Forest Products Industry

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.”

The Softwoods Working Group has welcomed the NSW Government’s announcement of the Forest Industry Action Plan and the commitment to the community, workers, and the industry in developing this plan. Source: Timberbiz “The plan’s development will be overseen by an Independent Forestry Panel, chaired by Peter Duncan AM,” SWG Chair Peter Crowe OAM said. “We warmly welcome the appointment of Peter Duncan AM as chair of the panel. Mr. Duncan’s extensive experience in strategic infrastructure and primary industries will be invaluable in guiding the panel’s work. “Peter’s leadership, alongside the expertise of Professor Mary O’Kane AC, and the Hon. Mick Veitch, ensures that the panel is well-equipped to navigate the complexities and opportunities for a long-term vision for the success of the forestry and wood products industry in NSW.” Mr Crowe said the South West Slopes region of NSW was recognised as the largest concentrated softwood processing area in the state and was a crucial regional economic hub. “With a gross value of output exceeding $3 billion and supporting approximately 11,000 regional jobs, the SWG and its members are ready to provide expert advice to the panel as it develops the Forest Industry Action Plan,” SWG Executive Officer Carlie Porteous said. “We look forward to a balanced and robust stakeholder engagement process that guarantees the industry has a key seat at the table. “It is vital that the voices of those who work and invest in the forestry sector are integrated into the final plan,” she said. Ms Porteous said the Independent Forestry Panel had been tasked with consulting a broad range of stakeholders and reporting to the Government on the best options to achieve a balance between sustainable timber supplies and environmental commitments. Stakeholders include representatives from the timber industry, forest growers, key SWG members, Commonwealth Government, environmental groups, unions, Aboriginal communities, local government, businesses, related industries, tourism and scientific experts. Ms Porteous said it was important that stakeholders stay informed of the Independent Forestry Panel’s process, and she encouraged stakeholders to register their interest at www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/forestry-industry-action-plan

The appointment of an expert panel to lead consultation on a Forestry Industry Action Plan, which will outline the path NSW will take to ensure a sustainable timber industry that aligns with the government’s key environmental priorities has been warmly welcomed by the State’s timber industry. Source: Timberbiz Timber NSW CEO Maree McCaskill said that for too long successive governments had handed a timber or forest industry plan to the industry without any consultation with those businesses and people who effectively live and breathe it every day. “The Minns government is demonstrating willingness to listen and consult with those most impacted by any change and we welcome that opportunity,” she said. The Independent Forestry Panel will be chaired by Peter Duncan AM who has more than 40 years’ experience in primary industries, infrastructure and regional NSW. Professor Mary O’Kane AC and former State politician Mick Veitch will also sit on the Panel. The Panel will be tasked with consulting with a broad range of stakeholders and report to Government on the best options to achieve the balance between sustainable supplies of timber and our environmental commitments. Stakeholders include representatives from the timber industry, forest growers, environment groups, unions, Aboriginal communities, local government, business, related industries, tourism, scientific experts and the Commonwealth Government. The Plan will address the following key areas: Sustainability of current and future forestry operations in NSW; Environmental and cultural values of forests, including threatened species; Community demand for timber products, particularly as relates to NSW housing, construction, mining, transport and retail; The future of softwood and hardwood plantations and the continuation of Private Native Forestry in helping meet timber supply needs; The role of State Forests in maximising the delivery of a range of environmental, economic and social outcomes; Opportunities to realise carbon and biodiversity benefits and support carbon and biodiversity markets, and mitigate and adapt to climate change risks; and Greenhouse gas emission impacts of different uses of forests and assessment of climate change risks to forests. Pentarch Executive Director Stephen Dadd said the independence of the panel members showed a willingness by the NSW Government to allow commonsense and evidence to inform forestry policy. “It is refreshing that the NSW Government has taken a long-term view for our vital timber industry,” he said. “We congratulate the Minister for the Environment and Minister for Regional NSW for taking an evidence-based approach in creating a Forestry Industry Action Plan and the panel which will advise it,” Mr Dadd said. “We’ve seen first-hand the impacts of policy driven by ideology on regional communities in Victoria and Western Australia.” He said the independence of the IFP members showed a commitment by the NSW Government to ensure science and commonsense informed future forestry policy. State Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said that whether it was hardwood, softwood or private native forest, NSW forests and the native species which called them home had faced challenges including bushfires, floods and the ongoing risks due to climate change. “We want your input on what forests and a sustainable forestry industry will look like in the next 30 years. “The expert panel will consult a wide range of stakeholders, and we encourage everyone to have their say.” Ms McCaskill said that the forest industry had been operating in NSW for nearly 150 years and had a long term view of sustainability and the capacity to supply to an ever increasing demand for hardwood and softwood timber for NSW housing, construction, mining, transport, energy and retail while respecting the need for conservation, national parks and reserves. “NSW can have both, providing there is recognition that the science that underpins selective, sustainable harvesting in state and private forests, supplemented by plantations, will deliver positive outcomes for nature and for living standards in NSW,” she said. “After all, 88 per cent of NSW Crown forests are already protected in National Parks and conservation reserves and 12 per cent is available for production in state forests”. Ms McCaskill said that Timber NSW members provided the majority of hardwood products in NSW. “We call out the false economy of pressuring government to swap domestic timber harvested from 0.3% of available forests each year, for imported timber from environmentally unregulated countries often using child labour,” she said. The panel overseeing the process represented a diversity and depth of skills and expertise to assist the industry and its vital supply chain to deliver major dividends to NSW and reduce the cost of living. “We look forward to contributing to this plan.” Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the consultative work that is set to go into this Action Plan would ensure all stakeholders were listened to so “we arrive at the best future for the timber industry and sustainable state forests”. “We need both trees and wood, and we must strike the right balance for communities and our environment in regional NSW,” she said. “Timber is a crucial part of our everyday lives, with timber needed for community and government priorities such as housing, transport infrastructure, electricity distribution, and freight transport. “The families, businesses and communities that make up this industry will be considered for the Action Plan. Their knowledge and experience will be essential for understanding the issues and finding the solutions. “Our timber workers also play a crucial role, when we need it most, to protect our forests and our communities during bushfires. They are part of our frontline in those difficult times, where their skills and equipment are critical in the fight. To stay informed on the Independent Forestry Panel’s process, please register your interest at www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/forestry-industry-action-plan