Australasia's home for timber news and information

Acacia plantations at risk from fungus in Vietnam

In recent months many plantation owners have reported the presence of disease in the acacia plantations which, it has been identified, is caused by a leaf fungus, Ceratocystis manginecans. Source: ITTO Tropical Timber Market The Vietnam Academy of Forest Science (VAFS) has warned this
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Komatsu upgrades its family of tracked feller bunchers

Komatsu is upgrading its XT-5 family of tracked feller bunchers, adding performance and operator improvements, as well as covering the machines with a special 2-Year/5,000-Hour warranty program. The XT430-5, XT445L-5 and XT465L-5 models were introduced in 2018, and these advancements
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How much money is an acre of timber worth?

Recent swings in wood fibre demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic are vivid examples of the importance of staying up to date with developing trends in timber markets. For instance, the huge demand shift for tissue products coupled with the slowdown in construction over the last
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North and South Islands have new JD forestry dealers

Two well-known and respected John Deere dealerships have hit the ground running as the new homes of John Deere Construction and Forestry Equipment in New Zealand. Construction and forestry customers now have access to sales and service from AGrowQuip (AGQ) in the North Island and Drum
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Workplace mental health webinars from AFCA

AFCA is holding webinars to improve mental health in the workplace, very timely with the ongoing issues especially in Victoria with CoVid-19 as well as the turbulent state of the forestry industry. Source: Timberbiz The first event is a webinar on Monday 10 August which is called Crea
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Tas government adds $20m to assist recovery

The Tasmanian Liberal Government recognises that the forestry sector will be a leader in the state’s recovery from COVID-19 and so it has announced that an additional $20 million will go to help small businesses. This brings support for small business to $80 million, forming a signifi
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Westpac NZ releases forestry impact and outlook bulletin

Westpac in New Zealand has released an economic bulletin titled Forestry: Covid impact and outlook – Re-enter the dragon saying the forestry sector battled a major storm over the first half of 2020. The impact of the COVID outbreak on forestry was as sharp as it was immediate. Source:
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New agriforester appointed at Private Forests Tasmania

Molly Daskey-Willis has been appointed Agriforester within Private Forests Tasmania. This role will see her assist PFT in delivering its new strategic plan, particularly its goals to work creatively with stakeholders to expand private forestry and to communicate the benefits of wood.
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Misguided WA protestors may spread dieback through forest

Misguided protestors have disrupted legal and sustainable timber operations at Helms, near Nannup in Western Australia. Despite false claims from protestors, the operation at Helms does not include any areas of old growth forest, according to the timber industry’s peak body, the Fores
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Bob Brown Foundation got the foundations totally wrong

Claims by the Bob Brown Foundation that Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) plan to harvest giant trees and shut the Styx road in mid-August, are a new low according to Tasmania’s Resources Minister Guy Barnett. Source: Timberbiz “Facts have never been high on the agenda for environment
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