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USNR ‘s powerful history as a strong visionary leader has brought many important innovations to the industry, and it’s time to unveil our next groundbreaking product development.

We’re revealing a brand-new piece of equipment exclusively at this year’s Timber Processing & Energy Expo, September 25-27 in Portland, OR. We’re thrilled to introduce this latest product offering from USNR that is as innovative as you are.

We’ll also be showcasing new advances in optimization and panel technology. You’ll be able to see special displays from our parts and upgrades teams and meet our expansive network of experts so you can learn more about what USNR has to offer.

Join us as our special guest with this form and be one of the first in the world to witness this exciting moment!

TO read previous USNR posts click here.

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The post USNR Introducing new innovations at TP&EE! appeared first on International Forest Industries.

Trials collecting data on forests using helicopter-mounted hi-tech 3D lasers are underway, which could have significant benefits for climate change mitigation and conservation. Source: Timberbiz “We need to make the most of the latest, most accurate and efficient tools for measuring forest carbon and forest health at a large scale,” Terry Greene, DOC Science Monitoring Advisor, said. “Trees absorb carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas – and store it as solid carbon in trunks, leaves, roots and branches. Therefore, knowing the size of the trees in our forests is crucial for our national carbon reporting and forest management. “Traditionally, we’ve used manual instruments to measure tree heights. Now we have more sophisticated measuring technology, such as remote sensing, at our disposal. “However, we need to do rigorous testing and ground-truthing to ensure the new technology is giving us accurate data on the size of trees.” Remote sensing is the science of obtaining information about objects or areas from a distance, typically from satellites, aircraft or drones. For this research, laser technology (known as LiDAR) from helicopters and light planes is used to produce high definition, 3D images of a landscape including the vegetation. DOC has contracted Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research scientists to do the trials. Manaaki Whenua recently established a one-hectare indigenous forest field test site in Waitutu Forest, Fiordland, working with Waitutu Incorporation and Interpine Innovation (a Rotorua-based forestry service). A second test site is currently being established in the Coromandel, and Manaaki Whenua will set up six more test sites across Aotearoa over the next two years. James Shepherd, lead researcher and Manaaki Whenua senior scientist, says joining up remotely sensed data and ground measurements is a challenge, especially in Aotearoa given the range of terrain, ecosystem types and tree species. “For all the test sites, on-the-ground teams will use LiDAR technology to obtain data across the forest floor, while either a helicopter or a fixed wing plane collects LiDAR data from above the same area. “Data from the ground and the air is stitched together creating digital images of the forest structure. It also provides positions of individual trees with a high degree of accuracy. “As a follow up, to test the effectiveness of the technology and collect valuable ground-based data, field teams will return to the forest and measure and identify all the trees within the plot.” This research will also help Manaaki Whenua produce maps to help researchers, landowners and businesses with the management of carbon storage and emissions in native ecosystems. Terry Greene says the research and data produced will mean any future remote sensing methods – not just LiDAR – can be ground-truthed at these sites. “Our goal is also to improve our interpretation and understanding of remote sensing of forest structure and composition information – whether obtained by satellite or aerial photographs.” The remote sensing trials on public conservation land are funded by DOC’s Maximising Carbon in Native Systems programme and are complemented by related remote sensing trials being undertaken by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Maximising Forest Carbon program.

As forests in Italy change, a revised standard is needed to respond to new challenges and opportunities to support innovative sustainable forest management, enhancing the importance of forests to society. The new standard will come into force on 1 December 2024. Source: Timberbiz Forests throughout Italy have been expanding in recent years and now cover more than 11 million hectares, about one third of the total land area. However, this expansion has been driven by land being abandoned rather than planned management. The result is a decline in timber harvesting and rising imports. Along with growing public interest in the many benefits of well-managed forests, these changes called for the FSC Forest Stewardship Standard for Italy, first adopted in 2017, to be revised. The process started in September 2021 with a thorough analysis of the current standard. Stakeholders, including certificate holders, experts, NGOs, researchers, and foresters met monthly to draw up a draft. Two public consultations were then followed by two field tests to evaluate the indicators of the revised standard. These indicators address issues such as forest management, High Conservation Values, and customary rights of local communities, and can be applied to all types of forests and plantations. The revision of the standard was characterized by a participatory process with members, experts, and other stakeholders. This allowed us to collect as many inputs as possible and translate them into effective actions, responding to challenges and opportunities from the sector. Other changes in the revised document relate to updates of relevant national legislation covering, for example, International Labour Organization guidelines for workers in forest management, and specific management recommendations for cork oak forests, poplar plantations, agroforestry systems and non-timber forest products. In addition, the new standard includes indicators for high-altitude forests and coppices, along with a guide for the identification and protection of High Conservation Value areas. “Italian forests are important for their biodiversity, timber resources, ecosystem services, and the rich human history and local traditions they encompass,” said Ilaria Dalla Vecchia, Coordinator of the Standard Development Group. “Over the centuries, they have played a crucial role in supporting the survival and prosperity of local economies and communities in mountainous and rural areas. “The revised Italian Forest Stewardship Standard will promote, disseminate, and support innovative sustainable forest management, enhancing the multifunctional role of forests and their importance to society.”  

The new PEFC 1004 standard, which sets the requirements for certification bodies carrying out PEFC forest management certification, has been published. Source: Timberbiz “With this new standard, we are fostering the harmonisation of requirements for certification bodies, ensuring consistency in the implementation of PEFC sustainable forest management certification worldwide,” said Marta Martinez Pardo, Certification Program Senior Manager. As the first of its kind, ST 1004 combines benchmark and international requirements. It sets up international requirements that PEFC national members will adopt within their systems, to be implemented directly by certification bodies. This will bring consistency to PEFC forest management audits conducted around the world. In parallel, for those topics where local adaption is key, such as audit time or risk assessment criteria, the standard establishes benchmark requirements that are further developed by PEFC-endorsed systems, following PEFC’s bottom-up approach. “The next step is now for the PEFC members to integrate these new requirements into their own PEFC-endorsed systems, and to guide the process for certification bodies to transition to the new requirements within their countries,” Ms Martinez Pardo said. PEFC ST 1004 was developed by a multi-stakeholder working group over several years. During this time, the draft standard went through two public consultations, receiving over 1300 comments, all of which were considered by the working group. The public consultation is a vital part of the PEFC standard development process, as it ensures everyone affected by the standard has the chance to give their feedback. Based on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and the capabilities afforded by recent technological developments, the standard includes a section with requirements for remote audits, elevating the certification process to a new level. Enabling remote audits enhances the certification process by increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and providing greater flexibility. The ability to conduct audits remotely ensures continuity in the certification process during unforeseen circumstances, such as global pandemics or travel restrictions. Remote audits streamline the certification process, making it more adaptable and resilient while maintaining rigorous standards. The chapter on the audit process includes a dedicated section on stakeholder engagement, underscoring its importance for the implementation of the PEFC requirements. Stakeholder engagement enhances the social and economic benefits of forest management, helping to ensure that practices are not only environmentally sustainable but also broadly supported and beneficial to those directly impacted. The PEFC approach ensures that stakeholders are actively involved without imposing additional burdens on the certification process. This balanced method fosters meaningful participation while maintaining efficiency and effectiveness in achieving certification. The minimum education requirement for auditors has been established at the tertiary level, encompassing education from universities, technical schools, colleges, and similar institutions. Acknowledging the evolving landscape of education and working experiences, the criteria for relevant working experience have been expanded. Now, experience in fields such as forestry, biodiversity, and natural resource management is recognised, reflecting the broader range of expertise in today’s environment.

There are more than 240 special one-hectare forest sites called marteloscopes in 26 countries that are used for field-based training and education of forestry professionals, students, forest owners, policy makers and even the broader public. Source: Timberbiz This unique set of sites is brought together by the Integrated Network facilitated by the European Forest Institute (EFI). In a marteloscope, all trees are numbered and measured, and their locations are mapped. In addition, the sites are inventoried for microhabitats such as cavities, injuries and wounds, deadwood, as well as deformations, bird nests etc, which can serve as shelter or home for different plants and animals. The information collected in marteloscopes can be used in the Integrate+ Trainer mobile app which has been developed by EFI software developers and researchers. With the app, users can perform virtual management exercises and compare alternative forest management strategies in the forest. The user receives immediate feedback from the application on the effects of tree selection on both the harvested and remaining tree stand which illustrates the consequences of different management practices. The app thereby supports in educating its users on integrating biodiversity conservation in managed forests. In a recent project EFI used the app to enable forest owners to assess the impact of forest management decision on timber production, biodiversity and carbon storage. The app. Now calculates the volume, economic value, biodiversity impacts and carbon balance based on the data from the stand. It also predicts the development of the remaining tree stand after 20 years. The app is available from Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=integrate.trainer

In April 2024, Melbourne’s Brunt Road level crossing became the 76th consigned to history when a new road bridge opened to allow vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists to safely cross the busy Pakenham Line. Source: Timberbiz With traffic flowing over the new road bridge, journeys are improved for the 8400 drivers passing through each day and the Pakenham Line is one step closer to being level crossing-free by 2025 – allowing more trains to run when the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025. As part of the project’s commitment to sustainability, the Level Crossing Removal Project looked for a way to repurpose trees that could not be retained. It partnered with CERES Fair Wood, a not-for-profit social enterprise that buys and sells farm-forested, agroforestry and salvaged timber, with 100% of profits reinvested back into the community including the CERES environmental education programs. The project donated seven large Spotted Gum and Southern Mahogony logs to CERES Fair Wood, one of which has been made into a park bench, purchased by the project and donated back to Cardinia Shire Council to be installed in Dodson Reserve – where the tree originally grew. The other logs donated to CERES Fair Wood will be made into furniture and timber products that will be sold through its social enterprise business, with Brunt Road being the first level crossing removal project to have its donated logs to the social enterprise. Level Crossing Removal Project Sustainability Coordinator, Ashleigh Smith, said it’s wonderful to see trees that could not be retained being salvaged and repurposed on our projects. “We’re always looking for ways to make our projects more sustainable, so repurposing these logs into something useable for the community, like park benches, stools and mulch, is a great outcome,” Ms Smith said. CERES Fair Wood Urban Forestry Services Manager, Kate Sutton, said the social enterprise is running a pilot program that repurposes trees removed from major road and rail projects into high value timber. “The pilot has succeeded in embedding the best trees into future project planning and tendering processes and has demonstrated the return of sawn timber back to the community for playgrounds, landscaping and public buildings such as new train stations,” Ms Sutton said. As well as donating logs to CERES, the project also donated logs and mulch to many local businesses around the area, including an early learning centre, retirement village and secondary college for use in gardens, playgrounds and as kids’ stools. As part of the Brunt Road level crossing project, more than 50,000 plants, shrubs and grasses have been planted in the area. Across all the level crossing removal projects throughout Melbourne so far, more than 3.2 million trees, plants and shrubs have been planted.

As a forestry business OneFortyOne (OFO) wanted to show how timber can be used to achieve a cost-effective carbon neutral build so they have taken all the components that are normally made from concrete and steel and have tried to find a timber alternate. Source: Timberbiz According to the company the sheer volume of timber in this building is a real statement around what it stands for as a company and as an industry. The building was designed by Irving Smith Architects, and constructed by Scott Construction New Zealand. Some of the design highlights include: Glulam posts, the equivalent of concrete in OFO’s design thinking LVL rafters, used those like steel The timber floor is the largest the builders have ever built, and with the use of screw piles they were able to cut down construction time by almost a third. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H0TbZzxKeE&t=1s

The $3million Timber Region Transition Grant (TRTG) is the final grant on offer as part of the WA Government’s 80 million Native Forest Transition Plan. Source: Timberbiz Applications for the TRTG are open for submissions, offering businesses up to $250,000 in matched funding to support economic diversification and sustainable job creation. If applicants demonstrate at least 50% reliance on the native timber industry, they can apply for grant funding without needing to provide matched funding. This grant aims to foster new industries and innovative business expansion within the native forestry timber region. It is open to eligible businesses in the Great Southern, Peel and South West regions. “The WA Government has invested a record $350 million to establish new softwood plantations across the South West which will create and continue to support local forestry jobs,” said Minister for agriculture and food, forestry and small businesses, Hon Jackie Jarvis. Successful projects will demonstrate potential for positive economic impact, including job creation, enhanced regional productivity and sustainable outcomes in areas that focus on: support tourism and creative industries green energy advanced manufacturing sustainable agriculture job creation. “The Timber Region Transition Grant is the WA Government’s final round of funding available to those in the native forestry timber region, I encourage any businesses who are eligible to apply,” said Ms Jarvis. To assist with applications workshops will be held in Bridgetown, Nannup and Manjimup to provide key information about the grant as well as assessment criteria. These workshops will be held on 9 and 10 September.  Event details and registration links can be found on the Timber Region Transition workshop information 

CLT Toolbox, an innovative leader in mass timber engineering, has announced the launch of a free version of its groundbreaking software. Source: Timberbiz Designed to advance the adoption of sustainable timber construction across Australia, this new version of CLT Toolbox offers engineers, students, and timber enthusiasts’ access to cutting-edge tools and educational resources, empowering a new generation to contribute to a sustainable future. In June CLT in partnership with Timber Unlimited in New Zealand, released parts of its advanced design software free to engineers in New Zealand. The construction industry faces a critical challenge in reducing embodied carbon, a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. Traditional building materials like concrete and steel are major culprits. CLT Toolbox addresses this challenge by providing software solutions that simplify and automate the design of mass timber structures. Mass timber is a sustainable, low-carbon alternative that offers significant environmental benefits. “There are over 10,000 structural engineers in Australia, yet only a small fraction specialise in timber,” said CLT Toolbox CEO Adam Jones. “Our mission is to close this gap by equipping engineers with the tools and knowledge to confidently design with timber, ensuring they can offer sustainable options to their clients.” In Australia, the free version offers essential features for member design, calculating loads, and evaluating the structural integrity of timber elements. With this comprehensive suite of tools, engineers can perform preliminary designs for entire mass timber office or apartment buildings. The software’s embedded educational resources and automated design computations are designed to guide even novice engineers to produce expert-level structural designs. CLT Toolbox’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond just offering software. “We are committed to growing Australia’s mass timber category by educating concrete and steel specialists on the benefits of timber. By broadening the skill sets of engineers, CLT Toolbox ensures that when a client seeks a sustainable option, engineers are equipped to deliver,” said Mr Jones. “Access to the free version has been made possible through the support of leading mass timber suppliers, including ASH, Timberlink, CUSP, XLam, KLH & Xlam Dolomiti. The timber industry has come together to form a strong collaborative unit capable of making mass timber a mainstream material. We’re proud of the diverse industry partners who share our vision and support our mission to foster innovation, sustainability, and excellence in timber construction.” GM Technical and Sales of NeXTimber/Timberlink Jeremy Church said that CLT offering a freemium version of CLT Toolbox gave structural engineers access to design modules, helping them quickly and confidently design projects using engineered timber. “This tool reinforces Timberlink’s commitment to making sustainable timber products more accessible in the construction industry,” he said. Area Sales Manager for KLH Markus Janko said that as a CLT Toolbox partner, KLH was pleased with the free software version’s launch. “The integration of KLH – CLT simplifies design with KLH elements, offering a user-friendly interface for quick calculations, including fire resistance. This partnership enhances our customers’ design experience,” he said. Engineering Design Manager for Australian Sustainable Hardwoods Nathan Benbow said ASH saw the free CLT Toolbox software as transformative. “It empowers engineers with tools to innovate and optimise their projects, simplifies calculations, and improves design efficiency,” he said. “By expanding timber use, we contribute to sustainable building practices and broader adoption of eco-friendly solutions.”