Australian timber industry news

An ancient oak tree in northern Greece is believed to be among the oldest surviving trees of its kind in Europe. Source: The Greek Reporter With a trunk diameter of 2.25 meters (7.38 feet) and a height of 23 meters (75 feet), botanists say that the giant oak, located just two kilometres from the main square of the town of Deskati, near Grevena, is approximately 1,300 years of age give or take 30 to 50 years. The residents of the town in northern Greece can now boast that they bask in the shadow of one of the oldest oak trees anywhere in Europe. It is located at an altitude of 658 meters (2,158 feet). The tree stirred the interest of the Municipality of Deskati both for the gigantic size of its trunk and its obvious age. “We decided to conduct a study with scientists, foresters and researchers to learn the age of the tree,” mayor Dimitris Karastergios told the Athens News Agency recently. Botanist Ioannis Spanos, a researcher from the Elgo-Dimitra General Directorate of Agricultural Research, took samples from the tree with his team, making special measurements of the rings in its trunk. After further study, they concluded that the age of the oak tree is an astounding 1,300 years old. All the necessary procedures were immediately initiated by the Deputy Secretary General of Decentralized Administration of Epirus-Western Macedonia, Vassilis Michelakis, to declare the oak tree a “preserved monument of nature.” Such a distinction, which confers scientific, ecological, historical, and cultural value signifies that the tree can be valuable in the future for educational purposes while also verifying for future caretakers that the living treasure needs special care and protection. “We should immediately begin its maintenance, such as removing dead branches, stuffing the hollow trunk with cork and disinfecting it,” Spanos said. In Greek mythology, the oak is the tree sacred to Zeus, the king of the gods. In Zeus’ oracle in Dodona, Epirus, the sacred oak was the centerpiece of the area, and the priests would divine the pronouncements of the god by interpreting the rustling of the oak’s leaves. The oak was by far the most dominant tree of the ancient Greek landscape. In fact, the ancient Greek word for oak, “drys,” was also the word for tree. The two main types of oaks commonly found in the region are the evergreen holm oak and the deciduous Valonian. Both range in size from a thick low shrub (forming the basis of the modern-day Mediterranean scrub forests) to large trees. They were valued for their wood and acorns, which would ripen in the autumn. Tannin was also extracted from the acorn cups of the Valonian oak. This substance was a vital component employed in the tanning of leather hides. In Greek lore, the primitive, pre-agrarian tribes of Arkadia were said to have lived on a stable diet of acorns. In classical times, it was a food only of last resort consumed in times of famine. Usually, acorns were reserved for animal feed.

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Trimble has an upcoming release of the CFX+ Sources app in July 2025. This innovative tool is designed to streamline your timber sourcing operations and ensure compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Source: Timberbiz This upcoming release will include many features needed for buyers and sellers of wood fibre to collaborate exchanging information necessary for regulatory compliance with EUDR, but also to improve how you work today making agreements and plans between forest managers (sellers) and mill managers (buyers and sellers) and pulp mills (buyers). You can upload the information you need, share it between companies, and export geojson files needed for uploading to EU Traces, the EUDR compliance web-portal for European buyers. Trimble will allow companies to try it out in preparation for the rollout on 1 January 2026 of the enforcement deadline for compliance. Here are the key features of CFX+ Sources, along with their benefits: Detailed Source Information Management: Manage supplier and geolocation data, enhancing traceability and compliance with sourcing regulations. Search Functionality: Quickly find sources using specific criteria, improving efficiency in data retrieval and decision-making. Bulk Import and Export: Easily transfer source data via web and API interfaces, streamlining data management and integration with existing systems. Compliance Management: Attach necessary documents for legal obligations, ensuring all compliance documentation is readily accessible. Geolocation Data Capture: Capture precise location data for large and small areas, enhancing accuracy in tracking and managing timber sources. Uploading Pre-existing Shapefiles: Import existing geospatial data, simplifying the integration of current data into the CFX+ system. Management of Product Allocation Details: Track product allocations from specific locations, allowing users to select associated deliveries based on mill consumption, ensuring accurate volume estimations and compliance. Sharing of Source Information: Control sharing of source data with specific email addresses, enhancing collaboration while maintaining data security. Downloading Sources in GeoJSON: Download source data in GeoJSON format for EU traceability, facilitating compliance with European regulations.

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The International Commission on Poplars and Other Fast-Growing Trees Sustaining People and the Environment (IPC) hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) published a comprehensive guide on the innovative use of fast-growing trees to help sustain people and the environment amid the climate crisis. Source: Timberbiz Innovative practices in the sustainable management of fast-growing trees: lessons learnt from poplars, willow and experiences with other fast-growing trees around the world explains the qualities of different species of fast-growing trees and the economic and environmental benefits they bring in a wide range of settings when managed sustainably. It also outlines the potential to maximise those benefits globally using the latest science and innovative practices. “Fast-growing trees have a strategic role to developing a thriving global bioeconomy,” said Zhimin Wu, Director of FAO’s Forestry Division. “They also provide livelihoods for local communities and hold significant potential for combating climate change.” Fast-growing trees such as poplar, eucalyptus, pine and spruce grow rapidly in suitable conditions, and these and other fast-growing species have been developed and used for millennia around the world to provide timber, fibre, energy and non-wood products. Many of these tree species not only grow fast but can colonize bare or degraded lands and adapt to poor conditions, rapidly turning dry areas green and productive by providing ‘ecosystem services’ such as watershed protection, climate regulation, better quality soil. With climate change posing threats to all forests, planting fast growing trees has increasingly become a vital part of the strategy in the global effort to reverse deforestation and mitigate the effects of climate change. The FAO-IPC publication emphasises the need for investment in planning and cultivating fast-growing trees as effectively and widely as possible to support the transition towards sustainable and productive agrifood systems and as part of action to restore degraded land, driven by the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2020-2030), to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Currently, 93% of the forest area worldwide is composed of naturally regenerating forests and 7% is planted, according to FAOs Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020. With global demand for wood products expected to increase by a third by 2050 and global temperatures and extreme weather requiring rapid adaptation and resilience-building, the new IPC publication aims to provide vital information to a wide range of stakeholders including researchers, landowners, land managers and planners and policymakers. Divided into eight sections, it explains the potential of fast-growing trees and their vulnerabilities, the ecosystem services they provide, their socioeconomic benefits and best practices for sustainable management of fast-growing trees in different environments and for different uses. These include landscape restoration, wood production, agroforestry and urban and peri-urban forests. Providing clear facts and figures and examples of best practice and innovations, with scientific references and graphs illustrating trends, it aims to enable the scaling up of successful planting of fast-growing trees worldwide.

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The author undertook this 5-year review of the alpine area post the 2019/ 20 Dunns Road bushfire, in particular the Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) section and areas to the west and south of this.  One of the reasons for this review was to provide a detailed photographic record 5 years after the Dunns Road bushfire and also consider opportunities to better manage the land and vegetation. Source: John O’Donnell The review involved an assessment of 100 kilometres of forest, woodland and grassland areas of the NSW alps next to sealed roads affected by the 2019/ 2020 Dunns Road bushfire. The author believes in the importance of providing alternative opinions in order to optimise fire management in this important area. The full review is here. The 2019/ 20 bushfires had a disastrous impact across the KNP landscape, as evidenced by the information in this review and photographs above.  The same disastrous impact applied with the 2003 KNP bushfires and earlier intense bushfires. The author considers that current fire management approaches across this landscape are not working. The current small scale prescribed burn approach is not going to work in the KNP, the areas to the west nor elsewhere.  Across NSW, prescribed burning of forested areas has an average of 0.6 % of forests per year over the last seven years.  Section 4.1 outlines current prescribed burning rates in KNP, in reality they are very low, although slightly higher than the very low recent NSW prescribed burning of forests % average. Over the landscape, fuels now contain a high proportion of woody material and for many years subsequent bushfires will have long burnout periods and be more damaging to the regenerating trees and vegetation. The author and others consider that it should be the aim of management of all forests that the scale and degree of impact of high intensity bushfires should be limited in extent as far as possible.  And this can only be done by professionally targeted and applied prescribed burning and cooperation between all key parties. The same applies to setting up fire resilient landscapes. Fire fighter and community safety are also very important. The author considers that repeat bushfires at 6 to 10 years post 2019/ 2020 may be a whole different proposition and likely result in large scale vegetation changes.  With the large fuel loads within KNP from the 2003, 2019/ 20, earlier bushfires and other areas of high fuel loads outside these areas, repeat bushfires and megafires are possible in any bad fire season, or maybe not even a bad fire season. Thirteen opportunities have been identified in Section 5 that represent real opportunities to start turning current fire management around.  The author has made the effort to document these opportunities in good faith and like most, wants to see a fire resilient, health and fire safe alps.  

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A Journal of Forestry Research article has highlighted Scion’s work to improve propagation and increase the production of indigenous species in nurseries. Source: Timberbiz The article showcases a New Zealand-first study that investigated the impact of container grade size on the survival and field performance of 12 key natives – to better understand the link between containers and post-planting seedling survival and growth performance. The study saw Scion raise seedlings from the 12 native species in different container sizes and testing how they performed in good or poor-quality sites. Scion collaborated with Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, Minginui Nursery, CNI Iwi land Management, the Tumunui Land Trust, Timberlands, Rotorua Lakes Council and the Tipu Waiariki Charitable Trust (Tipu Wai), which provided the sites and helped with preparation and planting. Industry-standard pots were compared with smaller containers such as 7cm and 8cm paper Ellepots and forestry-grade pots. The effect of differences in length of time, type of container and tree spacing were monitored to determine the impact on survival rates and tree growth. Program lead David Siqueira says results showed high-quality sites and larger container systems tended to promote higher survival and faster early growth. “Some species, such as Leptospermum scoparium (manuka), survived and grew well (>75%), even when raised in small containers, while others such as Sophora microphylla (kowhai) had very low survival rates (< 25%) even when raised in revegetation container grade sizes,” he said. Other species such as Aristotelia serrata (wineberry), Cordyline australis (cabbage tree), Plagianthus regius (ribbonwood) and Podocarpus totara appeared to depend more on site quality. “The results show the importance of aligning the choice of container grade size to the needs of individual species,” Mr Siqueira said. “Nursery container systems for raising New Zealand native plants should be chosen based on the biology of the species, nursery management practices, quality of the planting site and a balance between cost and benefit for each situation.” Nurseries have traditionally used large containers to successfully establish native species, but this is labour-intensive at the planting stage and limits the rate of establishment. Seedlings raised in larger containers can suffer greater transplantation shock, which hinders post-planting survival and growth performance. “The conventional approach of sowing native seed, setting out and then growing in containers takes 12-36 months, adding significantly to native tree establishment costs over typical New Zealand-grown exotic forest trees,” Mr Siqueira said. “By building a better understanding of how container size affects native tree growth, we hope this research will result in more plantings of native forests, increasing New Zealand’s biodiversity and contributing to the mitigation of climate change.” This research supports forestry-scale deployment of indigenous species under New Zealand’s One Billion Trees (1BT) Program. The report can be found at Container size and site quality affect survival and early growth performance of New Zealand native tree species, Journal of Forestry Research.

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The Australian Forest Contractors Association (AFCA) will hold its AGM on 18-19 September in Canberra this year. Source: Timberbiz Alongside the AFCA AGM there will be a demo day hosted by Onetrak and Tigercat. Onetrak and Tigercat will also host the dinner, and there will be a breakfast hosted by ARTes and Mobius as part of the event. AFCA has also changed its mailing address, which is now PO Box 49, Dalton, NSW 2581. For more information contact Charlotte Hobbs AFCA Engagement Manager office@afca.asn.au  

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A New Zealand study has found the country’s native forests are absorbing more carbon dioxide (CO₂) than previously thought. Source: Timberbiz Study leader, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd’s atmospheric scientist Dr Beata Bukosa, says the findings could have implications for New Zealand’s greenhouse gas reporting, carbon credit costs, and climate and land-use policies. She says forests both native and exotic, play a vital role in absorbing CO₂ through photosynthesis, but previous studies may have underestimated the amount of carbon taken up by New Zealand’s mature indigenous forests, which were thought to be roughly carbon neutral. Using advanced modelling and NIWA’s supercomputer, the researchers examined a decade of atmospheric data, from 2011 to 2020, to better estimate the amount of CO₂ absorbed by New Zealand’s land ecosystems. The NIWA team worked with collaborators at GNS Science and Manaaki Whenua as well as other New Zealand and overseas universities and institutes. The team used an inverse modelling technique – this combines atmospheric greenhouse gases with a model showing how air is transported through the atmosphere to identify CO₂ sources and sinks and compared the results against New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory as well as ‘bottom-up’ models. While the Inventory applies a combination of field inventory, modelling, and remote sensing to quantify forest carbon stocks and stock changes, the ‘bottom-up’ models use calculations based on ecosystem processes, land use and climate across the country, “It was thought that some areas and land use types were in a near-balance state with the absorption and release of CO₂. Earlier estimates of how much carbon was removed by New Zealand land ecosystems ranged from a net 24 to 118 million tonnes a year,” said Dr Bukosa. “Our research found that New Zealand’s natural environment absorbed approximately 171 million tonnes of CO₂ annually.” She says the largest differences between earlier estimates and the new findings came in the South Island. “This was especially in areas dominated by mature native forests and certain grazing lands. We also found seasonal variation, as during autumn and winter, less CO₂ is released into the atmosphere than earlier estimates suggested.” The research follows a pilot study in 2017, which also suggested indigenous forest in Fiordland might be absorbing more CO2 than expected. “That study was based on only three years of data, and we weren’t sure if it was just a transient effect related to the climatic conditions, or if the effect was confined to Fiordland. Our new study shows the carbon sink is more widespread than we thought, particularly across the South Island, with greater uptake of CO2 extending up the West Coast,” said Dr Bukosa. “With improvements in our modelling techniques, and data coverage, we’ve now shown the extra carbon uptake has persisted for at least a decade. More research could help us understand exactly why our method has shown such a difference in the carbon source and sink balance compared with other methods.” Inverse modelling provides an independent estimate of emissions that can complement inventory-based approaches for emissions reporting, she says. “New Zealand was the first country to develop the capability to infer national CO₂ emissions from atmospheric data and has since supported other countries to develop similar capability.” Dr Andrea Brandon, a Ministry for the Environment principal scientist who co-authored the study, said the findings help build a clearer picture of the role New Zealand’s natural systems play in absorbing emissions from the atmosphere. However, further work will be needed before they can be included in official emissions reporting. “We continually improve the Inventory – New Zealand’s annual record of emissions and removals – as new science and evidence comes to light. This ensures we have robust information so that we continue to meet our international reporting obligations,” she said. “The findings from this study indicate there may be additional carbon uptake somewhere in the system that we are currently not tracking. We need to identify what we are missing so that we can further refine our Inventory methods to capture it.” Dr Bukosa says the results, due to be published shortly in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics and available here in preprint, have important implications for New Zealand’s tracking of carbon emissions and climate policies. “We need to better understand why our native forests are absorbing more CO₂ than expected, and what this could mean for our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve our domestic and international targets.” The research was part of a NIWA-led, MBIE-funded Endeavour programme called CarbonWatch NZ, which ended last year. NIWA principal scientist Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher led CarbonWatch NZ and says the team is now looking to extend this work to definitively solve the puzzle of the difference in carbon between inventory methods and atmospheric measurements. “This research suggests that we could make the most of opportunities to slow climate change through changes to land management. Projections suggest New Zealand will need 84 million tonnes of emissions reductions on top of what can be done at home to meet its 2030 international commitments under the Paris Agreement. In addition to reducing the need for overseas offsets, better management of our native forests and other lands could enable New Zealand to be long-term stewards of our carbon sinks and offer magnificent biodiversity co-benefits,” says Dr Mikaloff-Fletcher.

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Tasmania’s timber industry is preparing for its biggest celebration yet, with nominations now open for the 2025 Tasmanian Timber Awards. The biennial event will culminate in a black-tie Gala Awards Dinner on Friday, 5 September at the Tailrace Centre in Launceston. Source: Timberbiz Proudly presented by the Tasmanian Forests and Forest Products Network (TFFPN), the Awards bring together the sector to recognise the people, projects and passion that shape one of the state’s most vital industries. “The Tasmanian Timber Awards showcase the innovation, resilience and pride that drive this sector forward,” said Professor Julianne O’Reilly Wapstra, Chair of the TFFPN Board. “They are an opportunity to highlight those who work, often behind the scenes, to make a real difference across the supply chain. I warmly encourage individuals and organisations to submit a nomination and join us in celebrating our shared success.” Following the success of the 2019, 2021 and 2023 events, the 2025 Awards will feature 12 categories recognising excellence from the forest floor to final product including harvesting, processing, innovation, design, safety and environmental practice. Refinements to the judging and nomination process, based on industry feedback, aim to encourage wide participation and ensure the Awards remain the industry’s ‘night of nights.’ For 2023 winner, Indicium Dynamics, who received the Innovation Award, the recognition was a turning point. “Winning the Innovation Award at the 2023 Tasmanian Timber Awards highlighted the powerful role that technology can play in helping land managers understand their impact on the environment,” said Rob Vernon, CEO of Indicium Dynamics. “It also reflected our dedication to applying technology in new and practical ways to support more sustainable use of natural resources across Tasmania’s agricultural and forestry industries. “The awards are an important platform for recognising progress and innovation, we encourage others to nominate and help showcase the incredible work being done across the sector,” he said. Mike Ross, Chief Technology Officer at Indicium Dynamics said that award ceremonies play such an important role in any industry. “They give us a moment to pause and recognise the hard work, innovation and impact being achieved not just within individual organisations, but across the sector as a whole. “They also create space to share ideas, inspire others, and build a sense of momentum around what’s possible when we work towards a common goal.” Dr Nathan Kotlarewski, winner of the 2023 Emerging Leader in the Tasmanian Timber Industry Award, said the recognition shines a light on the values that define the sector. The Tasmanian Timber Awards reflect the holistic network of relationships, resilience, leadership and best practice within our communities. They highlight the innovation, dedication and sustainable practices that define our industry and the people who choose to be part of it. “We celebrate these awards to demonstrate local excellence and inspire future generations to champion a future where timber continues to be a cornerstone of Tasmania’s economy and communities,” he said Guests at the Gala Awards Dinner can look forward to an evening of connection, inspiration and celebration with fine food, outstanding company and the remarkable stories behind Tasmania’s timber sector on full display. “We’re expecting another sell-out event and look forward to welcoming everyone, from trainees to trailblazers, to what promises to be an unforgettable evening,” Professor O’Reilly said. Nominations for the 2025 Tasmanian Timber Awards are now open. To view the full list of award categories, nomination criteria and ticketing information go to https://www.tffpn.com.au/tta-award-categories/  

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The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) thanks Minister for the Environment, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, for the invitation to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Reforms Roundtable, in Canberra. Source: Timberbiz The key message from AFPA to those assembled was that reform of Australia’s environmental laws must recognise the nation’s environmental, economic, and social goals and that sustainable native forestry and much needed plantation forestry is vital if Australia is to achieve its decarbonisation ambitions. Attended by AFPA Chief Executive Officer Diana Hallam, the Roundtable included representatives from across environmental, industry and property sectors, and discussed the Albanese Government’s EPBC Act reform agenda, including the establishment of a national Environment Protection Agency (EPA) along with National Environmental Standards. “When invited by the Minister to speak, I made it clear that we support EPBC Act reform, but that sustainable native and plantation forestry must be allowed to continue and grow in recognition of its importance to Australia’s climate goals,” Ms Hallam said. “I alerted those gathered that in the five years since the independent review of the EPBC Act (the Samuel Review) was handed to government there have been many developments in science, innovation and data capture that demonstrate forestry’s improved custodianship of the environment. “We have also seen some terrible consequences arising from decisions made in haste that have been to the detriment of forest industries and the environment. “For example, since the removal of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) and abolition of VicForests, the Victorian Government is now forced to pay forest contractors $72 million annually for bushfire management. “Expanses of Victorian Mountain Ash have failed to regrow following severe bushfires, something VicForests would have been legally required to address, and uncertainty reigns because EPBC Act approval requirements remain unclear without the RFA and VicForests guidance impeding plantation investment. “More recently an Australian Federal Court decision in January 2024 confirmed that Regional Forest Agreements are achieving the objects of the EPBC Act and it is noteworthy that the NSW North East RFA references the EPBC Act 94 times. “Improvements to Australia’s environmental laws will help provide regulatory certainty and allow Australia’s forest industries to be rightfully acknowledged as leading practitioners of ecologically sustainable development. “Without native and plantation forestry, we cannot protect the environment, and we cannot decarbonise the economy. A strong forestry sector is required to meet so many of Australia’s future challenges, and its essential the Albanese Government’s EPBC Act Reforms support a strong forestry industry going forward,” Ms Hallam concluded.

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More than 650 of the world’s top timber engineers have attended the opening ceremony of the World Conference on Timber Engineering in Brisbane. Source: Jason Ross The first WCTE to be held in Australia, home to some of the world’s most ambitious mid-rise and high-rise timber buildings — Professor Keith Crews, chair of WCTE 2025, welcomed delegates from 44 countries to the June 22-26 conference, which will eventually see up to 1000 delegates attend the five-day conference. Addressing a packed auditorium at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) in South Bank, Professor Crews revealed that behind Australia (with 250 delegates), Japan (127), Canada (68), the United States (60), New Zealand (52) and Germany were the countries with the most representatives at the conference, with this year’s theme focused on “Advancing Timber for the Future Building Environment.” Among the delegates was Karl-Heinz Weiss, the first of several keynote speakers at the conference. Speaking to from the auditorium stage, Weiss, considered a pioneer in UK and Australian-based engineered timber, said that Australia’s timber engineering history dates back more than a century. “Atlassian (the 39-storey hybrid skyscraper that is currently under construction over Sydney’s Central Station) is making headlines, but its background is much deeper,” he said.

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Seeds from two trees that survived the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima at the end of World War Two are being grown at Keele University, in Newcastle UK, as part of an international project to promote peace and hope. Source: Timberbiz The seeds were collected from an oriental plane tree (Platanus orientalis) in the grounds of the Tenma Elementary School, which was destroyed by the bombing and a 200-year-old ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) growing in Shukkeien Garden. Both trees were situated less than a mile from the bomb site on 6 August 1945 and miraculously survived the bombing. They will now be cared for by experts at the university until they become tall and sturdy enough to be planted in the ground. The seeds were sent to Keele through the Green Legacy Hiroshima initiative, which aims to distribute seeds and saplings from ‘survivor trees’ worldwide. “It is a great honour to have the opportunity to nurture seeds from trees that survived the Hiroshima bombing,” Dr Sarah Taylor, a lecturer in ecology at Keele, said. “Now that we have the seeds, we can begin quite a long painstaking process of propagation and nurturing. The seeds will be sown onto compost and kept in heated plant propagators until signs of germination appear. “The seedlings will need to be nurtured for several years before they are large enough to plant on the university campus, where we hope they will be a source of reflection and inspiration for a long time. “Although they are tiny right now, they are still very powerful symbols of peace and hope and have so much history connected to them. It’s going to be exciting to see the first green shoots rise from the earth.” Keele is the 19th UK partner of the Green Legacy Hiroshima initiative. The project was brought to the attention of the University’s arboretum committee by Franco Castro Escobar following his postgraduate research trip to Hiroshima in the summer of 2024. “Keele has a special connection with Japan through the collection of cherry trees that we have on our campus, and this project will build on that relationship,” Mr Escobar said.

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Stora Enso is initiating a strategic review of its Swedish forest assets. The review includes assessing a potential separation and public listing of the forest assets through a partial demerger. Source: Timberbiz The initiative aims to further increase business focus, streamline operations, and fully unlock the value of both the forest assets and Stora Enso’s core packaging business. As part of this review, Stora Enso will explore various options, including a potential separation and listing of the forest business through a partial demerger into a new company that would be wholly owned by all Stora Enso shareholders. This move aims to establish two robust and independent entities, each with heightened focus and strategic agility. Stora Enso would continue to lead in renewable packaging, with strong market positions and more flexible, integrated, and cost-competitive production. Meanwhile, the Swedish forest business would emerge as Europe’s largest listed pure forest company, owning a unique class of assets with anticipated long-term value appreciation and potential for significant new revenue streams. Following the recent agreement to divest approximately 175,000 hectares of Swedish forestland for an enterprise value of EUR 900 million, in line with book value, Stora Enso retains ownership of over 1.2 million hectares (1.0 million hectares of productive forestland) in Sweden, with a fair value of approximately EUR 5.8 billion as of 31 March 2025. While these assets are integral to Stora Enso’s wood supply chain, they possess a distinct operational, financial, and strategic profile. “Our Swedish forest assets exemplify excellence in sustainable forestry operations and environmental stewardship,” said Hans Sohlström, President and CEO of Stora Enso. “Initiating this strategic review underscores our commitment to maximising shareholder value while ensuring alignment with our long-term strategic objectives. By evaluating various strategic options, we aim to enhance business focus, reduce complexity, and unlock the full potential of both our forest and industrial assets.” Stora Enso plans to provide an update on the strategic review by the end of 2025. All changes are subject to co-determination negotiations and other potential legal procedures in all impacted countries.

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The International Sustainable Forestry Coalition (ISFC) has welcomed the release by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) of its new Standard covering the way greenhouse gas accounting should be applied to wood and wood-based products. Source: Timberbiz Until the publication of this Standard, there had not been an internationally agreed upon accounting approach for biogenic carbon emissions and removals – an important piece of the puzzle to support corporate climate action and reach global net zero targets. The new series is ISO 13391 Wood and wood-based products — Greenhouse gas dynamics and covers all essential components of carbon accounting for the sector: carbon in forests, carbon in harvested wood products and potential greenhouse gas emissions avoided through the use of wood-based products instead of fossil-based products. “The forestry and forest products sector is a vital contributor to global net zero ambitions – removing and storing carbon in the trees in our productive and conservation forests, and in the wood and paper products, which also play an important role in the circular bioeconomy, replacing fossil-based products,” Chief Executive Officer of the ISFC Ross Hampton said, “However, the role of the forests and forest products sector in the battle to meet global emission reductions goals has been hamstrung by a lack of an internationally agreed accounting process to underpin the calculations covering how much carbon is stored in forests and forest products. “For this reason, we congratulate ISO, and the national standards bodies* which feed into the ISO process, for this definitive work.” ISFC encourages ISO to complete its full suite of standards for GHG accounting and corporate net zero as soon as possible to ensure maximum uptake as time is critical in the battle against a warming climate. ISO 13391 parts 1 and 2 is considered a complement to the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol’s Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, which is widely used by ISFC Members and the global business community. The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard is generally recognised as the appropriate way to account for organisational level GHG fossil-based emissions.

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New Zealand’s Fieldays held at Mystery Creek last week was full of tractors, the latest agricultural technology, gumboots and more. But it also provided a glimpse into a different world. Source: Timberbiz This year Scion sponsored the Forestry Hub stage, where there were plenty of conversations around gene technologies, native trees, the circular bioeconomy and more. Scion scientists Peter Clinton, Diahanna O’Callahan and Simeon Smaill talked about how forestry and agriculture can work together to address climate challenges, why treated radiata pine is built to last and how we can apply radiata pine growth learnings to create indigenous forests. Scion chief operating officer Florian Graichen also attended this year and said the event was a whirlwind of inspiration and collaboration. His highlights include a visit to the inaugural German Pavilion, which featured more than 10 leading agri-businesses, and meeting European Union Ambassador to New Zealand Lawrence Meredith, which could help Scion identify new collaborative opportunities with Europe. “The Scion team had a great time sharing their cutting-edge science, catching up with friends and business contacts and making new connections,” Mr Graichen said. Mr Graichen, Alec Foster of GM Forests to Bio-based Products and portfolio lead Marc Gaugler featured on the Forestry Hub stage. Mr Craichen and Mr Foster shared insights on the future of biotechnology and Scion’s continued innovations to help transform forestry exports, and the exciting journey as we join the Bioeconomy Science Institute from 1 July 1. Mr Gaugler focused on the bioeconomy in the forest: Transforming trees into tomorrow’s products. He also showed international examples of commercially established products that add value to forest resources and could help increase exports from NZ resources. Scion’s innovations aim to embrace opportunities and solve challenges as New Zealand moves to a circular bioeconomy focused on sustainable design and renewable resources.

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Gisborne Council, New Zealand was on the ground on at Porangahau Station in Te Karaka, sharing practical insights and supporting landowners at Beef + Lamb NZ and Te Uru Rākau’s ‘Planting for Profit Field Day’. Source: Timberbiz The event brought together farmers, land managers, and forestry advisors for a farm tour and a series of workshops focused on land management. Sessions covered practical topics such as carbon forestry 101, how to navigate the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), strategies for erosion control, riparian planting and building farm resilience through proper planning. Bryce McLoughlin, Senior Land Management Advisor, was a key speaker presenting how Council is working alongside the community to support sustainable land use across Tairāwhiti. “Every property is different – and that’s why we have our land management advisors out there, working directly with landowners to provide tailored support.” “We’re helping farmers, land managers and landowners make informed decisions using the latest science and planning tools.” Mr McLoughlin also shared how Council is using science and powerful technology to better understand the landscape and support long-term change. “We now have access to technology and modelling we’ve never had before.” “It’s helping us understand the land in much more detail and that means we can give more precise advice and support to landowners.” This includes access to high-resolution LiDAR data, a landslide susceptibility and connectivity model, gully assessments, and field verification – which are all tools Council is using to guide smarter land use. The farm tour also provided a space for farmers and advisors to share their observations, suggestions and lessons learned from their own properties. There were various discussions ranging from where to focus erosion control to how planting could complement existing land use. Speakers also included forestry advisor Tim Petro, who gave a practical overview of carbon farming, and Danielle Castles from Te Uru Rākau, who led a workshop on the ETS. Mr McLoughlin said events like these are a valuable opportunity to connect with locals and strengthen relationships. “Having these conversations are incredibly valuable for our team,” he said. “It helps us ensure Council’s work reflects what’s happening on the ground and the priorities of the people who work and live here.” For more information on Council’s sustainable land use work programme, visit www.gdc.govt.nz

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Sustainable Timber Tasmania CEO Steve Whiteley will retire at the conclusion of his current term. STT’s General Manager Operations Greg Hickey will take over as acting Chief Executive Officer effective from 1 July. Source: Timberbiz STT chairman Rob de Fegely said Mr Whiteley had successfully guided the organisation through a period of significant transformation. “His vision and commitment have been instrumental in positioning the organisation for long-term success,” Mr de Fegely said. “On behalf of the Board, I extend our sincere thanks for his outstanding contribution.” Mr de Fegely said that Mr Hickey brings extensive experience in Tasmania’s forest industry and is exceptionally well-placed to lead the organisation during this transition. “Supported by the executive team, Mr Hickey will provide stability and direction as the Board undertakes a national recruitment process for a permanent Chief Executive Officer,” he said. “Sustainable Timber Tasmania enters this new chapter with strong momentum and remains focused on delivering sustainable outcomes for Tasmania’s public production forests, while continuing to provide value to the Tasmanian community.” Australian Forest Products Association CEO Diana Hallam paid tribute to Mr Whiteley. “On behalf of Australia’s forest industries, I congratulate Steve on his career that has included more than 40 years of dedicated service to STT, the broader industry, as well as service as an Independent Director on the AFPA Board since 2018,” she said. “It was clear to me when I joined AFPA last year as someone new to the industry, that Steve was a well-respected industry leader who provided a steady hand, vision and commitment to the management of STT, as well as quality advice to the rest of the industry through his role on the AFPA Board. “It’s no surprise to me that Steve’s leadership has been instrumental to positioning STT for long-term success and I particularly thank him for his advice, insights and contribution with regards to Tasmanian forestry and human resources matters for AFPA.”  

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In a landmark move to accelerate the future of sustainable construction, CLT Toolbox is making its complete, top-tier “Pro” software platform available entirely free to every university student and educator worldwide. Source: Timberbiz The offer is effective immediately until June 30, 2026, and is for the full professional toolkit and is available to all students in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, UK, USA and Canada. Students and faculty get unrestricted access to: A complete suite of advanced design calculators for Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), Glued-Laminated Timber (GLT), members, and connections. Complex design capabilities, including ambient and fire design for floors and walls, shear wall and diaphragm analysis, and intricate connection detailing. Compliance with multiple international standards, including Eurocode 5 and Australian/New Zealand Standards. Transparent calculation routines, a key feature that allows students to inspect the underlying logic and bridge the gap between academic theory and professional practice. Flexibility to select from a diverse range of trusted partner products across the mass timber supply chain. This provides you with the freedom to choose from a comprehensive library of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), Glued-Laminated Timber (GLT), and connection systems from leading manufacturers, ensuring your designs meet specific project requirements and regional availability. The company says this initiative is its investment in building the essential educational infrastructure needed to empower the next generation of engineers and decarbonize the built environment. The company says this initiative comes at a critical time. The global construction industry is under immense pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, with building materials accounting for 11% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Mass timber stands out as a proven, scalable solution – the only mainstream structural material that is renewable and acts as a carbon sink. Studies show that using mass timber can reduce a building’s embodied carbon by up to 75% compared to traditional concrete and steel structures. With the global mass timber market projected to grow to US$1.3 Billion by 2030, this program is designed to cultivate the skilled workforce needed to meet this surging demand. The announcement has been timed to precede the World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE) 2025 in Brisbane. As the world’s premier forum for presenting the latest technical innovations in timber engineering, WCTE brings together the exact community of researchers, educators, and practitioners this initiative seeks to empower. By launching ahead of this key event, CLT Toolbox aims to signal its deep commitment to and alignment with the global academic and research community driving the future of timber construction. “My own university experience included only four weeks of timber education. When I wanted to tackle a mass timber project for my final year thesis, I had to teach myself everything from scratch,” said Adam Jones, CEO of CLT Toolbox. “If a tool like CLT Toolbox had been available to me then, it would have been a game-changer. By making our professional-grade platform free for all students, we are removing that friction and empowering them to design with sustainable materials from day one. “Access to professional-grade tools like CLT Toolbox at the university level is a game-changer. It bridges the gap between theory and practice, equipping our students with the skills needed to lead the sustainable building revolution from day one of their careers.” University faculty, deans, and academic administrators can register their institutions for free global access for all students and staff by visiting clttoolbox.com, signing up with student email & sharing proof of studies to Corey Jones at corey.jones@clttoolbox.com.au

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Australia’s forest industries are disappointed the Commonwealth and State governments have given up trying to eradicate the insidious Polyphagous Shot-hole borer (PSHB), a tiny, imported beetle with the potential to destroy Australian forests and devastate our forestry industry. Source: Timberbiz The National Management Group (NMG) met on Wednesday and determined it was no longer feasible to eradicate the pest and a transition to management will now be finalised. “We’re disappointed that governments have effectively accepted the PSHB is here and here to stay. The likelihood it spreads from metropolitan Perth to other parts of the country has increased as a consequence of the decision to move from an eradication to a management strategy,” Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association Diana Hallam said. The Polyphagous Shot-Hole Borer is a damaging tree pest that could seriously impact forestry industries and destroy trees and ecosystems from local gardens to national parks Australia-wide. The beetle, first detected in WA in 2021, is spreading through backyards, urban forests and native reserves across metropolitan Perth killing trees. “The risk this beetle poses to trees in forestry operations, national parks, reserves and even backyards is immense and the cost borne by our industry and other stakeholders, like local councils, to prevent its spread and manage its risk will unfortunately, likely increase. “We know 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,” Ms Hallam said. “Despite our disappointment, we do welcome the Western Australian Government’s commitment of $26.5 million towards the PSHB response in the State’s Budget announced this week. “AFPA will continue to work with our industry and other stakeholders on the impact of the NMG’s decision and protecting forestry operations from the PSHB moving forward.”

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Timber engineers from all corners of the globe toured the world’s largest timber hybrid building this week in preparation for the World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE 2025) next week in Brisbane. Source: Jason Ross Wood Central The world’s largest timber-hybrid building under construction described as a “timber building inside a much larger building” is now visible across most parts of the Sydney CBD, with crews working to build the 39-storey skyscraper over the city’s central train station. It comes as dozens of the world’s top timber engineers toured the Atlassian Central Tower site on Thursday where they heard from Tim Allen, TTW’s timber structural lead and Tim Crawshaw, BVN’s project architect about the project, which will eventually see 30,000 cubic metres of cross-laminated timber and glulam supplied by European giants Stora Enso and Wieharg used in the construction of the building’s timber habitats. Wood Central understands that the habitats comprise seven different four-storey infills, with three levels of cross-laminated timber flooring (per habitat) sandwiched between steel and concrete floor plates. Speaking about the project last year, Mr Allen said the floors connect to the concrete floors via drag straps, using a lateral design that is one of the most advanced in the world. “Why build a 39-storey building partly out of timber? “It comes down to using the right timber for the right application,” he said. Today delegates will see several of Sydney’s other timber buildings, including the Eric Tweedale Stadium (winner of the 2021 Australian Timber Design Awards), the Macquarie Incubator and Law School, and Lendlease’s International House, the winner of the 2018 World Architecture Festival, Best Use of Certified Timber.

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In the April edition of the Builders Bulletin, Jeff Harvey stated some facts, repeated over the years by Jeff and the industry. Starting with the basic facts that our trees grow on rain and solar energy and are easily regrown – the ultimate “Carbon Capture and Storage Technology.” At the same time, although eucalyptus are great carbon (CO2) absorbers in their early years of life, they absorb less CO2 as they approach 80 to 100 years, drop branches and leaves, become carbon neutral and eventually, carbon negative. Management for the harvesting and regeneration of regrowth timber is not allowed through changes to State Government policy in 100% of Victoria’s native state forests. Previously the Victorian timber industry was harvesting only 0.04% per annum of total forests ie the equivalent of about four trees in every 10,000, from previously disturbed forest and all harvesting is replanted. I wonder how this 0.04% could possibly be unsustainable as the Victorian state government (under Dan Andrews) has decided? A tree grows on solar energy, absorbing carbon dioxide naturally. That carbon dioxide (CO2) is converted into carbon that is captured in the timber products we produce and sell. Approximately half of the dry weight of timber is carbon. All old growth forests are locked up and have been for many years. The timber industry has sustainable forest practices, the basis of which is to replant at least 4 trees for every tree harvested. Taking all the above into account, there is now an Industry Active Forest Management Strategy that I believe makes sense and would (should) satisfy all parties that are interested in the future of our native forests and the role timber can play in our quest for a liveable environment. Solutions that deliver important benefits and wider community needs including – forest health and resilience, reduced wildfire risk, greater biodiversity and wildlife protection outcomes, and also sustainable, renewable, local and independently certified Victorian hardwood products. Interrogate the forest management research to understand broader views rather than base forest management on narrow viewpoints. Some of this work has been completed. The current situation of no native forest operations enables the opportunity to consider forest management from scratch-a fresh start. The fresh start would not consider the industrial type of clear fall harvesting or coupe burning. Selective harvesting widely practised in the hardwood forests of Europe and USA for centuries have maintained the same forest and biodiversity in perpetuity. There is no burning of slash. Harvesting is low intensity so any remaining slash cannot carry a continuous fire. Crown cover is maintained not allowing too much light that would encourage fire prone ground species. Selective harvesting incorporates all forest values and is now being successfully practiced in Tasmanian private forests, with the same species as in Victoria under strict approved Forest Practices Plans This a low-cost model that enables funding for forest improvement and fire prevention and suppression work and the management of pest plant and animals. It is also self-funding. Monitoring is an important component both before and after forest activities to both show improvement and improve forest management practices. Currently much of the forest is unhealthy. There is a lack of resources to implement healthy forest management regimes. Forests are more susceptible to wildfire because flora has changed and there is not the access or intent to conduct low intensity burning. There is limited access to quickly control fires using existing roads and tracks. Pest Flora (eg weeds-blackberry, St John’s wort, ragwort, oxalis) are unmanaged, abundant and widespread. There is limited access to control. Pest Fauna (eg deer, foxes, dogs, cats, European wasps) are unmanaged, abundant and widespread. There is limited access to control. There is not enough money to manage state forests or national parks. All of the above reduces biodiversity values. Active Forest Management Offers a solution. Select harvesting of some areas allows healthy forests to grow. There is no burning and therefore no immediate carbon emission. Active forest management enables a better climate change solution as more carbon is stored in the forest and in forest products than under a lock it up system. Access is continually maintained for the management of pest flora, fauna, forest health and to control fires. Low-cost selective harvesting (no seed collection, burning or regeneration programs are required). Forest produce maintains an income for sustainable management. The industry accepts harvesting and maintaining road access costs are higher than the previous more intensive industrial harvesting and ‘cut out get out’ roading, and that these funds are used for whole of forest management. Healthy forests enable fire prevention and reduce the fire protection costs by having smaller less intense wildfires (saving the Victorian taxpayer). Jack Bowen is the chairman of Bowens Timber

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