Australian timber industry news

Scientists at the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) have published a study that is set to lift the game in emissions reporting for high-carbon wetland ecosystems. Source: Timberbiz For countries’ emission-reduction efforts under the Paris Agreement to be effective and to grow trust in climate finance schemes more broadly baseline emission/removals levels and reporting must be as transparent and accurate as possible. In the Indonesian context, that means taking a closer look at its wealth of high-carbon tropical peatlands and mangrove forests, of which it holds some of the largest areas in the world and which currently sequester a combined total of around 31.2 gigatonnes of carbon. About 60% of Indonesia’s national emission reduction targets by 2030 depend on mitigation in the Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) sector. Yet national emissions continue to grow, with the sector contributing as much as 50% at present. As such, protecting and restoring mangroves and peatlands ought to be a high priority for national emission reduction efforts. While deforestation in these landscapes has slowed over the past two decades, further avoidance of deforestation and degradation of these high-C reservoirs is a must to achieve ambitious targets of FOLU Net Sinks by 2030. “Carbon-rich peatlands and mangroves are key ecosystems to manage as far as land-based mitigation strategies are concerned,” said Daniel Murdiyarso, a principal scientist at CIFOR-ICRAF and lead author of the study. That means the country has a particular need for high-accuracy greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and improved national forest reference emissions levels (FREL) for these ecosystems, a need that has not been fully addressed to date. “While Indonesia moved from using Tier 1 IPCC default emission factors (EF) for drained peatlands in its FREL 2016 to Tier 2 EF in its FREL 2022, the later were not developed following the IPCC guidelines – with significant implications for GHG accounting,” said contributing author and CIFOR-ICRAF senior scientist Kristell Hergoualc’h. In this context, the research team explored scientific challenges and gaps to develop high tiers and refined emission factors for Indonesia’s drained and rewetted peatlands, peat fires, converted mangroves, and mangroves on peatlands. Significantly, they found that about 10% of Indonesian mangroves fall into this last category. “This unique combination of two wetland ecosystems located in the same landscape is currently understudied, posing technical challenges for high quality GHG inventory and reporting, and should be prioritised for future research,” said contributing author and senior research officer at James Cook University, Sigit Sasmito. Overall, the authors emphasized that emission reduction estimates will be much more accurate whenever high tier emission factors are employed. “The research outputs provide a roadmap for reducing uncertainty in accounting of GHG emissions and uptakes by Indonesian peatlands and mangroves,” said contributing author and CIFOR-ICRAF researcher Erin Swails. With improved certainty on these subjects, programmes and projects will be able to take a more unified approach to support ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), and Indonesia will be well poised to take the lead globally in emission reductions in the FOLU sector. Such clarity will also build confidence in financial investment, as high-quality data will help to secure the involvement of the private sector alongside its public counterpart. “With the application of refined emission factors, the Indonesian government should be more confident to report on emission reduction targets in its second NDC to the Paris Agreement, and well-prepared for the upcoming Global Stocktake in 2028,” said Murdiyarso. “We suggest that these refinements will be essential to support Indonesia in achieving a FOLU net sink by 2030 and net zero emissions targets by 2060 or earlier,” concluded the co-authors. The study can be found here.  

Campaigners are taking legal action to stop four palm oil companies from clearing vast tracts of forest for plantations. Indigenous activists from the Indonesian province of West Papua have held traditional ceremonies outside the country’s Supreme Court in Jakarta calling for their traditional land and forests to be protected from palm oil plantations. Source: Aljazeera Representatives of the Awyu and Moi communities held prayers and performed dances in front of the Supreme Court building as the court was reviewing an appeal in relation to their efforts to revoke permits for four palm oil companies whose proposed plantations threaten their customary forests. Indonesia began legally recognising customary forests in 2016. “We have taken the long, difficult and expensive path from Tanah Papua [Papua homeland] to end up here in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, asking the Supreme Court to restore our rights, and the land that was snatched from us when these palm oil companies were issued permits over it,” said Hendrikus “Franky” Woro, an Awyu Indigenous man. Woro filed an environmental and land rights lawsuit in the Papuan capital of Jayapura challenging the plan by a Malaysian-owned palm oil company to clear tens of thousands of hectares of previously untouched West Papuan Forest, including traditional Indigenous land. Environmental campaign group Greenpeace said the potential emissions from clearing the 26,326 hectares (65,053 acres) of primary forest in its concession would amount to about 23 million tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 5 percent of Indonesia’s annual carbon emissions expected in 2030. The Awyu have also intervened in appeals taken by two other palm oil companies against a decision by the minister of environment and forestry to cancel permits that it had previously issued for them to clear Indigenous lands. The revocation has the potential to save 65,415 hectares (161,644 acres) of pristine rainforest, six times the area of the city of Paris, Greenpeace said. The Supreme Court is the communities’ last chance to defend their customary forest and generations of ancestral heritage. “We have been tormented for years by the threat of our traditional forests being replaced by palm oil plantations. We want to raise our children with the help of nature, and the food and materials we harvest from the forest. Palm oil will destroy our forests, we reject it,” said Rikarda Maa, an Awyu Indigenous woman. The Moi Indigenous community, meanwhile, is fighting to protect thousands of hectares of customary forest that has also been earmarked for palm oil. The company involved had its permits revoked amid community opposition, but lower courts later ruled in favour of the planter. “The judicial panel needs to prioritise aspects of the case that relate to environmental and climate justice, the impact of which will not only be felt by the Awyu and Moi but the entirety of the Indonesian people,” Tigor Hutapea, a member of the legal team from Pusaka Bentala Rakyat, said in a statement. Global Forest Watch, a monitoring platform run by the World Resources Institute, said last month that since 1950, more than 74 million hectares (183 million acres) of Indonesian rainforest — an area twice the size of Germany — had been logged, burned or degraded for the development of palm oil, paper and rubber plantations, nickel mining and other commodities. Indonesia is the world’s biggest producer of palm oil, and Malaysia number two. Indonesia is also a major exporter of commodities such as coal, rubber and tin.

When the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) came into force in June 2023, FSC accelerated several existing projects to align our sustainable forestry standards with the EUDR requirements and develop the required technology solutions to ease compliance for companies. Source: Timberbiz While FSC is finalising its solutions to meet its own robust three-chamber governance requirements, you can already register to see the result. FSC Aligned for EUDR takes the complexity out of EUDR requirements and provides a robust solution to help certificate holders become compliant on time. Join us as we unveil this offering and how it will streamline your compliance journey. Get access to the FSC Aligned Certification for EUDR, supporting companies to fulfil their due diligence obligations. It includes the newly developed FSC Regulatory Module and FSC Risk Assessment Framework and enables EUDR alignment by leveraging FSC’s robust system. Find out how to start implementation immediately. Enjoy a first look at the second part of this modular solution – FSC Aligned Reporting for EUDR. Powered by FSC Blockchain (Beta), it will help companies report on their EUDR Due Diligence activities. While this launch event will provide a short section for questions and answers, FSC will host dedicated technical webinars to dive deep into FSC Aligned Certification for EUDR, where the experts involved will answer technical questions. Simultaneous interpretation into key languages will be offered. Register now: 3 July 2024 Wed, Jul 3, 2024, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM Register at https://www.linkedin.com/events/launchevent-fscalignedforeudr7193967598538022912/  

New Zealand’s wood processing sector is trying to work out how to meet incoming rules around deforestation for exports to Europe. Source: RNZ The European Union (EU) passed deforestation regulations last year asking those sending product to prove their supply chains are free of deforestation. The EUDR (European Union Deforestation Regulation) was expected to affect products including cattle products, palm oil or wood products. New Zealand exported NZ$100 million worth of wood products like wood chips to Europe last year with more than half going to the Netherlands. Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association chief executive Mark Ross said there was some confusion around the new rules, tipped to be implemented in late December, and how they would play out. He said while the industry supported the idea, it needed more clarity. “We support that, but the way they’re going about it, it’s going to be really hard to meet the criteria that they put out there for New Zealand exporters to the European Union countries,” Ross said. He said processors would need to provide documentation detailing where the trees came from before products were processed, and if the forest site was replanted. “They’ll need to have geolocation data that shows where those forests have come from when it comes to wood products,” he said. “We will need to have satellite images like GPS co-ordinates showing where those trees were harvested before they were processed.” He said there could be a challenge for agriculture due to the provision that the export products would not be linked to conversion of natural ecosystems. “If the land’s harvested then converted into agriculture, then you won’t be able to export those products. “So, if it’s harvested and then replanted, you’ll be fine.” It comes as New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreement with the EU comes into force this month. Simultaneously, Export NZ released a report on the agreement called Seizing opportunities through compliance, which detailed the impact of EU tools and provisions like the carbon border adjustment mechanism, green shipping arrangements and the deforestation regulation. It said for forestry, New Zealand’s incoming legal harvest assurance scheme for timber “may ensure compliance with this EU regulation” is due to begin in 2026 – if all goes ahead. The Ministry for Primary Industries has extended the consultation period for accepting feedback on a system to ensure timber is harvested legally, with its closing on 4 June Mr Ross said the wood processing sector will hold workshops with interested parties to help them adjust to the changes, before then searching for possible forest tracing software available in the market. “But at the moment, there is a lot of confusion and uncertainty around what needs to be done,” he said. “Some people are [saying it will have] significant implications and that trying to get that data would be very difficult in some circumstances.” But he said New Zealand was in a good position, and believed the sector could carve out some competitive advantage here. “When it comes to forestry and planting trees, we have good systems in place [regarding] knowing where our products come from.” In an email to members, the association said it was considering “the approach and service of FSC”, the Forest Stewardship Council certification, which was widely used here already but said feedback was the scheme alone would not provide the paperwork expected to be needed by European officials.  

Last week Melbourne Design Week officially kicked off its 11-day program at Revival Projects’ Collingwood hub, a zero footprint co-working space for designers and the only inner-city timber mill Australia has left. Source: ArtsHub Revival Projects founder, Robbie Neville was the recipient of the Melbourne Design Week Award in 2022 and is showcasing a new project with poetic depth and tangible impact as part of this year’s program. Building on its ethos of using salvaged material and reusing demolition waste, Revival Projects’ 100 Circles involves 100 timber urns made out of several large cypress macrocarpa (or Monterey cypress) trees from Box Hill Cemetery. In their original location, the roots of the trees were beginning to threaten nearby graves. Each urn is made with no glue or mechanical fixing and contains the seed of the golden wattle tree. When buried, the urn and cremated ashes will decompose and a new tree will sprout – thus, the circle of life will continue. Mr Neville tells ArtsHub, “The roots [of the trees] were literally sharing the soil with the departed, and so we saw it as a sacred resource. I describe it as a physical embodiment of the intersection between the dissolution of life and new life. “The golden wattle tree is actually the first tree that grows after bushfires; it’s naturally resilient to ash.” At the opening of the 100 Circles exhibition, over half of the urns had been purchased, with each buyer leaving a note of reflection. Some had purchased an urn for a recently deceased loved one, while others recounted the previous experience of planting a tree, and the impact it had had on their lives. Each sale will be donated to Indigenous groups that manage forests after fires. “‘Hopefully the initiative provides a really meaningful process that makes it a little bit easier to rationalise and make sense of the grief and emotions you go through when you lose someone or something that you love,” Mr Neville said. The Collingwood timber mill was originally slated for demolition this year, but its redevelopment has since been pushed back to the end of 2025 and Revival Projects will occupy its space until then. Revival is currently collaborating with the developers on how resources from the site can be used in the 2025 development. Revival Projects is also deeply involved in the major development of the Melbourne Arts Precinct, taking part in urban tree recovery and making use of demolition materials. Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation Director and CEO Katrina Sedgwick has previously mentioned that the project has the goal to recycle and reuse up to 95% of existing building materials. This is the 17th year of the Melbourne Design Week Award partnership with Mercedes-Benz, which announced at the media launch that it will extend its support of the Award for another three years until 2027. Melbourne Design Week is on until 2 June.

A new plank walk in Germein Reserve in South Australia is ready for visitors, as the Port MacDonnell Landcare Group (PMLG) finishes its latest project. Source: Timberbiz The plank walk passes through the middle of the new walking trail, designed to link two established loop walks in Germein Reserve – the Wilderness Loop and Dingley Dell Loop – allowing visitors to walk from Dingley Dell corner right through to the town of Port MacDonnell and back. PMLG President Peter Feast said the new walk is built across a water course, which is prone to flooding during the winter, and the group wanted to install the walk prior to the upcoming wet season to make it easier for further work down the track. “It means we can now complete this link path, and we can do the rest any time, even when it’s wet in the wintertime because we can access it across the water course,” Mr Feast said. “In the past we did do one water course with stepping stones, but that had a few issues. “This is now more accessible to people, even if you’re on a walking stick you can still enjoy the track.” PMLG member Ian Black said the materials donated by OneFortyOne through the PINE Community Grants Program – treated pine planks and strainers, as well as a grant for stainless steel screws were the best options for sustainability and for low maintenance. “We’re looking at a 50-year life span,” Mr Black said. “We’re very grateful to OneFortyOne for giving us the grant.” “It should last a very long time – it was the best way to go,” Mr Feast added. The project took about five hours spread over three days, with a team of PMLG members, led by Ian. “I organised it and I had some very good helpers,” Mr Black said. “We did the slashing of the track on one day, preparation of the posts another day, then five of us came along and laid the boards out and fixed them to it.” “I was impressed that four out of five people over 70 that actually laid the boards!” “It’s not cheap this stuff, it was very good of OneFortyOne to donate it to our community.”

Forest Industries Contractors Association (FICA) and Women in Forestry (WIF) have signed an agreement to work closer together, share resources and increase member value for forestry contractors in New Zealand. Source: Timberbiz WIF is a grassroots network of women working in the New Zealand forestry industry, that focuses on supporting female business owners. Started informally in the 2010’s, WIF has grown to offer more tailored, formalised support in recent years. As part of the agreement, FICA will provide baseline funding to WIF to work on complimentary projects for members, including a group payroll project, a workshop series focusing on topics such as employment law and accounting/costings and shared networking opportunities for contractors to come together. FICA CEO Rowan Struthers says WIF provides complimentary support to FICA’s offering, and more can be achieved by working together. “WIF tends to focus on the back-office side of the business, while FICA focuses more on the operational, health and safety and productivity areas. By working together we can essentially add more value to members,” he said. WIF General Manager Sarah Davis says WIF has already started working on some key projects and is excited to be working for the greater good of contractors. “Being an on-the-ground network, we believe we have a good sense of what is really a concern for logging contractors. We’re excited to have input with FICA and potentially offer a useful perspective,” she says. “We’re looking forward to building a stronger relationship with FICA and working together for the greater good in helping logging contractors in their businesses.”

Challenges the East Coast have faced in the past 18 months were reflected upon at the Eastland Forestry Awards in New Zealand. Source: Timberbiz The audience of around 500 was there to celebrate the nominees and winners put forward by their peers and their companies. Taking out the top spot was Curtis Hawkes, Hawkes Logging. Mr Curtis came to the region from Northland with his family and leads his crew on the extreme terrain of the East Coast. “Curtis is described as having shown nothing but a high level of professionalism and work ethic, in all aspects of the job. He was recognised as a true leader by example, not asking anything of anyone that they themselves will not do,” MP Dana Kirkpatrick who presented the top award said. Curtis took away the Skilled Professional of the Year 2024 trophy as well as Harvesting Excellence, Crew of the Year and Outstanding Health & Safety awards. Total nominations for the Eastland Forestry Awards stood at 66, a record high for this region. In several categories, there were close runners up. “There was a true sense of camaraderie and compassion amongst those that attended, but also a lot of reflection. It has been a difficult period for the industry, through Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle, so it was nice to come together to acknowledge our colleagues who have worked tirelessly and resiliently throughout this time,” Warren Rance Chair of EWC said.

Those in attendance also reflected on the support given to workers and their communities, voting on the Good Deed award on the night. This was awarded to Pourau Incorporation & Kuru Contracting as joint winners. Pourau Incorporation (owned by the Potae family) and Kuru Contracting worked together to meet the needs of the coastal community as well as primary industry by building a bypass road between Hikuwai One and Hikuwai Three Bridge to reconnect the state highway following the loss of Hikuwai One Bridge after Cyclone Gabrielle. Tania Gibb, Ra Whakapono Logging took out the top prize for Woman in Forestry. Tania’s passion for ensuring the rights and safety of workers was described as truly inspiring in her nomination, and her significant impact on the local forestry community was acknowledged.
CEO for the Eastland Wood Council (EWC), Philip Hope was acknowledged for his unrelenting advocacy across the region with local and national government during his tenure at the helm. “The Eastland Forestry Awards evening was a true testament to outstanding role models and innovative initiatives and services that have seen the industry continue to operate and survive the last few years,” he said. “We are grateful for our workforce who have continued throughout significant adversity this past 18 months, and we look forward to our future together as we continue to work hard for our East Coast community.” Awards: Skilled Professional of the Year 2024 (sponsored by Eastland Wood Council): Curtis Hawkes (Hawkes Logging). Emerging Leader (sponsored by Ernslaw): Rowena Marshall (Summit Forest). Logistics Excellence (sponsored by Qube Forestry – Pacific Haulage): Roger Callow (ISO Ltd). Woman in Forestry (sponsored by Blackstump Logging): Tania Gibb (Ra Whakapono Logging). Outstanding Health and Safety (sponsored by Qube Forestry – ISO): Curtis Hawkes (Hawkes Logging) Industry Support (sponsored by AP Plant & Machinery): Krissy Mackintosh (Hear 4 U). Forestry and Establishment Excellence (sponsored by Competenz : Te Pukenga): Samuela Donu (Vailea Silviculture Ltd). Faller Manual Excellence (sponsored by Aratu Forests): Ben Hohepa (Tairawhiti Timber Training). Faller Mechanised Excellence (sponsored by Forest Enterprises): Levi Gibson-Parks (Forest Enterprises) Harvesting Excellence (sponsored by Summit): Curtis Hawkes (Hawkes Logging). Cartage Excellence (sponsored by MITO): Rodel Calipes (Pacific Haulage Limited) Crew of the Year (sponsored by UDC): Hawkes Logging Environmental Initiative Management (sponsored by TDX): Eastside Logging Roading Civil Excellence (sponsored by Eastland Port): Val Milham (Kuru Contracting Ltd). Outstanding Innovation Excellence (sponsored by JNL): Ace of Spades Contracting Ltd Wood Processing & Manufacturing Excellence (sponsored by Aratu Forests): David Rameka (Kiwi Lumber (Gisborne) Ltd).

Midway managing director Tony McKenna has a simple philosophy for the way the company sees the timber industry. “We’d like to see more trees in the ground,” he said. Source: Timberbiz Midway is a leading Australian forestry company with a head office in Geelong, Victoria, founded in 1980. Midway has business units across Australia and is involved in all aspects of forestry, with a lead focus of woodfibre processing and exporting, plantation project management and carbon abatement projects. “We’re committed to try to grow the estate where it makes sense,” Mr McKenna said. “And I believe that there is country where it would benefit from having trees in the ground.” To encourage the development of plantation forestry and expedite sequestration of atmospheric carbon, Midway has developed a Carbon Project Agreement, a commercial offering for Landholders who are keen to support commercial forest production and participate in Australia’s expanding carbon reduction market through the generation of carbon offsets. Midway sources hardwood plantation and softwood plantation from Victoria and the Green Triangle region in South Australia and Midway Tasmania sources native regrowth and hardwood and softwood plantation across Tasmania. Plantation Management Partners sources hardwood and softwood plantation from the Tiwi Island Forestry Project on Melville Island in the Northern Territory. Wood is sourced from Responsible Wood, FSC certified suppliers and non-certified suppliers. Combined the group manages over 90,000 ha of plantation estate. “The hardwood plantation estate peaked at around 970,000ha in Australia in 2010, and a lot of that was driven by the MIS,” Mr McKenna said. “A good part of it was in the Green Triangle in Western Victoria more generally. And a lot of that was driven by MIS, but not all of it.” Since then, the plantings have decreased by 250,000ha with some of the best country reverting to primarily grazing agriculture. The hardwood timber harvested in Western Victoria goes to paper mills in China and Japan, making renewable recyclable products such as paper products and plastic replacement packaging. It is currently chipped in field at sites such as Myamyn north of Portland, and in Geelong. The bulk of the product is exported out of Portland. “There’s very little being used domestically,” Mr McKenna said. He said there was some replanting. “There’s a couple of things happening with the economics around a little bit of improved longer-term demand for the woodchips and the carbon story,” he said. “Carbon generates another source of income from a plantation and that helps in country that’s really marginal agricultural country.” Midway doesn’t do any of its own harvesting and haul operations, relying on local contractors. Logs are generally harvested, cut to length, and then brought into Midway’s static mills. “Having the infrastructure there makes it cheaper for us to do it that way,” Mr McKenna said.

Forestry Corporation NSW has stood down 15 operations – 11 operations in the north of the state and four in the south, following a NSW Environment Protection Authority order which requires a 25-metre logging exclusion zone around any tree in which a Greater Glider is spotted. Source: Timberbiz Changes have also been made to how nocturnal search and surveys must be conducted, including that a first transect must be undertaken within 30 minutes of sunset to increase the likelihood of seeing gliders leaving their dens. Australian Forest Contractors Association general manager Tim Lester said that for several weeks Forestry Corporation NSW and the NSW EPA had been discussing the interpretation of the search and survey requirements relating to protections for Greater Gliders. “Last week environmental activists issued a notice of intent to Forestry Corp and likely the EPA – that further court actions would be launched to seek additional injunctions to prevent harvesting activity,” he said. Amendment of the biodiversity conditions could not occur while a court action was underway, leading to the developments at the weekend. Mr Lester said that as the amendments apply immediately, FC NSW moved to stand down crews while a review can be undertaken of the updated requirements. He said it was not clear how long the stand down is likely to last, with expectations ranging from several days to a number of weeks. FC NSW has advised that usual stand down arrangements and payments will apply for those harvesting contracting businesses that have affected. There are currently no stand down arrangements in place for haulage. FC NSW will negotiate with individual businesses to determine what financial support will apply. “We understand there is community concern for the conservation of threatened species and forests, and we remain committed to fulfilling our statutory obligation to protect the environment and independently regulate all licensed industries, including native forest operations,” the EPA said. “We will continue to regulate FCNSW activities to ensure the rules are complied with and will regularly review these settings to ensure that they are operating as intended.” The AFCA wants information about the impacts on businesses and individuals to support its bid to the NSW Government to stop these rolling series of changes. Those affected by the EPA’s orders can complete an online survey for the AFCA here.

Seppi’s Starsoil allows for work on forestry roads, construction sites, and forest paths, utilizing material deposited on the ground to create both temporary and permanent roads, achieving significant energy and cost savings. Source: Timberbiz With its new drive system, the Starsoil offers more efficient and precise work: it can till the soil to a depth of 40cm, crush stones up to 30cm in diameter, and mulch wood up to 60cm in diameter. A special feature is its two-speed gearbox, this system, controlled directly from the ISOBUS terminal, allows the tractor operator to regulate rotor speed during work: the fast gear for surface mulching and the slow gear for deeper work and stone crushing. Possible applications include stabilizing soil for road construction, removing old asphalt surfaces and rubble, renewing farmland and other green spaces, cleaning forests after logging, land development, etc. Seppi’s BMS Forestry Mulcher is equally impressive and perfect for mulching large vegetative residues to ground level. The M-BOOST hydraulic system with automatic variable motor enables automatic pressure adjustment, dynamically adapting to work requirements. In load situations, torque can be increased by up to 40%. Available working widths for the BMS model are 100, 125, and 150 cm, providing the necessary flexibility for a variety of forestry tasks. Both mulchers offer unparalleled performance and reliability in demanding work conditions. With machines like these, materials can be used and reused on-site, reducing transportation to and from construction sites and thereby reducing processing times, fuel consumption, and overall environmental impact. Seppi machines comply with European regulations requiring reduced environmental impact.

Production and deliveries of Swedish wood products decreased slightly in 2023 compared with the previous year. However, future prospects in both the EU Single Market and in the US look good for the Swedish wood products industry. Source: Timberbiz “Broadly, when more people want to build more with sustainable materials, demand for forest products will increase,” Christian Nielsen, Market Expert Wood Products, Swedish Forest Industries Federation said. In 2023, Sweden’s production of wood products amounted to 17.8 million m3, compared with 18.87 million m3 in 2022. Total wood product deliveries decreased somewhat. This decline can be attributed to reduced demand in Sweden due to weak activity in the construction sector. On the other hand, exports of wood products held up well despite tough global economic conditions with annual export growth at 1% buoyed by a weak Swedish krona. “Reduced construction activity in Sweden and Europe means that we can probably expect a further dip in production in 2024. Even if inflation stabilises, it will take some time before this has an impact on the construction sector,” Mr Nielsen said. In the medium term – five to 15 years – the situation looks considerably brighter for the Swedish sawmill industry. Strong demand in particular from the US and the Single Market is set to drive expected growth. Despite global economic uncertainty, coupled with high interest rates, new production in the US is robust. At the same time, Europe is showing strong interest in wooden construction. France, for example, has decided that half of all public buildings must be built from wood or bio-based materials. In addition, the EU’s requirements for climate declarations for buildings, and initiatives such as the EU Commission’s measures to increase the pace of renovations with the aim of improving buildings’ energy performance, will also fuel increased demand for wood products. “The Single Market and the UK currently account for more than 50 per cent of Swedish wood product sales, and we expect increased interest in the US,” Mr Nielsen said. The Swedish wood products sector also benefits from other major producing countries facing challenges. Canada is dealing with declining commodity supplies due to insect infestations such as bark borers and stricter social and environmental requirements. Central Europe has also been hard hit by bark beetle attacks, and imports from Russia and Belarus have effectively stopped due to the war in Ukraine. “Increased construction in wood is one way to achieve global environmental goals. It will fall to Sweden to take on a leading role to supply Europe and the world with renewable, fossil-free building materials,” Mr Nielsen said.

TimberPro, a manufacturer of forestry equipment, recently completed a US$8 million expansion project that added nearly 49,000 square feet to its facility in Shawano, Wisconsin, in the US. The expansion will allow the company to double production capacity, enabling it to meet growing market demand for its equipment and attachments. Source: Timberbiz “Our facility expansion represents a significant step forward for TimberPro, and we were glad to be able to showcase our enhanced capabilities to the community,” said Doug Morris, VP, Forest Machine Business Division, Komatsu. “Forestry is very important to the Wisconsin economy, and this expansion will enable us to provide more good family-supporting jobs, while also allowing us to enhance our research and development capabilities and significantly increase our production.” TimberPro was founded by the Crawford family in 2002. The Crawfords have been involved in the forestry business in Wisconsin for more than 75 years, and in recognition of their contributions, the new expansion was dedicated to the family. TimberPro was acquired by Komatsu in 2019. “This expansion will also allow us to enhance our R&D capabilities and significantly increase our production of existing and new products,” said Lee Crawford, CEO, TimberPro.

A reacceleration in the quarterly pace of growth for national construction costs is suggested to be a return to trend rather than a new surge, according to CoreLogic. Source: Timberbiz The Cordell Construction Cost Index (CCCI) tracks the cost to build a typical new dwelling, recorded a growth rate of 0.8% over the three months to December. This marks a reversal of the easing trend seen over the previous four quarters when the quarterly CCCI reading went from 4.7% in Q3 2022 to 0.5% in Q3 2023. The annual growth rate for the 2023 calendar year was 2.9%. CoreLogic Economist Kaytlin Ezzy said although the quarterly CCCI reading has risen, the latest growth rate remains 20 basis points below the pre-COVID decade average of 1.0%. “This suggests that reacceleration is more a return to trend rather than a new surge in construction costs,” Ms Ezzy said. “While up over the quarter, the annual change in residential construction costs continued to ease as larger quarterly increases fell out of the annual calculation.” At 2.9%, the latest 12-month increase was the smallest annual rise in the national CCCI since the year to March 2007 (2.7%) and below the pre-COVID decade average (4.0%). “This suggests that growth in construction costs have normalised after recording a recent peak of 11.9% over the 12 months to December 2022, albeit at a higher level. Although 26.6% higher than at the onset of the pandemic, the recent surge in CCCI is below the increases seen across national house values, with CoreLogic’s Home Value Index rising 36.5% over the same period,” Ms Ezzy added. CoreLogic Construction Cost Estimation Manager John Bennett said pricing remains generally unsettled, with no clear trend seen across most product types. “Depending on the supplier, both increases and decreases were recorded in timber and metal prices, although we have seen rises in the price of hardware and chemical items. This tells me suppliers are either bringing their product pricing back down to acceptable levels from the increases during the Covid period, or they are increasing to set up for the year ahead,” Mr Bennett said. “In 2023 there was a bit of uncertainty around what the fallout from the interest rate increases would be and therefore the overall impact on the building industry. While the latest figures show the market has settled down, I don’t think we have seen the slowdown many were expecting. “While dwelling approvals are still well below historic averages, there is still an elevated level of projects under construction which is keeping cost pressures high,” he added. Price rises were also varied across the states, with an increased growth rate seen in NSW, Victoria and WA, while SA and Queensland both saw a reduction in quarterly CCCI growth. Ms Ezzy said the outlook for construction costs over the coming year is uncertain. “While it’s unlikely we’ll see any declines in construction costs, the pace of growth could be influenced by several factors. Although national dwelling approvals have risen from a recent low of 12,185 in January, the latest data from the ABS showed that dwelling approvals remained -15.8% below the decade average in November at around 14,500. Although a number of projects are still moving through the construction pipeline, the recent lull in approvals could result in a shortfall in new projects, which would help keep growth in building costs low, due to greater capacity in the construction sector. “However, with the CPI continuing to ease, it’s looking increasingly like we’ll see a cash rate cut in the second half of 2024, which could fuel housing demand for both established and new dwellings. Regardless, the normalisation in CCCI growth will help provide some certainly for builders, insurance companies and homeowners alike,” she said. The CCCI for NSW rose 1.0%, up 40 basis points on the previous quarter but only 10 basis points above the pre-COVID decade average of 0.9%. The annual reading eased to 3.1%, the lowest annual change since the 12 months to March 2021. Victoria’s CCCI rose 1.1% over the quarter, up from 0.3% in the September quarter, making it the fastest acceleration in construction costs among the states. The annual increase continued to ease to 2.9%, down from a recent high of 13.0% over 2022 and is Victoria’s lowest annual change since the 2016 calendar year (2.6%). Queensland recorded the lowest quarterly rise at just 0.1%, down from 0.8% in Q3, bucking the acceleration trend. This is the state’s lowest quarterly result since Q1 2001 when CCCI fell -0.1%. The December quarter’s weaker growth helped bring Queensland’s annual growth rate back in line with the other states at 2.8%. In WA, construction costs rose 0.7% over the quarter, up 50 basis points on Q3. Annually, WA’s CCCI increased by 2.3%, which was the lowest annual rate among the states. SA’s CCCI Increased by 0.5%, down from 0.6% in Q3, also bucking the national trend. This took SA’s annual change in construction costs to 2.8%. CoreLogic researches and reports on materials and labour costs which flows through to its Cordell construction solutions to help businesses make better decisions, estimate rebuild and insurance quotes easily and, ultimately, price risk effectively. For more information visit www.corelogic.com.au/news-research/reports/cordell-construction-cost-index

Increased costs of living are a very big issue across Australia and continues to increase for businesses and homeowners. Source: John O’Donnell The author has previously provided information in relation to this matter in the article linked here: The above linked article considers: Increasing Living Cost Indexes (LCI) and CPI and declining real household disposal income in Australia since 1960. Three major concerns in relation to natural disasters, inadequate mitigation expenditure, cost of living and rising insurance costs. Nine huge opportunities in relation to reducing disaster costs and associated insurance costs. The author has reviewed additional information that has come to hand below. Widespread concern in relation to increasing insurance premiums As highlighted in a recent article by Leith van Onselen in MacroBusiness Australian Economy Call for inquiry into surging insurance premiums dated Wednesday, 6 March 2024, there is widespread concern in relation to increasing insurance premiums: https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2024/03/call-for-inquiry-into-surging-insurance-premiums/ Former Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) chair Allan Fels has called for the ACCC to investigate the insurance sector over its recent hike in insurance premiums. “There is massive public discontent with the rise in insurance premiums and a deep concern they greatly exceed inflation,” Mr Fels said. “The price rises seem excessive in comparison with increases in costs and risks and seem exploitative of consumers and small businesses in particular.” Current ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb “shares concerns broadly” around insurance affordability and pricing and said it would be up to the federal government to decide if it wants the ACCC to conduct a general price inquiry into the insurance sector. Indeed, insurance premiums are now the fastest growing component in the CPI basket. The author considers that this widespread concern is being felt by businesses and homeowners. NSW emergency services funding reform consultation paper, an assessment of who is paying what Further information in relation to the increasing costs of living and insurance is outlined within the NSW Government April 2024 emergency services funding reform consultation paper highlighted in the link below: https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-04/20240410_emergency-services-funding-reform-consultation-paper.pdf The author gives the NSW Government credit for undertaking this review, although it is highly likely that businesses and home owners will still pay the bulk of emergency services funding collections, so it is unlikely that there will be major cost of living benefits.  More on this issue is outlined below. The consultation paper notes Help reform the way the state’s emergency services are funded. On 16 November 2023, the NSW Government announced its commitment to reform the way the state’s emergency services are funded. Three key objectives of the reform are: Reduce insurance costs for households by spreading the levy across all property owners; Protect pensioners and vulnerable members of the community; and Ensure a revenue-neutral model that sustainably funds our emergency services agencies. This consultation paper is the beginning of public consultations to inform the design, scope, features and transition arrangements for reforming the emergency services funding system. The consultation paper also notes: Currently, NSW’s emergency services are funded by the Emergency Services Levy on insurance companies (73.7%), local governments (11.7%) and the State Government (14.6 per cent). These fund the costs of Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW State Emergency Service. The NSW State Government only paying 14.6% is a major concern, it is very low. The author is of the opinion that State and local government should be paying more for these services because: The state and local governments do not adequately focus on nor adequately fund bushfire and flood mitigation, and this results in increasing disasters. Focus on bushfire suppression and minimise mitigation, increasing disasters, especially noting that one dollar spent on mitigation can save at least two dollars in recovery costs. Prescribed burning is at miniscule levels, nowhere adequate to reduce bushfire disasters. Fuel loads are very high and spread over very large areas of the landscape. There is inadequate community protection as evidenced during the 2019/ 20 bushfires. There are limited incentives for the government to optimise/ reform emergency services agencies. Investors should have confidence that the funding they invest isn’t lost in ongoing disasters, which are happening regularly across NSW. The increasing focus on large plane suppression is very costly not that effective in forests. The author considers that State Governments are in the prime position to optimise/ refine the emergency services sector and better able to focus on addressing inadequate mitigation inputs, particularly in relation to bushfire and flood mitigation. Examples where the current approaches in NSW haven’t worked include: Very low fuel mitigation levels and high contiguous fuel loads just before the disastrous 2019/ 20 bushfires. Inadequate extent of flood mitigation protecting north coast and other communities before the disastrous 2022 floods. As noted in the consultation paper, the existing Emergency Services Levy increases insurance premiums in NSW by around 18 per cent for residential property and around 34 per cent for commercial property. According to analysis by the Actuaries Institute, removing the Emergency Services Levy from insurance policies could reduce insurance costs of a typical fully insured home by $387 per year.  Many homeowner insurers on the North Coast of NSW for example would be paying at least three times this amount for the ES, it’s not fair nor right.  Individuals and business should be removed from any levy payments or like, the same approach for police, education, roads. The author considers that the business and resident contributions to the levy are excessive, and increasing. Benefits of increased disaster mitigation across eastern Australia For bushfires, markedly increased bushfire mitigation results in: Reduced bushfire suppression costs. Reduced bushfire impacts and recovery costs for both insured and not insured. In Australia, as noted in https://www.preventionweb.net/media/82890/download This document notes “one dollar spent on mitigation can save at least two dollars in recovery costs.  Committing additional mitigation funding makes economic sense”. Reduced insurance costs and emergency services levy needs. Reduced bushfire environmental Reduced loss on infrastructure, including plantations and timber supply. Reduced consequent flood impacts after intense bushfires. Likely reduced La Nina impacts for the […]

Koala Conservation Australia (KCA) has received its latest delivery of eucalypt seedlings for the annual community koala tree giveaway. The donation from Forestry Corporation consists of a variety of seedlings grown at its Grafton Nursery. Source: Timberbiz Around 25,000 seedlings have been donated this year for local planting projects supporting koala populations on the Mid North Coast. KCA will use the feed tree species, which are favoured by koalas, to support community and private planting programs. These plantings will improve connectivity through the creation of koala corridors while providing future food and habitat for koala populations on the Mid North Coast. Forestry Corporation’s Partnership Leader, Leah Moncrieff said the seedlings have now been delivered with KCA’s koala tree giveaway starting this week. “The seedlings can be ordered through the KCA website and picked up from the Koala Hospital grounds in Port Macquarie for bush regeneration plantings, community plantings and private landholder plantings,” Ms Moncrieff said. “Forestry Corporation is passionate about Koalas and is excited to support KCA’s efforts in providing the seedlings to the public. “The seedlings come with easy-to-follow information from Forestry Corporation to ensure successful growth. “These resources, available from KCA, can assist in selecting the right species to be planted in the right location, when and how to plant, how to alleviate ongoing risks and listing maintenance of the seedlings until they become established.” The initiative between KCA and Forestry Corporation, started five years ago, and has now seen more than 150,000 koala feed trees donated to the Koala Hospital for distribution to local landowners and community groups. KCA General Manager Maria Doherty said the koala tree delivery has been gratefully received. “KCA and Forestry Corporation have a great relationship working together to improve koala conservation in our local region, through tree plantings, tree giveaways and partnering at Guulabaa where the world’s first wild koala breeding program has commenced,” Ms Doherty said. KCA Conservation Manager, Scott Castle said the koala feed tree delivery is perfectly timed with ongoing works at Guulabaa – Place of the Koala, Cowarra State Forest. “We will be using some of this year’s donated trees to regenerate bushland areas and landscape at Guulabaa for the new Wild Koala Breeding Program,” Mr Castle said.

A coalition is being launched in New Zealand to campaign against cuts to science and science funding . The Save Science Coalition is a group of organisations, including unions and scientific societies, with an interest in ensuring that New Zealand has a well-functioning and well-funded science and research system. Source: Timberbiz In addition to opposing cuts, the goals of the Save Science Coalition are to highlight and catalogue what is being lost through the current cuts; defend support for world-leading indigenous research including mātauranga Māori; and make the case for a foundation of support for public science and re-committing to a target of 2% of GDP to be invested in research and development in Aotearoa New Zealand. Government spending cuts forced Scion, the dedicated Crown research institute charged with growing forestry exports, to propose shedding a significant number of scientists. Scion which is headquartered in Rotorua, New Zealand told staff that 30 jobs or around 10% of its workforce may go. This impacts scientists, technicians and support staff. “We know that investment in science and research creates future wealth for Aotearoa New Zealand, ensures we can address the challenges we face in Aotearoa New Zealand such as climate change, resilience, and our growing and aging population, and allows our country to prosper. We are concerned about large parts of the science workforce moving overseas to find work, which will take decades to reverse and rebuild,” says Dr Lucy Stewart, spokesperson for the Save Science Coalition. “This will have devastating impacts in areas where expert knowledge of our landscapes, hazards, ecosystems, and people is globally unique. We are particularly concerned about the harm cuts will cause to world-leading indigenous research, including rangahau mātauranga Māori which can only be done in Aotearoa New Zealand,” says Stewart. The launch of the coalition follows ongoing government announcements, media stories, and cuts to public funding across the science sector. This includes the end of the National Science Challenges, shelving of Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways program, removal of Wellington Science City funding, announcements about mass redundancies of science staff in government organisations, alongside other funding streams drying up for science organisations. This is compounded by the existing university funding crisis. “Funding for science organisations comes from many different sources. To help the public appreciate the breadth of the current cuts, we are putting together a detailed document for the public about all of the recent funding cuts across the science sector,” explains Stewart. “This government did not campaign on a platform of cuts to science. However – they are pressing ahead with an agenda that the New Zealand public did not vote for.” The Save Science Coalition members are: New Zealand Association of Scientists Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union Academic Freedom Aotearoa NZ Society of Endocrinology NZ Ecological Society NZCTU | Te Kauae Kaimahi Physiological Society of New Zealand New Zealand Institute of Forestry Geoscience Society of New Zealand Aviation and Marine Engineers Society NZEI Te Riu Roa New Zealand Institute of Chemistry

Great Wrap, a B Corp Certified material science company, has partnered with Opal one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading cardboard packaging and recycling companies, to exclusively offer the only Australian made compostable machine pallet wrap for businesses of all sizes in Australia and New Zealand, enabling them to divert traditional pallet wrap away from landfills. Source: Timberbiz Great Wrap’s certified compostable machine pallet wrap, which is certified by the Australasian Bioplastics Association, is made with compostable biopolymers and plant-based oils, is a packaging solution for businesses that secures pallet loads while minimising supply chain waste. Given Australia generates 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, there is an urgent need to adopt compostable materials. Opal Packaging Plus, which has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of the Great Wrap, is a business unit of Opal. Great Wrap will add to Opal Packaging Plus’ more than 15,000 product range and is the first compostable stretch wrap it offers. “Our machine pallet wrap stands out because it’s fully compostable, capable of a 250% pre-stretch, operates smoothly on high-speed lines, and maintains high tension for ultimate reliability. Our wrap is denser and stronger than traditional wrap, meaning our customers can reduce their wrap thickness to achieve the same results as they would with traditional wrap,” Jordy Kay, Co-founder of Great Wrap said. The Australian Government has set clear national packaging targets including 100% of packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025, and 70% of plastic packaging to be recycled or composted by 2025. While currently targeting the Australian business landscape, Great Wrap is also working to build a biorefinery that will produce a marine-degradable material called PHA, to continue to change the packaging landscape. Later this year, Great Wrap is also planning to supply its compostable hand pallet wrap for exclusive distribution through Opal Packaging Plus.

Brisbane will host the World Conference on Timber Engineering in June next year, only the second time it has been held in the southern hemisphere since its inception in 1998. Source: Timberbiz The conference attracts between 800 and 1200 participants worldwide with WCTE 2025 International Scientific Committee representing 22 countries. Many participants will be presenting in a specific session related to the conference theme and their expertise. The first World Conference on Timber Engineering was held in 1998 in Montreux, Switzerland however, the forerunner of WCTE dates back to May 1984 with the Pacific Timber Engineering Conference (PTEC) in Auckland, New Zealand. In 1998 the world’s timber engineering society decided to coordinate the former world events and to introduce a biennial rhythm with consecutive conferences in Europe, America, Asia and the Pacific. This rhythm was altered in 2020 due to Covid, and since 2021 the conference has been held every odd year. WCTE is a world leading scientific dissemination forum for presenting and discussing the latest technical and architectural developments and innovations in timber engineering and construction. The scope covers research, education, and practice topics from all over the world. The conference has attracted wide international representation and attendance, bringing together researchers, engineers, architects, consultants, contractors, project managers, suppliers, and manufacturers from across the globe. The host of WCTE 2025, The University of Queensland (UQ), is a leader in timber engineering and administers the Australian Research Council Research Hub to Advance Timber for Australia’s Future Built Environment (ARC Advance Timber Hub). This 5-year Research Hub (commenced in 2023) is committed to the future development of sustainable timber buildings and the emerging opportunities and innovations that are needed in manufacture, supply, design, and construction. The Hub’s large research team from 12 Australian Universities and five international universities/research institutes, in collaboration with 28 industry partners, aims to enable an advanced manufacturing transformation of Australia’s timber and construction industries, developing a roadmap to change that unlocks substantial industry and social value. The ARC Advance Timber Hub also collaborates with other research centres across Australia to enhance the collective research in timber engineering in Australia and the Pacific. The centres include: Queensland Government – Department of Agriculture & Fisheries – Forest Product Innovation Centre Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood – University of Tasmania National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life – University of the Sunshine Coast – QLD And it has established links with academic and industry research collaborators from past research centres which include: ARC Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefab Housing (2016 – 2022) – University of Melbourne ARC Research Hub to Transform Future Tall Timber Buildings (2016 – 2022) – The University of Queensland. The WCTE 2025 Conference Committee is inviting authors to submit two-page abstracts/mini papers by 30 June 2024. Submissions are sought for both oral and poster presentations, which must address the principal conference theme ‘Advancing Timber for the Future Built Environment’. The WCTE 2025 technical program will have a focus on research carried out by the timber design and construction community due to the rise in engineering and architectural firms, developers, and investors, now emphasising timber engineering as a preferred solution for many projects. For more information, go to https://www.wcte2025.org

On Thursday 23 May, the ABC aired a segment on Mornings with Debbie Rybicki that VicForests says contained false and misleading claims of damage to the ecosystem, not conducting surveys, and failing to adequately regenerate coupes. Source: Timberbiz VicForests was not approached to provide a statement. However, VicForests says that it has provided the ABC with multiple statements contradicting such claims over the preceding years. It has also multiple pages and statements on its website detailing how VicForests met its obligations in protecting threatened species and their habitat and regenerating what was harvested. These are a matter of public record and have been provided to various ABC outlets. VicForests is a government agency, overseen by an independent board and otherwise subject to the ordinary governance obligations and control of any government body. In a statement VicForests said that it has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to meeting, and often exceeding, the explicit rules and regulations for environmental management set by Government. This includes demonstrating that it continued to meet its obligations and the required standards for successful regeneration. VicForests states that it has addressed the false regeneration claims on numerous occasions and you to read them on the VicForests website: Setting the record straight – yet again VicForests response to ABC’s regeneration article Setting the record straight (again) VicForests response to ABC story on regeneration False claims do harm. This includes the impact on the mental health and wellbeing of people who have dedicated themselves to the management of forests for future generations. Broadcasting false information to the public supports an empty rhetoric; the national broadcaster should encourage constructive dialogue and avoid the peddling of false claims.