In a landmark case now before the High Court, former Australian Greens leader Bob Brown and fellow forestry protester Jessica Hoyt are arguing that Tasmania’s anti-protest laws unconstitutionally restrict freedom of speech. Sources: The Conversation, Renew Economy The two-day hearing,

New technological tools harnessing the power of remote sensing to make it quicker, easier and cheaper to measure forest inventory will soon be unveiled – and in future could potentially enable a virtual “walk through the forest”. Source: Timberbiz Researchers are set to brief estate m

The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is secretly pushing to allow partially untreated framing timber back into the New Zealand Building Code. Source: Voxy The move risks reigniting the Leaky Home Crisis, estimated to have already affected up to 80,000 houses and c

One of Australia’s oldest timber and building products companies has made a solid ASX debut after 14 months in the hands of private equity owners. Source: Yahoo 7 Finance Big River, which manufactures and distributes construction timber across Australia, was bought by Anacacia C

Forestry Corporation NSW has issued a response in relation to controversy surrounding current and upcoming logging operations on the North Coast. Source: Coffs Coast Advocate The Corporation is undertaking an operation in Tarkeeth State Forest, and has proposed logging in Roses Creek

The Forest Products Commission (FPC) is expecting spirited bidding from wood enthusiasts and craftspeople when approximately 650 tonnes of assorted timber species, from the South West and Goldfields regions, are auctioned at the FPC Harvey Mill on Saturday, 6 May 2017.  Source: Timber

Homebuilder stocks fell on concern new tariffs by the Trump administration on Canadian softwood lumber imports will raise costs. Source: CNBC News The iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) fell about 1%. PulteGroup’s stock closed down almost 4%, and Toll Brothers shares ended the d

The Trump administration is taking retaliatory action against Canada over a decades-old trade dispute, moving to impose a 20% tariff on softwood timber that is typically used to build single-family homes, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said yesterday. Source: The Australian Mr Ross sa

Logging of Victoria’s native ash forests would be banned under an unprecedented legal challenge. Source: The Weekly Times Green group Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum has called on Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio to “prohibit any activity damaging to critical habitat of the Leadbea