Forest Products Industry

The cost of harvesting (felling and extraction to roadside) increased by 9% in 2023, according to new statistics from the Swedish Forest Agency and Skogforsk. Costs for regeneration harvests have risen every year since 2017, by 39% in all. The producer price index has in-creased by 41% during the same period. Source: Timberbiz During 2023 harvesting costs (in current prices), on average for the whole country, have in-creased by: 9% to SEK 134 per cubic metre for regeneration harvest. 8%to SEK 269 per cubic metre for thinning. The cost for regeneration harvests increased in both northern and southern Sweden during 2023. The largest increase was in northern Sweden by 12%, while the cost rose by 6% in southern Sweden. The cost of both regeneration harvests and thinning is at its highest level since 1996, the year of origin for these statistics. Since then, the cost of regeneration harvests has in-creased by 48% while thinning has increased by 76%. During the same period the producer price index has risen by 84%. Costs for silvicultural measures including pre-commercial thinning During 2023 most costs for silviculture also increased. The costs for: clear-cut cleaning increased by 4% to SEK 1 840 per hectare scarification has increased by 7% to SEK 3 190 per hectare planting (including plants) has increased by 15% to SEK 7 050 per hectare sowing has decreased by 2% to SEK 5 870 per hectare precommercial thinning has increased by 15% to SEK 3 340 per hectare fertilization and liming has increased by 12% to SEK 3 800 per hectare These statistics are volume weighted or area-weighted and relate to current prices. The survey population is large scale forestry with an ownership of more than 16 000 hectares forest land or an annual felling of more than 50 000 m³. The survey is a collaboration between the Swedish Forest Agency and Skogforsk (The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden) and is included in Sweden’s official statistics.

Timbersource took a look at the forestland of European nations to see who would finish at the ‘top of the tree’ and unfortunately for England, they crashed out to Germany in the round of 16. Source: Timberbiz To work out who would win the tournament, Timbersource gathered data from Worldometre and the individual statistics hubs of each nation and created a table showing the different groups and their respective forest sizes. From this Timbersource analysed the potential draws mapping out the winners, runners-up, and ‘best third-place teams’ to map out the bracket. This year’s ‘group of death’ was group D with big hitters including France, Austria, and Poland. France, while being the second biggest team in terms of forest size, only managed to get third place given the nature of the draw. The bracket and routes to the final were drawn from the official Uefa Euros bracket, then cross-referenced with the forestland data to find the eventual winner Spain. Spain topped the table with more than 18 million hectares of forestland, and this strength helped them to win the tournament but there was one big country missing. While Russia tops the list with more than 800 million hectares due to the current situation in the Ukraine they were banned from participation. Forests are often taken for granted, but these leafy giants silently provide a wealth of benefits to our planet and our lives. From the air we breathe to the wood in our homes, forestry offers a powerful combination of economic, environmental, and social advantages. Some forestry benefits include: Helping to mitigate climate change. Forests remove a significant amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help to release oxygen into the air. Forests give us resources to make timber that can be used in construction and furniture, musical instruments, and more. Timber can also be used for sporting equipment, which may be used in the Olympics.   First place: Spain Second place: France Third place: Turkey The full dataset used within the research can be found here.

After 13 years as president of TimberPro, Lee Crawford has announced his retirement. This draws to a close Crawford’s nearly 40 years in the forestry machinery business, during which he consistently exemplified entrepreneurial spirit and a caring attitude. Source; Timberbiz Pat Crawford, Lee’s father, was a third-generation logger whose company – Shawano, Wisconsin-based Timbco – had become known for its popular line of levelling machines. But Mr Crawford never planned on entering the forestry industry, becoming an engineer at the Oshkosh Truck Company in 1982. In 1985, however, Mr Crawford’s father asked him to join the family business at Timbco, where he started on the assembly line. “It gives you credibility with your people,” Lee said. “And you learn the products. You learn what needs to be changed.” After his assembly line shifts ended, Lee kept working, ordering parts and writing warranties. He eventually become Vice President in 1992. In 2000, Timbco was sold to Partek, a Komatsu-owned company. The Crawfords bought back the wheeled division from Partek in 2002 to form TimberPro, which later became recognized for its innovative track machine products. TimberPro was acquired by Komatsu in 2019. In retirement, Lee plans to stay involved in charitable work with the Ruth and Pat Crawford Foundation, which has donated millions over the years to community organizations and food pantries. While the TimberPro family is sad to see Lee go, the legacy of the Crawford’s ingenuity and generosity will continue with Komatsu at the helm. “By taking Komatsu’s strengths and combining it with TimberPro’s, we can be a leading supplier. We’re really excited about the future,” said Doug Morris, Vice President, Forest Machine Business Division at Komatsu. Mr Crawford feels safe leaving his companies in Komatsu’s hands. “Komatsu wants TimberPro to grow. Komatsu has the means and ambition to plan and grow our offerings over time,” he says. “My family was comfortable. Komatsu has the drive to get bigger and bigger and bigger. It’s going to be exciting.”

Wellington, New Zealand student Elisa Harley is making strides in conservation with her innovative biodegradable plant pots, thanks to the support of researchers and commercialisation expert sat Scion. Source: Timberbiz Ms Harley, the 17-year-old founder of Enivo Pots, is working to develop pots made from underutilised primary industry waste, aiming to replace the 350 million plastic plant pots used annually in New Zealand. Ms Harley’s journey began at the age of 13 when she became aware of the environmental issues surrounding plastic waste in gardening. Her commitment to finding a solution led her to start Enivo Pots, a company dedicated to producing biodegradable plant pots that can be planted directly into the ground. However, turning this vision into reality required more than just determination; it needed technical support and resources, which she found at Scion. Scion’s involvement with Ms Harley started with Zoom calls with science leaders followed by a half-day visit to Scion in July 2023. In January this year, she visited Scion for three days to begin the first run of prototyping. She trialled different formulations for her pots and tested their performance after hand-moulding printed sheets around glass beakers. Elisa returned to Scion in April – this time using the Benchtop Fibre Former to form the pot shape using a preferred formulation. She worked with a number of researchers including Kelly Wade, Sean Taylor, Karl Molving and PhD student Emma Gobes to produce 115 pots. These will now undergo nursery trials to evaluate their performance in real-life conditions. These trials are essential for understanding how the pots function and for planning the next steps in scaling up production. Ms Harley’s progress has been impressive, and she is currently exploring options for up sizing the pots and increasing production. This involves considering investment requirements and potential sites both within New Zealand and internationally. Throughout this process, Ms Harley has found herself in meetings with commercial lawyers, patent experts, scientists, and commercialisation specialists, gaining valuable insights into the complexities of bringing an innovative product to market. Commercialisation associate Doug Hillyer is supporting Ms Harley as she builds a business case for investment. “We’ve been really encouraging Elisa to think about what success would look like for her, how big she’d like to scale things, and support her to wrap some numbers around it. “With any commercialisation project, there’s a lot to consider when you’re wanting to take an innovative product to market. But Elisa is diligently working through all the steps and taking everything on board. It’s been a pleasure working with her,” he says. Her hard work has already been recognised. Last year she participated in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme. An earlier prototype of Enivo Pots won The Todd Foundation Award for third place, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment Award, and the Ministry for Primary Industries Award. This led to Ms Harley to being honoured as the 2023 Youth Wellingtonian of the Year. She continues to present her innovative pots at various platforms. In July she will be speaking in Rotorua at the Residues2Revenues conference, an event that highlights emerging opportunities in the forestry sector to transform wood residues into high-value renewable products. Reflecting on her journey, Ms Harley emphasises the invaluable support from Scion. “What people are doing is so impactful, and I am so appreciative of how, by supporting me with their time and expertise, they are investing in my future. The connections I’m making are so valuable.” Scion portfolio leader for Distributed and Circular Manufacturing Marc Gaugler says Ms Harley’s journey is a testament to the power of collaboration. “It’s exciting to see young innovators want to make things happen. She’s identified a real-world waste problem and considered why solutions may have not worked in the past. “She hasn’t been afraid to investigate something again and use a slightly different approach to make it successful. By taking regional feedstocks and creating a specialised product, she’s paving the way for a more sustainable future for New Zealand.”

A 15-storey office tower, with a six-star energy rating, manufactured in Heyfield has won the Australian Institute of Architects 2024 Vic Chapter Awards – Commercial Architecture category. Source: Timberbiz The striking T3 Collingwood building claims the title of Australia’s tallest timber building and includes 10 levels of mass timber columns and beams was proudly designed and prefabricated locally by Australian Sustainable Hardwood (ASH) in Gippsland. Praising the innovative building in state parliament after visiting the site with Australian Forest Products Association’s Richard Hyett, The Nationals, Melina Bath spoke about the importance of wood in our community, paying tribute to the expert engineering and talented workers. “The building is a masterpiece – the structural beams and columns are made from native Ash, and they are magnificent – they look and feel beautiful, you walk up, and want to touch them,” Ms Bath said. “The building is a reminder of the importance of wood in our lives and showcases what can be achieved using a naturally grown sustainable building material. “Appallingly, the building is a one off, a heart-breaking reminder of Labor’s terrible decision shut Victoria’s sustainable native timber industry. “It is one of Labor’s biggest environmental failures to shut down a Victorian hardwood industry when our state is able to engineer and create such magnificent products. “Despite countless studies showing wood construction enriches people’s lives and has a 40% reduction in embodied carbon compared to other construction materials – Labor turned its back on the industry and the thousands of regional jobs it supported. “This inspirational building stores carbon, and it was faster to assemble than conventional concrete and steel construction, with less occupational health and safety incidents.” Ms Bath offered her congratulations to the ASH team in Heyfield for its expertise in manufacturing the hardwood components for the magnificent T3 building. “I am encouraging all my eastern Victoria constituents to visit the building to marvel what is sadly the last of its kind built using Victorian hardwood timber.” The T3 Collingwood building is located at 36 Wellington Street, Collingwood or can be viewed online at https://t3collingwood.com.au/

Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) is seeking to appoint three non-executive directors to its skills-based board at its next Annual General Meeting in November. Source: Timberbiz An independent Director Selection Committee established under the company’s constitution will consider proposals for candidates to be voted in by members. Innovation and collaboration are at the core of FWPA’s mission, and best achieved through diversity of experience and thinking styles. To ensure the board is well balanced, interest is sought from individuals with knowledge and experience in some or all of the following areas: Conservation and management of production forests and/or other natural resources. Forest and wood products manufacturing. Construction industries and how they use wood products in Australia and internationally. Market dynamics and competitive landscape for wood products. Leveraging industry insights to inform strategic decisions to maximise the production and utilisation of forest and wood products. Marketing and promoting forest and wood products including product promotion and retail marketing. Technology, innovation and commercialisation of research and development. Learn more about the non-executive director positions here For any questions contact Richard Evans from Talent Nation, richard@talentnation.com.au Expressions close at 11.59pm on Friday, 5th July 2024.

Questions raised in state parliament on Labor’s plans to establish the Central West National Parks by The Nationals Melina Bath are now months overdue and remain unanswered. Source: Timberbiz Ms Bath who is the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Public Land Use sought an update from Labor’s Minister for Environment, Steve Dimopoulos on the status of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) report that recommended locking up 77,000 hectares of three separate state forests and turning them into national parks. Under parliament’s standing orders Minister Dimopoulos is required to provide an answer to Ms Bath within 30 days however, despite respectful requests and reminders the Minister has flouted parliamentary process. Ms Bath said bush users are undoubtedly concerned about Labor’s lock up and leave agenda for Victorian state forests. “They are also justifiably perturbed about Labor’s secrecy when it comes to its national parks plan, particularly in the case of the Central West Investigation. “VEAC’s recommendations were for the establishment of three new national parks despite 67 per cent of the 2,700 public submissions being against their establishment, it also fast tracked its closure of Victoria’s sustainable native timber industry. “Labor has consistently shown it prioritises green ideological policy to the detriment of our regional and rural communities.” In 2021 Labor accepted VEAC’s recommendations to create three new national parks. “Minister Dimopoulos refusal to provide transparency to the community shows Labor has zero regard for our bush users despite asserting “people have a right to have a say” on the national parks issue,” said Ms Bath. “There’s speculation Labor has already spent $4 million on surveys and assessments to create these new national parks, but the public is being kept in the dark. “Our bush users deserved transparent communication and an honest update on the status of the Labor government’s plans. “Bush users who love the outdoors and access our state forests deserve to know if Allan Government have accepted the VEAC report recommendations and are ignoring their views.”  

Queensland’s Government will dedicate more than 12,000 hectares of land currently declared as state forest as national and conservation park. The process to dedicate the land has begun in State Parliament. Source: Timberbiz The dedication of the various areas of state forest as national park and conservation park aligns with the government’s commitment to transfer 20,000 hectares of state forest to the protected areas estate under the Native Timber Action Plan. This move will bring the total area of state forest added to the protected areas estate under the plan to just over 13,000ha. The land being protected includes: around 843 hectares of Jimna State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Wrattens National Park, supporting several threatened species including the tusked frog, glossy black-cockatoo and koala. around 657 hectares of Peachester State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Glass House Mountains Conservation Park, containing core koala habitat and providing significant ecological and recreational values for the broader community. around 6,462 hectares of Squirrel Creek State Forest for dedication as the new Squirrel Creek National Park, containing endangered and of-concern regional ecosystems and riverine wetlands that provide important habitat for vulnerable species including the plumed frogmouth and black-breasted button-quail. around 479 hectares Bellthorpe State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Bellthorpe National Park, forming part of a bioregional corridor containing important lowland forest ecosystems and including habitat for species of conservation significance including the tusked frog, koala and cascade treefrog. two areas totalling 1,119 hectares of Beerburrum West State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Glass House Mountains National Park, providing connectivity and management benefits for the protected area estate in the Sunshine Coast. It also contains significant conservation values including habitat for species such as the glossy black-cockatoo and tusked frog. around 100 hectares of Deer Reserve State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Deer Reserve Conservation Park, containing significant conservation values including the presence of koala and rib-fruited malletwood. around 212 hectares of Elgin Vale State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Wrattens National Park, containing an of-concern regional ecosystem that will increase protection of habitat suitable for several threatened species including the koala. around 119 hectares of Luttons State Forest for dedication as part of the exiting Glass House Mountains Conservation Park, containing significant conservation values including the Coochin Hills grevillea and habitat for threatened fauna such as the central greater glider and koala. around 576 hectares of Yabba State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Wrattens National Park, supporting several threatened species including the tusked frog, glossy black-cockatoo and koala. around 289 hectares Delaneys Creek State Forest for dedication as the new Delaneys Creek Conservation Park, forming part of a bioregional corridor that contains habitat for unique flora and fauna including the hairy hazelwood and Richmond birdwing butterfly. In addition to this, the following other areas of state forest will be dedicated under the Yurol Ringtail Conservation Project: around 479 hectares of Yurol State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Tewantin National Park, which will enhance the natural ecosystems and deliver conservation and recreational opportunities for the community, including providing habitat for koalas. around 889 hectares of Ringtail State Forest for dedication as part of the existing Tewantin National Park, which will enhance the natural ecosystems and deliver conservation and recreational opportunities for the community, including providing habitat for koalas. “The Miles Labor Government is doing what matters for Queenslanders, protecting and expanding areas of high environmental importance across the state,” Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Leanne Linard said. “Dedicating more than 12,000 hectares of state forest as national and conservation parks reflects our government’s proactive approach to environmental protection. “This includes affording protection to our famous and threatened species, unique cultural heritage, ensuring vital forest resources are managed sustainably, offering unforgettable tourism experiences and providing Queenslanders with their most treasured recreational opportunities. “Our protected are estate is a major contributor to Queensland’s economic prosperity and growing our protected are estate is essential for not just the environment but also the economy.”  

  Tree Breeding Australia in Mount Gambier is set to continue to grow as a leader in Australia’s forestry genetics research with thanks to funding committed by the State Government. Source: Timberbiz The SA Government and Tree Breeding Australia has announced a jointly funded $900,000 nationally significant, purpose-built and dedicated research facility at Kilsby Road, Mount Gambier, that is set to genetically improve plantation trees to increase productivity and protect against biosecurity threats. “TBA manages the national cooperative tree improvement programs for radiata pine (softwood) and blue gum (hardwood) plantations and provides scientific expertise and genetic valuation on crops to ensure our foresters are planting the best genetically blessed trees, which in the long-term increases forestry productivity and the supply of wood-fibre to both domestic and international markets,” Chief Executive Officer of the South Australian Forest Products Association Nathan Paine said. “Growing plantations isn’t just about planting a tree, watering it, and watching it grow – plantation health and resilience is a major priority for the forestry sector and Tree Breeding Australia, and without TBA’s expertise and valuable input to improve tree genetics, our forest and timber industries would be years behind in innovation and adaption. “Over the last two years Forestry Minister Clare Scriven and the South Australian Government have invested significantly into the States forestry sector, particularly through the establishment of a Forestry Centre of Excellence, the development of a Wood Fibre and Timber Industry Master Plan, and now the funding needed to deliver Tree Breeding Australia’s research facility expansion. “Mount Gambier is nationally recognised as a softwood manufacturing hub and is now fast becoming a premier hub of forestry innovation, and we are so pleased to have the Government, industry and stakeholders supporting the future innovation of the forest and timber industries.” TBA board chairperson Dr Andrew Jacobs told The Border Watch the genetic resource was really important moving forward for the resilience and the productivity of industrial plantations present in both Mount Gambier/Berrin and nationally. “This is a centre which caters for members all over the country, not just in the Green Triangle, so it is a really important national investment that has been made here,” Mr Jacobs said. “This piece of infrastructure will go on the ground and enable the staff to better be able to undertake the job and be able to do it in a safer space.” He said staff would be able to collect tissues from the trees, extracting and go about their work all in one facility. “It is a needed piece of infrastructure for the organisation and it is really important for not only the Mount Gambier forestry industry but the Australian industry more broadly,” Mr Jacobs said. “This is a member-based organisation and we have been trying to work out a way of funding a piece of infrastructure for a number of years. “It is very hard to get members to contribute to fund infrastructure so having the South Australian government come out and support us is really important.” He said the project had been in the pipeline for about a decade with members trying to secure grants and other funding streams. “It has been a long process, so I am super grateful for it to get here today. “This will enable us to focus on the genetics that have been deployed into the plantations as so many of the plantations in Australia will experience change in terms of climate conditions. “All of the material which is in here today and the infrastructure that will be built in the not-too-distant future will help us continue to improve the genetics of the plantation trees that are being deployed and this is really important for the resilience and sustainability for the ongoing productivity of timber.”