Australasia's home for timber news and information

The chop has started in Poland

Authorities have started chopping down beetle-infested trees in parts of Poland’s oldest forest, a move that aims to eliminate dying trees and to ensure safety for tourists, a government official said. Source: Associated Press, ABC News The Environment Ministry’s plan to f
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Sumitomo Forestry adds more alternative power

Sumitomo Forestry plans to add wind and geothermal power to its renewable energy portfolio and expand its biomass business over the next three years, bringing around five new plants online in Japan and abroad. Source: Nikkei Asian Review The Tokyo-based forest manager and lumber produ
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In the world of log imports Australia gains momentum

Chinese log imports have trended upward in early 2016 with Australia increasing their market share the most. Source: Scoop Media Increased demand for wood products and declining log inventories in China has resulted in higher importation of logs to China in the 1Q/16, according to the
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Die then live as a tree

Australians wanting to live on as trees after they die now have a new burial option, with a Melbourne research team discovering how to turn human ashes into plant food. Source: ABC News Lead scientist Dr Mary Cole said she believed they had created a world-first process to reduce the
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Preserved mill town awarded

Deep in WA’s South Western forest region, Donnelly River Village is now a well-preserved vestige of the State’s rich timber milling heritage thanks to an enterprising group of cottage owners. Source: Domain The village, midway between Nannup, Bridgetown and Manjimup, faced an uncertai
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Blundy could enter hardware business through Masters

Brett Blundy’s focus may have been on racking up a fortune while successfully floating three of his retail operations in the past two years. But now it appears the Australian rich-lister is attempting to reinvest some of those millions he made into buying Woolworths’ hardware operatio
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Human face of NZ forestry safety

Maryanne Butler-Finlay holds Charles Finlay’s ashes as she and her family remember workers killed in forestry accidents. When Maryanne Butler-Finlay was told there would be no prosecution in the wake of her husband’s forestry death, she says “that’s when I deci
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Special rates for road damage from harvesting

A special rate to cover the damage heavy trucks are expected to create on Whanganui’s rural roads when forest harvesting accelerates is something the district council needs to get serious about. Sources: Wangaunui Chronicle, New Zealand Herald That is the message from Wanganui F
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Damning appraisal of NZ forestry

New Zealand Coroner Wallace Bain released findings earlier this month from an inquest into the death of 23-year-old Robert Epapara, one of 10 forestry workers killed on the job in 2013. Source: World Socialist Website The inquest was one of eight carried out into recent deaths in fore
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Ernst & Young recommend strategy for forest and wood

Australia’s forestry and wood products sector requires more investment and planning if it is to take advantage of growing global demand for fibre, paper and packaging, construction materials and bio-fuels. Source: SBS A report prepared for Forest and Wood Products Australia said
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