What a difference: Land use change from Farmland to ForestsA dairy farmer planning on growing manuka scrub says Federated Farmers lobbyists are mounting a vocal campaign against the farmer accountability for greenhouse gases, but failing to back landowners who want to "farm" carbon credits.
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NZ spinoffs in China pine dealA Wellington company's joint venture deal to process pine timber in China will funnel extra investment back into New Zealand sawmills, a director says.
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Carbon farming will alter land use NEW Zealand’s emissions trading scheme gives this region opportunities to make money, and will change the way marginal land is used.
Carbon sequestering will change the way forests are managed and will make the establishment of unharvestable forests economically viable, two carbon farming experts told landowners, farmers and foresters at a carbon forestry workshop presented yesterday by the University of Canterbury and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
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Emissions scheme could cost NZ up to $5b
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All is not sheepshape on the farmThe sheep industry is fighting for its life as farmers turn to dairying and forestry for better returns. How has it got to this and what can be done?
As much as anyone, John Gregan has worked hard to engineer a revival of sheep farming.
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The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is complex, confusing and difficult to get agreement on, but as New Zealand prepares for its impact from July 1 Climate Change Minister Nick Smith is confident the right balance has been struck. CHRIS ORMOND of NZPA reports.
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Minister promises farmers conditions on ETS
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NZ: Big ETS pluses for farmersTHE Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) presents unique opportunities for many rural landowners in New Zealand; carbon forestry will allow landowners to use the scheme to their advantage and gain a new income stream.
Marginal farmland throughout the country can be converted into forestry and as long as any conversions are undertaken in an informed manner, landowners potentially have a lot to gain.
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Coal exports to China labelled 'Kyoto hypocrisy'New Zealand's coal exports to China were labelled 'hypocritical' by audience members at a public meeting on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)in Blenheim last night.
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New Zealand Log Prices - June 2010April 2010 was a month where record volumes of pinus radiata logs were shipped out of New Zealand. The vast majority were headed for Asia where other suppliers such as the USA and Canada, are also ramping up supply.
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NZ forestry production and trade data released
NZ forestry production and trade data for the March 2010 quarter is now available on the web. Details can be found at address below*. Key points - compared with the same quarter of the previous year (March 2009) are;
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Chinese wood deficit good news for NZ wood exportersChina’s potential fibre-supply gap (the difference between total demand and total domestic supply) is projected to reach approximately 150 million m3 (roundwood equivalent) by 2015 - or a volume that is more than the entire Canadian timber harvest in 2009 - a strong indication that China’s wood imports must continue to rise in the short- to medium-term period to match with projected consumption reports International WOOD Markets Group,.
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Worry over foreign "carbon foresters" Foreign-owned "carbon foresters" have ambitions to turn a fifth of New Zealand sheep and beef farmland into forests and that will devastate many rural towns, the national farmers' lobby says.
Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson said the organisation strongly believed that farm forestry was integral to farms where suited. This made the government's axing of the Afforestation Grants Scheme (AGS) in preference to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) "incredibly perplexing".
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Modest New Zealand ETS shows the wayTucked away on the bottom of the world, New Zealand is showing bigger developed nations how its done when it comes to tackling greenhouse-gas emissions and climate change. The first jurisdiction outside Europe to take the plunge on a nation-wide mandatory carbon pricing scheme, New Zealand has gone a long way to tackling the political and economic challenges of fundamental low-carbon reform that have bedevilled the US, Canada, Japan and Australia.
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Carbon Profit Grows on Trees as Kiwi Farmers Ditch SheepNew Zealand’s sheep farmers are flocking to a government carbon trading program that pays more to plant trees than sell wool and mutton.
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Chance to see the good for the treesThe much maligned Emissions Trading Scheme can provide even the owners of small forest blocks with a bonus return, if they make the effort to find out, as Peter Watson reports.
Owners of hundreds of small forestry blocks planted in Nelson before 1990 have been warned they risk either being surprised by some large bills or missing out on a one-off windfall if they don't get up to speed soon with the Emissions Trading Scheme.
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New Zealand Farmers Harvest Carbon CreditsIn New Zealand, where the sheep outnumber humans 9 to 1 and National Lamb Day is celebrated every Feb. 15, a carbon emission trading system that kicked off in July is upending the economics of sheep farming, a once crucial sector of the economy. Sheep farmers are walking away from the business of selling wool and lamb chops and are converting their grazing lands into tree farms that could prove valuable when the country's agricultural sector is forced to pay for greenhouse gas emissions starting in 2015.
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New Zealand: Region a net ETS winnerGISBORNE will be a net winner from the emissions trading scheme, promises Climate Change Minister Nick Smith.
At a well-attended meeting last night, Dr Smith managed to tame a potentially hostile audience through judicious use of the expressions:
“Good question”, “You’re absolutely right” and “That deserves a thorough answer — I’ll answer each point in turn”.
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Environment Waikato is considering using its $60 millon investment fund for a massive tree planting scheme to cash in on the Government's Emissions Trading Scheme.
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New Zealand Log Prices - September 2010A clearing of inventory in China has prompted a firming of CFR (in-market) log prices this month.
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PM's keys to forestry sector growth
Free trade negotiations and a continued commitment to the emissions trading scheme are important to support further forestry sector growth, Prime Minister John Key said.
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Statement of principles catalyst for Tasmanian pulp mill projectAustralian forest company Gunns Ltd, which is planning to build a new giant pulp mill on the Australian island of Tasmania, possibly in collaboration with Swedish Södra, welcomes a historic forest statement of principles, which was announced yesterday.
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NZ Forestry credits off to JapanA major Japanese bank has come back for a second helping of New Zealand forestry credits. The deal, finalised last week, is being seen as a positive step in the developing international market for New Zealand’s forestry credits.
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Sino-Forest acquires 13,000 ha of NZ forestsSino-Forest Corporation, a leading, commercial forest plantation operator in China, has announced the acquisition of a 13,000 ha New Zealand forestry plantation. Mr.
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Proving the microwave charcoal technology was the easy part
BIOCHAR
In one sense, proving Carbonscape's novel one-step process can cheaply produce highly porous charcoal was the easy part.
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Event to unveil business opportunities in carbon forestry
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ETS 'big opportunity' for farmers
Wanganui hill country farmers have a massive opportunity to use the Emissions Trading Scheme to get a return from their marginal land, Pat Hawinkels says.
"Internationally, the market for carbon is huge and it will just get bigger."
People registering their forests in the Emissions Trading Scheme get money for growing trees, which store carbon.
Registering for the scheme was only complex the first time, he said, and for some the money would keep a marginal farm viable.
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Rising shipping costs for Kiwi exporters
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First Tasmanian Projects Validated
Redd Forests, the Australian based carbon project developer, has achieved validation of its Tasmanian Improved Forestry Management projects, the first such projects in the world.
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Counting up the carbon capturedRedd Forests, a little company 20 per cent-owned by the Kathmandu founder Jan Cameron, is proving that threatened native forest in Tasmania can have more value standing than if it was logged, by generating carbon credits from it.
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North America supply a risk to NZ
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New Zealand Log Prices - June 2011
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2012 Forestry Finance event call for presentationsThe Forest Industry Engineering Association together with most of the major financial and forestry industry associations in Australia and New Zealand ran an inaugural Future Forestry Finance Conference series in Sydney and Auckland in early March 2010. The turnout exceeded expectations.
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Drop in NZ export log pricesHigh inventory levels in Chinese ports have now converted to a lowering of in-market (CFR) pricing for New Zealand logs. A similar situation occurred this time last year when China was importing what were then record volumes of logs.
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Forest fire management tools timelyNew tools and the latest decision support technology for forest fire management will be timely for the first of 14 BNZ Tech Clinics at New Zealand Forest Industries 2011 in Rotorua in September.
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FRA Claims Timbergrow Limited Purchase Could Be Good for SustainabilitySeattle, WA, August 03, 2011 -- A Malaysian forestry firm has bought a large portion of forest land in New Zealand, which could boost sustainable forestry in the region, according to Forestry Research Associates (FRA).
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First CLT manufacturing in southern hemisphereA NZ$7 million factory producing cross-laminated timber panels is to be established at Tahunanui, Nelson, with its backers saying it provides a ready-made solution for the rebuilding of Christchurch. The first of its kind in the southern hemisphere and 18 months in the planning, the factory is expected to start production in January 2012 and employ 15, mostly local people.
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Japan reconstruction draws NZ wood panelsNew Zealand wood panels are being used for reconstruction in Japan after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has just released forestry production and trade figures for the April to June 2011 quarter.
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Eucalyptus from NZ port top wood exportExports of Southland eucalyptus woodchips have according to the Southland Times doubled in the past two years and the wood is on the way to becoming the region’s main timber export.
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New Zealand’s log exports to China account for one-third of country’s timber harvest in 2011Log exportation from New Zealand continues to rise at a record pace, with almost one-third of the country’s timber harvest being processed at sawmills in China. The high demand for logs from overseas has increased domestic sawlog prices to their highest levels in 15 years, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly.
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Mixed forestry reaction to National promises
National Party promises to adopt some of the recommendations made by the panel that reviewed the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) have been welcomed by forest owners. But they say much more policy work is needed if forestry is to achieve its potential for New Zealand.
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NZ sawn timber exports drop awayNew Zealand’s sawn timber exports to China have been ‘hammered’, while raw log shipments surged in the wake of Beijing’s efforts to cool the economy and amid increased sales by rival forestry nations such as Canada, according to an industry lobby group.Lumber exports fell 16 percent to $264 milli
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Carbon market driving new plantings - MAFThe Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry says foresters seeking carbon credits through the Emissions Trading Scheme have been driving much of the increase in new tree plantings.
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There's still money in trees, even wilding pineIn response to the problems, and the costs, of wilding conifer control (ODT, 28.12.11) there is considerable scope to mitigate much of these costs with the recovery of saleable wood in the form of saw logs, post timber (roundwood), firewood and the potential income from chipping residue fo
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Miscanthus for NZ energy productionRotorua based sustainable energy company Miscanthus New Zealand Limited is pleased to announce that in its first full year of activity, it now has over 150,000 plants growing on land belonging to various customers at nine sites from Waikato to Otago.
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wi to the rescue at GunnsEarlier in the week the news broke that a New Zealand-born billionaire was in negotiations with Gunns to buy a substantial part of the Tasmanian-based timber company. Gunns shares went into a trading halt on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning the company announced that they have agreed on commercial terms for the introduction of a AU$150 million investment from the Richard Chandler Corporation (RCC). In conjunction with a rights issue to existing shareholders, the recapitalisation aims to raise up to AU$280 million.
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Billionaire’s decision to invest in forestry shows ethical approachA billionaire investor has this week opted to put much of his cash in forestry investments, in a move that has been welcomed by alternative and ethical investment advocates, AAA.
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ETS reminder to hundreds of forest ownersWaikato Regional Council is writing to hundreds of forest owners in the region reminding them they need to register their forests by 31 March if they want to qualify for and claim Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) New Zealand units under the first five-year sequestration period of the Kyoto Protocol
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Foresters should have their say on new rules
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Why New Zealand’s consultation process is important for REDD+ countriesAs the first country to implement a national level emissions trading system (ETS) that also includes a forestry component as part of its climate change strategy and meets New Zealand’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, NZ’s experience in developing this system warrants close attention.
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Australia: Carbon Forestry Landscape ChangingCarbon forestry investments in New Zealand and Australia have taken a blow from the combined effects of legislative uncertainty and the depressed prices for carbon based on Euro problems, but the sector remains cautiously optimistic.
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NZ log export markets update
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Forestry carbon farming stunted by ETS decisionChanges to the emissions trading scheme will stop investment in one of New Zealand's most important sources of future carbon emissions reduction - forestry "carbon farming", says Carbon Farm chief executive Murray McClintock.
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Australian lumber market quiet for NZ lumberhe Australian lumber market remains subdued due to limited building activity. This market is not expected to rebound in the short-term, therefore should not be relied upon by NZ lumber exporters.
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China imports 15% less sawlogsThe slowing economy in China has reduced the importation of logs from New Zealand, Russia and the US by about 15% during the first six months of 2012.
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In-market log prices are reduced slightly this month. However demand is still strong as shipping prices have lowered. The in-market log price has lowered 1-2% for the products Agrifax monitors, however the cost of shipping in $/JASm³ has lowered 5-6%. Inventories
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NZ Government’s free market approach naive“New Zealand’s primary industries have this week been dealt another blow to value-added forestry products as Norske Skog has favoured re-building their Tasmania paper machine, over the one in Kawerau, and the reason is clear – government subsidies bought the deal for Australia,” said Forest Indus
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Forestry planting falls to near zeroThe low price of carbon credits is a factor but probably not the root cause of new forestry plantations dropping off to near zero over the past few years, according to a leading economist.
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Issue date: International Forest Industries Research progress on export log treatment - NZUniversity of Canterbury researchers have made a breakthrough in treating export logs by heating them using high voltage electricity. Export logs are usually fumigated to rid the timber of pests, such as insects and fungi which could pose a biosecurity threat.
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New Zealand log export updateNew Zealand log exports have remained consistent this year, now recording a 7th consecutive month above 1million m³ in August. Year to date figures show a 3% increase in exports compared to the year to August 2011 on the back of a strong month in June.
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New Zealand log prices updateNew Zealand log exports have remained consistent this year, now recording a 7th consecutive month above 1million m³ in August. Year to date figures show a 3% increase in exports compared to the year to August 2011 on the back of a strong month in June.
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Warning of mass deforestation after govt's Kyoto pull-outA warning of mass deforestation, now that the Government is walking away from the Kyoto Protocol.
Climate Change Minister Tim Groser says as of next year New Zealand will align climate change efforts with countries that are collectively responsible for 85 percent of global emissions.
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NZ log exports up in latest trade summaryNew Zealand chalked up its third monthly trade deficit in October, repeating last year’s pattern, as shipments of dairy products fell and imports rose.
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Carbon benefits going up in smoke?The collapsing price of carbon has left investors feeling conned and forest owners warning of deforestation.
They have seen the value of their investments plummet as the carbon price has sunk from $25 a tonne to less than $3.
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Canadian pension fund buys into KaingaroaHarvard Management Company, which manages Harvard University’s US$30.7 billion endowment fund, has sold down its stake in the central North Island Kaingaroa forest in New Zealand.
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NZ - Forestry boom for East Coast economyForestry is delivering a massive economic benefit to the Gisborne region in New Zealand and, with an expected boom in log exports, by 2020 one in 10 people could earn a living from the sector, according to a new economic study.
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