Australasia's home for timber news and information

NOBURN app for fire prone areas gets government money

Researchers will develop a citizen science app for people living in fire-prone areas to help predict the likelihood of bushfires in Australia and minimise their devastating effects. The University of the Sunshine Coast has been awarded an Australian Government Citizen Science Grant of
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Japan feels the pain of timber shortages

A global shortage of wood and soaring prices are threatening Japan’s lumber industry and has business operators fearing serious damage to the domestic market. With demand rising in the United States and China, where the national economies are picking up, lumber prices have skyrocketed
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Myanmar to hold more timber auctions to fund coup

Myanmar’s military regime will hold further timber auctions on June 23 and 24 as it seeks to raise hard currency to fund its coup. Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE), the state-run entity which controls Myanmar’s timber sales, held three separate auctions in late May in which nearly 10,30
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New lightweight chainsaw bars

Husqvarna has launched the new Husqvarna X-TOUGH LIGHT lightweight bars through its partnership with Sugihara/Diatop Co LTD, a recognized manufacturer of chainsaw bars. Source: Timberbiz Made for professional forestry and tree care work, the new Husqvarna X-TOUGH LIGHT bars offer a co
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Record planting season in NSW for hardwood

North coast NSW’s State forest hardwood plantations will see a flurry of activity this planting season, with a record one million eucalypt seedlings set to be planted. Forestry Corporation had targeted its plantation forests for harvesting over the last 12 months to help keep up with
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Possums are a pest in New Zealand

Newly released drone photography shows the impact of possums on a section of ancient forest in northern Coromandel, New Zealand, and also the value of predator control and restoring forest habitat. Source: Timberbiz The images were obtained as part of work undertaken by staff from the
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Union campaign wins a change in Government paper policy

A union campaign has won a stunning change of Government policy, one that will support 1000 jobs at Gippsland’s largest private sector employer, Opal Australian Paper. The union for pulp and paper workers, CFMEU Manufacturing, has received confirmation that Government suppliers must n
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Major survey of NSW forestry capacity

The newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of AFPA NSW, Sue Grau, has announced a major survey of the capacity of NSW’s forest industries to meet the needs of the growing NSW population in delivering both the plantation and native forest timbers vitally needed for housing and office
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Activist at Mogo State Forest halts logging

Forestry Corporation of NSW was forced to stop logging on Monday by an activist perched in a treetop at Mogo State Forest. The activist’s platform was raised 25 metres above the ground and suspended by ropes connected to logging machinery below. Source: About Regional Joslyn van der M
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Bunning reaffirms boycott of VicForests timber despite court ruling

Hardware giant Bunnings has reaffirmed its boycott of VicForests timber despite the Federal Court ruling that VicForests had not broken Commonwealth environmental laws. Bunnings announced in June last year it would stop selling timber logged by VicForests after a court found the state
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