Forest Products Industry

Metsä aims to strengthen the biodiversity, vibrancy and climate resilience of forests in parallel with their economic value. The ambitious goals of regenerative forestry can’t be achieved alone. A common vision of the future was outlined at 15 discussions across Finland. The events organised from 28 March to 2 April were part of Kone Foundation’s Great Forest Dialogue Day. Source: Timberbiz As part of the Great Forest Dialogue Day, Metsä Group organised 15 events across Finland to discuss regenerative forestry. A large group of forest sector operators, including forest owners, media representatives, forest machine contractors and operators, hunters, representatives of environmental organisations, the authorities, artists, education sector representatives, scouts and representatives of the 4H organisation, joined the roundtable meetings as invited guests. The Great Forest Dialogue Day is a project of Kone Foundation’s Metsän puolella (“For the Woods”) initiative, the goal of which is to give greater visibility to the meanings and values associated with forests, introduce variety into forest-related discussions and support the transformation of forest-related activities. “The goal of the Great Forest Dialogue Day is to gain an understanding of what forests mean to people in Finland, and what hopes, and potential fears are associated with the current state and future of forests. “The forest industry is one of the most significant operators in matters concerning forests, and its societal role also generates a great deal of discussion. I believe that learning about people’s expectations and fears related to the forest can really benefit the forest industry and its operational development,” said Mari Pantsar, Change Manager at Kone Foundation’s Metsän puolella initiative. The goal of regenerative forestry is to increase forest biodiversity through various practical actions and to ensure the improvement can be measured. By doing so, it is also possible to safeguard the vitality of forests in a changing future climate. Measuring the progress and achieving the goals call for wide cooperation in which attention is paid to ecological, economic, social and cultural aspects. “The more than 90,000 Metsä Group forest owner members own around half of Finland’s private forests, giving them a key role in the implementation of regenerative forestry. However, we can’t achieve our goals alone – we need the involvement of all the operators across the value chain,” said Tomi Salo, SVP, Corporate Affairs at Metsä Group. Discussions play an important role in Metsä Group’s regenerative forestry initiatives. It helps create a common value base, a future vision and goals, all of which are required for joint practical action. Critical views that help develop operations are an essential part of an open dialogue. It may not always be possible to reach a consensus, but we can still build an understanding that reflects different perspectives.

The Ponsse Greasing System is a new optional accessory for Ponsse harvester heads, designed for chainsaw lubrication. The system feeds grease to the chainsaw from screw-in grease cartridges according to the dosing settings made through the Opti5G information system. Grease cartridges stored in a warm place ensure effective lubrication throughout the work shift. Source: Timberbiz This is a solution that makes the workday of a forest machine operator easier, especially in cold weather. The grease cartridges replace the fixed grease tank in the harvester head, so you no longer need to pump cold grease from an external container to the harvester head’s grease tank. The cartridge is quick and easy to replace. The cartridges are easy to transport and can be stored in car or cabin. The lubrication system can hold two 400-gram screw cartridges, which last approximately 8–16 hours, depending on the amount of sawing and dosing settings. The dosing settings can be adjusted from the Opti 5G information system according to the situation and need. The information system notifies the operator when it is time to change the cartridge.  The grease cartridge is quick to change, so the machine’s downtime is very short. The grease cartridges can be refilled. Ponsse’s range includes grease cartridges suitable for various needs such as mineral oil-based grease or new biodegradable oil-based grease. The Ponsse Greasing System is currently available for all Ponsse H6, H7, and H8 harvester heads. The Greasing Systems can also be retrofitted.

When we think about Sweden, we don’t think about drought conditions but forests in southern Sweden are suffering from recurring droughts, something that accelerated with the dry summer of 2018. Source: Timberbiz The trees have not yet recovered and are having difficulty starting to grow in several places. This was shown by this year’s forest damage report for 2024 from the Swedish Forest Agency. “There are forests that are still standing and stomping and do not want to start growing properly again after the drought and are therefore also more susceptible to damage. This is worrying for the growth in the forest,” said Lennart Svensson, forestry specialist and national forest damage coordinator at the Swedish Forest Agency. Even though 2024 was not a drought year, drought effects are still visible in the forest, which in all likelihood accelerated in connection with the warm and dry summer of 2018. Growth in Sweden’s forests has decreased over the past 10 years. Drought is considered to be the main and most likely explanation for the decrease in growth. The effects are most evident in the southern parts of the country, where Gotland and Kronoberg appear to be the worst affected according to observations made by the Swedish Forest Agency. On Gotland, extensive growth reduction and pine death in planted pine stands were noted in 2024. The pines are losing needles, showing signs of stress with yellowing needles and thinned crowns. The trees are at risk of dying prematurely. The drought in combination with fungal attacks is also considered to have been a triggering factor for the damage to birch in the form of significant bud and branch death that has been observed primarily in Kronoberg County. More injury trends and outbreaks across the country are also noted in this year’s report: A relatively severe outbreak of pine weevil was observed on Gotska sandön, where the distribution area was approximately 460 hectares. A rough estimate is that the mortality rate among the pines is between 5% and 15%. The bark beetle is the insect that is believed to cause the most damage to conifer plantations when it gnaws at the bark. Most reports come from Götaland, where the damage is estimated to be more common than before. The fungus Törskate, which attacks and damages pine trees, continues to be a concern in northern Sweden. Damage levels are still considered high in large parts of the region. Elm disease continues to spread in the country and 2024 seems to be a particularly aggressive year. Notes about infected and dead elms come from almost all counties in Götaland and Svealand. On Gotland, an inventory shows a sharp increase. Grazing damage to pine trees by moose and other deer continues to be a major problem. This year’s moose grazing inventory (Äbin) shows that 12% of pine trees in young forests (1–4 m high) have annual damage. This is more than double the society’s target of a maximum of five percent. “The best way to combat damage to the forest is to invest in the right trees on the right land so that they become strong and resilient. We also know that having a varied forest with different tree species and ages is effective in resisting storms and attacks from insects and fungi,” Mr Svensson said.

New Zealand’s Forest & Bird is concerned about modelling revealing that meeting the Government’s climate commitments would require planting vast areas of conservation and other Crown land in permanent pine forests, in a desperate attempt to meet Aotearoa New Zealand’s net zero emissions 2050 goal. Source: Timberbiz Official Ministry for Primary Industries modelling indicates that 280,000 hectares of new pine trees could be planted on Crown land and 230,000 hectares of this would be permanent. In stark contrast, there would be just 50,000 hectares planted in native trees. To give a sense of scale, the combined area of 330,000 hectares of Crown land being discussed is not far off the size of Mount Aspiring National Park. “Conservation land needs to be for conservation,” says Forest & Bird’s Chief Executive, Nicola Toki. “This is another move in a worrying trend where the Government has been looking to open up public conservation land for development by private interests. “Fast-track and other resource management and conservation reforms are all eroding protections that are in place for conservation land, that generations of New Zealanders have fought hard to secure. “We need to set the record straight about references by ministers to ‘low value’ conservation land. A review of 644,000 hectares of West Coast stewardship land recommended just 0.01% for disposal. “Most of the land was recommended for either national park or conservation park land status. So where is this land with very low or no conservation value they want to allow commercial interests to plant pines on? “The good news is that there is an opportunity here – we can plant native trees for carbon and deliver for our native wildlife and wild places. Forest & Bird supports planting trees to help with climate change, but any permanent sequestration planting needs to be native. “Native trees are suited to our soil and weather conditions and more robust during the growing number of extreme weather events. Getting this right would be a win-win – helping to meet our emissions target and ensuring conservation land is protected for our unique biodiversity and the benefit of generations of New Zealanders to come. “But just 50,000 hectares of native planting out of 330,000 is a massive missed opportunity. “We’ve seen the devastating consequences of planting pines in the wrong places, such as the erosion and sediment impacts during Cyclone Gabrielle in Te Tairāwhiti. “We also know that it’s not enough to plant native trees and walk away, otherwise we’re just giving feral deer, pigs, and goats a free lunch on the taxpayer. We need to wrap around targeted pest control to ensure that these invasive browsing mammals don’t destroy the undergrowth and young trees.” In December 2024, the Government said that native forests are important for biodiversity, to store carbon, and because they can increase resilience to floods, droughts, and storms. Forest & Bird expects future decisions to be evidence based and support native planting for carbon and biodiversity benefits.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is gearing up for the future, with the rebrand of the NHVR Portal to ‘NHVR Go’ on 14 April 2025. Source: Timberbiz The refreshed design and brand of the NHVR Portal will see NHVR Go become the heavy vehicle hub driving customers forward. NHVR Executive Director Michelle Tayler said the rebrand reflected the NHVR’s commitment to providing a single, online destination for industry and road managers to access an array of tools and services. “One of the most important resources we offer our customers is the Portal,” Ms Tayler said. “We’re committed to soon providing all regulatory services through our online hub, and the rebrand to NHVR Go forms part of an ongoing transformation to see the platform become our heavy vehicle business centre. “Our customers will still be able to access all the existing offerings through NHVR Go, with the changes improving the look and feel of the site to create a better user experience.” NHVR Go’s suite of tools for road managers and industry will remain as route planning, access information, compliance data, accreditation schemes and more. While operators will still use NHVR Go for tasks such as retrieving a permit application or submitting a Performance Based Standard Vehicle application, Ms Tayler said the rebrand would ensure the platform would better meet modern expectations. “With a refreshed name and identity, NHVR Go embodies our commitment to innovation,” she said. “Australia’s trucking industry has undergone a significant digital transformation over the past few years and both industry and government are embracing new technologies to improve efficiency and safety. “Our online platform is no different, and we’re reflecting a more modern and digitised industry in 2025. “The improved look and feel of NHVR Go will help us support an adaptive and fast-growing heavy vehicle industry.” NHVR Go will continue to embed growing technological offerings in 2025, including the National Network Map which offers a single and authoritative location for the heavy vehicle industry to map journeys across state and territory borders for their entire fleet. The NHVR will soon roll out an improved intelligent route planner, integrated within the map, to enable faster journey planning and better efficiencies for operators. This foundational work will integrate over time with the National Automated Access System, providing industry with a seamless experience through NHVR Go for all access information. NHVR Go will also see added tools for road managers, to assist with road network access decisions.