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Finnish sawmillers call for national wood construction program

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:13

The Finnish Sawmilling Industry Association says wood construction should be recognised as part of Finland’s sustainable growth, competitiveness and clean transition investments. Source Fordaq The Finnish Sawmilling Industry Association has called for wood construction to be placed more firmly at the centre of Finland’s sustainable economic growth, competitiveness and clean transition investments. In comments prepared for Ministry of Employment and Economy officials’ talks, the association said Finland has a strong forest and sawmill industry base, supported by renewable domestic raw material. According to the association, this base can support higher value-added business, exports and regional vitality. The association said the growth of wood construction can increase the value added of domestic wood and strengthen investments, exports and employment across Finland. It also said that the use of domestic wood in construction should be increased more widely, beyond wood construction alone. The association said the growth of the wood construction market should be seen as part of Finland’s competitiveness, industrial policy and low-carbon built environment. In its view, wood construction offers a concrete way to combine climate goals, eco-nomic growth, investments, exports and regional vitality. It also highlighted the role of wood in construction quality, comfort and user-friendliness, noting that research shows people feel comfortable in wood-based buildings and perceive wood as a pleasant material in housing and public spaces. The association emphasized that a long-term and predictable operating environment is a key prerequisite for investments, innovations and the growth of higher value-added wood-based solutions. The Finnish Sawmilling Industry Association presented five key proposals for strengthening wood construction in Finland. Introduce life-cycle-based carbon limits for buildings. Increase the use of wood in public construction and public procurement. Direct RDI funding towards wood construction innovations and new wood construction solutions. Strengthen training and expertise in timber construction at all levels of education. Launch a national timber construction programme led by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, supported by a high-level cross-administrative steering group.   According to the association, Finland is not yet fully using the potential of wood construction and wood use to strengthen the added value of domestic wood, investments and regional vitality. It said the use of wood in construction has decreased significantly in Finland over the past 20 years. Wood construction is also still growing too slowly in relation to national climate, growth and export targets. The association said the current regulatory and market environment does not sufficiently support the growth of wood construction or the wider use of wood in construction. The association said Finland needs new high value uses for domestic wood, and that wood construction represents a significant opportunity. It added that the sector can increase investments, exports and employment throughout the country. While wood construction has been promoted in several government programmes and strategies, the association said practical measures and their effectiveness have remained fragmented. It called for more long-term and cross-administrative implementation to grow the wood construction market. Proposed solutions include creating a predictable operating environment, using public procurement to develop the market, directing RDI funding towards new wood construction solutions, and developing regulation and permitting processes in a way that enables investments. The association said the share of wood construction in Finland is still growing too slowly in relation to climate, investment and employment goals. Slow market development, it said, weakens the opportunity to create new jobs, in-crease investments and raise the value added of domestic wood in Finland. It also limits opportunities to strengthen regional vitality and exports linked to wood construction and wood products. To address this, the association called for stronger timber construction teaching at different levels of education, closer cooperation between universities, educational institutions and companies, and better availability of skilled labour for the expected growth of wood construction. The Finnish Sawmilling Industry Association also linked wood construction to Finland’s climate goals and clean transition investments. It said emission reductions in the built environment are progressing too slowly and that the potential of wood construction is not being fully used as part of climate, in-vestment and industrial policy. The association called for construction guidance to take account of buildings’ cli-mate impacts across their full life cycle. It also said the potential of wood construction to reduce life-cycle emissions and act as long-term carbon storage in the building stock should be recognised. It added that substitution effects of materials should be considered as part of the climate impacts of construction. In its final remarks, the association said the growth of wood construction can strengthen Finland’s competitiveness, increase investments and raise the added value of domestic wood products. It said the same growth can also support regional vitality, employment and exports throughout Finland. The association concluded that Finland has excellent conditions to increase the share of wood construction as part of sustainable economic growth and competitive industrial policy, but that a long-term and predictable operating environment will be essential for new investment.  

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A shift to pine in the Swedish construction sector

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:13

Spruce has long been the default choice in the Swedish construction sector. However, interest in pine as a structural timber is now growing both within the sawmill industry and among construction stakeholders. Source: Timberbiz According to Norra Timber, this shift is about broadening the perception of which timber species can be used in construction and creating greater flexibility at a time when raw material availability is changing. “It is the strength class that determines performance, not the species itself. Properly graded and strength-classified pine performs just as well as spruce in structural applications,” said Erik Högbom, Sales Director for Building Products at Norra Timber. The industry body Svenskt Trä has also highlighted that pine has significant untapped potential in construction, and several Swedish sawmills are now expanding their product portfolios with pine-based structural products. In Sweden, spruce has traditionally dominated structural timber applications, largely due to convention. However, when timber is graded to strength classes such as C24, both pine and spruce meet the same technical requirements for load-bearing structures. Both species are already used in applications ranging from roof trusses to floor joists. “Spruce has become the norm more out of habit than technical necessity. By also using pine, the construction industry gains access to equivalent alternatives and a broader supply base,” said Mr Högbom. For builders’ merchants and contractors, this means greater flexibility to plan projects based on availability and demand, rather than relying on a single species. “We are seeing a clear increase in demand for pine studs. Many customers value the ability to choose between equivalent options, strengthening both supply security and competitiveness in their projects,” he said. This development is also driven by changes in raw material availability. In recent years, spruce supply has been affected by factors such as bark beetle infestations, storm damage and strong demand across Europe, while the availability of pine has increased. As a result, more stakeholders are reassessing how different timber species are utilised. A broader use of pine can also contribute to more efficient resource utilisation across both forestry and the wood processing industry. “When both pine and spruce are used in structural applications, we make better use of the forest resource and strengthen the long-term availability of structural timber,” Mr Högbom said. According to Norra Timber, advances in sawmilling technology, kiln drying and grading processes have also played a key role in changing perceptions of pine as a structural material. Modern quality control systems now deliver a more consistent and predictable product than in the past. “A lot has changed over the past decade. With today’s production methods and quality control, pine studs are a highly consistent, high-performance product – making pine just as suitable as spruce for structural use,” Mr Högbom said.

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Canada invests $14M to digitise forest inventory

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:12

Canada’s Ontario government is investing more than Can$14 million to build a modern, digital system to inventory the province’s forest resources, giving industry access to better information to invest, grow and create jobs. Source: Timberbiz As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, this investment will modernize the Forest Resources Inventory (FRI) Information Management System, the essential database of Ontario’s managed forests, by replacing outdated systems with cutting-edge technology to make critical forest data more accurate, accessible and easier to use. “Ontario’s forest sector is a key economic driver that supports good-paying jobs and the workers and communities that depend on them across the province,” said Kevin Holland, Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products. “As a leader in advanced forest inventory technology, Ontario is equipping industry with the data it needs to stay competitive, make faster decisions and establish the regulatory framework needed to support long-term growth.” Through a strategic partnership with Microsoft, powered by Databricks technology, the province is developing customized digital tools to modernize how Ontario collects, stores and shares forest inventory information, strengthening the sector’s long-term competitiveness and resilience in the global economy. “Microsoft Canada is incredibly proud to have partnered on the Forest Resource Inventory (FRI), helping transform vast, growing volumes of forest data into accessible, actionable insights. The FRI is critical to enabling sustainable forest management, driving innovation, and supporting the long-term health and growth of Ontario’s forestry sector,” Robert Wood Microsoft said. This work is a key commitment in the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, Ontario’s 10-year plan to defend forestry workers and businesses, adapt to global market pressures and grow long-term demand for Ontario wood products. Historically, a forest resources inventory was produced using static, digital images stored on physical drives. By leveraging cutting-edge lidar technology, a sophisticated remote-sensing tool that measures distances using laser pulses of light, Ontario can capture precise information about forest structure and ground elevation, some individual tree characteristics and three-dimensional views of forest landscapes. This provides a far more detailed and accurate picture of Ontario’s forests than was previously possible. This investment will support the secure storage and analysis of more than 3,700 terabytes of lidar data on a cloud-based, secure data platform, more than eight times the amount of data stored in NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope data archive. In addition to supporting forest industry, this inventory plays a vital role in informing broader natural resource management decisions including land-scape analysis, land use planning decisions and wildfire management. “This investment puts better tools in the hands of the people who manage and depend on Ontario’s forests,” said Mike Harris, Minister of Natural Resources. “By investing in this innovation, we’re giving the forestry sector clearer, more reliable information to plan ahead, reduce operational burden and make confident decisions that will drive growth and protect the land and resources Ontarians depend on, today and for generations to come.” Guided by the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, modernizing the Forest Resources Inventory and cutting red tape are essential to keeping Ontario’s forest sector strong and competitive. Reliable forest data gives industry the confidence to invest, create jobs and build a more resilient sector for workers and communities across Ontario.

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Urgent warning truck trailer disconnections have doubled

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:11

Dangerous incidents involving trailers unintentionally disconnecting from heavy vehicles have doubled compared with the same time last year, with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator issuing an urgent warning to operators. Source: Timberbiz National data collected by the NHVR shows a clear rise in the number of potentially critical incidents, with 8 trailer drop incidents already recorded in 2026, as well as one serious injury from a crash. In April 2025 there was a fatal crash in New South Wales when a dolly and two rear trailers became detached from the lead trailer. NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati said while the heavy vehicle industry was doing it tough at the moment, safety needed to remain the number one priority. “We know it is a challenging time for many people and heavy vehicle drivers play a crucial role in keeping our country moving, however safety standards are critical,” he said. “Our data shows an increase in heavy vehicle incidents due to unplanned trailer drops and decoupling events, which we know can be minimised by drivers taking steps like conducting pre‑start checks before every journey. “Drivers must be trained in the safe system of work and a failure to check vehicles and trailers thoroughly can create serious safety risks for drivers on the road.” Key contributing factors to crashes and fatalities included mechanical wear or failure, operator error or distraction, improper loading and dynamic forces on combinations. Drivers are urged to follow a checklist before getting behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle, including: Undertaking a thorough visual inspection of couplings – including drawbars and towbars – and removing any covers or protective plates to check for wear, dam-age, or defects and reporting any issues before moving the combination Ensuring coupling components are clean and free from dirt or debris which may prevent proper engagement of couplings or locking mechanisms Ensuring all air lines, electrical cables and safety chains are correctly secured and operational before departure Conducting a walk around of the combination and complete a final visual check Performing a tug test prior to departure.   Mr Salvati said without proper cautions taken, members of the heavy vehicle industry risked contributing to serious crashes or road fatalities. “These factors can significantly increase safety risks, particularly on high-speed roads where a trailer loss can have severe consequences for both the driver and other road us-ers if the trailer is dropped and it causes a hazard on the road,” he said. “This can lead to crashes, or worse – fatalities – when a driver hits, or swerves to miss a dropped trailer. “It’s important all of industry takes this issue seriously so everyone can return home safely to their families at the end of the day.” From July 2024 to April 2026, the NHVR identified a total of 26 trailer drop incidents across its regulated jurisdictions. Mr Salvati warned that while the NHVR was aware of increasing incidents, many more could occur without being reported. “If anyone is concerned about safety or the potential for a trailer-related crash to occur, they can speak anonymously to the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line,” he said. Issues can be reported by phoning 1800 931 785 or online through the NHVR website at www.nhvr.gov.au/hvcrl

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NZ government boosts funding to tackle wilding pines

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:10

The New Zealand Government is investing in rural productivity by supercharging efforts to tackle the spread of wilding pines, according to Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. Source: Timberbiz “Wilding pines threaten productive farmland, water supplies in sensitive catchments, and native biodiversity and they significantly increase the impact of wildfires,” Mr Hoggard said. “Budget 2026 invests an additional NZ$79 million over the next three years, taking the total commitment to NZ$109 million, so we can ramp up control work and get ahead of the spread. This is a smart investment in rural productivity and will back those working hard on-the-ground to contain wildings.” More than two million hectares of New Zealand are affected by wilding infestations, with untreated areas expanding by an estimated five per cent a year. The National Wilding Conifer Control Program has received more than NZ$175m in government funding over the past decade, alongside more than NZ$38m contributed by partners and communities. “This Budget 2026 increase in funding is about boosting that momentum and backing the long-term resilience of rural communitiesm,” Mr Hoggard said. “We’re supporting regional councils, iwi, farmers, researchers, and volunteers who are making a real difference across nine priority regions, including Canterbury, Otago, and Marlborough.” About NZ$30m of the funding over three years will be provided through the International Visitor Levy. “Tourism is a key part of our plan to grow the economy and create jobs, lift wages, and help kiwis get ahead. This funding will help protect our unique natural environment from the spread of wilding pines,” Mr Hoggard said. The program is led by Biosecurity New Zealand and delivered in partnership with councils, landowners, iwi, industry, community groups, and other government agencies. In addition to the significant funding boost, MPI will begin developing a National Pest Management Plan for on-going control of wilding conifers. “This will further strengthen national coordination of wildings management, ensuring efficient and effective control work and establishing nationally consistent rules to prevent their further spread,” Mr Hoggard said.

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The WIDE Trust Best Practice Study Tour

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:10

New Zealand’s WIDE Trust Best Practice Study Tour is an initiative designed to support experienced forestry and wood industry professionals in exploring leading-edge practices, innovation, and emerging ideas from around the world. Source: Timberbiz Each year, the Trust offers a travel grant of up to NZD$30,000 to support an eligible candidate, or candidates, to undertake an international study tour focused on advancing knowledge within New Zealand’s forestry and wood sectors. The tour must be a minimum of two weeks in duration and is designed to provide valuable international exposure to new technologies, operational approaches, and industry developments. The Best Practice Study Tour reflects the WIDE Trust’s commitment to strengthening leadership and encouraging innovation across the forestry and wood industries. The opportunity is aimed at senior professionals who are actively pursuing careers within the sector and are in positions where they can influence change within their organisations. Applicants are ideally members of senior management teams, with the ability to implement learnings from the study tour and help drive new thinking, improved practices, and long-term industry development. By supporting industry leaders to gain first-hand international insights, the Trust helps encourage the adoption of new ideas and global best practices within New Zealand businesses. Successful applicants are required to develop a fully scoped itinerary outlining the companies, organisations, and industry leaders they plan to visit, along with the reasons those visits have been selected. Study tours may explore a wide range of topics across forestry and wood processing industries, including: Advanced timber manufacturing and processing Sustainable forestry management practices Emerging wood technologies and innovation Automation and operational efficiency Workforce development and industry leadership Environmental performance and resource management   The program is designed to ensure participants return with practical knowledge and insights that can be shared and implemented within the New Zealand industry. In addition to financial support from the WIDE Trust, successful applicants and their employers are expected to contribute towards some study tour costs, reinforcing industry commitment and support for professional development. Following the completion of the study tour, recipients present their key learnings directly to the WIDE Trust Trustees, helping share knowledge and encourage wider industry benefit beyond the individual participant. This focus on knowledge sharing ensures the impact of the programme extends beyond a single experience, contributing to broader conversations around innovation, leadership, and continuous improvement within the forestry and wood sectors. Applications for the WIDE Trust Best Practice Study Tour close on 31 July each year for tours undertaken in the following calendar year. More information at https://www.widetrust.org.nz/

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Spanish energy giant seeks to put 33 turbines in NSW softwood plantation

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:09

A decade ago, the concept of mixing wind turbines with tree plantations was unheard of in Australia, but a new addition to the federal EPBC queue now brings the current total of such project proposals to at least eight. Source: Renew Economy Spanish energy giant Iberdrola is seeking approval for 33 turbines in the Mullions Range softwood pine plantation in New South Wales (NSW), which deliver 248 megawatts (MW) of capacity, and which is one of two forestry projects it’s pitching in the state. The project is located about 20 km north of Orange and is one of five solicited by the state’s Forestry Corporation in 2023. Forestry Corp issued an “investigation permit” in 2024, and if the project proves feasible Iberdrola expects it to take around six years to deliver. The EPBC referral shows Iberdrola is planning to install turbines with a tip height of up to 250 metres above ground level and a hub height of 150m above ground level. The developer is looking at an area slightly more than 2,000 hectares, with an actual disturbance area of about 400 hectares at this stage. Plantations are seen as an ideal location for wind turbines. They’re already a monoculture and have existing roads made for heavy trucks. And they’re also harvested as well, meaning that any trees cut down to make way for turbines would one day have been cut down anyway. Or, as Iberdrola’s EPBC referral puts it, the “forestry land use has resulted in a highly modified landscape and a generally degraded ecological condition across the majority of the site.” Native vegetation is limited to areas set aside for existing transmission corridors through the plantation, and while there may be some hollow-bearing habitat trees, “fauna habitat quality is generally low, reflecting the dominance of [pine] plantation forest.” While several endangered and threatened flora and fauna were noted in the wider area, just koalas and white throated needletails were spotted inside the 2000-hectare footprint. The NSW Forestry Corp is going all in on wind projects for its softwood plantations, the only ones that state law allow renewable energy to operate in. There are four other projects with permits in the state’s commercial plantations, the 158 MW Four Mile Creek project, also owned by Iberdrola, Someva Renewables’ and Mainstream Renewable Power’s 500 MW Sunny Corner, Neoen’s 1.2-gigawatt (GW) Bondo, and TagEnergy’s 2-gigawatt proposal The Pines. Other states have also considered plantation renewables.  The first was the Delburn project in Gippsland, Victoria, which was first proposed in 2019 and was recently sold to the Victoria SEC. The 600 MW Kentbruck project, on the other side of the state, received a state planning nod in January, much to the disappointment of conservationists concerned about nearby wetlands. Queensland had one forestry wind project, the 1.2 GW Forest Wind, but planning minister Jarrod Bleijie convinced colleagues to cancel the law allowing renewables in state-owned forests, effectively killing the project – pending an appeal.

The post Spanish energy giant seeks to put 33 turbines in NSW softwood plantation appeared first on Timberbiz.

OFO’s fire season finishes under mild conditions

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:08

OneFortyOne’s 2025–26 fire season has officially concluded, following generally milder conditions across the Green Triangle compared with previous seasons. Source: Timberbiz OneFortyOne Green Triangle Forests general manager Deon Kriek acknowledged the efforts of crews and partner brigades. “Working closely with the Country Fire Service (CFS), Country Fire Authority (CFA), and industry brigades continues to be essential in protecting our forests and supporting our communities,” Mr Kriek said. The 2025-26 season ran from 1 December 2025 to 13 April 2026, lasting 134 days. Mr Kriek said conditions across the region were generally wetter than average for most of the season, which helped reduce overall fire activity. “Our crews were on standby for 88 days, which is slightly below the long-term average,” he said. “Across the season, we responded to 28 fires both within our estate and across the region.” Fifteen fires occurred on OneFortyOne-managed land, with crews also assisting at fires on private property, other forestry estates, national parks, and roadsides. Fire causes included lightning strikes, suspected arson, vehicle-related incidents, and escaped agricultural burns. “Only 0.3 hectares of our local forests were impacted, and most importantly, our crews went home safe and well every day,” Mr Kriek said. OneFortyOne supported efforts interstate, with teams of firefighters completing three deployments to Victoria, including assisting with the Otways fires. The season also saw three new Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs) added to the fleet, along with ongoing construction of the Mount Burr Fire Tower, due to be completed before the next season begins. An end of season celebration was held in May to thank crews and recognise their contribution. “The end of season get together is a good opportunity to catch up and thank our crews for the effort they’ve put in,” Mr Kriek said. “While we had a relatively quiet season, we’re proud of our teams, the work they’ve done and the connections they’ve made with other brigades.” Fire management activities, including training, prescribed burns and firebreak maintenance, will continue throughout the year to keep crews and forests prepared.

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NSW consultation highlights Tumut and Tumbarumba softwood processing

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:08

A major NSW forestry consultation has highlighted the Tumut and Tumbarumba regions’ importance to Australia’s softwood processing industry, while revealing divisions over forest management and bushfire resilience.  Source: Tumbarumba Times The NSW government last week published its Independent Forestry Panel Stakeholder Consultation Report, a step towards the development of a Forest Industry Action Plan (FIAP). The panel received written submissions from over 1500 individuals and 160 organisations representing a cross-section of the timber industry, environmental groups, re-searchers, residents and businesses from regional NSW and others, guided by six prompts based around areas to be addressed in the FIAP. While the report focuses primarily on native forest harvesting, it also addresses the softwood industry in the Snowy Valleys and across the state. It groups Tumbarumba within its Coastal (Southern) forestry region, which it described as Australia’s most concentrated softwood processing area. The report identified several shared objectives across submissions, including bushfire resilience, however stakeholders differed on how forests should be managed to achieve that. “Some [say] that timber harvesting, salvage logging, and silviculture techniques like thinning reduce bushfire risks and others [say] that harvesting, salvage logging and thinning all increase bushfire frequency and intensity,” the report reads. “Despite that divergence, the submissions clearly demonstrate a deep shared concern about bushfire risk now and in the future, and that there is urgent need for improved fire policy and management based on empirical evidence and up-to-date scientific consensus.” The report notes different cohorts have different conceptions of what appropriate active management of forests for fire resilience is. “Some favour hazard reduction burning and robust fuel load reduction methods … Others caution that this approach only works in some forest types and that a much more nuanced, adaptive and multifaceted approach is needed.” The report noted some stakeholders highlighted “the strong capacity of Forestry Corpo-ration’s staff and other timber industry workers to cost-effectively prepare and respond to bushfire threats as being highly valuable.” “Previous reviews have noted that the Forestry Corporation is a statutory firefighting authority and plays a role in fire management in native forests,” the report said. “Forestry Corporation’s workforce includes trained firefighters who carry out fire mitigation and hazard reduction (including fire trail maintenance, specialist tall tree felling skills), training and maintenance programs, a large fleet of heavy machinery and equipment and supply agreements to enable quick uplift in people, plant and equipment and firefighting response in coordination with other agencies.” The Independent Forestry Panel is chaired by Peter Duncan with other panel members Professor Mary O’Kane and Mick Veitch. A ministerial statement from the offices of the Minister for Agriculture, the Minister for Energy and Climate Change, and the Minister for Environment and Heritage thanked all those who made submissions and attended focus groups and stakeholder interviews. “Making this report available to the public is a key step towards modernising forestry in a way that protects biodiversity,” the statement reads. “Following the finalisation of the stake holder report, the panel has been tasked to produce a considerations report. “This report will accommodate the stake holder report findings and identify opportunities to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the NSW forestry industry and support jobs, in the context of recent and ongoing changes.”

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Adaptive silviculture reviving the Callendale plantation estate

Australian timber industry news - Mi, 27/05/2026 - 02:07

Australian Bluegum Plantations is highlighting the role of adaptive silviculture and long-term landscape thinking in the recovery of its Callendale plantation estate following the devastating January 2022 bushfire in South Australia’s south-east. Source: Timberbiz The fire, in the heart of the Wattle Range region of South Australia, impacted more than 3800 hectares of ABP plantation, presenting significant challenges including extensive tree loss, erosion challenges, and sensitive post-fire environmental conditions. Recovery required more than a standard recovery and replanting response. ABP’s silviculture forester Neil Turner led the development and delivery of the complex salvage program, recovering 277,000 m3 of timber over an 18-month operation. The program required careful sequencing and on-ground decision making to navigate winter seasonal constraints to recover as much fibre as possible without compromising site conditions. “This fire event burnt almost 100 per cent of the stands, wiping out everything in its path,” Mr Turner said. “These 16-year-old trees were more than 30 metres tall, and the flames were well above the canopy, it was enormous. With strong winds, the fire raced across the landscape. During mop-up it was clear the salvage task would be challenging and would require significant planning and coordination.” Beyond salvage, ABP’s re-establishment program prioritised land recovery, environmental protection and long-term productivity. Rather than rushing to replace trees, the focus was on restoring healthy plantation systems. “After a fire of this scale, the land tells you what it needs,” Mr Turner said. “In some areas, that meant slowing down, managing erosion risk, and allowing time for conditions to stabilise before re-establishment. In others, it meant trialling different establishment techniques to better suit the post-fire environment.” The Callendale response deliberately moved away from a one-size-fits-all approach. Planting was delayed in selected areas, site preparation methods were adapted, and lessons learned were embedded into future operations. This evidence-based approach balanced immediate recovery pressures with the long-term health of soils, waterways, and surrounding landscapes. The recovery program also strengthened future fire preparedness, including the establishment of additional fire-water resources within the local drainage network to improve resilience against future events. ABP Chief Executive Officer Darren Shelden said the work at Callendale reflects a broader shift in how the company approaches plantation recovery after major disturbance. “Neil’s leadership at Callendale demonstrates that good silviculture is as much about stewardship as it is about production,” Mr Shelden said. “The decisions made following the fire prioritised land capability, environmental outcomes, and long-term value. This is exactly the kind of thinking our industry needs as it adapts to a more challenging climate.” The Callendale recovery has since become a reference point within ABP, informing post-fire rehabilitation approaches across the estate and reinforcing the importance of flexibility, innovation, and on-ground expertise. “As foresters, we’re working with long timeframes. Success isn’t just measured by survival rates at planting, but by how well the landscape performs years down the track. Callendale has been about setting that foundation properly,” Mr Turner said. ABP continues to monitor and refine its silvicultural practices at Callendale, with lessons from the recovery program contributing to ongoing improvements in environmental management and plantation resilience across the business. This includes construction of a purpose-built fire resource dam to support future firefighting defence.

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