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Ministers and heads of agriculture and forestry departments from 22 Pacific nations including Australia are gathering in Tonga this week for the 2025 Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry (PWAF) to deliberate on the future of the region’s agriculture and forestry sectors. Source: Timberbiz Led by the Government of Tonga, with assistance from SPC and FAO, the Pacific Week will feature the Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry, as well as the Regional Meeting of the Pacific Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Services. Additionally, it will include a series of side events focused on important topics from the main theme: More Regeneration: Addressing issues related to soils, genetic biodiversity of crops, forests, livestock, ecology, organics, and the environment. More Productivity: Focusing on rural farmers, women and youth, livelihoods, food security, and the production of crops, livestock, and forests. More Resilience: Biosecurity and pest management, Enhancing pre-disaster preparedness, improving the capacity to withstand and recover from disasters, and adapting to rising sea levels and temperatures through research and adoption. The PWAF is a biannual event that brings together leaders, experts, and stakeholders from the agriculture and forestry sectors in the Pacific region to discuss key challenges and opportunities facing these sectors. PWAF centres around the 9th Regional Meeting of the Pacific Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Services and the FAO SPC Joint Agriculture and Forestry Ministerial Meeting. Complementing these high-level meetings of Ministers and senior officials will be 29 side events throughout the week, focusing on themes – climate change, soils, genetic biodiversity of crops, forests, livestock, ecology, organics, and the environment. Participants at PWAF will have the opportunity to hear from leading experts in the field, attend interactive workshops and sessions, and network with industry professionals.

New Zealand Forestry and Trade Minister, Todd McClay announced a new Cooperation Arrangement between New Zealand and Vietnam that will grow timber exports and remove potential trade barriers for the forestry sector. Source: Timberbiz The arrangement will see New Zealand’s radiata pine recognised under Vietnam’s evolving timber construction standards, opening more opportunities in this growing market. “This will grow our NZ$2.68 billion two-way trade and significantly bolster the NZ$48 million worth of sawn timber we currently export into Viet Nam,” Mr McClay said. “Vietnam’s economy has more than doubled in the past decade and is expected to see some of the fastest global income growth over the next. “That means more construction, more demand for sustainable products and more opportunity for New Zealand timber. “This agreement adds value to New Zealand wood products and offers opportunities in addition to exporting logs. It boosts our export potential and helps double our exports by value in 10 years.”

The 2025 Australian Timber Design Competition challenged student teams across Australia to design sustainable, future-focused timber athlete accommodation for a hypothetical Olympic Village, balancing innovation, constructability, environmental performance, and cultural consideration. Source: Timberbiz Despite balancing full-time study and short timeframes, the submissions that came through were thoughtful, creative, and deeply impressive. The following three teams were selected as finalists and will be heading to the World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE) 2025 in Brisbane to present their work and connect with global industry leaders. Finalist teams with highlights from the judges: Team 2 This submission stood out for its in-depth structural thinking and innovative use of timber systems. Judges highlighted the team’s enthusiasm for circular construction, thoughtful material selection, and modular design principles. Their approach to timber-only construction sparked engaging conversations around sustainable assembly and future reuse. Judge Grant Maher said that this team’s project was beautifully researched and technically detailed. He continued that it was a confident and creative expression of what timber can achieve. Team 2 members: Luke Hammond (University of Tasmania), Jessica Tuttle (University of Queensland), and Kan Peanpanich (Queensland University of Technology) Team 3 Praised for their holistic and well-resolved approach, this team delivered a compelling master plan that balanced community, adaptability, and sustainability. Judges appreciated the project’s flexibility over time, transforming high-density athlete housing into long-term, affordable homes and its sensitive integration of cultural and environmental values. Judge Sam Charles-Ginn said that this team’s submission had a comprehensive design with strong planning, beautiful visuals, and strong thinking. The judges agreed that the team clearly worked together to deliver something impactful. Team 3 members: Charlie Bradley-Tasser (University of Queensland), Tamara Birtasevic (Queensland University of Technology), and Rea Li (University of Sydney) Team 5 Judges admired this team’s emphasis on cultural integration, modularity, and accessible construction methods. The concept proposed the use of lightweight, easy-to-source materials, and reflected strong social and environmental values, with potential for scalable impact. Judge Jonathan Evans said that this team presented a thoughtful and creative idea. He mentioned that there was care put into this design and that it presented a lot of potential to explore further. Team 5 members: Michael Moore (Queensland University of Technology), Akanksha Agarwal (University of Sydney), Caitlin Muller (Queensland University of Technology), and Karen Rondeau (University of Queensland). Each finalist team will receive a travel bursary and full sponsorship to attend WCTE 2025, where they’ll showcase their ideas to a global audience of design, engineering, and construction professionals. The judges and steering committee were unanimous in their praise for the teams’ creativity, dedication, and collaboration. Whether it was tackling modular housing, cultural sensitivity, or low-carbon construction methods, all three submissions showed that Australia’s emerging design talent is ready to take timber to new heights. The 2025 judging panel was Grant Maher, Jonathan Evans, Steph Wyeth, Katie Fowden, and Sam Charles-Ginn.

The Australian Forest Products Association is backing a new two-year saw doctor and wood machinist pilot training trial aimed at boosting these much-needed forestry sector skills. Source: Timberbiz “There is a national shortage of saw technicians and wood machinists and it’s critical that we have efficient, accessible and fit for purpose training to support these important specialised skills across both softwood and hardwood processing and manufacturing,” AFPA CEO Diana Hallam said. “Saw makers and repairers are not currently listed on the Core Skills and Occupation List.” This pilot training trial will be delivered in conjunction with Timber Training Creswick and TAFE NSW with support from employers and the Australian Government’s $10 million Forestry Workforce Training Program being administered by ForestWorks. “Attracting new people into the industry begins at school and we hope that this pilot training trial can go some way to encouraging more young people to consider fulfilling careers in these specialised areas that are critical for timber manufacturing,” Ms Hallam said. ForestWorks CEO, Mike Radda said saw doctors and wood machinists were professions that are experiencing shortages of qualified personnel. “We’re proud to be involved in this pilot training trial,” he said. “It’s important that we provide the required training here in Australia for people who want to undertake it – as a dual option with importing these skills from overseas.” Ms Hallam said Australia’s forestry and timber sector was Australia’s sixth largest manufacturing sector, drove the housing sector, and the need for product would only get more important as the country and different industries look to decarbonise by using timber and wood-fibre. “We need to attract more people to our growing sector to fill the variety of important vocations we need to function,” she said. “This trial aims to make it easier for regional businesses to employ, train and retain skilled tradespeople. We are working to carefully identify industry needs, and to test a practical and pragmatic training solution including exploring the advantages of on-site employee training. AFPA will work with expert RTOs and businesses, in different states to make sure training is tailored and fit for purpose. “We are proud to be working in this space with trusted industry education partners and look forward to positive training outcomes and reduced skills shortages across the forestry and the timber sector.”

AKD has purchased Pentarch Forestry’s 50% shareholding of Highland Pine Products Pty Ltd in Oberon. HPP is currently a 50/50 joint venture business owned by AKD and Pentarch Forestry, with the primary asset being the Oberon sawmill. Source: Timberbiz The sawmill processes over 500,000 m3 of plantation grown sawlogs and produces a range of structural, landscape and packaging products. Post this acquisition, AKD will process nearly 2,000,000 m3 of sawlog per annum, producing over 1,000,000 m3 of timber from the Colac, Caboolture, Oberon, Tumut and Yarram sawmills. “The Oberon acquisition is consistent with AKD’s focus on operating high quality, strategically located sawmills, and represents an opportunity to provide an improved supply and product range for customers and the broader timber supply chain,” AKD’s Chief Executive Officer, Shane Vicary said. “As a joint venture partner in the business since 2018, AKD has had an opportunity to work with the talented team in Oberon and see the opportunities that exist on the site and in the region and we are excited about the future. “We are looking forward to working directly with the Oberon team as we welcome them to the broader AKD business of over 1000 employees. “The acquisition enhances our ability to service both existing and new customers and we look forward to strengthening relationships with suppliers and continuing to provide a positive contribution to the Oberon community”. AKD acknowledged and thanked Pentarch for its positive and constructive contribution to the HPP partnership and wishes it success for the future. The acquisition is consistent with AKD’s approach of growth through a mix of strategic acquisition and capital investment and further highlights its 70-year commitment to the Australian timber and building industries by investing for the future. Completion of the transaction is expected to occur on 1 July 2025.