Australian timber industry news

European forest owners firmly believe that sustainable forest management, as defined by Forest Europe [1], is the proven and credible route to further resilient European forests. Source: Timberbiz Europe has large forest genetic resources, with substantial diversity within and among species. This diversity gives forests an important capacity to adapt, evolve, and withstand pressures such as drought, pests, and diseases. Genetic diversity should therefore be considered at all scales, from individual stands and landscapes to national and European levels, as an important element of a broader toolbox for building resilient forests. In this context, the Forest Reproductive Material legislation should enable access to high-quality genetic material across borders. However, genetic resources alone will not be enough. Better knowledge of the scope and scale of climate change impacts on forests, combined with active and well-adapted forest management, will be essential. Faster diagnosis of vulnerabilities and the development and uptake of new solutions will help forest owners respond more effectively to emerging challenges. To this aim, forest owners access to up-to-date research, long-term data, innovation, best practices and practical, user-friendly tools, together with education and training, will be essential for informed decision-making. Strong, accessible and high-quality advisory services have a particularly important role to play in translating scientific knowledge into practical options that forest owners can apply in their own forests. Resilience building must also be economically viable, so that forest owners have the capacity to invest in forest management and therefore support the provision of all forest ecosystem services. For this, support to active sustainable forest management is key. The adaptation of forest management practices must be embedded within a coherent approach to the adaptation of the forest and forest-based value chain. Locally adapted, long-term functioning value chains, accompanied by appropriate incentives, investments and innovations, are key for the continued sustainable production of renewable resources. Regarding the EU policy framework, it should set clear and coherent objectives with enabling conditions. It should focus on common long-term objectives rather than detailed short-term prescriptions to give forest owners the confidence to invest over the long term. Given the diversity of European forests, ownership structures, and management objectives, it is essential to give owners enough flexibility to choose practices suited to their local circumstances. The only certainty forest owners have is that their forests will change in ways that are hard to predict. Strengthening the resilience of European forests therefore depends on close cooperation between forest owners, policymakers, researchers and other stakeholders, and on a framework that supports owners’ long-term commitment and investment. [1] Resolution H1 of the Helsinki Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, 1993, https://foresteurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/MC_helsinki_resolutionH1.pdf  

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Building off the 610H cable skidder and the 620H grapple skidder, Tigercat Industries has released a more compact grapple skidder at a reduced capital cost. Source: Timberbiz The new 610H skidder is positioned as a compact and cost-effective grapple skidder aimed at contractors who appreciate the value of the Tigercat-TCi brand and require a machine matched to lower volume harvesting operations or high value selective felling extractions. The Tigercat FPT N6.7 engine delivers 151 kW (202 hp) to a field proven hydrostatic driveline that is optimized to balance speed and tractive effort. The machine is equipped with a 1,39 square metre (15 square foot) grapple and 620H sized axles for added durability. The operator’s cabin is simplified compared with the other H-series machines. Rather than Tigercat’s signature 220-degree Turnaround seat, the 610H is fitted with a fixed position seat angled at 30 degrees or an optional two-position mechanically actuated Turnaround seat.

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Harvesting at data centre construction sites has prompted discussion with the Metsä Group saying it has neither carried out nor commissioned harvesting operations at Google’s data centre construction sites in Kajaani or Muhos in Finland. Source: Timberbiz The company said that at no point has Metsä Group acted unlawfully, nor has it purchased wood or harvesting rights from Google. A supplier it had assessed as reliable had delivered a small volume of wood to Metsä Group before the issue came to light: approximately 5,000 cubic metres from Kajaani, and around 50 cubic metres from Muhos. Together, these volumes correspond to approximately 0.3% of Metsä Group’s monthly wood consumption. “The wood supplier did not comply with the terms of our agreement. We have therefore filed a complaint with the supplier and immediately suspended deliveries when the uncertainties came to our attention in mid-September,” said Juha Jumppanen, EVP, Metsä Group’s Wood Supply and Forest Services. The fellings were carried out by local forest management associations, which, as the holders of the felling rights, are responsible for ensuring that the operations comply with applicable legislation. Under all its wood supply agreements, Metsa says it requires that wood delivered to Metsä Group is legally sourced and meets requirements concerning the origin of wood. Each party in the wood supply chain is responsible for complying with applicable legislation and certification requirements. Metsa says it regularly assesses suppliers through audits, and certified suppliers are also subject to oversight by an independent third party. If wood whose origin is disputed has already been processed at a production site, Metsä Group removes an equivalent volume of wood from the certified volume in accordance with applicable guidelines. This ensures that the reported share of certified wood remains accurate. The company will continue to monitor the situation and act in accordance with the authorities’ guidance.

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Timber Towns Victoria (TTV) has welcomed the momentum behind The Precinct, the engineered timber manufacturing hub planned for Portland, after more than 120 representatives from the investment, government, forestry, manufacturing and construction sectors attended its Investor Symposium in Melbourne in October. Source: Timberbiz TTV President Cr Karen Stephens, who is also Mayor of Glenelg Shire, home to The Precinct’s planned site, attended the symposium as a special delegate. “Seeing more than 120 investors, industry leaders and government representatives in one room shows how far this project has come, and rewards years of preparation by our community and its partners. “The Precinct is proof of what timber communities can achieve when governments, industry and councils invest in a shared future,” Cr Stephens said. The symposium confirmed Timberlink Australia as The Precinct’s newest industry partner, joining Australian Bluegum Plantations, OneFortyOne, Finland’s Raute and WTIBeam. Tim Woods, who has led the project since its inception, will lead its next phase as the first chief executive. Mr Woods told delegates that Australian production covers just 26.5 per cent of local demand for laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and glue-laminated timber (glulam). LVL demand reached 400,000 cubic metres in 2025-26, up 35% on the year before, with the annual import total climbing for 30 months in a row. “Our sovereign housing needs will require us to have sovereign housing solutions,” Mr Woods said. Stage one, a hardwood sawmill, log yard and glulam line, is a proposed investment of more than $200 million, with the potential to create around 70 permanent operational jobs plus significant construction employment. Fully developed and running on a single shift, The Precinct would make structural components for 20,000 homes a year, Mr Woods said. Victorian Minister for Agriculture Michaela Settle MP welcomed the symposium. “The Precinct is an exciting opportunity to create more value from Victorian-grown timber, attract new investment into our regions and support innovative building solutions that can help meet Victoria’s future housing needs,” Minister Settle said. Roumiana Vassileva, business development director for engineered wood products at Raute, said Australia exports 10 million cubic metres of softwood and hardwood logs and chips a year, whilst buying in an LVL market rather than creating one. “Australia is growing the timber, but Australia is importing the product,” Vassileva said. Timberlink chief executive Paul O’Keefe said Australia would need scale to build sovereign capability and warned that time was short. “I don’t think we’ve got five or 10 or 15 years. I think we’ve got probably three. Maybe five, to respond to this threat,” Mr O’Keefe said. In his keynote, New Forests founder Dr David Brand said strategic investors and government would need to share the early risk of an engineered wood hub at Portland. “Whenever you’re trying to drive something new like this, you have to have government on board,” Mr Brand said. Professor Dan Hill, director of the Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne, said support for industry must be matched by governments committing to buy timber buildings at scale. “You can’t just do it from the industry side, and you can’t just do it from the government side,” Mr Hill said. Dr Corrie Williams, chief of public affairs at Master Builders Victoria, said steel framing had grown since it was added to the Certificate III in Carpentry in 2020. “Since then, it’s taken off because everyone’s been trained in it,” Ms Williams said. She said Victoria’s new registration class for prefabricated builders could be “fabulous” if it is set up right. The Precinct chair Russ Hughes closed the symposium with a challenge to delegates. “The question is no longer whether Australia needs its manufacturing capabilities. It’s whether we’re prepared to move fast enough to deliver it,” Mr Hughes said. For TTV, the message from Melbourne reaches well beyond Portland. Speakers repeatedly made the case that government and industry must move together, the same call TTV makes in its 2026 Government Brief, which urges governments to align forestry, housing, manufacturing and regional development policy so that every timber town has a pathway to value-adding its plantation resource. TTV members will hear more on Friday 30 October, when Mr Woods presents ‘Portland’s Plantation Processing Precinct: A Regional Sovereign Manufacturing Project’ at the association’s annual general meeting in Kerang. TTV has congratulated The Precinct, its industry partners and Glenelg Shire Council on reaching this stage.

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Forest & Wood Communities Australia (FWCA) has lodged a Freedom of Information request with the Clean Energy Regulator (CER), demanding access to the evidence behind its approval of Australia’s first Improved Native Forest Management (INFM) carbon project. Source: Timberbiz The NSW Government’s project covers more than 531,000 hectares of public native forests, including areas proposed for the Great Koala National Park. FWCA Chair Steve Dobbyns said the decision raised serious questions about carbon integrity, transparency and the future of Australia’s sustainable native forestry industry. “The regulator tells us the project has undergone rigorous assessment. That’s an assurance, not evidence,” Mr Dobbyns said. “We have lodged a formal FOI request seeking the assessment documents, the evidence supporting additionality, how timber displacement and emissions leakage were treated, who made the decision and whether any potential conflicts of interest were appropriately managed. “If the science and assessment are sound, they should withstand public scrutiny.” The NSW Government committed to establishing the Great Koala National Park well before the Commonwealth approved the INFM carbon method in June 2026. “How can governments claim carbon credits for stopping timber harvesting they had already committed to stopping?” Mr Dobbyns asked. “Making a political commitment conditional upon receiving carbon revenue doesn’t automatically make the resulting emissions reductions additional.” Forestry Australia has already warned that the INFM method risks overstating carbon abatement by 40%-100% even before fully accounting for displaced timber production and carbon stored in harvested wood products. “These are serious scientific concerns, not simply objections from the timber industry.” Despite being the world’s seventh-largest forested country by forest area, Australia already imports a substantial proportion of its timber requirements. “Stopping sustainable hardwood production doesn’t stop demand. It simply shifts production elsewhere, potentially to countries with weaker environmental safeguards,” Mr Dobbyns said. “You cannot export the environmental impacts of timber production and then claim the result as a climate victory.” The INFM method offers a 15-year crediting period but requires carbon protection commitments extending for 100 years. “Who pays for fire management, pests, weeds, roads and biodiversity protection for the remaining 85 years?” Mr Dobbyns asked. “Carbon revenue is temporary. Forest management obligations are not.” The CER has registered the project subject to conditions, but no Australian Carbon Credit Units can be issued until the required eligible-interest consents are obtained. “Registration doesn’t prove that the promised carbon benefits have been achieved,” Mr Dobbyns said. “Australia needs genuine emissions reductions, healthy forests and a sustainable domestic timber industry, not questionable carbon accounting that shifts jobs and environmental impacts offshore. “Simply changing the sign from State Forest to National Park doesn’t create a conservation outcome – and calling the change a carbon project doesn’t automatically create a climate benefit. “The CER must demonstrate that these credits will represent real, additional and accurately measured carbon benefits. That’s why we’re seeking the evidence.

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A 74-year-old timber company in Adelaide’s north west has gone into voluntary liquidation in hopes of covering a rental debt of more than $100,000. Source: The Advertiser Moyle Bendale Timber, which was first started as a business in 1952, was put into liquidation by its owner Dennis Moyle on October 14 after a rental dispute left him locked out of his business’ premises. The company was a major supplier of machined and imported timber in South Australia and also manufactured timber mouldings. Oracle Insolvency Services liquidator Nick Cooper told The Advertiser new locks had been put on the Cheltenham timber yard by the landowner because Moyle Bendale Timber owed about $120,000 in rent. The business was locked out of the premises, unable to fulfil orders and access any of the assets from within the yard, which the landowner could sell to recoup debts. Mr Cooper said he was aware of six workers, and six administration staff employed by the company, though finalised claims on lost wages or redundancy were yet to be made. Timber, Furnishing and Textiles Union SA secretary David Kirner told The Advertiser employees were owed “around $400,000”. Liquidator Mr Cooper said the liquidation was in the benefit of the employees, who would be able to claim owed wages through the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme. He said the owner chose to voluntarily liquidate the business, rather than by way of a court order. “I infer that he did that for the benefit of his employees so they can claim under the (Fair Entitlements Guarantee) scheme,” Mr Cooper said. After 74 years of operation, Mr Cooper said it was “unlikely” Moyle Bendale Timber would “continue on in business” once the liquidation process had been finalised. “It’s highly unlikely that the company will be able to get back in business,” he said. “There’s going to be some impacts on that. We certainly know there’s some customers who’ve placed orders that unfortunately won’t be able to be fulfilled because the company’s no longer trading.” Creditors and employees have until October 28 to report claims of money owed by Moyle Bendale Timber. Business owner Dennis Moyle declined to comment.

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The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) has welcomed the Government announcements aimed at supporting forestry employment in Tairāwhiti while addressing the region’s land-use challenges. Source: Timberbiz The Government announced additional funding for Gisborne District Council to accelerate forestry harvest consents over a 12-week period, alongside plans to direct the remaining NZ$16.4 million in woody debris funding towards debris removal, mitigation and land-use transition. NZFOA chief operating officer Joseph Brolly says the announcements recognise the importance of keeping the industry operating while working towards a more resilient future for the region. “It’s encouraging to see the Government addressing both the immediate pressures facing forestry businesses and the longer-term challenges of managing Tairāwhiti’s steep and erosion-prone land,” he said. “The additional consenting resources are particularly welcome. With around 600 hectares of harvesting awaiting decisions, bringing in specialist forestry and consenting expertise will help council work through applications at pace, while maintaining strong environmental standards.” Eastland Wood Council Chair Julian Kohn says the announcements offer much-needed support for a region which endured years of severe weather and economic disruption. “Tairāwhiti has been through some incredibly tough years, and we want to see a future where our communities are more resilient, and where forestry continues to provide opportunities for local families,” Mr Kohn said. “We’ve already seen the pressure on local contractors, workers and businesses whose livelihoods depend on the hundreds of millions of dollars forestry and wood processing contribute to Tairāwhiti’s economy each year. We can’t afford to lose more skilled workers and businesses while the region works through its future. “Getting harvesting consents processed promptly is an important step towards getting crews back to work and supporting the businesses and communities depending on them.” Joseph says the refocused Tairāwhiti Transition Advisory Group also provides an opportunity to bring council, community and industry together around practical solutions. “These are welcome commitments, and we’re keen to see them translate into timely consenting decisions, more work for local crews and better protection for vulnerable land.”

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MiTek has officially opened its expanded Melbourne facility in Dandenong South, bringing its manufacturing, automation and office operations together with a new Experience Centre designed to give customers a closer look at the technology, expertise and solutions supporting their businesses. Source: Timberbiz The opening was celebrated with a tour of the facility for MiTek’s Frame & Truss manufacturing partners, showcasing the expanded manufacturing capabilities and the latest developments across software, engineering, automation and digital solutions. MiTek was also pleased to welcome Dan Tehan MP, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction and Manager of Opposition Business, as a special guest at the event. The expansion more than doubles MiTek’s Melbourne footprint, bringing the combined site to more than 15,000 square metres. The investment strengthens MiTek’s local manufacturing and automation capabilities whilst creating a central location for customers to experience its integrated solutions firsthand. “Today is about showing our customers what this investment means for them and how we can continue to support their businesses,” said David Oliver, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at MiTek. “By bringing our capabilities together in one location, we can demonstrate how software, engineering, manufacturing and automation work together across the building process. It also gives us more opportunities to work directly with our customers, understand their challenges and develop solutions that help them improve productivity, efficiency and building outcomes.” At the heart of the new facility is MiTek’s Experience Centre, showcasing how its integrated solutions support each stage of the building process from design and engineering through to manufacturing and construction. Customers can see how software, engineering expertise, building products and automation work together to streamline processes, improve productivity and deliver better building outcomes. The facility tour covered four key areas: Software innovation: The latest developments in MiTek’s software and digital solutions, demonstrating how they support design, engineering and production processes. Automation solutions: Machinery, equipment and automation technologies that can help improve manufacturing productivity, efficiency and consistency. MiTek manufacturing: A closer look at MiTek’s own manufacturing operations, production capabilities and investment in local capacity. Engineering and research and development: The technical expertise and ongoing development behind MiTek’s solutions, helping address changing customer requirements and industry challenges.   The expanded site also brings a significant increase in operational capacity. Pressing capacity is set to increase by more than one third, while Posi-Strut production capacity will double. Greater warehousing capacity and an expanded automation operation will also support equipment assembly, parts availability and customer integrations. Factory acceptance testing will be conducted in-house, helping streamline the process of testing equipment before it is deployed to customers. The Experience Centre will also provide a space for training, development and collaboration, supporting knowledge-sharing and helping customers get more from MiTek’s technology and services. “Opening the Experience Centre is an important step in making our capabilities more accessible to our customers,” Mr Oliver said. “We want customers to be able to see what is possible, talk through their specific needs with our teams and understand how different solutions can work together. Our role is to be a partner to the industry, and this facility gives us another way to put that into practice.” The Dandenong South expansion forms part of MiTek’s broader investment in its Asia Pacific operations, including the development of a new purpose-built facility in Auckland, New Zealand. These investments strengthen MiTek’s ability to support customers across Australia and New Zealand with locally delivered expertise, manufacturing capability and technology solutions. The Dandenong South facility has also been designed with safety in mind, providing a more efficient working environment for MiTek’s team and a welcoming space for customers and industry partners. “Ultimately, this investment is about making sure we have the people, facilities and capabilities to support our customers as their businesses evolve,” Mr Oliver said. “The building industry continues to change, and we are committed to working alongside our customers to help them meet those challenges and make the most of new opportunities.”

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One of regional Australia’s premier forestry and linehaul contract carriers, Greenfreight, issued redundancy notices to its logging truck drivers late last week following the loss of its contract with HVP. Source: Timberbiz The Wodonga-based company sold the majority of its highway and general linehaul business to an undisclosed national carrier in September citing rising fuel costs, January bushfires, economic pressure, and softer freight demands. According to the company’s website its logging division has branches in Myrtleford, Tumut, Tumbarumba, Wodonga, Mount Gambier, Morewell and Colac. The company’s General Manager Chris Jones told Big Rigs magazine Greenfreight had been informed that primary customer HVP would cease its Northern Region contract, with service requirements progressively reducing during a temporary wind-down period. Mr Jones told Big Rigs those requirements had now reduced to the point that Greenfreight had decided to cease trading across all its logging entities. Big Rigs reported that Greenfreight directors have decided to take formal steps to place Greenfreight Services Pty Ltd, Greenfreight Logging Pty Ltd and Greenfreight Logging NSW Pty Ltd into liquidation. Mr Jones said employees’ entitlements were being calculated, and details would be forwarded when complete. The total number of employees affected has not been confirmed. Greenfreight is a second-generation transport business which was founded in 1973 by Fred and Barbara Green. It continues to be a family-owned business with all three of Fred and Barbara’s children, Tony, Kate and Richard, performing various roles within the company, and committed to growing and developing the business into the future.  

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Victoria is expanding its network of AI-powered bushfire cameras, using advanced technology to detect fires earlier and help keep communities safer. Agriculture Minister Michaela Settle announced funding for the next three years to expand the bushfire detection camera network. Source: Timberbiz The $3.8 million project is jointly funded with Hancock Victorian Plantations and Green Triangle Fire Alliance. Hancock Victorian Plantations CEO Melanie Cook said the co-investment reflected HVP’s shared commitment to reducing the impact of bushfires across Victoria. “With advanced detection technology, we can identify fires earlier, and respond swiftly to help protect lives, livelihoods and plantation assets,” she said. “We depend on this resource to sustainably store carbon and produce timber to build homes and make wood fibre products we rely on every day.” Green Triangle Fire Alliance Chair Anthony Walsh said the expansion of the camera network was a significant step forward in protecting plantation forests, neighbouring communities and valuable regional assets from the growing threat of bushfires. “With the State Government’s support, the bushfire camera network will now expand to 18 sites
across regional Victoria,” said VFPA CEO, Andrew White. “With up to 85% coverage of non-plantation land, the camera network will help protect Victoria’s
rural communities and timber plantations from bushfires.” Using AI, the cameras provide a 24-hour digital lookout, scanning the landscape for signs of smoke and fire and flagging potential fires for further checking. The seven existing AI-powered bushfire cameras will be bolstered by an additional 11 cameras to be rolled out in western and eastern Victoria by November 2027. They will give emergency services and land managers more time to respond and protect communities, property and critical infrastructure. While the cameras will be installed on private plantations in western and eastern Victoria, their reach is much greater. The network will provide coverage across more than 1.4 million hectares of land, including 211,000 hectares of plantation. More than 85% of the monitored area is non-plantation land, providing early bushfire detection for nearby regional communities. The rollout builds on successful existing networks and industry-led pilot programs in regional Victoria. The existing cameras detected 40 fires during 2023–24 and 46 fires in 2024–25.

“The need for increased fire detection capability was devastatingly highlighted by the fires
affecting North-East and South-West Victoria earlier this year,” Mr White said. “Fire cameras act as smoke detectors in the sky, allowing fires to be detected earlier and
responders to deploy quicker. “Fire risk is escalating in Victoria as summers grow drier, with unpredictable weather and lightning strikes remaining the most common cause of ignition,” he said. The investment follows a Commonwealth and Victorian Government investment in a Remote Sensing Bushfire Detection trial to investigate the accuracy of commercially available AI bushfire detection technology. Victoria has the largest plantation forestry estate in Australia, accounting for around 23% of the national plantation estate and 29% of Australia’s wood production. “Victorian plantations underpin 17,000 regional jobs and supply essential products for housing
construction, as well as other wood-based products.  As a long rotation crop that is in the ground for up to 25 years, bushfire remains the single greatest threat to plantations and timber supply,” Mr White said. “The expansion of the Victorian bushfire detection camera network is a significant step towards
protecting regional jobs and livelihoods from the devastation of bushfire. “Industry has advocated strongly for the expansion of the bushfire detection camera network, and we’re pleased to see this commitment ahead of the election.”

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Valmet is delivering key technology for Century Sunshine’s new Rizhao pulp mill that is being built in Shandong province in China. Valmet’s delivery includes cooking and fibre lines, an evaporation plant, a recovery boiler with optimizers, ash treatment and a white liquor plant. Source: Timberbiz The new pulp mill is part of Century Sunshine’s strategic three-phase investment program “Paper-for-Plastic”, which aims for 2.65 million tonnes of annual new paper production with the goal of plastics replacement with various paper-based products. The new pulp mill is designed to have an annual capacity of 1.2 million tonnes of hardwood or softwood pulp and 400,000 tonnes of softwood pulp. The order was included in Valmet’s orders received for the second quarter of 2026. The value of the order exceeds EUR 100 million. The exact value of the order will not be disclosed. The new mill is expected to start up in June 2028. “This project is at the core of our strategy to improve our self-sufficiency in raw material supply and meet the evolving needs of customers in the Chinese market. We chose Valmet as a partner for this project based on our positive previous experiences and their ability to meet our project needs both regarding technology and our investment budget,” said Jeff Cheng, Vice President, Century Sunshine. Andreas Michalik, Vice President, Pulp Mills, Pulp, Energy and Circularity Business Area, Valmet said that the new Century Sunshine Rizhao mill will produce fluff, dissolving, softwood and hardwood pulp, and is an excellent example of product differentiation to meet the growing market needs with Valmet’s full scope offering. The mill features the latest cooking technology, a high-power recovery boiler with leading optimization and safety features, and electrostatic precipitator for efficient dust emissions reduction.

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The public sector (in South Korea) is taking the lead in expanding the use of domestic timber. With a system providing timber from national forests free of charge for wood-construction R&D and demonstration projects now fully in effect, it is expected to generate demand for domestic timber and accelerate progress toward carbon neutrality. Source: The Financial News The Korea Forest Service (KFS) said the amended Act on the Management and Administration of National Forests (National Forests Act), revised to expand the use of domestic timber and establish an institutional foundation for fostering the timber industry, will take effect on the 22nd. The legal amendment was pursued as part of the forest sector’s implementation strategy for achieving the National Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target (NDC) and 2050 carbon neutrality. To promote the use of domestic timber, which has strong carbon-storage capacity, the law was amended in April and takes full effect today. Under the amended law, government agencies and public institutions in the forestry sector will be able to receive, free of charge, domestic timber produced in national forests and use it for wood-construction R&D, demonstration projects, and related work. The public sector is expected to lead the way in consuming domestic timber and serve as a catalyst for the development of related industries. Korea Forest Service Commissioner Park Eun-sik said, “We will lead the way by expanding the use of domestic timber, starting with the public sector, and drive demand for it,” adding, “We will spare no effort in providing support so that we can contribute not only to the development of the timber industry but also to achieving the national greenhouse gas reduction target.” Wood is considered a leading environmentally friendly carbon sink because it keeps carbon dioxide absorbed as it grows stored inside it for a long time. Replacing conventional building materials such as concrete and reinforcing steel with wood can greatly reduce emissions generated during manufacturing, making wood a key tool in achieving global carbon neutrality. However, South Korea’s timber self-sufficiency rate remains in the 10% range. Proactive demand creation by the public sector, centred on national forests, is expected to lay the groundwork for raising the self-sufficiency rate for domestic timber and establishing sustainable, cyclical forest management. Kim Won-jun Reporter

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Behind a wire fence lies a vast gaping wound of earth. Before Google’s arrival a few months ago, an estimated quarter of a million trees occupied the 330 hectares (815 acres) of forest near the town of Muhos in rural northern Finland. Now they are all gone. Source: The Guardian After the tech company illegally stripped the entire area to build a datacentre – taking even the top soil with it – all that remains is a vast expanse of mud indented with the trail marks of machinery, puddles and mounds of earth, roots and branches. Residents say that brown water flowing off the site is going into a stream that feeds the Oulujoki River. “It doesn’t end. It goes on and on,” says Mari Annala, an ecologist from the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (SLL), looking at drone footage of the former forest from the perimeter. With 145 new datacentres at various stages of planning, Finland has found itself at the forefront of the tech companies’ latest push. As well as its relative geopolitical and geological stability and abundance of land, the cool climate makes it especially attractive for saving on energy costs. Earlier this month, Google was ordered by the Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) to temporarily stop work on Muhos and another site about 100km south-east in the village of Otanmäki after it failed to complete the necessary environmental impact assessments before clearcutting the land. The news has prompted widespread outcry and a national reckoning over what role, if any, the country should play in the global rush to build datacentres to keep up with rapid AI development. Last week, Google’s Finland country manager, Antti Järvinen, apologised for the forest clearings but claimed the company had acted “on the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time”. Muhos and Otanmäki are part of a €13bn AI infrastructure project by Google that has attracted criticism from Donald Trump, who would rather the centres were built in the US and has publicly called for the company to reconsider. It is the biggest ever project of its kind in the Nordic country. The Finnish government, which has presided over deep spending cuts, has encouraged the investment. Last month, when the Google plans were announced, the country’s prime minister, Petteri Orpo, said attracting investment was a “top priority” and “the value of the data economy extends far beyond direct investment”. He said the Google deal would “deliver lasting benefits for both parties”. But the revelations over Google’s misconduct have prompted public concern over what these deals mean for nearby communities, energy prices for Finnish households and Finland’s natural environment, a national source of pride. The datacentre push is likely to become a key election issue when Finns go to the polls in April. In addition to the 250,000 trees felled at Muhos, Annala estimates that an additional 150,000 trees were felled at Otanmäki. Because the trees have been felled illegally, she says wood from the two sites cannot be sold to wood-processing plants. The move has also prompted questions over why Finland’s renewable energy sources are being used to power international corporations. More than 93,000 people have signed a petition demanding more datacentre regulation and a fee to compensate local communities for environmental damage. Since the scandal broke, Orpo has described what happened in Muhos as a “cold shower”. Hanna Halmeenpää, chair of SLL’s board, said she had been incredulous when she discovered Google’s law breaking. “At first I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I have never heard that any company has done anything like this in Finland.” She said the system depended a lot on trust, which she believes Google took advantage of. “They bought the vast land area, and they just started to cut it, just like that,” she said. “It’s pure arrogance and it’s amazing.” The speed of developments had shocked the country, she said. “Many people are just watching the news and asking each other: ‘What’s happening now? What can we do about it? And do we have to take all these datacentre projects in Finland?’” Jussi Kangasharju, head of computer science at the University of Helsinki, said that while datacentres brought a limited number of jobs, potentially boosting the local economy, the benefits on a national level were minimal. “Really, for Finland, there are no benefits,” he said. “They are international companies serving international customers. Very little corporate taxes go to Finland. Datacentres ultimately have very little benefit for others except the datacentre operator.” With legislation still playing catchup, there is a rush to get projects under way as fast as possible. Some are calling for a centralised body to coordinate datacentre projects, rather than leaving so much of the decision-making down to municipalities that are likely to prioritise the immediate needs of the local area. In Muhos and Otanmäki, there are people who support the projects, along with the jobs and land taxes they will bring into the local area. But many believe they have been sold short by municipalities. Antti Jakonen, who lives in Muhos, said that, although the trees felled represented a small fraction of Finland’s overall forests, he objected to the manner in which it had been carried out. “It has been done in the wrong way. American style. No sense. No sense at all,” he said. The former entrepreneur and fisher wants Google to compensate by helping to restore the local salmon population destroyed decades ago by hydropower. In Otanmäki, the disruption to nature and to residents’ daily lives is being vividly felt. When the trees were felled, the wolves who had lived there came to the village, said Anni Ranta, 53, whose family has lived there for generations. A former mining village, the area is known for its rare earth elements. Ranta’s family live at the centre of the village next to a triangular church spire and a former bar that has been empty for years. The peaceful forest used to extend for miles from the village. […]

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Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) has released its 2025/26 Annual Report, showcasing how they connected industry investment with outcomes designed to improve productivity, strengthen markets, build capability and give members access to research and information they can put to practical use. Source: Timberbiz Among the year’s highlights: The Grower Research Advisory Committee (GRAC) and Softwood Manufacturer Advisory Committee (SMAC) CEO Forums provided valuable member input, with both groups identifying market development and market access as key priorities for FWPA. 7:1 estimated benefit ratio for the national tree improvement program, demonstrating measurable value from long-term investment in research. WoodSolutions attracted more than 2,500 webinar participants, an increase of more than 55% on the previous year, helping research, information and timber expertise reach more design and build professionals. Five builder collaborations were secured through the WoodSolutions Renewable Timber Framing Campaign, supporting efforts to grow markets and confidence in timber use. The Ultimate Renewable™ consumer campaign reached 1.5 million views among target audiences, continuing to build public awareness and consideration of wood and wood products. Funding was provided to more than 30 PhD, Masters and intern placements, investing in the ongoing knowledge, skills and research capability the industry will need in the future.   Together, these activities demonstrate the breadth of FWPA’s role in connecting research with practical industry needs, supporting greater adoption and commercial impact, developing markets for timber and wood products, and strengthening capability across the value chain. The Annual Report also provides transparency around FWPA’s performance, investment and progress against its strategic priorities, including where further improvement is needed. FWPA’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, 12 November 2026 where three new Non-Executive Directors will be voted to join FWPA’s Board. Members wishing to appoint a proxy are reminded to submit their proxies to sophie.vayenas@fwpa.com.au by Monday, 9 November 2026. Further AGM information will be provided to members through the official AGM notice. You can download the 2025/26 Annual Report at https://fwpa.com.au/corporate-document/fwpa-annual-report-2025-26/

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Farm forester and mid-career professional with a background in native forest management and regulation in Victoria Leon Holt has been appointed Forestry Australia President, with Dr Lyndall Bull and Professor Rod Keenan appointed as Vice Presidents. Source: Timberbiz The appointments follow the retirement of sitting president Dr Michelle Freeman and vice-president Dr Bill Jackson at Forestry Australia’s Annual General Meeting in Canberra last week, where members elected two new Directors, Louise Bourke and Dr Phil Lacy. Forestry Australia Chief Executive Officer Jacquie Martin said the appointments represented an important milestone in the organisation’s ongoing renewal and succession planning. “Leon brings a wealth of experience, a strong commitment to forest science and the forestry profession, he also has a genuine passion for Forestry Australia’s future,” Ms Martin said. “Leon played an instrumental role in establishing Forestry Australia’s Future Foresters Initiative and was among our first Board Observers. His progression to President is a wonderful example of the leadership pathways we are working to create for emerging professionals.” She added that Mr Holt, a recipient of the 2019 Prince of Wales Award for Sustainable Forestry, brought a valuable farm forestry perspective to the role. Together with his family, he is developing an agricultural business and growing a hardwood plantation on Djaara Country in central Victoria. “His experience reflects the increasingly important role farm forestry will play in the future of Australia’s forest sector,” she said. Mr Holt said his focus as President would be on chairing a high-performing Board that could navigate an ever-changing operating environment and set the organisation up for future success. “I believe in what Forestry Australia has become over the last few years, I think we have a very bright future. I am deeply honoured that the Board and our members have put their trust in me to help guide our organisation,” he said. “I am and always will be a forester at heart, and I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to work in native forestry and regulation in Victoria, and to receive a formal forestry education. I’m passionate about making sure forestry education has a strong future in this country. “We will continue to grow and engage with our membership, build partnerships with the stakeholders, the community and First Nations peoples, and continue to advocate for evidence-based forest management that ensures future generations will continue to benefit from Australia’s iconic forests.” The two Vice President appointments bring both continuity and expertise to the Board, Ms Martin said. “We are delighted that Dr Lyndall Bull will continue in her role as Vice President, providing valuable experience and leadership, alongside Professor Rod Keenan, who brings considerable expertise and a deep commitment to the forestry profession,” she said. “Michelle and Bill have provided outstanding leadership and service to Forestry Australia, and we are enormously grateful for their dedication, wisdom and contribution over many years,” Ms Martin said. “Strong governance relies on effective succession planning, an orderly transition of leadership and the ability to welcome new ideas while retaining experience and institutional knowledge. These appointments demonstrate those qualities, and I am confident Forestry Australia is in very capable hands.” Turning to the Board’s newest members, Ms Martin welcomed directors Louise Bourke and Dr Phil Lacy. “Both bring valuable experience, knowledge and perspectives, and I look forward to working with them as we continue to strengthen the Association and deliver for our members,” she said. Ms Bourke is a forest scientist and values-based leader with more than two decades of operational, commercial and executive leadership experience in public and private organisations across Victoria and New South Wales. Now Head of Fibre Strategy at HVP Plantations, she holds a Bachelor of Forest Science and an Executive MBA from the University of Melbourne. “I’m committed to bringing different perspectives together to help the profession navigate increasingly complex challenges and realise the opportunities forestry can create for Australia,” Ms Bourke said. Dr Lacy is a forestry consultant and farm forester with more than 30 years’ experience in plantation and native forest management, fire research and management, and carbon forestry. A Registered Forestry Professional (RFP) with a PhD in fire behaviour, he has held roles with Forestry Corporation of NSW and PF Olsen (now Stand Forestry), chairs Forestry Australia’s RFP Special Interest Group and brings extensive leadership, governance and committee experience across the sector. Speaking about his appointment, Dr Lacy said he was “really pleased” to have been endorsed by his peers. “I’ve been a member for over 25 years, and I look forward to working with the Board, CEO and staff of Forestry Australia to progress its strategic direction,” he said. More broadly, Ms Martin said Forestry Australia’s Board reflected the breadth of experience and commitment across Australia’s forestry profession. “Our directors are volunteers who generously contribute their time, knowledge and expertise because they care deeply about Forestry Australia, our members and the future of Australia’s forests,” she said. The Forestry Australia Board comprises: Leon Holt, President Dr Lyndall Bull, Vice President Professor Rod Keenan, Vice President Louise Bourke, Director Anne Chuter, Director Matt de Jongh, Director Dr Phil Lacy, Director Board Observers: Emily Post and Dr Sam Van Holsbeeck.

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Members, directors, staff and special guests came together recently for the Responsible Wood Annual General Meeting, held in Canberra adjacent to the Forestry Australia Symposium. Source: Timberbiz Beyond exploring the achievements of the preceding 12 months and launching the organisation’s 2025/26 Annual Report, the meeting was significant in marking the recent resignation of former Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries, with Acting CEO Matt de Jongh, Chair Dr Tony Bartlett and former Chair Dr Hans Drielsma AM all speaking to Mr Dorries’ extensive and well-regarded contributions. “Over the past 11 years, Simon has played a major role in advancing sustainable forest management and chain of custody certification as technically robust and commercially relevant,” said Acting CEO, Matt de Jongh. “His contributions leave a lasting legacy for not just Responsible Wood, but the broader sector”. Throughout his career, Mr Dorries has played an important role in strengthening the technical foundations and recognition of forest management and chain of custody certification. In a conversation with the Responsible Wood team, Mr Dorries noted one of his earliest career highlights, achieved at the ripe age of 25, while working as a technical officer with the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia. His efforts helped develop standards, auditing processes and testing systems that could demonstrate, through objective evidence, whether products complied with relevant standards. That early work put him at the forefront of his field, with industry professionals from around the world seeking his technical advice – a practice that continues today. At Responsible Wood, Mr Dorries identified the revision of AS/NZS 4708 (the joint Australian and New Zealand Standard for Sustainable Forest Management), and its subsequent recognition by the Green Building Council of Australia as among his proudest achievements. Each revision, including the latest which is nearing completion and on track to seek re-endorsement from PEFC in early 2027, has strengthened the Standard’s performance requirements, balancing practical implementation with robust and demonstrable sustainability outcomes. Securing its recognition under Green Star was a significant milestone, supporting the continued acceptance of Responsible Wood-certified timber in Australia’s commercial building sector. “On behalf of Responsible Wood and the forest and wood products sector, I’d like to thank Simon for his leadership and technical expertise throughout his tenure,” said Mr de Jongh. “He’s leaving the organisation in a strong position, and his contribution will benefit the sector for years to come.”  

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Researchers from the ARC Advance Timber Hub have completed a major program of field testing at Atlassian Central in Sydney, one of Australia’s most significant mass timber construction projects. Source: Timberbiz Led by Professor Hassan Karampour at Griffith University, the research team undertook a series of detailed vibration and acoustic assessments on the building’s cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor system. The testing forms part of the Hub’s project, Innovative Long-Span Timber and Wood-Based Hybrid Floors for Vibration Performance and Acoustic Compliance, which is delivering new insights to support the confident use of long-span timber and hybrid floor systems in commercial and multi-storey buildings. The field testing directly contributes to the project’s broader objective of measuring the vibration and acoustic behaviour of completed timber buildings and buildings under construction across Australia. These real-world investigations complement extensive laboratory testing of innovative floor systems, including CLT ribbed-deck floors, band-beam CLT systems, hybrid CLT-steel floors and lightweight timber floor systems. Professor Karampour said field measurements are critical for understanding how timber floor systems perform beyond the laboratory environment. “Real buildings provide invaluable information about the behaviour of timber floor systems under actual operating conditions,” he said. “At Atlassian Central, the research team conducted floor vibration measurements across three bays and investigated sound transmission between two levels, comparing the performance of the bare CLT surface and the raised access floor. The data collected will strengthen our understanding of long-span timber floor behaviour and support the continued adoption of mass timber in larger and taller buildings.” The research team extends its sincere thanks to Built and Tate APAC for facilitating site access and supporting the testing program. The successful field campaign was delivered with the contributions of Adam Faircloth, Stephani Soro and Ian Underhill, whose efforts in planning and conducting the measurements were greatly appreciated. Beyond the technical work, the testing provided an opportunity to experience firsthand the scale and ambition of Atlassian Central. The project showcases how mass timber can be successfully integrated into landmark commercial developments, demonstrating the growing role of engineered timber solutions in Australia’s future built environment. As the ARC Advance Timber Hub continues its industry-led research program, field studies such as this will provide the evidence base needed to support innovative timber construction and accelerate the adoption of high-performance, long-span timber floor systems across Australia.  

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Steve Dobbyns, chair of Forest and Wood Communities Australian recently wrote to the Nambucca Valley News regarding a blockade of a logging truck in Bellingen that he says poses serious questions about the conduct of those claiming to speak for our forests and communities. Source: Timberbiz Mr Dobbyns said that peaceful protest is a democratic right. However, sitting under a loaded logging truck to prevent a driver from doing lawful work crosses the line from peaceful demonstration into dangerous obstruction. The driver was simply doing their job. Yet protesters apparently considered their opposition to forestry sufficient justification to interfere with that person’s livelihood and potentially endanger everyone involved. There is considerable irony in activists demanding community engagement and social licence while deliberately obstructing the very people whose futures are being debated. Forestry workers are not faceless representatives of an industry. They are local residents, parents, employers and volunteers who contribute to the economic and social fabric of regional communities. They deserve the same respect, safety and opportunity to earn a living as anyone else. The protesters also made sweeping allegations about corruption, climate change and species extinction. Such serious accusations require credible supporting evidence, not slogans shouted at passing motorists. Disagreement about forest management is legitimate. Intimidation and dangerous obstruction are not substitutes for constructive engagement. If activists genuinely want a discussion about the future of our forests, they should engage with the science, forestry professionals and the regional communities affected by their demands. You cannot demand social licence from an industry while refusing to extend basic respect and consideration to the people who work in it. Our forests and communities deserve a more constructive debate.

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The Illawarra Grammar School’s Hoskins Building has topped a field including Sydney Fish Market and the Adelaide Aquatic Centre to take the country’s top timber design prize. That is according to the judges of the 27th Australian Timber Design Awards, who named the cross-laminated timber school building by betti und knut architecture the overall winner on Wednesday night. Source: WoodCentral “I think we’re quite overwhelmed by getting this award,” betti und knut architecture said as it accepted the Grand Prix on stage at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art. The practice also said many more schools should be built like the Hoskins Building, to get students thinking about sustainability. Its architects said it had been “quite surprising” to be engaged at all, given the small studio was tendering against much larger practices for the job. They credited a client and project team “aligned with everything that you’re doing” and thanked “a great builder” in Rohrig. Hilti quick connectors join the building’s cross-laminated timber columns and beams, which the architects said will let the whole frame come apart in future without screw fixings. They also said the building tested four times tighter than the Passivhaus standard requires, and that its design cuts heating and cooling demand by 80%. In comments played over the project’s images, the judges called the Hoskins Building “something to be very proud of” with one judge saying all schools should be like it. They praised the technical innovation in its connections, which allow for “longer term circularity”, saying there was “a lot of stuff packed into a small package”. Before taking the Grand Prix, the Hoskins Building won the Public Building award ahead of Woods Bagot’s The Forest, which reworked the University of Tasmania’s historic Forestry building in Hobart. MC James Fitzpatrick, whose Seed House took the top prize in 2019, called the overall award “the high point of our awards presentations this evening”. Meanwhile, Sydney Fish Market won the Savcon-sponsored Commercial Building category for 3XN with BVN and ASPECT Studios, ahead of finalists including Lyons and EJE’s Gosford Central. Its harbourside roof, the largest built for a fish market in the Southern Hemisphere, uses 1,800 cubic metres of spruce glulam shipped from Italy. Members of the public chose fjcstudio’s fit-out of The Cutaway at Barangaroo for the People’s Choice Award, with the judges also handing it the Intergrain-sponsored award for commercial and public fitouts. The practice said its 13 free-form timber trees rise up to 17 metres around the existing concrete columns beneath Barangaroo Reserve. Archier’s Ora House, a Victorian family home whose timber window systems and ceiling panels were prefabricated by its sister company Candour, won the Responsible Wood-supported Australian Certified Timber Award. Fitzpatrick told guests the category is judged not on design but on “how certified timber is an integral part of the use of timber in the design”. Matt de Jongh, Responsible Wood’s acting chief executive, presented the award, with Gray Puksand’s CIT Woden, LIAN Architects and Hayball’s Swift Walk Arcade, and Charles Sandford’s The Foundation Tree the other finalists. It comes as betti und knut said all of the Hoskins Building’s cross-laminated timber is PEFC and FSC certified, with fjcstudio citing PEFC-certified timber from its manufacturer. Elsewhere on the list, Bohane Campo’s Enclave House took the ASH-sponsored award for new homes, whilst Casey Brown Architecture’s Wilson’s Cottage won the Pentarch-sponsored alterations and additions award. Prior Barraclough’s Bank Street House won the Timber NSW-sponsored residential fit-out award, with Richards Stanisich’s Lamella Chair taking furniture and joinery, sponsored by iTi Australia. Warren and Mahoney’s Adelaide Aquatic Centre, designed with JPE Design Studio and Karl Winda Telfer, won Sports and Recreation, and Das Studio’s Tonsley Technical College took the Planet Ark-sponsored Sustainability award. The Aesop Design Team won Recycled Timber, sponsored by Kennedy’s Timbers, for the skincare brand’s Canberra store, with Helen Murray of the Gottstein Trust accepting on its behalf. Tomek Archer, whose Archer Office won last year’s Grand Prix for the Boot Factory in Bondi Junction, was one of five judges who chose the winners across 11 categories. He sat on the panel with Yann Frampton of Hassell, Nick Hewson of Arboralis, Victoria Judge of SJB, and Amy Smith of Arup. “We’re at the point now where people who are not familiar with the timber industry might scratch their heads and think, what, this is unusual?” said Kylan Low, who organises the awards. Low also said furniture and joinery drew real fervour from entrants this year, and that the goal is for timber to become “not so special anymore”. The winners: Residential Class 1 – New Building, sponsored by ASH:  Bohane Campo for Enclave House Residential Class 1 – Alteration or Addition, sponsored by Pentarch: Casey Brown Architecture for Wilson’s Cottage. Fitout – Residential Buildings, sponsored by Timber NSW: Prior Barraclough for Bank Street House. Fitout – Commercial and Public Buildings, sponsored by Intergrain: FJC Studio for The Cutaway Barangaroo Furniture and Joinery, sponsored by iTi Australia: Richards Stanisich for the Lamella Chair Commercial Building, sponsored by Savcon: 3XN with BVN and ASPECT Studios for Sydney Fish Market. Public Building, sponsored by HESS: betti und knut architecture for Hoskins Building. Sports and Recreation, sponsored by Theca and Rubner Timber: Warren and Mahoney Architects for Adelaide Aquatic Centre. Australian Certified Timber, sponsored by Responsible Wood: Archier for Ora House. Recycled Timber, sponsored by Kennedy’s Timbers: Aesop Design Team for Aesop Canberra Centre. Sustainability, sponsored by Planet Ark: Das Studio for Tonsley Technical College. People’s Choice: FJC Studio for The Cutaway Barangaroo sponsored by WoodCentral

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More positive news to report this month with most log market fundamentals in a favourable context. Prices are generally firm across domestic and export segments. Demand is strong and the mood in both is positive. The positive vibes are an interesting phenomenon, when there is so much bad news out there, mostly promulgated by Donald Trump’s stupidities. It appears the rest of us are just getting on with it. Amazing isn’t it. Donald can announce a wonderful new diesel purchase of initially 300,000 gallons of diesel from Putin and he thinks he is wonderful. This volume of diesel will sustain US consumption for about four hours, so I am uncertain how this, and future sales, can be viewed as a good thing given the sales will only serve to assist Putin’s war efforts. Meanwhile, your average Russian citizen is facing shortages at the pump. Perhaps the “stupid is” statement by Forest Gump might be changed to “bizarre is bizarre as” when one attempts to describe that which surrounds Donald T. Meanwhile in the world of normality, both China and India are experiencing good demand with sales prices firming albeit not wildly so. China eastern seaboard softwood log inventory has increased by about 120,000 m3 to 2.5mil m3. But this was entirely expected as the China golden week holiday took place whilst vessels filled with NZ logs continued to arrive. The very positive news out of China is threefold. Softwood log daily usage post-holiday is running well over 60,000 m3 per day as at mid-October. This was expected, but the fact it is happening is improving the air of positivity. China manufacturing numbers are continuing to improve. This has been described by one market commentator as a clear signal China’s broader manufacturing base is “returning to expansionary territory”.  Wood use is a very large component of China manufacturing and the resulting exports which in turn is positive news for Kiwi-forest owners. China trader margins have closed reflecting some domestic price improvements. To reiterate, trading margins reflect what traders buy the logs for versus what they sell them for.  Trading margins have more typically been about negative US$6 – 7 per m3. As at mid-October the CFR price, being the price landed at a China port, is US$132 per m3.  The selling price by traders is currently averaging US$128 with a US$4 loss viewed as positive. I was asked recently what the impacts of diesel cost increases were across the forestry sector.  My research suggests, on an average day there are about 515 logging crews operating in NZ and about 2,500 logging truck and trailer units taking the logs to market. The combined annual diesel usage of this sector is estimated to be north of 300mil litres per annum, or 1.4mil litres per day. Your average litre of Diesel cost $1.81 in October 2025 and $3.16 in October month to date, a difference of $1.35. This then tells me the forest harvest and transport sectors are paying north of $400 mil more per annum for diesel than it was a year ago. This equates to close to $2mil per day. These numbers do not include the loaders at sawmills or the plant used by our marshalling and stevedore companies or the many service vehicles used to keep the fleet going. I cannot understate how immensely proud everyone in the forestry sector should be. Taking the diesel price challenges head on, keeping the wood moving and ensuring fantastic returns to forest growers, erstwhile not seeking accolade or recognition. This is truly remarkable of the amazing 22,000+ people who are just getting on with it. I have also been asked to comment on the impacts of the India Free Trade Agreement. The prior to tariff had NZ at a US$6 -$7 per m3 disadvantage compared to other supplies, primarily from Australia and Uruguay. The removal of this cost imposition will see NZ logs displace Australia logs primarily. NZ logs are much favoured by India sawmill owners, so in the absence of a tariff, NZ log supply should increase or Aussie forest growers will have to discount to maintain market share. In short, my read of it at the moment is the tariff is unlikely to result in a price increase netted back to NZ, but the sales volumes should increase. As always, please remember the thoroughly important message: ‘It remains fundamentally important, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet, is to get out there and plant more trees”! Allan Laurie, Managing Director, Laurie Forestry  

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