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On 20 December 2021, Ashley Industrial Services Ltd – a family-owned sawmill/manufacturing plant in Oxford, New Zealand experienced a tragic accident. While operating a trim saw to trim wane from the ends of timber, an employee accidentally had his hand strike the saw’s blade. The result was devastating, the worker lost parts of two fingers and sustained a degloving injury to another. Source: Timberbiz The crushing incident has led the company to further evaluate what it considered were already robust health and safety procedures and to further invest in improved safety measures. Some of our key learnings include: The value of investing in safer machinery. In response to the incident, the company has heavily invested in new safer machinery, machinery housing and guarding upgrades that total up to NZ$1 million. Those upgrades included re-fitting the jump saw, installing a new emergency rope system on the conveyor, installing a pack saw and new optimizer and specialised machine housing. These investments not only replace our outdated equipment but also enhanced our overall health and safety measures, ensuring our operations meet the highest standards. Standards and Risk Assessment. Ashley Industrial also learned that relying solely on international safety benchmarks for machinery and guarding isn’t enough. New Zealand’s requirements differ, and it is vital to conduct your own risk assessments against New Zealand’s standard. The company employed an ongoing external health and safety consultant to assist in reviewing all existing and new machinery risk matrixes. They also helped to review and improve all written systems including auditing systems and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Training, Discipline, and Culture. The company’s approach to safety now includes further training opportunities, a more thorough assessment regime, regular licence checks and stricter disciplinary around employee personal protective equipment (PPE) breaches. More than anything, this experience has reinforced that it may not be reasonable to eliminate all risks entirely, you can aim to and work together to minimise risk. Ashley Industrial says that the lessons learned extend beyond the own sawmill. For everyone involved in the sawmilling sector or any business using heavy machinery the following points are crucial: Tailor safety measures. Conduct thorough risk assessments and align your safeguarding measures with New Zealand’s regulatory requirements. Prioritise your people over productivity, a culture where your staff feel safe and valued is the foundation of long-term productivity and safety. Ensure your teams know their safety and wellbeing comes first. They are mothers, fathers, partners and children and their safety is paramount. Continue investing in upgrades, training and external advice or audits, regular reviews of equipment, comprehensive training programs, and strict adherence to operational procedures. These can all prevent accidents before they occur. Consider every upgrade as an investment in your people. Collaborate and share your best practices. We are in an industry where the challenges are shared and collaborating and supporting each other creates a safer environment across the board. Be proactive about your health and safety; we can never predict when an accident may occur, but we can be prepared.

The International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) recently announced 12 new task forces for the 2025 to 2030 period. Scion will be involved in three of them. Source: Timberbiz Task Forces are interdisciplinary activities working on topics of global interest and importance with specific outputs and outcomes. Scion as New Zealand’s leading research institute for forestry, industrial biotech and advanced manufacturing has the unique perspective to create opportunity and growth in ‘end-to-end’ value chains that are at the heart of a prosperous bioeconomy. Stand complexity in planted forests Harnessing stand complexity to improve the resilience of single – and mixed-species plantations for nature climate and people’ – Christophe Orazio of IEFC is co-ordinator. Scion principal researcher Tim Payn is one of the deputy coordinators, and silviculture and forest carbon scientist Alan Jones is a member. This Task Force will act as a focal point for developing and communicating scientific evidence on complexity and resilience in planted forests – testing the hypothesis that increased complexity increases resilience while preserving performance. Building an integrated vision of the forest-based sector within a bioeconomy, Ivana Zivojinovic (BOKU) co-ordinator. Scion forest ecology and management scientist, Tim Barnard, and portfolio leader – distributed manufacturing, Marc Gaugler, are members. This task force will build an integrated vision of a forest-based sector within a bioeconomy, based on perceptions and views of IUFRO member institutions, researchers, scientists and related experts. This new vision would be supported by science-based frameworks that include metrics, methodologies, implementation guidelines and would include bridges to other sectors of the bioeconomy that interrelate with forests. Scaling-Up Science-based Forest Sector Innovation with Lyndall Bull (FAO) as co-ordinator. Scion’s general manager – forests to timber-based products, Henri Bailleres, is a member. This Task Force will create a Community of Practice focused on supporting the scaling up of science-based innovation in the forest sector by raising awareness, improving education and communication, fostering research, developing partnerships, and providing policy support to create a more conducive environment for forest sector innovation ecosystems. In addition, Scion principal researcher Peter Clinton is IUFRO’s New Zealand Country Representative. Scion staff have had long involvement in IUFRO over numerous Divisions and Working Parties and co-ordinating large IUFRO events. Involvement in these international initiatives is highly beneficial to New Zealand, allowing us to keep abreast of new science and technology thinking and also position Scion and New Zealand globally.

Members are invited to the Annual General Meeting of Responsible Forest Management Australia Limited (FSC Australia) and the associated Membership Networking Event in May. Source: Timberbiz The AGM will be held on Thursday 29 May at the Treetops Room at the Melbourne Museum (and online) and feature presentations and opportunities to connect with the FSC community. While the AGM is hybrid, attending in person will make the most of the networking opportunities and engaging discussions. Details including the agenda and RSVP information will be released in the coming weeks.

Dr Rob Beresford of PFR shared interim findings from his research into non-synthetic fungicide options for controlling myrtle rust. Source: Timberbiz The study involved glasshouse and field trials using a range of alternative products on the highly susceptible cultivar Lophomyrtus ‘Red Dragon’. Each treatment was assessed for both efficacy in preventing infection and any adverse effects on plant health (phytotoxicity). While synthetic fungicides remain the most effective option, some promising results emerged from alternatives: Copper-based fungicides (oxide, oxychloride, hydroxide) and sulphur offered moderate protection with minimal phytotoxic effects. Sodium bicarbonate (5%) was somewhat effective in preventing infection but caused severe plant damage, including shoot dieback and suppressed growth. Lower concentrations of sodium bicarbonate and potassium-based products (bicarbonate and silicate) were less effective and still showed moderate to high phytotoxicity. A full report is due soon, after which NZPPI will update the Myrtle Rust Prevention with Fungicides protocol to reflect the latest science. Dr Beresford’s webinar will be uploaded to the Beyond Myrtle Rust website. You can download the NZPI information sheet on Myrtle Rust Prevention with Fungicides here.

Timber Queensland and Colin MacKenzie’s family will honour his life and significant contributions to the forest and timber industry at a memorial event in Brisbane. All Timber Queensland members, along with Mr MacKenzie’s friends and colleagues from across the country, are invited to attend. Source: Timberbiz Mr MacKenzie passed away on the morning of 24 March in Brisbane aged 75 following a period of illness and is survived by his loving wife Christine and daughters Aleisha and Trina. A colleague, mentor, visionary and friend, Colin’s impact on the forest and timber industry was profound, with Timber Queensland, the broader timber and building industry and the community all owing him a great debt for his tireless efforts. Colin’s legacy is one of dedication, innovation, technical excellence, and unwavering support for colleagues and the sector. This gathering will provide an opportunity to share memories, reflect on his impact, and celebrate his life among friends and peers. Timber Queensland will contact you to confirm details and your attendance in due course. Date: Wednesday 21 May Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm Venue: To be confirmed based on number of EOIs. It will be within 15 minutes of the CBD. To assist with planning an appropriate venue please register your interest here by Friday 11 April to assist with arrangements.

The volume of new homes sold in February was relatively unchanged from the previous month’s increase in sale, according to the Housing Industry Association. Source: Timberbiz The HIA New Home Sales report is a monthly survey of the largest volume home builders in the five largest states and is a leading indicator of future detached home construction. “The RBA delivered its first rate cut in four years on the 19th of February. It may take a few more months to see the effects of this rate cut on the market,” HIA Economist, Maurice Tapang, said. “A pick-up in sales at the start of 2025 has been consistent with the stable economic conditions arising. “Australia’s economy continues to grow, while unemployment remains very low, inflation is easing, and wages are growing in real terms. “While Australia’s population growth is moderating, it is doing so off very high levels. This strong population growth will only ensure underlying demand for housing remains solid,” he said. “The strong economic and household factors will offset the challenges of the higher cost of materials, labour, land and taxes on new homes. “It will be state and local factors that will determine the pick-up in home building activity across the different regions. “Those that are able to help lower the cost of and increase the supply of shovel-ready land will see a stronger increase in activity. “On the other hand, in capital cities and regions where the tax and regulatory imposts on land and new home building is high, the volume of new home starts will remain constrained. “This has already been evident in the contrast between Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia where sales have been picking up, while New South Wales and Victoria remain weak,” Mr Tapang said. In the three months to February 2025, new home sales increased in New South Wales by 55.4% compared with the same period in the previous year, off a very low base. This was followed by South Australia (+18.9%) and Queensland (+14.6%). Victoria recorded a 4.3% decrease over the same period, while Western Australia saw a 20.3% decline, off a high base last year.

Forestry has long been part of the An Cala farming operations in Tasmania’s Central Midlands and fifth-generation farm manager Dougal Morrison is continuing the practice to aid the Oatlands enterprise’s business diversification into carbon farming. Source: Timberbiz An Cala is an 8,000-hectare property that spreads across both sides of the Midland Highway at St Peters Pass, with more than 18,000 ewes run for meat and wool and several hundred beef cattle as the main sources of income. Since finishing his education and returning to the farm in 2018, Dougal, who’s father’s family has owned part of St Peters Pass since the 1820s when land grants were distributed, has been on a mission to improve the landscape and the farm’s operations, with forestry playing a key role. “All of our forestry operations are on land that has previously been harvested or land that is unsuitable to return to pasture,” Mr Morrison said. “Our plans are about getting the best return on that land, and commercial timber and carbon plantations offer us a worthwhile reward for effort. “The area grows quite good trees, and forestry helps us diversify our risk through another income stream. “It also gives us the option to offset the carbon footprint of some of our other commodities by meeting certain environmental wool and meat market certification benchmarks.” Mr Morrison is part of a Private Forests Tasmania integrated farm forestry demonstration site and was one of three farmers last year to receive a share of the $450,000 Stems for CO2 co-investment program, supported by the State Government’s Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania initiative. Under Stems for CO2, about 268 hectares of commercial trees will be planted across the properties of Dougal, Alison Napier, and Julian Devery in Oatlands, St Marys, and Riana, respectively. Mr Morrison’s project will sequester 94,280 tonnes of CO2e across 27 years in the first rotation. That’s enough to offset annual emissions from 20,648 cars or 5,427 homes. The Tasmanian Government’s $10 million commitment in 2023 to maintaining the state’s net-zero emissions status has been pivotal, with $600,000 allocated to Private Forests Tasmania to co-invest with landowners in establishing plantations for forestry and carbon farming while helping communicate the benefits of growing trees to other farmers and landowners. Using the funds, Mr Morrison will plant a four-hectare shelterbelt in August 2025 and convert two eucalyptus nitens plantations into radiata pine plantations The plan is considered a schedule 2 project under the Australian carbon credit units’ scheme where an existing short rotation plantation forest is converted to a long rotation plantation forest for commercial harvesting of wood products. One 113-hectare site will be planted in 2025, while the 39-hectare site will be completed in late winter 2026, with Forest Practices Plans and Private Timber Reserves either in action or progressing. In total, more than 160,000 seedlings will be added to the property for carbon and timber benefits over the plantations’ 27-year lifespan. “We weighed up whether to convert the land back to agricultural grazing or put it back into trees,” Mr Morrison said. “At the time, the numbers were really close because wool, land, and cattle were all selling well, and timber was not fantastic. “But with the carbon project, the numbers came out in front, and it’s probably lucky we went that way because agricultural commodities have dropped in the past four or five years. “We also contemplated going back to nitens, but we believe there will be a better market for pine in the future.” Mr Morrison said site preparation would be carried out in autumn and that firebreaks, fencing, and browsing and weed control measures were in place. “This planting is part of a larger carbon project that will total 453 hectares, some of which we have planted recently,” he said. “We have learnt a lot about how to achieve the best results from plantation establishment from our experience in the last two years, with a greater focus on browsing management needed.” Mr Morrison said Climate Friendly was managing the carbon side of his forestry enterprise, while Cross Cut Forestry Consulting’s Chris Ringk was overseeing his plantation establishment. If you are interested in integrating and growing trees on your property, email Private Forests Tasmania at admin@pft.tas.gov.au or call our free helpline on 1300 661 009 for more information.