The new Lao government has issued a moratorium on the export of logs and timber in a bid to reduce rampant and widespread illegal wood shipments outside the small Southeast Asian nation’s borders, according to a copy of the document obtained by RFA’s Lao Service. Source: Radio Free As

A skilled CEO is sought to establish Forest Research Australia (FRA). Source: Timberbiz FRA is a new research centre of excellence, which is being established with the assistance of the industry-owned research and development corporation (RDC) Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA)

Defections from the Mitre 10 and Home Timber & Hardware networks are shaping up as a bigger risk to Metcash’s bid to create a serious number two player in hardware than the competition watchdog investigation. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald Rival buying group Hardware &

A Maori forestry project, which will see 32,000ha of Maori land replanted could create thousands of new jobs, the chairman of a Maori forestry collective says. Sources: The New Zealand Herald, The Northern Advocate Ten Maori land trusts – part of the Te Tai Tokerau Maori Forestr

ABS housing finance figures show that lending to investors constructing new housing surged in March, said the Housing Industry Association, the voice of the residential building industry. Source: Timberbiz “While total home lending edged marginally lower in March, lending to investors

The fruition of blue gum plantations in Esperance illustrates the corruption of a noble ideal.  In July last year the first shipment of Esperance wood chips was exported with much fanfare but nine months later local farmers and contractors are still waiting for payment from that shipm

More than 30 environmental groups have signed a statement demanding that agreements allowing the logging of Australian native forests not be renewed. Source: The Guardian Australia’s 10 regional forestry agreements (RFAs) were signed between 1997 and 2001, each running for 20 years, w

Environmentalist and former Greens leader Bob Brown will not face prosecution over his arrest at an anti-logging protest in Tasmania’s north-west. Source: ABC News Mr Brown was arrested along with three protesters when they walked into the Lapoinya Forest exclusion zone in Janua

A leading industry group representing the forestry and forest products industries agrees that the Australian Greens should be included in the election ‘Leaders Debates’. Source: Timberbiz Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) Mr Ross Hampton said