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The third annual Global Legal and Sustainable Timber Forum will take place from 23–24 September 2025 in Macao SAR, China. Under the theme “From Forest to Home – An International Dialogue on Emerging Consumer Trends and Supply Chains Innovation”. Source: Timberbiz The forum will promote international dialogue on strengthening legal and sustainable timber supply chains in the face of evolving consumer demands and market dynamics. Co-hosted by the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, the forum will bring together around 700-800 participants including wood enterprises and trading companies, industrial and business associations, governments, international organisations, research institutions and others. Specialised sub-forums organised by partner agencies will also focus on issues related to timber legality and sustainability among different stakeholders, including: Timber legality and sustainability in light of global trade barriers Sustainable timber resources, markets, and trade Market Trends and Industry Innovation in Furniture & Customized Home Furnishings Empowering the Value of Ecological Products through Forestry Supply Chain Finance For more information and registration details, visit https://en.glstf.net/  

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In 2023, Komatsu Forest announced an initiative to establish a brand-new development department focused on the electrification of forestry machines. With this investment, the company aims to reduce the net carbon emissions from its forestry equipment. Source: Timberbiz The initiative aligns fully with the company’s goals, where sustainability is a core principle throughout the entire operation. “We have a carbon-neutral production facility, and we are working with the same determination to reduce CO2 emissions from the use of our forestry machines. Our goal is to develop efficient products that are fundamentally designed to minimize environmental impact and reduce CO2 emissions, here electrification plays a key role. The long-term vision is to achieve a ‘net zero emission worksite,” said Erik Nilsson, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Komatsu Forest. Peter Hasselryd, VP Marketing & Sales at Komatsu Forest said the company is seeing growing interest from customers and partners in reducing the environmental impact of forestry machines. “Our goal is to reduce net CO2 emissions through new technological solutions, that we expect to introduce gradually,” he said. Opening the door to electrification in forestry is a groundbreaking technological step for Komatsu Forest but it also presents major challenges. Since the machines operate off-grid, outside the existing power network, many factors must be considered when developing new machine solutions. To enable the use of various energy sources, different energy distribution solutions are needed at the forest worksite. Success in this transition will require collaboration, partnerships, and the development of new technologies and system solutions. “Almost exactly two years ago, we announced our investment in electrification. We have now developed a concept prototype that will be shown for the first time at Komatsu Days 2025. The concept prototype is a forwarder with hybrid-electric technology. Hybridization is a first step in electrification, where the existing renewable HVO100 fuel distribution can be used just like in our conventional machines,” Mr Nilsson said. The machine features a smaller but efficient engine connected to a generator. It is equipped with a battery pack that balances the engine load and improves the coordination of the machine’s functions. Many of the machine’s subsystems are fully electric, making it energy efficient. “The goal of the machine is to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions without compromising productivity, while also achieving improved performance and drivability. The concept prototype will now undergo testing and evaluation before the next step can be taken,” Mr Nilsson said.

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Forest products professionals in the Nordic region are being squeezed by high raw material costs and evolving environmental regulations that have immediate and long term implications. Source: ResourceWise Over the past year, domestic softwood pulplog prices rose in Norway by 25%, in Finland by 15% and in Sweden by 11%. These cost increases are occurring alongside early signs of pulp production slowdowns in some areas. While the reasons vary by market, many producers are closely watching both supply conditions and regulatory developments that could influence fibre availability going forward. Two key policy developments from the European Union are adding complexity to long term forest planning. The Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) regulation aims to improve carbon sequestration through forest management — a goal that may prove difficult to meet without changes to current harvesting levels in Sweden and Finland. In addition, the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which goes into effect this December, is expected to reshape sourcing practices for timber and other forest-based materials. These regulations introduce new factors for forest owners and wood-using industries to consider as they plan future harvests and investments. ResourceWise’s Market Insights report provides a more detailed overview of current pulpwood price developments, regional differences across Finland, Sweden, and Norway, and how producers are responding to emerging challenges. It also highlights the potential impact of EU climate legislation on harvesting activity and forest management strategies in the Nordic region. Download the full report here https://www.resourcewise.com/how-high-costs-and-eu-policy-are-reshaping-nordic-forestry?hsCtaAttrib=191266109720

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The movement of mobile plant and vehicles in and around a workplace, including reversing, loading, and unloading, pose a significant risk to pedestrians in the sawmilling industry. Source: Timberbiz The Mobile Plant & Pedestrian Interaction Guidance Document has been produced by the Workplace Health and Safety Subcommittee (WHSS) – a subcommittee of the Softwood Manufacturing Chamber of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA). This Guide is designed to assist anyone in the timber industry to readily identify and manage mobile plant and pedestrian interaction risk. Read the document here – Mobile Plant & Pedestrian Interaction https://ausfpa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Mobile-Plant-Pedestrian-Interaction.pdf

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Scion has launched the world’s first field trial of gene-edited conifer as part of research aimed at improving wood quality and producing materials to support New Zealand’s bioeconomy. Source: Timberbiz The Crown Research Institute has developed and implemented an advanced gene-editing technique known as CRISPR that lets scientists turn off a specific gene within the pine’s complex genome. This helps them understand what that gene does – which in turn builds understanding of how wood develops. Two sets of trees have been planted, each with a separate gene turned off. This aims to enhance timber quality and improve the process of converting wood into fibre (pulping) and sustainable chemical feedstocks for the bioeconomy. One of these genes is involved in the synthesis of hemicellulose, a renewable biopolymer (a molecule produced by plants with many versatile, high-value applications. The other is involved in the development of compression wood, which forms on leaning or bent stems to straighten them up. Compression wood behaves differently from normal wood during timber processing, leading to issues such as warping and reduced strength, as well as making the extraction of fibre and chemicals more difficult. The trees in this trial were initially cultivated in a contained greenhouse, where their wood underwent a comprehensive analysis. This research yielded unique and fundamental insights into the mechanisms of cell wall formation. The trees have subsequently been planted in Scion’s Environment Protection Agency-approved GMO field test containment facility to help scientists better understand how they perform under real-world conditions and to collect sufficient wood for relevant biomechanical experiments. Scion senior scientist Glenn Thorlby says the trees’ growth and development continue to be meticulously monitored. “This research will allow us to produce trees that, with optimised wood properties, will support the export of high-value timber and the biomass needed to replace petrochemicals as New Zealand transitions to a low-emissions sustainable bioeconomy. Additionally, Scion has also developed gene-edited Douglas-fir to create sterile trees that could be planted without the risk of exacerbating New Zealand’s wilding pine issue. These sterile trees would potentially act as a form of biocontrol for future genetically modified trees. “This will enable Douglas-fir to grow normally but not reproduce, helping limit its spread,” Glenn says. “By targeting reproductive genes, we offer a potential solution to New Zealand’s wilding pine problem.” Wilding pines occur when forest species such as Douglas-fir spread beyond planted areas, impacting native ecosystems and landscapes across New Zealand. Since 2016, the government has invested $150m in wilding conifer control, mainly targeting Douglas-fir, which is New Zealand’s second most widely planted forest species and plays a significant role in the country’s economy. It generates export earnings, provides employment and supplies structural timber for construction. However, its seeds spread and germinate easily, leading to wilding pines that threaten native landscapes and ecosystems. Planting is therefore restricted and harvested trees are often not replaced, posing a threat to the future of the Douglas-fir forestry industry and the jobs it supports. Scion’s team is using advanced sequencing and analysis tools to pinpoint genes specifically involved in reproduction. Trees with these identified genes inactivated through gene editing have been developed and must now undergo field testing to confirm they grow normally but don’t produce the seeds responsible for spread. Scion hopes to undertake these field trials when future regulations allow. Alec Foster, Scion’s general manager for Forest to Biobased Products, highlighted the opportunity this work offers New Zealand. “This gene-editing achievement represents exactly the kind of transformative science New Zealand needs to secure its economic future. “We’re solving today’s forestry challenges and pioneering solutions that could be worth billions to our economy. The ability to create sterile Douglas-fir trees that grow normally but can’t spread as wilding pines, combined with radiata pine optimised for higher-value timber and biomanufacturing, demonstrates how gene technology can simultaneously protect our environment and drive economic growth,” he said. “With the government’s modernisation of gene technology laws, we’re hopeful we will finally positioned to translate this world-leading science into real-world outcomes that will benefit every New Zealander.”

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Tasmanians can now get their first proper look at what could become the state’s largest sporting venue, with a detailed scale model of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium now on public display. Source: Pulse Tasmania. The model, showcasing the $945 million development, has been set up at Red Square in Hobart’s Mac Point precinct. It gives locals a chance to see exactly what planners have in mind for the waterfront site. Commissioned by the Macquarie Point Development Corporation, the replica captures key design elements of the proposed stadium, including its distinctive translucent roof made of Tasmanian timber. Local materials also feature in the model itself, with the base crafted from celery top pine processed at the University of Tasmania’s Launceston campus. The model took several weeks to create with the help of architects, technologists and local craftspeople. The display comes as the Tasmanian Planning Commission continues its assessment of the stadium proposal under the state’s project of state significance process, which allows major developments to bypass standard planning procedures. Attempts to bypass the planning commission and instead fast-track the project through special legislation have been derailed by the overnight announcement of a state election, with any enabling legislation now needing to be re-introduced to the next parliament. The model will remain on display as the planning process continues.  

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The University of Canterbury (UC), New Zealand research team UC Vision has spent the last eight years developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) that can use precise tools in complex, dynamic environments. Source: Timberbiz Led by UC Computer Science Professor Richard Green and UC Mechanical Engineering Professor Dan Zhao, the team demonstrated their prototype chainsaw drone to industry representatives this week. Professor Green says the new drone is a breakthrough with potential to make trimming trees around power lines and pylons safer and more efficient without the need for ladders and scaffolding. “Last year we developed a drone that was capable of carrying a pruning tool, but we’ve refined and adapted the technology to attach a chainsaw that allows thicker branches to be cut,” he said. “We believe this tool will be transformative across a range of different industries where jobs are inaccessible and hazardous for humans, making them safer, more cost-effective and more efficient. This includes arboriculture, electricity infrastructure industry and civil construction.” The technological challenges of the project included accurate estimation of the drone’s motion and the branch it is going to cut, as well as achieving the aerodynamics and precise control required for the drone to cut branches autonomously in a wide range of dynamic environments, Professor Green said. Other researchers involved in the project, funded over five years by a $10 million grant from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, include UC Senior Research Engineer and UAV expert Dr Sam Schofield and University of Auckland Mechanical Engineering Professor Karl Stol. The team is working in collaboration with a number of Kiwi UAV experts, international researchers, and UAV manufacturers and users. Professor Green hopes to have the chainsaw drone ready for commercialisation next year.

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Australia’s forestry industry wants the Commonwealth and State governments to ramp-up eradication efforts of the foreign Polyphagous Shot-hole borer. Source: Timberbiz Polyphagous Shot-hole borer – or PSHB – is a tiny beetle that could destroy millions of hectares of Australian forests and wreak havoc with suburban trees nationally. The PSHB, which is prevalent in other parts of the world, was first detected in Perth in 2021. It’s a tiny, exotic beetle that bores holes into tree trunks, stems and branches, eventually killing susceptible trees. Hundreds of tree species are at risk of attack from this environmental pest including eucalypts. “Without all jurisdictions committing to a properly funded and coordinated approach to eradicate the PSHB, there’s a serious risk the pest could spread across Australia and seriously impact not only the forestry industry, but also suburban trees across parkland, backyards and reserves, as well as other forests and national parks,” Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association Diana Hallam said. Under Australia’s biosecurity provisions, the resourcing of responses to environmental pests is cost-shared by the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments – which have been working to date with Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) to eradicate the beetle through a combination of regulatory, surveillance, tree removal and public information activities. “We welcome the efforts being made so far – but we’re concerned insufficient resources are being provided in Western Australia in the attempt to eradicate or contain the PSHB,” Ms Hallam said. “Our sector feels particularly exposed as our second most important plantation species, the Tasmanian blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus), is susceptible to infestation and a reproductive host. Should the PSHB spread to plantation areas it would jeopardise a significant segment of Australia’s sustainable $24 billion forestry and manufacturing industry and the 180,000 direct and indirect jobs that rely on it. “It’s not just the forestry industry. In Perth, the PSHB is destroying trees in backyards, gardens, urban forests and native reserves across the suburbs. Can we imagine if major parks or botanic gardens in our other major cities were littered with sick or dying trees because of this pest?” In South Africa and California, where PSHB has already established itself, the losses and cost of management are in the billions of dollars across local governments, horticulture, forestry and the environment through tree deaths or increased management costs. Failure to act decisively now risks setting a dangerous precedent: that environmental biosecurity threats can be ignored and will be rightly seen by many as dereliction of the shared responsibility of governments across Australia to protect our unique environment and essential industry. As is the case with current efforts to control Red Imported Fire Ant in Queensland, a shared-national response is appropriate. Without eradication or effective containment in the long-term, Australia’s efforts to preserve biodiversity, provide locally sourced timber and wood-fibre for sovereign capability, increase carbon capture and grow our urban canopies will be undermined by this insidious pest.  

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The volume of new home sales increased by 6.9% in the month of May 2025, to reach the highest level in 13 months, according to the HIOA. Source: Timberbiz The HIA New Home Sales report is a monthly survey of the largest volume home builders in the five largest states and is a leading indicator of future detached home construction. “This rise in sales follows the second cut to the cash rate in over four years,” HIA Senior Economist Maurice Tapang said. “The monthly increase in new home sales is consistent with demand factors remaining robust, as Australia records low levels of unemployment, strong population growth and rising prices for established homes. “Across the states, the results have been mixed. This month, New South Wales and Victoria were the only states surveyed to report increased sales volumes, albeit from very depressed levels,” he said. “Sales volumes in New South Wales and Victoria have been exceptionally weak over the past two years. This increase is the first suggestion of an improvement in market conditions in these states.” New South Wales reached a 20-month high since the pull-forward in new home sales in September 2023, while Victoria reached a 13-month high since its pull-forward in April 2024. Mr Tapang said new home sales in Queensland remained relatively stable in May, following a strong increase in sales recorded in the previous month. This upward trend in the volume of sales in Queensland has been evident for at least the past year. The volume of sales in South Australia and Western Australia also fell in the month but remain robust. The continuation of a $10,000 incentive for construction workers to relocate to Western Australia will assist to resolve its key constraint, labour capacity. “Even with further cuts to the cash rate, and a recovery in market confidence, there remains a shortage of housing in Australia due to the regulatory barriers to increasing supply,” Mr Tapang said. New home sales in the three months to May 2025 rose by 19.6% in Western Australia compared to the previous quarterly period. This was followed by Victoria (+16.9%), Queensland (+7.2%) and New South Wales (+3.6%). Over that same period, South Australia recorded a 5.8% decline in sales.

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There was a timber trail to Mount Gambier last week as 250 guests gathered to mark a significant milestone. Source: The SE Voice The South Australian Forest Products Association hosted (SAFPA) a dinner to celebrate 2025 marking the 150th anniversary of the South Australian forest and timber industries. SAFPA chief executive Nathan Paine said as the birthplace of Australia’s commercial plantation estates, South Australia’s forest and timber industry leaders, along with the Premier, Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Minister for Forest Industries, State politicians, local members of parliament, mayors and members of the community, gathered to celebrate the shared history and to highlight the contributions the industry has made to the national and cultural identity. “This celebration is more than a dinner, it is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stand behind an industry that has shaped regional communities, driven economic growth and delivered environmental benefits for 150 years,” he said. “From the first hectare of trees planted in 1875 in the Bundaleer Forests in the Mid-North, the industry has grown to 176,000 hectares, directly and indirectly employing over 21,300 jobs, processing fibre that builds our homes, the pallets that move consumer products from manufacturer to shop, the pulp and appear products that are used in our everyday lives from toilet paper to cardboard boxes, to the potting mix that grow our fruit and vegetables. “South Australia’s forestry plantations are the foundation of our state’s future. Our state has long been at the forefront of innovation and sustainable forest management, and the 150th celebratory dinner marks a proud reflection of the industry’s enduring success and it’s growing importance to the State’s economic value chain, regional development and environmental sustainability.” Mr Paine said, along with the environmental and sustainable benefits of the industry, the 150th anniversary dinner highlighted the importance of those who have dedicated their career to the industry. “Their commitment, passion, drive and innovative practices have shaped South Australia as a leader in forest management, timber production and research,” he said. “A special thank you to our major partner, OneFortyOne, and the Department of Primary Industries and Regions for their generous support of this event. South Australia has an incredible community of forest and timber managers, employees and supporters, and it’s a milestone opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the legacy and future opportunities of South Australia’s forest industries.”

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