heeg says the appointment of Mr Leeder provided an opportunity to make progress on difficult questions around land use, woody debris and forestry-related environmental issues. “Forestry wants a system that protects the environment while allowing businesses to keep investing and operating responsibly in the region,” Dr Heeg said. “Tairāwhiti needs to see decision-making that recognises where land use has to change, while allowing forestry to continue on land where it remains appropriate.” “Bringing Government, Gisborne District Council, iwi, communities and industry together with an independent facilitator gives us a practical way to work through those issues.” Eastland Wood Council Chairman Julian Kohn said decisions about forestry have consequences for everyone living in Tairāwhiti. “NZIER research has shown forestry accounts for 7.9% of Tairāwhiti’s GDP, the highest proportional contribution of any region in New Zealand. Around NZ$295 million per year is added to the regional economy through forestry and logging, support services and wood processing,” he said. “We want environmental issues addressed, but the decisions made through this process also have to recognise the scale of forestry’s contribution to Tairāwhiti and the communities that depend on it.” Ngāti Porou Forests Chairman Whaimutu Dewes said decisions about land use have long-term consequences for iwi landowners and communities. “For iwi landowners, there is a responsibility to look after the whenua for generations to come but also to create opportunities for our people today. Forestry supports whānau by generating employment and providing income from whenua to sustain our communities,” he said. “Bringing iwi, communities, Government, Council and industry together gives us a better chance of making decisions that achieve both.” Forest Industry Contractors Association Chief Executive Rowan Struthers said contractors and forestry workers will bring an important operational perspective to the process. “Decisions about forestry directly affect crews, trucking companies, machinery operators and local businesses,” Mr Struthers said. “Our members want high environmental standards and clear expectations, but those expectations also have to work on the ground. “The experience of the people carrying out harvesting and other forestry work will be important as practical solutions are developed.”

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Good information is one of the industry’s most valuable resources. Whether it’s helping a builder answer a customer’s question, supporting a merchant with technical information or giving fabricators practical tools to engage their networks, clear and consistent communication helps build confidence in timber framing. Source: Timberbiz That’s why WoodSolutions, with support from FWPA and in collaboration with the Frame and Truss Manufacturers Association (FTMA) and campaign funding partners, has launched a coordinated national campaign to help industry share the benefits of structural timber. The campaign brings together a suite of professionally developed resources that funding partners and industry stakeholders can use through their own communications. Rather than every business developing its own materials, the campaign provides a shared set of evidence-based assets that are practical, consistent and ready to use. Over 14 weeks, participants will receive weekly campaign packs featuring social media, graphics, newsletter content and simple discussion notes designed to support conversations across the timber framing supply chain. To support consistent industry messaging, the campaign provides 14 ready-to-use campaign packs available through the WoodSolutions website. Each pack includes customer flyers, social media graphics and conversation starters, with a different timber framing benefit highlighted each week throughout the campaign. Each week’s content focuses on a different benefit of lightweight timber framing, drawing on trusted WoodSolutions technical resources and research. From renewable forestry and carbon storage to thermal performance, structural capability and construction efficiency, the campaign brings together practical information in a format that’s easy to understand and share. The initiative reflects FWPA’s ongoing commitment to supporting industry beyond research and development. By investing in practical communication tools, FWPA and WoodSolutions are helping funding partners confidently promote the value of timber framing while strengthening consistency across the sector. Research and technical guidance only create value when they’re used. This campaign helps turn existing industry knowledge into practical conversations that support confidence in timber framing across the supply chain. It’s also a reminder that meaningful industry communication isn’t driven by a single organisation. It comes from manufacturers, suppliers, merchants, builders and industry partners all contributing to the same conversation. When those voices work together, the collective impact extends far beyond what any one business could achieve alone. Funding partners and industry stakeholders are encouraged to download the campaign materials through the WoodSolutions Timber Framing Campaign page and use them throughout the campaign. Because every conversation is an opportunity to build greater understanding of timber framing, and every shared message helps strengthen the industry’s voice.

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Forest & Wood Communities Australia (FWCA) is calling on The Australia Institute and more than 50 environmental organisations involved in a newly announced national campaign to end native forest harvesting to disclose who is funding the campaign, how much is being spent and whether any government, philanthropic or tax-advantaged funding is supporting it. Source: Timberbiz The organisations announced on 17 August that they were meeting in Canberra to coordinate a national campaign seeking an immediate end to native forest logging, clearing and conversion and permanent protection of native forests across Australia. The media release says the meeting was being hosted by The Australia Institute. However, neither the media release nor the campaign’s published Forest Protection Principles identifies who was specifically financing the meeting or the coordinated national campaign. FWCA Chair Steve Dobbyns said environmental organisations were entitled to advocate for policy change, but the same organisations regularly demanding transparency from governments and businesses should be prepared to disclose the financial backing behind a campaign of this scale. “There is nothing improper about people donating to environmental organisations and nothing improper about those organisations participating in public debate. But transparency has to work both ways,” Mr Dobbyns said. “This is not simply a few local residents meeting to discuss their neighbourhood forest. It is an organised national policy campaign involving more than 50 organisations, coordinated across six states and territories, seeking to eliminate an Australian renewable industry.” “Before Australians are told this is simply a ‘people-powered movement’, they are entitled to know who is actually paying for the campaign.” The scale of some of the organisations involved is substantial. The Australia Institute’s audited 2024-25 accounts report $10.88 million in total revenue, including more than $10.05 million in donations. Its annual report says it is independently funded by donations from philanthropic trusts and individuals and by grants and commissioned research from businesses, unions and non-government organisations. The Australian Conservation Foundation reported $18.64 million in revenue and other income in 2024-25, including approximately $12.74 million in donations, $2.91 million in bequests and $1.66 million in grants. The Australia Institute, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society and Bob Brown Foundation are all registered charities with Deductible Gift Recipient status, allowing eligible donors to claim tax deductions for gifts. Mr Dobbyns said charitable and DGR status did not invalidate their right to campaign, but it strengthened the case for transparency where organisations were seeking major changes to public policy and expenditure. “These organisations benefit from tax concessions while campaigning to remove productive forests from timber supply, close regional industries and fundamentally restructure how Australia’s forests are managed.” “That makes transparency a legitimate public-interest issue. Who is funding this campaign? What are they funding? And what policy outcomes have funders specifically paid organisations to pursue?” FWCA is asking the campaign organisers to disclose: Who funded the national meeting being hosted by The Australia Institute? Who paid, or is paying, participants’ travel, accommodation and meeting expenses? Who funded the Protect Native Forests website, campaign development, communications, advertising and media coordination? What is the total budget for the national campaign? Have philanthropic foundations or other institutional donors provided restricted or project-specific funding for campaigns to end native forest harvesting? Have any overseas philanthropic organisations or foundations contributed to the campaign or participating organisations specifically for Australian forest policy advocacy? Have any Commonwealth, state or local government grants, government-funded positions or publicly funded resources been used directly or indirectly in developing or promoting the campaign? What cash or in-kind contributions have participating organisations made to the campaign? Will The Australia Institute and the major organisations involved publish the institutional sources and amounts of funding specifically supporting the campaign?   From shutting down forestry to a $10 billion-a-year public fund FWCA said the financial questions become even more important when the full Forest Protection Principles are examined. Those principles go considerably further than the 17 August media release. They call for governments to increase long-term public funding for forest conservation and restoration and establish an independent publicly funded statutory Nature Fund, nominating minimum recurring expenditure of around $10 billion per year as an example. “This deserves far more scrutiny than it has received,” Mr Dobbyns said. “The campaigners want governments to shut down a renewable timber-producing industry and permanently remove productive forests from timber supply, while proposing a new publicly funded conservation model involving expenditure on an extraordinary scale. “They cannot simply discuss the claimed environmental benefits and pretend the economic side of the ledger does not exist.” Australia’s own national forestry agency, ABARES, states that wood products from sustainably managed native forests are renewable because trees regenerate following harvesting. Australian forest reporting also distinguishes harvested forests that remain forest from permanent forest conversion. Mr Dobbyns said deliberately bundling native forest harvesting, land clearing and forest conversion into one political slogan blurred fundamentally different land-management activities. “Sustainable native forestry is not synonymous with permanently clearing a forest,” he said. “A production forest is harvested and regenerated to forest. That is precisely why Australia’s national greenhouse accounts classify harvested native forests within ‘Forest remaining Forest’. “Ending Australian timber production does not end Australia’s demand for timber. It simply means that demand has to be met somewhere else – through plantations where suitable resource exists, imports, alternative materials or shortages and higher prices.” FWCA said any credible national discussion about closing native forestry must therefore examine the consequences for domestic timber supply, housing and construction, regional employment, sovereign manufacturing capacity, imports, carbon leakage and the environmental standards of timber-producing countries that may replace Australian supply. Transparency should work both ways FWCA also noted the irony that The Australia Institute itself published research in November 2025 arguing that charitable and philanthropic contributions by corporations should be subject to clearer and more consistent disclosure so that the public can make informed decisions. “We agree with the principle,” Mr Dobbyns said. “If transparency about who funds an activity and what that money supports is important when corporations give money to charities, surely it is equally […]

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Forestry Australia’s longest-serving member Norm Lewis passed away on August 12. He was 109 years old. Source: Timberbiz Mr Lewis, ISO DipFor BSc DipFor FIFA, worked for the Woods and Forests Department in South Australia from about 1957 until 1981, when he retired as Assistant Director, Forest Operations Division. He was an advocate for thinning, having studied it in other parts of the world as a Russell Grimwade Scholar and in 1963 produced a guide to the “Optimum thinning range of Pinus radiata in South Australia“. He was also the author of “A Hundred Years of State Forestry, South Australia, 1875-1975” (1975). Forestry Australia CEO Jacquie Martin said in a note to members that Mr Lewis’s extraordinary leadership, contribution and longevity as a forester, and as a member of the Forestry Australia community was something very special. “We know many South Australian members will have known him personally or through his long association with The Institute of Foresters,” she said. “Norm’s exceptional legacy, significant influence on the science and art of forestry, and his enduring connection to Forestry Australia are deeply valued.” His funeral will be held at 1.00 pm on Tuesday 25 August 2026 at the Main Chapel of Berry’s Funeral Home, 204 Magill Road, Norwood. For those unable to attend in person, livestreaming information and the opportunity to leave a message of condolence are available through the funeral notice at https://www.mytributes.com.au/notice/funeral-notices/lewis-norman-benjamin/6372447/  

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Just over two years after its launch, Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) has backed 39 research and innovation projects worth more than $67 million across Australia’s forest and wood products sector. Source: Timberbiz The national institute, supported by a $100 million Australian Government investment, has brought together more than 100 industry and research partners and over 300 people across Australia, including growers, processors, manufacturers, Indigenous enterprises, government agencies and researchers. Its progress is detailed in the AFWI Highlights Report 2024–2026, launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins, at the Australian Forest Products Association’s National Forestry Day event at Parliament House. Since its official launch in March 2024, AFWI has invested about $29 million in research and innovation projects, supported by a further $38 million in partner contributions. Ms Collins said AFWI had made strong progress in its first two years. “AFWI has made strong progress in just over two years, with its investments already translating into practical outcomes across Australia’s forest and wood products sector,” Minister Collins said. “I congratulate everyone involved and look forward to hearing more about the impacts being delivered and the further opportunities this national capability can unlock for industry, regions and communities.” AFWI CEO and Executive Director Dr Joseph Lawrence said the report showed how quickly AFWI had grown from a new initiative into a national research and innovation network. “In just over two years, AFWI has grown from a new national initiative into a substantial industry-led innovation network operating across Australia,” Dr Lawrence said. “We are bringing together industry, research and government to tackle key challenges: healthier and more productive forests, getting more value from Australian fibre, developing new bioeconomy opportunities and helping unlock manufactured timber housing at scale.” AFWI’s work is structured around four pillars: Healthier Forests, Maximising Fibre, Climate Solutions and Housing Innovation. Projects span forest productivity and resilience, biosecurity and climate adaptation, low-carbon fuels and bioproducts, engineered timber products, advanced manufacturing and new approaches to timber construction. AFWI is also rebuilding Australia’s long-term forest and wood products research capability through three Research Centres, hosted by the University of Melbourne, the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of Tasmania. Across the portfolio, more than 90 early-career researchers are developing expertise while working directly with industry on practical challenges and pathways to adoption. Moving research into industry A major focus for AFWI’s next phase will be helping research move into industry, including through advanced timber manufacturing, manufactured housing and new bioeconomy opportunities. AFWI’s The Precinct initiative, led by IndustryEdge, is bringing together industry, research and government partners to develop new engineered wood products, prefabricated dwellings and bio-based co-products at scale. The initiative is designed to grow domestic manufacturing capability, reduce exports of lower-value fibre and substitute imported engineered wood products with higher-value Australian-made products. AFWI also provided technical support to the John Curtin Research Centre’s report, Manufacturing Homes: A National Strategy for Solving Australia’s Housing Crisis, which sets out a national strategy for expanding modular and offsite construction capacity in Australia. The report calls for AFWI’s proposed National Demonstration of Australian Manufactured Timber Housing as an early proof point. The proposed $300 million-scale demonstration would involve 600 manufactured timber dwellings across six to ten sites, showing how Australian timber, advanced manufacturing and modern construction methods could contribute to housing delivery at scale. Dr Lawrence said these initiatives reflected the type of practical, large-scale work AFWI was established to support. “The next phase is about taking the capability and partnerships we have built and turning them into larger-scale outcomes, from healthier and more productive forests and new bioeconomy industries through to advanced timber manufacturing and manufactured housing,” Dr Lawrence said. “Australia has an opportunity to turn more of our renewable timber fibre into higher-value products here at home, strengthening regional economies and sovereign manufacturing capability while contributing practical solutions to Australia’s housing challenge.” AFWI’s focus will increasingly be on helping research move into commercial pathways, standards, investment opportunities, new technologies and practical industry adoption. “The foundations are now firmly in place. Our focus is on ensuring research moves into industry, investment and implementation, and delivers tangible benefits for Australian businesses, regional communities and the nation,” Dr Lawrence said. AFWI acknowledged the Australian Government and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for their investment and support, the University of Tasmania as AFWI’s host institution, and the industry, research, government, Indigenous and regional partners contributing to its work. AFWI also acknowledged the Australian Forest Products Association for hosting the launch as part of National Forestry Day. The AFWI Highlights Report 2024–2026 is available at https://www.afwi.au/afwi-highlights-report-2024-2026/

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Recent commentary has highlighted just how easy it is for misconceptions about the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to spread. In some cases, a lack of understanding can result in significant financial opportunities being missed. At the opposite end of the spectrum, forest owners who do not fully understand the long-term implications of registering their forest in the ETS can find themselves with legal obligations they neither expected nor budgeted for. While the ETS has been with us for nearly 18 years, it has undergone several significant updates. It is therefore understandable that many people struggle to keep up with these changes and the impact they have on forest owners across New Zealand. In particular, there seems to be some confusion around how carbon credits are claimed in the ETS and the long-term obligations that forest owners face as participants in the scheme. These obligations depend largely on which of the three ETS carbon accounting categories a forest is registered under: Stock Change, Averaging or Permanent Forest. Until the end of 2022, all ETS forests used Stock Change, or the “saw-tooth” model for carbon accounting. In 2023, two additional categories – Averaging and Permanent Forest –were introduced to better reflect the different objectives of rotational forests destined for harvest and continuous-cover permanent forests. For forests registered under the Stock Change category, carbon credits can be claimed annually but carbon losses due to harvesting must also be accounted for, which can result in a significant quantity of carbon credits needing to be surrendered back to the Crown. If the forests are not harvested, the forest owner will continue to accrue carbon credits across the lifespan of the forest. Averaging accounting is well suited to forest owners who are planting a forest with the intention of harvesting. Carbon credits are claimed until the long-term average age for the species, typically 16–26 years for exotic forests. Beyond this point no further carbon credits are claimed. For forests harvested after reaching their long-term average age, a full surrender of carbon credits is only required if the land is not replanted within four years or converted to a non-forestry land use. The Permanent Forest category is aptly named; forest owners entering their forests into this category should be prepared to keep the trees in the ground in perpetuity. The minimum sign-up period into this category is 50 years and during this time the forest owner is unable to voluntarily withdraw from the scheme or clear-fell their forest. Carbon credits continue to accrue across the lifespan of the forest. Selective tree harvesting can be undertaken, as long as 30% canopy cover is maintained across the entire forest area. Whilst the benefits and outcomes under Averaging Accounting are easily understood, the waters can be murkier for forests registered under Stock Change or the Permanent Forest category. This often leads to questions such as: My forest is registered under Stock Change, how many carbon credits can I sell liability-free, and still harvest my forest? The answer to this is that it very much depends; planting year, species, length of time registered in the ETS, harvest age, year of replant and replanted species are all inputs into this equation that can significantly impact the end result. This carbon accounting method is the most complex and advice from a forestry professional is highly recommended. My forest is registered in the Permanent Forest category, what will happen once the 50-year sign-up period is over? Some forest owners have entered this category thinking that they will claim carbon credits for 50 years, exit the ETS and harvest their forests. While exiting the scheme after 50 years is technically possible, doing so would generally require the surrender of a substantial quantity of carbon credits. Whether that is financially viable will depend largely on the carbon price at that time. The ETS is a complex beast, and it is essential to understand the weave of the specific forest characteristics, registration category, historic and future carbon credit claims and on-going compliance requirements. I cannot stress enough the importance of seeking professional advice before registering your forest in the ETS, purchasing a forest that has been registered in the ETS or selling carbon credits. Kirsten Stuart is the Company Forester & Consultant for Laurie Forestry  

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