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FAE is expanding its range of top-of-the-line forestry mulchers for excavators with the introduction of the new UMM/S/EX model for excavators up to 40 tons; particularly for feller bunchers. Source: Timberbiz The new UMM/S/EX can be used for mulching trees and vegetation with a diameter of up to 40 cm and is compatible with excavators from 25 to 40 tons. Its hydraulic capacity ranges from 250 to 450 L/min., and it can handle pressure of up to 400 bar. This mulcher model is recommended for use anywhere a large mulching capacity is required, including in wooded areas or green spaces. The UMM/S/EX has been designed with a number of specific features to provide top performance. Its VT automatic variable displacement motor allows for increased torque, and its double Poly Chain belt transmission ensures optimum power transfer and reliability over time. Spike PRO bolted counter blades produce very fine mulch and make maintenance easy, while the mulching chamber features bolted protections made of an anti-wear material. The sturdy type-C rotor makes it possible to use different tooth models for different applications and comes with side teeth, which help keep the crushing chamber clean at all times. Finally, with a sturdy steel frame, the UMM/S/EX is built to last. This head is available in UMM/S/EX/VT-150 size. With the introduction of the UMM/S/EX, FAE forestry mulchers can now be used with even more powerful vehicles, which have only been used in a limited capacity for this application up to now. FAE’s range of heads includes forestry mulchers, tillers, stump cutters, stone crushers, soil stabilizers, road planers, wheel saws and multitasks. Its line of tracked carriers includes tracked carriers with cabs and remote-controlled tracked carriers. FAE was founded in 1989 in Fondo, Italy, where its headquarters are still located, it has an office in Melbourne, Australia.

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Wildfires intensified across southern Europe on Wednesday with a round-the-clock battle to protect the perimeter of Greece’s third-largest city and at least three deaths reported in Spain, Turkey and Albania. Sources: Associated Press and NBC News Outside the Greek port city of Patras, firefighters struggled to protect homes and agricultural facilities as flames tore through pine forests and olive groves. Tall columns of flames rose behind apartment blocks on the outskirts of the city, while dozens of vehicles were torched as flames swept through a nearby impound lot. “Today is another very difficult day with the level of fire risk remaining very high across many parts of the country,” Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakoyiannis said. At least 15 firefighters were hospitalized or received medical attention for burns, smoke inhalation or exhaustion, he added. As water-dropping planes and helicopters swooped overhead, residents joined the effort, beating back flames with cut branches or dousing them with buckets of water. Firefighting resources were stretched thin in many affected countries as they battled multiple outbreaks following weeks of heat waves and temperature spikes across the Mediterranean region. On the Greek island of Chios, exhausted firefighters slept on the roadside following a night-long shift. Aircraft rotated between blazes on the western Greek mainland, the Patras area and the island of Zakynthos. Athens also sent assistance to neighbouring Albania, joining an international effort to combat dozens of wildfires. An 80-year-old man died in one blaze south of the capital, Tirana, officials said Wednesday. Residents of four villages were evacuated in central Albania near a former army ammunition depot. In the southern Korca district, near the Greek border, explosions were reported from buried World War II-era artillery shells. Authorities said dozens of homes were gutted in a central region of the country. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed condolences after the death of a firefighting volunteer in the hard-hit Castile and León region north of the capital, Madrid, where thousands have been displaced by evacuations. “The wildfire situation remains serious, and taking extra precautions is essential,” Sánchez wrote in an online post. “Thank you, once again, to all those working tirelessly to fight the flames.” Evacuation centres were filled to capacity in parts of central Spain, with some spending the night outdoors on folding beds. The most severe fires pushed northward into more rural areas, where some residents hosed the walls of their homes to try and protect them from fire.

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Canadian lumber duties just jumped to 35.19%, more than double what they were in January. At the start of 2025, the combined “all others” duty on Canadian softwood lumber was 14.40%. This included 7.66% anti-dumping and 6.74% countervailing duties. Two Department of Commerce rulings in July and August increased the total to 35.19%, made up of 20.56% anti-dumping and 14.63% countervailing. Source: HBS Dealer When Canadian prices rise, US mills often raise their own prices in response. As Brian Rodgers, purchasing manager at Shepley Wood Products, recently told the Boston Globe, “Everybody follows the numbers. It doesn’t matter what side of the border it’s coming from.” This market behaviour reduces negotiating room for dealers and tightens margins no matter where the lumber originates. Tony Shepley, president of Shepley Wood Products, emphasized the industry’s responsibility to protect housing affordability: “It’s our mission as an industry to protect consumers, to not let housing get driven further out of reach.” There is a prevailing trend unfolding where more architectural and engineering specifications are calling for Canadian SPF (spruce-pine-fir). The reason is not quality but differences in grading rules and design values. Canadian SPF and American SPFs are graded differently and are not interchangeable under many construction specifications. This means that when a project specifies Canadian SPF, dealers must supply it to meet the requirement. Some New Hampshire retailers report that this has shifted their entire inventory to Canadian SPF. This is not a marginal factor, as the United States already purchases nearly 70% of all Canadian softwood lumber exports. The more specifications lean toward Canadian SPF, the more entrenched that reliance becomes, narrowing opportunities for American SPFs to compete. Eric Murphy, purchasing and marketing manager at East Coast Lumber & Building Supply Company and incoming president of the New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association (NHRLA), explained: “We’re seeing the specifications in project plans leave us with no real choice. If the plan calls for Canadian SPF, that’s what we have to supply. Over time, it’s pushed us to the point where we now only stock Canadian SPF. It’s not a question of preference; it’s about meeting the requirements of the jobs our customers are building.” The NHRLA is working to introduce state legislation that would require a preference for American SPFs when pricing and performance are competitive. Without action, this specification trend could further increase dependence on Canadian lumber at the same time tariffs and duties are reaching historic highs. The softwood lumber dispute between the United States and Canada has lasted for decades, with duties in place for much of that time. This long history has reshaped supply chains. While tariffs and duties are meant to raise the price of imports and protect domestic producers, they have also prompted Canadian sawmills to relocate to the United States to avoid paying the duties. As I explained in a recent CBS 3 Vermont interview, we have seen with these tariffs that have been in place for decades on Canadian lumber, sawmills have moved into the United States to avoid the tariff, so it actually has brought in a certain level of manufacturing jobs. These relocations have created American jobs and investment but have not eliminated upward pressure on prices. ABMA supports a negotiated resolution to the U.S.–Canada softwood lumber dispute that addresses unfair trade practices while ensuring stable supply and predictable pricing for dealers, mills and builders. Tariffs and duties can be an effective enforcement tool, but they are no substitute for a long-term, enforceable trade framework. Our outlook is that the current 35.19% duty rate when combined with the emerging structural preference for Canadian SPF over American SPFs will keep price pressure high. Without resolution, retailers will remain tied to a pricing structure driven as much by policy shifts as by actual supply and demand fundamentals. “Our industry has lived with these duties for decades, and we’ve adapted but what we want most is a resolution that delivers long-term stability. Duties and tariffs at this level send a clear signal that the status quo isn’t sustainable, and they can be a tool to bring both sides back to the table. The sooner we can achieve a fair agreement, the better it will be for the entire North American lumber supply chain,” said Rod Wiles, Vice President of Human Resources at Hammond Lumber Company and Chair of the American Building Materials Alliance.

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Studying at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Nicholas Stratmann feels he has found a uniquely perfect place to complete his honours research into eucalyptus conservation. Source: Timberbiz “You don’t have to go far from campus to be in the bush,” he said. “That connection to place is a big part of what keeps me motivated.” Originally from Victoria, Mr Stratmann has long been fascinated by Australia’s rich botanical diversity. And it was Tasmania’s unique native flora – particularly its diverse species of eucalyptus, that inspired him to relocate to the island state and specialise in it. Mr Stratmann is currently working on an honours project focused on understanding and conserving Tasmania’s eucalyptus populations, which are increasingly vulnerable to the pressures of climate change, land use, and habitat loss. “Eucalypts are incredibly important, not just ecologically, but culturally and economically,” he said. “They’re keystone species in many Australian ecosystems, and Tasmania is home to some of the most distinctive and rare types.” His research involves sampling eucalyptus populations across different parts of the state and analysing their genetic diversity and local adaptation to climate. The aim is to assess how populations are structured across the landscape, as well as how adapted these populations are to their environments. This helps to inform conservation strategies, particularly in the face of climate uncertainty. “Understanding the genetic variation within and between eucalyptus species can tell us which populations are more resilient, which ones are isolated, and where we need to prioritise conservation efforts,” Mr Stratmann said. Mr Stratmann made the move to Hobart after learning about the University’s strength in environmental science and its close ties with conservation organisations and research initiatives across the state. “I knew I wanted to do work that could have a real-world impact,” he said. “Tasmania offered the chance to study in a place where nature is still accessible and relatively intact and where people are passionate about protecting it.” That move was made easier by the welcoming academic environment he discovered at the University of Tasmania. The support he received from supervisors and staff helped him settle in quickly and focus on his research from day one. “There’s a really strong research culture here. My supervisors have been incredibly generous with their time and knowledge, and the university has excellent facilities for both field and lab work,” Mr Stratmann said. “It’s been a great environment to grow in as a scientist.” Mr Stratmann’s work will be used by landholders and community groups who are actively involved in environmental restoration and native vegetation management. And he also hopes to continue with postgraduate research into eucalyptus genetics once his honours project is complete. “Engaging with people on the ground is one of the most rewarding parts of this work,” he said. “Conservation is a shared responsibility, and it’s exciting to see how research can support community-driven efforts,” he said. “There’s still so much we don’t know, and I feel really lucky to be contributing to that knowledge here in Tasmania.” View a video at https://youtu.be/f_GI9CH7bbY

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