Australasia's home for timber news and information

Timber resources burning will be felt downstream for many years

The Australian Forest Products Association has again commended all fire-fighting services and co-ordinators at a local, state and federal level, but with many more weeks of the fire season still to run, is appealing for a clear national consensus that the priority for deployment of re
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Almost all of Kangaroo Island plantations affected by fire

Early aerial assessments indicate that 80% to 90% of Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers’ trees valued in excess of $100 million and all of the island’s independent plantations have been affected by fire. Source: Timberbiz The region’s largest plantation holdings owner on Tuesday suspe
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Better management needed by government to reduce bushfire risk

Pressure is mounting on State governments to better manage national parks through hazard reduction burning and selective logging, to avoid a repeat of the bushfire crisis sweeping the nation. Fires yesterday in extreme conditions continued to threaten areas in south eastern  NSW, east
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Sawlog prices continue to drop in Finland and Sweden

Domestic sawlog prices in Finland and Sweden have been declining for more than a year because of lower demand from the region’s sawmills. However, the reduced wood raw-material costs have not kept pace with the falling prices for lumber, which has resulted in lower margins for the saw
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FSC responds to media reports of wrongful activity in Ukraine

Recent media reports examined the Austrian parquet market and its Ukrainian suppliers, doubts were raised about the effectiveness of FSC controls in Ukraine. They suggest FSC certification was not an effective means of punishing or exposing violations of FSC standards. Source: Timberb
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Finland court rejects bioproduct mill for Finnpulp

In December 2019, the Supreme Administrative Court (KHO) of Finland rejected the environmental permit for the Finnpulp bioproduct mill in Kuopio. The decision came after a vote with two members in favour of awarding environmental permit. The decision is final and is not subject to an
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Stakeholder tour of Jarrahwood

A bus tour through Jarrahwood plantation near Donnybrook has helped improve stakeholder understanding about WA’s softwood forestry industry. Source: Timberbiz Stakeholder Engagement Leader Soni Lamond said the tour covered key aspects of softwood production, including establishment, m
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One Billion Trees distributed $42m in 2019

New Zealand’s One Billion Trees Grants and Partnership Funding continues to support New Zealand’s forestry sector and regions, funding NZ$42.55 million across 42 innovative projects during 2019. Source: Timberbiz Te Uru Rākau’s Acting Deputy Director-General, Sam Keenan, said that 228
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VicForests releases amended Timber Release Plan and Utilisation Plan

VicForests has released the amended Timber Release Plan (TRP) and Timber Utilisation Plan (TUP) following the completion of its consultation period. VicForests Chief Executive Officer Monique Dawson said the gazetted plans, released on Christmas Eve, provided industry with certainty,
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Hyne’s Tumbarumba mill wedged between two walls of fire

Hyne’s Tumbarumba Mill employs approximately 200 people who are currently managing their personal response to the emergency as a priority. The mill has been shut since New Year’s Eve. The town had been trapped between two bushfires coming together from Victoria and New South Wales, ma
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