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Conversations around trees on farms are often centred on tall trees, but the importance of the vegetation layers below the canopy can’t be understated in supporting biodiversity. Source: Timberbiz Due to grazing pressure or the presence of exotic pasture grasses, many patches of remnant vegetation do not have ongoing tree recruitment, grass tussocks or shrubs. Infill planting that includes native grasses, herbs, shrubs and small trees is vital to provide healthy habitats for bird and insect life. Jon Finch, Entomologist at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, notes the importance of creating and protecting diverse understory for wildlife. “We really need to think about adding multiple layers to our plantings and allowing that to be undisturbed and not grazed, sprayed or managed,” he said. “Everything from grasses, which are important for holding soil together and providing food, to native herbs and flowering plants that produce nectar and pollen, to shrubs providing structure, shelter and food, then above that small and large trees that slow wind speed and provide shade. “Having these diverse plantings brings structural complexity back into the landscape, which wildlife needs to survive and prosper.” Both insects and birds play significant roles on agricultural land, providing services for pest control, pollination and soil health. Like insects, birds play a vitally important role in healthy ecosystems. Despite their importance to healthy ecosystems, there are signs that birds and insect populations are struggling, largely due to loss of habitat. For birds, loss of habitat is paired with an increase in introduced species that are over-abundant. Establishing or maintaining a healthy understory is an important part of supporting bird and insect communities. The first step is to protect areas of remnant vegetation, which often contains vegetation of mixed ages, including dead trees and tree hollows, which are extremely rare on farms yet a vital habitat providing shelter and resources for threatened species. In areas where tall trees require infill planting, caging individual tree seedlings for protection against browsing or damage from deer is an effective approach embraced on many farms.

Regular electricity shortages over New Zealand’s colder months could be a thing of the past if New Zealand diversified its heating sources to include biomass as a fuel. Brian Cox, executive officer of Bioenergy Association said New Zealanders were getting too familiar with this message from the energy sector at the same time every year. Source: Timberbiz “The announcement from Transpower that there may be insufficient generation to meet demand on the morning of 10 May is a situation which will become more common if there is too much reliance on electricity for energy supply. This is compounded by the announcement last week by the gas industry about looming gas shortages. “This is a situation of putting too much focus on a single form of energy.” With continuing strong population growth, a focus on decarbonising industry, and greater electrification of the vehicle fleet, Mr Cox said New Zealand risks being caught seriously short in electricity generation capacity for years to come. “And of course uncertainty over the future of the Lake Onslow hydro battery project has been hanging over the market for almost a decade. It has meant while those demand factors have been growing, generators have been hanging back from making any generation commitment, lest they be left with stranded assets if Onslow went ahead,” he said. While a decision on Onslow has been made for it to not go ahead, long lead times to create more generation capacity create a real squeeze on New Zealand’s electricity generation supply for several more years yet until those new generation assets come on stream. “If ever there was a time to have a joined-up national energy strategy, that time is now. And if we did, it would be very timely to include the use of biomass alongside electricity as an energy source for industrial processes, like heating and steam generation,” Mr Cox said. Mr Cox pointed to forestry firm OneFortyOne that recently signed an agreement with Canterbury Woodchip Supplies to take forest slash and turn it into biofuel to replace coal for heating horticulture crops in Nelson. “That company aims to reduce its slash and forest waste from its forests by 75,000 tonne over the next five years. That is the equivalent of 2000 logging trucks’ worth of timber.” With almost a third of New Zealand’s household waste comprising greenhouse gas emitting food scraps, there is also an ample feedstock source to enable the supply of biofuel for heating,” he said. The food waste sources for biogas production are diverse, including byproducts of food processing in the vegetable, meat, and dairy sectors, along with the methane gas emissions from landfills largely generated through waste food and organic matter within them. “A recent PowerCo report on renewable biogas highlights the potential this sector has to contribute to NZ’s climate change goals and energy sources.” Released in March the report identified the potential for an additional 18PJ of renewable biogas that could be sourced from waste processes, half from the North Island and half from the South Island. If tapped it means NZ could produce 23PJ a year, representing a reduction of 3.7 million tonnes of CO2 and equating to as much as 27% of NZ’s lower end of targeted gas reduction of 14m tonnes of CO2. Piped through the gas supply network, it represents about a 9% increase in NZ’s source of renewable energy. For companies needing gas for food processing, the use of onsite anaerobic digestors to produce biogas for their own use, also represents the next level in energy awareness. “Between forestry and food waste there is a very deep resource of biofuels that would go a long way to not only help remove this seasonal squeeze on electricity, but also make a major contribution to New Zealand’s efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions profile for the industrial sector.”

  A two-year research project has shed light on the promising opportunities for regional New Zealand to adopt short rotation forestry (SRF) for bioenergy production. The findings show that leveraging short rotation forestry will not only diversify regional economies, but also contribute to sustainable land management and generate environmental benefits as New Zealand looks for ways to transition to a circular bioeconomy and meet its net-zero emissions targets by 2050. Source: Timberbiz Silviculture and forest carbon scientist Alan Jones says Scion’s modelling shows that short rotation forestry as a feedstock for bioenergy has the potential to replace 6% of New Zealand’s annual fossil fuel demand from less than 1% of the land area. “We’ve built on research from a decade ago and assessed the feasibility of rapidly upscaling bioenergy production from forests. We’ve found there are particular regions well-suited to short rotation forestry which provides a real opportunity for communities to transform their economic base and reshape New Zealand’s energy future,” he said. A key outcome from Scion’s research is a ‘how to’ guide for short rotation forestry targeting landowners, forest investors, and government agencies. It not only outlines the feasibility of SRF but also identifies specific regions most suitable for it in New Zealand. Scion’s research recommends that short rotation forestry should be established on lower value land (Land Use Capability Class 5-7) in locations where transport distances to processing locations can be minimised. Regions highlighted include the Central North Island, Northland, the East Coast and Otago. The ideal species for short rotation forestry is Pinus radiata, owing to its rapid growth rates and high degree of adaptability and disease resistance in a range of growing locations. Other options include Eucalyptus fastigata and Eucalyptus regnans for their potential to rapidly yield large volumes of woody biomass from young age trees. Trees are generally planted in dense stands and managed to intensify rates of wood production for renewable energy, such as wood pellets, torrefied briquettes or liquid biofuels for marine and aviation sectors. SRF is a forestry practice that involves growing and harvesting trees on a short rotation cycle which, according to Scion’s modelling, would ideally be between 12 and 18 years for the production of wood biomass. This is considerably shorter than the conventional 28-year harvesting cycle. One of the key advantages of SRF is its ability to provide a steady supply of biomass for energy production on relatively economically marginal land, with plantations harvested multiple times. Additionally, SRF can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil fuels and promoting carbon sequestration in the form of sustainably harvested living trees. Scion’s research responds to signals from the Climate Change Commission that indicate the rising importance of bioenergy from forests in the coming decade. It also presents owners of low production grazing land on steeper hill country with alternative options to maximise productive capacity and increase economic viability. Several challenges could impede the future widespread adoption of SRF in New Zealand – primarily low value of bioenergy feedstock under present market conditions. Considerations such as land costs and transportation distances further complicate the potential adoption of SRF bioenergy nationally. To address these challenges, Scion’s analysis proposes integrating the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) carbon value of standing trees in SRF plantations into their economic assessment, which provides additional incentives for investment. Mr Jones says the guide provides a glimpse of what could be possible in the future for short rotation forestry as a vehicle to scale up bioenergy production. But the benefits would go much further if decentralised processing of harvested material was promoted to stimulate regional economies and fast-track bioenergy availability. “It’s about developing forest systems that are optimised for bioenergy. But in more economically disadvantaged regions, it also makes sense to build and establish processing facilities there because the energy itself is a lot cheaper to transport once it’s chipped and dried or transformed into liquid biofuels. To validate theoretical findings, Scion is collaborating with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on developing designs for forest bioenergy trials. These trials will involve rigorous testing of growth rates, optimal density, and tree health for different species, including Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus varieties. The collaboration represents a critical step in moving from theoretical models to practical implementation, addressing the complexities and uncertainties associated with on-the-ground application. Scion researchers are also looking at optimising tree genetics and ways to optimise tree genetics by re-evaluating past stock for its compatibility with bioenergy. Conventional tree breeding over the past 50 years has focused on timber quality, minimal branching and straightness. As a feedstock for bioenergy, Mr Jones says optimal trees have very different traits. “We want high levels of branching, and we don’t mind growing bendy stems because we also want high resin production and high wood density. So, some of the traits that would have been conventionally bred out of that breeding stock in the past, we’re looking to bring back in for bioenergy.” By 2035, one scenario suggests 150,000 hectares of dedicated bioenergy forest could contribute to at least 5% of domestic fossil energy demand, displacing the equivalent of 3 Mt of CO2 emissions from oil combustion per year, or 4 Mt CO2 from coal.

FSC Australia will hold its 17th Annual General Meeting of Responsible Forest Management Australia Limited (FSC Australia) and Membership Networking Event, scheduled for Thursday, 30 May at the Terrace Room, National Arboretum in Canberra. Source: Timberbiz This event promises informative presentations from the FSC ANZ team, presenting comprehensive updates on its accomplishments over the past year and outlining ongoing initiatives for 2024 and beyond. The proceedings will commence with the Annual General Meeting, followed by networking opportunities over refreshments. The AGM will start at 10.30am and finish at 4.00pm with networking from 4pm until 5pm. For those unable to attend in person, you can register for virtual attendance and a viewing link will be provided for access to the presentations. This link is solely for viewing – interaction, queries, or voting will not be facilitated. You can vote using a proxy form but it must be submitted by 10am 28 May 2024. Upon registration, you will receive comprehensive details about the day’s program, including directions to the venue, parking instructions, and more. For any inquiries email info@au.fsc.org  

Applications have opened for research projects that will advance research and innovation in Australian forest and wood products. Source: Timberbiz The first of four $5 million national open calls for forestry research projects have opened, aimed at establishing new high-value wood products, developed in Australia. The funding is part of the Albanese Government’s grant agreement with the University of Tasmania (UTAS) to establish and manage the $100 million Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI). The annual national open calls are open to applications from all Australian-based researchers supporting the forest and wood product industries and is not limited to the AFWI research centres. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt said the open call will allow industry and researchers to undertake projects that will make a positive impact on Australia’s forest and wood product industries. “We’ve cast the net wide to ensure a broad range of Australians get the chance to share their ideas on how to propel the industry forward,” Minister Watt said. “Establishing AFWI was an election commitment which we are proud to deliver and forms part of our record $300 million investment in the industry. “This program will help to deliver a sustainable future for the industry, by helping to unlock the full potential of wood as the ultimate renewable material, while also supporting a future made in Australia.” University of Tasmania Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Anthony Koutoulis said this funding presents an opportunity for researchers to develop novel and impactful ideas that support the sustainable production of wood products. “AFWI is committed to fostering innovation and empowering researchers to enhance the research capacity and capability in the forest and wood products sector now and into the future,” Professor Koutoulis said. “Encouraging collaboration between researchers and industry is vital for impactful projects. “With robust industry support and anchoring research on what really matters, research outcomes become readily applicable, ensuring lasting benefits for Australian communities.” Project applications close on 12 July 2024. For further details on this funding scheme, including eligibility requirements, refer to the relevant Grant Guidelines and Application form template on the AFWI website https://www.afwi.au/

In the heart of Paris, the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Forest Forum 2024 convened the 56 PEFC national governing bodies to confront the pressing challenges of climate change in forest management. Source: Timberbiz Against the backdrop of a warming world, forests have emerged as crucial allies, offering both resilience and solutions to combat the climate crisis. The forum spotlighted the role that forests play in adaptation, mitigation, and decarbonisation strategies and discussed the role of forest certification in international efforts to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Responsible Wood, the Australian and New Zealand national governing body for PEFC, took centre stage, advocating for enhanced recognition of sustainable forestry practices through forest certification and ensuring that Australian and New Zealand circumstances are taken into account during the evolving nature of forest certification. Simon Dorries, CEO of Responsible Wood, emphasised the pivotal role of responsible forest stewardship in mitigating the impacts of climate change. “Forests are indispensable carbon sinks and ecosystems, supporting biodiversity and livelihoods,” he said. “Responsible Wood is dedicated to ensuring that we can demonstrate that our forests are managed sustainably, safeguarding their resilience and ecological integrity, especially in the face of evolving regulations like the EU Deforestation Regulation.” Dr Tony Bartlett, Chair of Responsible Wood, stressed the necessity of collaborative efforts to address global forest challenges. “As stewards of the land, it’s our responsibility to implement practices that balance environmental conservation with economic viability and social responsibility,” Tony noted. “Through initiatives like the PEFC Forest Forum, we exchange knowledge and best practices to ensure a sustainable future for our forests amidst regulatory shifts,” Mr Bartlett said. Matt de Jongh, Sustainability Manager at Responsible Wood, highlighted the significance of forest certification schemes in promoting responsible forestry. “Certification offers consumers assurance that wood products originate from well-managed forests,” Matt described. “Supporting certified products empowers consumers to contribute to forest preservation and climate change mitigation, aligning with evolving regulations and industry standards,” Mr de Jongh said. Jonathan Tibbits, Marketing and Communications Manager at Responsible Wood emphasised the importance of raising awareness about sustainable forestry practices saying that effective communication is vital to foster a culture of responsible consumption. Through targeted campaigns and educational initiatives, Responsible Wood aims to empower individuals to make informed choices that support forest conservation, in line with regulatory requirements such as the EU Deforestation Regulation. Suzette Weeding, Vice Chair of PEFC, commended Responsible Wood’s commitment to sustainability and collaboration. “Responsible Wood exemplifies the principles of responsible forest management endorsed by PEFC,” Weeding praised. “Their dedication to promoting sustainable practices not only serves as a model for the industry but also aligns with regulatory frameworks, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation, ensuring forests remain resilient ecosystems for future generations,” she said. At the PEFC Forest Forum 2024, stakeholders shared insights and innovations, addressing the pivotal role of responsible forestry in tackling climate change and navigating evolving regulatory landscapes. As the discourse continues, Responsible Wood remains steadfast in its mission to champion sustainability, ensuring forests thrive amidst global challenges.