Issue 186

6541

AFS/01-10-01 www.forestrystandard.org.au

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issue 186 | 15.08.11 | Page 1

Net worth Group works to build better leadership, recognition of women in forest industry

similar grants to women in the fruit, vegetable, seafood and dairying sectors.

The Women in Forests and Timber Network is guided by a steering committee from a range of sectors and locations in the forest and timber industry.

These include the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union’s forest and forest products division, Frame and Truss Manufacturers Australia, ForestWorks, the Victorian Association of Forest Industries and Timber Communities Australia.

The first national initiative for the network will be launched at

By JIM BOWDEN

AN influential group of women will meet in Canberra next month to network for greater recognition of women in the forest and timber industry and support access to capacity building and development opportunities.

The project, which has the support of the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and can use almost $50,000 from Australia’s Farming Future initiative, has a specific aim – to build leadership and the representative capacity of women in primary industries.

The DAFF program has awarded

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• Outdated standards barrier to timber use in New Zealand • Forest agreement intrusion into free market • Merchant ‘over the moon’ on CoC certification • Sweden’s strongest woman in the forest

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• Tasmania a ‘sad state’ of affairs • Regenerated forests will remain important carbon sink

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issue 185 | 08.08.11 | Page 1

INDUSTRY NEWS

Workshops examine networking role of women in forest industry From Page 1

The Victorian Association of Forest Industries, representing the interests of the Victorian timber Industry

a workshop at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra on September 13, ahead of the annual industry development conference hosted by ForestWorks at the same venue on September 14.

“The workshop will provide an opportunity for women, and interested men, to engage, learn and guide the development of the project,” said Jessica Reid of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries which is managing the network.

“The workshop will include highlevel speakers on leadership and networking.”

Ms Reid said the network aimed to: • Build a group of women with interests in industry.

• Provide a contact point and website about the initiative, the network and related opportunities.

• Undertake a scoping study to explore the needs and options in establishing a network.

• Deliver a series of workshops across Australia to consider options for a network.

Women can have a unique role in business that makes them well suited for avoiding greater conflicts in business

Victorian Association of Forest Industries Level 2, 2 Market Street Melbourne 3000 Tel: +61 3 9611 9000 Fax: +61 3 9611 9011 Email: info@vafi.org.au Web: www.vafi.org.au

Page 2 | issue 185 | 08.08.11

Workshops are scheduled for Tasmania in October and Victoria in November with workshops next year in Queensland (February) and New South Wales and South Australia in March.

The networking concept brings to mind the old saying that ‘behind every great man there is a good woman’, and that is still true in many companies today.

Visiting lots of different companies over the years, it has become obvious to me that there was always the highly organised woman looking after

Opportunities for women in the forest industry .. networking for greater recognition.

the everyday running of the lives of the directors and CEOs. The men seemed to spend most of their time in meetings making strategic decisions while the women got on with making sure the cogs kept turning and things got done.

Nigel Nicholson, a professor of organisational behavior at the London Business School, knows a great deal about business crises and conflict in business, especially family businesses.

He wrote a book about it called Family Wars. He says that women can have a unique role in business that makes them well suited for avoiding greater conflicts in business.

Nicholson says: “It’s unfortunate that women aren’t Cont Page 4

Hosted by Hyatt Hotel and Parliament House, Canberra Tuesday 13 September

Forests and Timber – Women’s Forum Industry Briefing – carbon pricing and carbon initiatives

Wednesday 14 September Conference - Productivity & Competitiveness • • •

International competitiveness Investment in productivity Carbon - the game changer for the industry

Industry Liaison Dinner at Parliament House Thursday 15 September

First Super Investors Seminar Skills and Employment Council (SEC) meeting

More information and to register Web: www.forestworks.com.au/conference Tel: 1800 177 001

Registrations Now Open

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issues

Tasmania a ‘sad state’ of affairs

Fumbling on forest deals threatens industry’s security

By JIM BOWDEN

SAWMILLER Brett McKay is a frustrated and sad man as he tries to fathom how the work of his family over 80 years to regenerate and sustainably manage native forests can be dismissed by a new elite of ‘naturalists’ who seem to know little about nature.

His grandfather Alec started in the industry in 1931, aged 17.

He set up his own hardwood sawmill at Rosetta, a suburb of Hobart, in 1947 before moving the McKay family business to Glenorchy north of the city.

But the security of Tasmania’s forest industry is on a knife’s edge; it has very little faith in a $276 million forest deal signed last Sunday by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Premier Lara Giddings – a long-awaited agreement that was supposed to end 14 months of negotiation between the industry and environmentalists.

The agreement will deliver $85 million in immediate support for forest workers exiting the industry and $120 million over 15 years for regional development projects.

Agreement intrusion into a free market, P. 6 “Nobody begrudges the support for forest contractors and we don’t want the hurt to continue any longer,” Brett McKay said.

“But we need security for the whole of the industry. If the full lock-up of native forests proposed goes through there won’t be the required amount of sawlogs available to the industry, let alone the minor species for joinery and furniture makers, wood crafts or the required peeler billets for the Ta Ann veneer mill.”

The government deal confirms the volume of sawlogs from native forests will be halved

Brett Mckay .. third generation sawmiller plagued by forest insecurity.

to 155,000 cub m a year, with argest player Gunns surrendering 210,000 cub m a year in return for compensation.

“We’re still not 100 percent sure of what forest stands will be left to us in the deal,” Mr McKay said. “Forestry is working through it as fast as it can after only three days’ notice.”

Meanwhile, Forestry Tasmania says it will struggle to meet logging contracts because 430,000 ha of native forests has been set aside under the inter-governmental agreement.

Managing director Bob Gordon said 13 contractors would have been expecting to operate in 81 logging coupes in the 430,000 ha by Christmas.

Changes to the boundaries of the reserved area had not become known until last Sunday.

“A real concern for us is our regional sawmill at St Helens and how much of the east coast forest is going to be lost,” Brett McKay said.

“Nobody can tell us at the moment. But for sure there won’t be enough high quality sawlogs to meet that 155,000 cub m.

“With the resource, it’s about what may be, what may not be and where it is and

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where it isn’t. And this goes through to plantations and environmentalists who say we shouldn’t plant these either.

“The best form of forestry is a rejuvenated native forest from the species that grow there.

Nothing can do it better than nature.

“Wood for the greens who ignore Australia’s worst best practice in forest management?

They can get it from southeast Asian countries like Burma where forests are not monitored, controlled or managed.”

Mr McKay is encouraged by a “tremendous groundswell” of public sympathy for the forest industry throughout Tasmania.

“The farming community and many non-related businesses are behind us.”

He also praised the efforts of Tasmanian senator Richard Colbeck. “He’s been a strong fighter for the forest industry.

He’s good at what he does and he has a full grip and understanding of the industry Cont Page 4

issue 185 | 08.08.11 | Page 3

industry news

Groundswell of public sympathy for forest industry throughout the state From Page 2

across all issues. You can’t fault him.”

The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the latest to come out against the $276 million deal.

Already the Forest Industries Association of Tasmania, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, Timber Communities Australia and the Tasmanian Sawmillers Association have voiced opposition.

Several legislative councillors are opposed to the agreement.

The TCCI vowed yesterday to fight the agreement, saying it would have wide ramifications for the economy.

Chief executive Robert Wallace said the deal was framed to suit “champagne-sipping greens” in capital cities.

Mr Colbeck says the forest deal has further undermined the Labor government’s economic credentials by cutting the $1.4 billion a year Tasmanian forestry industry in half.

“And for what – a paltry $7 million a year for 15 years for the loss of $700 million a year

WHAT DOES TABMA DO FOR MEMBERS? • TABMA, through information, advice and services, provides its members with practical solutions to improve business management, growth and profitability • TABMA members include merchants, retailers, joiners, manufacturers, frame & truss fabricators, importers, suppliers and carpenters • TABMA places trainees or apprentices that are recruited, inducted, trained and monitored by us • TABMA offers debtors control and collection through its wholly owned subsidiary, Building Trade Credit • TABMA offers trade credit insurance through, IMC Newbury, at extremely cost effective rates.

• TABMA recruitment saves you time by advertising, vetting and interviewing for new staff at competitive rates • TABMA offers industrial relations support • TABMA provides industry specific short training courses • TABMA provides OH&S auditing by specialist staff • TABMA offers Chain of Custody consulting and auditing at minimal cost • TABMA offers technical advice

stand up to their green masters the government has rolled over,” Mr Colbeck said.

“Even the promise that existing contracts would be honoured, a key element of the ‘statement of principles’ process, has been broken.

‘Forest agreement will have wide ramifications for the economy’ – Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce Bob Gordon .. struggle to meeting logging contracts.

of economic activity.”

The Coalition forestry spokesman said it was clear from clause 2 of the agreement that the government was not telling the truth about peace in the forests.

“This agreement is nothing more than a capitulation to green groups - too gutless to

“Clause 27 of the agreement says that if resource can not be supplied then compensation will be paid. How can any business operate on that basis?

“Through this agreement Labor has set a dangerous precedent, allowing a fringe green group to declare an area ‘high conservation value’ and having that area excluded from productive use.”

Networking role for women From Page 2

concludes.

more involved in industry and family businesses.” He says that they have an intelligence that men don’t have. They’re good listeners and they have teamwork skills. In those roles, women function as a Chief Emotional Officer.

“The role is desperately needed in some family companies as well as in business in general,” the learned professor

Womanliness – that which has caused kingdoms to change hands, tragedies to unfold and fortunes to be won and lost – is a potent force.

To join the women’s networking initiative, register for the workshops or receive more information on the project, email Jessica Reid at info@ wftn.org.au

• TABMA offers legal advice • TABMA provides members with significant savings on fuel through Caltex and 7-ELEVEN outlets • TABMA offers general insurance advice • TABMA offers significant travel benefits • TABMA holds a gala industry annual dinner TABMA has representation in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

If we can assist you, please contact us on 02 9277 3100.

Page 4 | issue 185 | 08.08.11

Samling timber to US ‘legal’ THE Malasian-based Samling Group has denied exporting illegally sourced timber to the US, saying there is “no truth whatsoever” in allegations made by the Environmental Investigation Agency last month..

The EIA based its allegations on a Greenpeace Australia report

that detailed how an Australian subsidiary of Samling could be selling illegally sourced plywood to US importers.

Samling executive James Ho says the company can categorically state that all Samling timber and timber products are legal.

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events

WHAT’S ON?

AUGUST

16: Australian Timber Importers Federation board meeting and AGM. Park Royal Melbourne Airport Hotel. Includes presentation

by Ric Sinclair, managing director, Forest and Wood Productrs Australia - the new Wood Solutions website. Lunch and FWPA presentation at 1 pm. AGM commences at 2 pm. Inquiries to John Halkett (02) 9356 3826 or john.halkett@bigpond.com 28-27: Vareity Club Bush Bash, Queensland. Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Club 218 has entered the event to raise funds for children’s charities.

Contact: Alan Jones (07) 3010 1823.

SEPTEMBER 2: Women of Timber High Tea. Curvee Lounge, The Sofitel, Brisbane. The aim of the event is to gather as many women of industry, representing a variety of roles and organisational sectors, to get together and share their knowledge, experience and ideas.

Ticket price $55 p.p. (inc. gst).

RSVP August 26. Tel: (07) 3254 3166. Email: karen@tabma.com.au 5, 6, 8: WoodSolutions 2011.

Bringing together leading international and Australasian exponents of timber design.

Adelaide (Monday September 5), Intercontinental Adelaide, North Terrace. Sydney (Tuesday, September 6), Sydney Marriott Hotel, College Street. Melbourne (Thursday, September 8), The Windsor Hotel, Spring Street. Visit www.woodsolutions2011.com.au 5-7: NZ Forest Industries Expo 2011. Venue: Rotorua Energy Events Centre, Rotorua. Forest industry leaders and companies

from across the world are booking their tickets to participate in the expo (FI2011) and make the most of the 2011 Rugby World Cup while they’re there. Exhibition sites have already been booked by a number of NZ and Australian companies, and inquiries being received from Canada, China, Vietnam and Austria. The expo will showcase the best that Rotorua, the wider Bay of Plenty region and the rest of New Zealand has to offer when it comes to forestry and wood products. Contact: Dell Bawden.

Email: office@bawden.co.nz Website site: fi2010.co.nz 6-7: BNZ Forest Industries Tech Clinics 2011. Rotorua, NZ www. forestevents.co.nz 7: BNZ Forest Industries 2011 Conference: Innovative products, designs and new developments for timber building. Rotorua, NZ. www.forestevents.co.nz 13: Women in Forests meeting and carbon pricing and carbon initiatives briefing – Hyatt Hotel , Canberra. Visit: www.forestworks. com.au/conference Tel: 1800 177 001 14-15: ForestWorks Annual Industry Development Conference: Productivity and Competitiveness. Hyatt Hotel, Canberra. Evening: Industry liaison dinner at Parliament House.

Visit: www.forestworks.com.au/ conference Tel: 1800 177 001.

The conference will provide an in-depth exploration of the many impacts and opportunities facing the industry in 2011 and beyond. The conference has been specifically scheduled to coincide with parliamentary sitting week, providing a great chance for industry players, union

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representatives, policy makers and MPs to gather, network and share ideas. Tel: (03) 9321 3500. www. forestworks.com.au/conference 20: Industry dinner. Brothers Rugby Club, 103 Crosby Road, Albion. 6.30 pm for 7.pm. Guest speaker Simon Dorries, general manger, Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia - Impact of the Carbon Tax on Wood Product Manufacturers and Distributors. Supported by Timber Queensland and TABMA Queensland. Organised by Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Club 218.

Evening includes recognition of past presidents of Club 218.

Contact: Jim Bowden on 07 3266 1429. Mob: 0401 312 087 or John Muller (07) 5494 2723. Mob 0418 871 946.

October 16-19: SilviLaser 2011. University of Tasmania, Hobart. Visit www. silvilaser2011.com 21-23: Timber & Working with Wood Show. Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road, Ascot Vale. Contact: (02) 9974 1393. Fax: (02) 9974 3426, Email: info@eee. net.au 28: Timber Industry Dinner, incorporating the TABMA awards. Doltone House, Darling Island Wharf, Sydney. Supported supported by TDA NSW, the Furnishing Industry Association of Australia, the NSW Forest Products Association, the Timber Trade Industrial Association, WADIC, the Australian Timber Importers Federation, TABMA Australia, and WoodSolutions. Contacts: Sydney – (02) 9277 3100. Adelaide – 0407 102 244. Perth – 0414 908 465.

Brisbane – (07) 3254 3166. Hobart – 0407 102 244.

Australia’s forest, wood, pulp and paper products industry now has a stronger voice in dealings with government, the community and in key negotiations on the industry’s future, as two peak associations have merged to form a single national association.

The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has been formed through the merger of the Australian Plantations Products and Paper Industry Council (A3P) and the National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI).

AFPA was established to cover all aspects of Australia’s forest industry: - Forest growing; - Harvest and haulage; - Sawmilling and other wood processing; - Pulp and paper processing; and - Forest product exporting.

For more information on the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) or to enquire about membership , please call (02) 6285 3833.

issue 185 | 08.08.11 | Page 5

INDUSTRY NEWS

ITEM: BOARD LENGTH: 4489.67 MM WIDTH: 104.42 MM THICKNESS: 52.43 MM WEIGHT: 23.74 KG VOLUME: 0.02 M3 DENSITY: 972 KG/M3 MoE: 10.8 GPA WORST VISUAL DEFECT: THROUGH KNOT 20% KAR GRADE: MSG10

Forest agreement direct intrusion into a free market

Meagre assistance package FARMERS in Tasmania have accused the federal and state Labor governments of reneging on a pledge that private forests would not be affected by the new forest agreement.

The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, the voice for 1600 family farms that have 885,000 ha under private forests – 26% of the state’s forest cover – remains resolutely opposed to the agreement, for the unnecessary trade-off it imposes by way of forest lockups in return for compensation to workers and regional development incentives.

“Tasmanians are being expected to trade off a valuable job-creating industry that delivers significant economic value and supports regional communities in return for a meagre assistance package,” TFGA chief executive Jan Davis said.

“As importantly for farmers, the agreement signals an intention to add another layer of regulation that will further threaten the viability of forestry on private land “We were told throughout the process that private forests would not be affected, and reassured that there was no need for us to be concerned about any flow-on effects to the private sector.

“Yet, once again, private foresters have been done over by governments seeking to appease Green demands.

Clause 31 of the IGA [intergovernmental agreement] imposes a requirement for private forestry operations to reach one of two high certification standards or, presumably, they will be denied

Page 6 | issue 185 | 08.08.11

Jan Davis .. private forest growers ‘done over’ by governments.

access to processors and markets.

“That is a direct intrusion into a free market. We cannot tolerate that. It would also make us answerable to a new forestry regime elite, none of whom have invested their own hardearned money in owning and managing forestry resources.”

Ms Davis said this was a short-sighted decision by the two governments, given that modelling provided to both by Forestry Tasmania also showed it simply did not add up.

“The Greens feign outrage at the lack of formal reserves in the agreement but they have what they want, so far,” Ms Davis said. “They have already flagged that their agenda will inevitably move on to private forests and bans on plantations.

So what certainty does the private forestry sector have?

“Both governments need to understand that private foresters will not accept this further erosion of their assets and their rights without appropriate compensation.”

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RESEARCH

Regenerated forests will remain important carbon sink: ecologists

Aging forests rejuvenated by younger trees THE aging forests of the Upper Great Lakes in Ohio, USA, could be considered the baby boomers of the region’s ecosystem.

The decline of trees in this area is a cause for concern among policymakers and ecologists who wonder whether the end of the forests’ most productive years means they will no longer offer the benefits they are known for: cleansed air, fertile soil, filtered water and, most important to climate change analysts, carbon storage that offsets greenhouse gas emissions.

A team of ecologists led by Ohio State University researchers says, however, that coming up right underneath the old forests is a new generation of native trees that are younger, more diverse and highly competitive.

They represent a vast unknown compared to what ecologists have long theorised about how forests work as carbon sinks, but these researchers expect the next generation to carry on the important work of carbon storage.

“There’s a conventional theory that aging forests, for a variety of reasons, store less carbon over time,” says Peter Curtis, professor and chair of evolution and ecology at the university and a lead investigator on the research. ”We contend that that may be true in certain systems that are less species-rich. But in our forests in the mid-west, the tree species we will end up with are much different from what we started with.

“We argue that in this case, as forests age, they get rejuvenated with younger individuals of different species – a more complex and diverse community will be replacing

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Ohio State University ecologists study aspen trees stripped of bark in a global warming experiment to boost carbon absorption.

the old guard. They may even outdo the boomer generation and be more productive.”

So far, the scientists are finding that the canopy created by the Cont Page 10

issue 185 | 08.08.11 | Page 7

ENGINEERED WOOD

TimberTower: wood for wind farms

Cross-laminated timber reaches new heights “IN combination with modern adhesives technologies, wood is an ideal material for the construction of wind turbine units,” says Gregor Prass, an executive of Germany company TimberTower GmbH which specialises in the manufacture of wind energy plants.

More than 22,000 wind turbines already cover about 10% of Germany’s electricity needs.

It would take about 26 coalfired or nuclear power plants to produce the same amount of energy. Worldwide, roughly 100,000 new units will be built in the next three years.

But there are problems to be solved, especially those that present obstacles as tower heights continued to increase.

“Frequency problems that occur as a result of resonances

between blades and towers in large units can be solved much more elegantly with wood,” says Mr Prass.

“The cost of building towers is significantly lower with wood in comparison with steel and concrete.”

He points to the predictability of the costs: in the period 20032007, the price of steel increased by a factor of 13, a decisive factor for an industry that ranks only behind automakers in steel usage. The outlay involved in wind energy facilities must be calculated with project lead times of at least five years, and given the price fluctuations of steel in the recent past, it is no longer possible to make reliable projections.

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Page 8 | issue 185 | 08.08.11

Timber reaches new heights .. engineered wood has advantages for wind towers.

installed on an engineered timber tower was constructed of cross-laminated timber, the same material used to construct a nine-storey, 27-unit apartment building in London.

Gregor Prass says the cost of maintenance is expected to be considerably lower for both offshore and onshore wood towers.

“Wind farms are often built in coastal locations and the salty climate entails a corrosionprotection effort that should not be underestimated.

Of course, it is difficult at this point in time to calculate the

fatigue strength of wood, but TimberTower GmbH guarantees a tower lifecycle of at least 20 years.

Mr Prass says wood offers highly decisive advantages in terms of the logistics involved in building ever higher towers to more than 100 m. Steel structures must be delivered to the construction site with heavyload vehicles; additionally, their diameter is limited to 4.20 m because of the clearances of highway bridges.

Conversely, wood towers are Cont Page 14

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Celebrate innovation and advances in forestry, wood products and design just before the international rugby starts on 9 September. Be part of the forestry and wood processing revolution. If you have anything to do with wood you and your company must be there.

Book your place and get more information, www.fi2011.co.nz The PF Olsen Forest Industries Expo 2011 will showcase the latest equipment, technology and systems from New Zealand and around the world, to an international audience. You can book to attend or register for a display site indoors or outdoors through www.fi2011.co.nz The BNZ Forest Industries Tech Clinics will feature 14 practical and independent clinics that will cover every facet of the forestry sector, from new tools for improving efficiencies in forest management through to the very latest in timber design, construction and building practices. For more information go to www.fi2011.co.nz.

The BNZ Forest Industries Conference on 7 September will focus on innovation and design in timber construction following the tragic earthquakes in Japan and Christchurch (2011), Haiti (2010), Chile (2010) and Italy (2009).

International speakers will cover recent major advances in design, technology and construction. For more information go to www.fi2011.co.nz

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www.fi2011.co.nz issue 185 | 08.08.11 | Page 9

EVENTS

Harvesting simulator fells virtual trees

Ultimate toy for foresters on show at Rotorua expo FOR those who always wanted to work in the forest, here is the ultimate toy – the virtual harvester.

Would-be lumberjacks can see this serious video game on display at the PF Olsen New Zealand Forest Industries Expo from September 2 in Rotorua.

The John Deere simulator fells virtual trees, strips the branches and cuts the stems to length just like a real milliondollar E-series harvester, using a complex array of joy-sticks, switches and buttons. Then at the flick of a switch it transforms into a virtual forwarder, loading and towing the cut logs.

The simulator uses the software and controls of a real harvester to manoeuvre into position, extend a boom to set the cutting head at the base of a tree, grasp the trunk, activate the saw and

InSurAnce..

It’S All In the SelectIon

Waiariki tutor Mark McNaught comes to grips with the John Deere harvester simulator in a virtual forest.

control the direction in which the tree falls.

It can then pick up the cut tree, strip the branches and cut the stem into pre-set, measured

Selecting the right equipment to maximise your production output is similar to selecting the right people to maximise your insurance protection.

Austbrokers Premier has been working with the timber industry for over 25 years and we know what insurance best suits your industry and risks. Whether it’s a complicated business interruption loss or a burnt out frontend loader we work hard to get you the right outcome.

You can expect superior outcomes from Austbrokers Premier in the following key areas: • Focus on premium value and insurer security • Expert advice for Business Interruption • Premiums + claims + deductibles – self insurance option analysis • Committed claims management & settlement negotiations.

• On-going service and advice, not just at renewal time.

lengths to suit the needs of a sawmill. The simulator records the number and size of trees cut, measuring productivity as it goes – just like the real harvester.

Operators who get it wrong, for example by extending the boom too far for the weight of a tree, can get a graphic picture of the harvester tipping over or damaging the equipment.

Felling a tree the wrong way can even produce a picture of it falling on the virtual cab.

The simulator, provided to Waiariki Institute of Technology’s School of Forestry and Primary Industries by John Deere at no cost, will be used for training and for promotional purposes at career days.

John Deere is treating the

From Page 7

Freecall 1800 803 180

newcomers’ leaves use light more efficiently to manufacture carbohydrates and release oxygen through photosynthesis than did the canopy of aspen trees that preceded it.

The researchers also are able to use sophisticated instruments to quantify nitrogen cycling in the transitioning forest, and

Insuring it all stacks up.

Page 10 | issue 185 | 08.08.11

The sophisticated software can be programmed to provide action that matches real terrain and forest conditions To complement the hands-on display at the Expo, a number of the one-hour technology clinics on Monday and Tuesday, September 5 and 6, will detail information on the latest harvest optimisation technologies, automated structural log segregation, steep slope harvesting systems and innovations in processor heads and log making.

Full details on the PF Olsen Forest Industries Expo and BNZ Forest Industries Tech Clinics can be found on www.fi2011.co.nz

Quantifying nitrogen cycling

Call Alan Jones 0419 754 681 or Scott Hastings 0406 382 582 today.

ABN 95 010 576 324 AFSL 238123

arrangement with Waiariki as a ‘world-first’ pilot project.

The sophisticated software can be programmed to provide action that matches real terrain and forest conditions, then used to plan cutting patterns in the forest for maximum production.

Waiariki School of Forestry head Jeremy Christmas said the first public outing for the simulator would be the opening of the school’s new building and gasification plant on September 5, after which it would go to the Forest Industries Expo until September 7.

observe that nitrogen losses throughout the system are small even with the death of thousands of trees. As long as nitrogen remains available – within tree wood and leaves as well as in the soil – for the trees to renew themselves annually, the forest will continue to function as an effective carbon sink.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

First flame zone approved window .. in red ironbark IN a major technical breakthrough, Victoria’s multi-award winning regional timber window manufacturer Paarhammer has achieved the so far unattainable – the first high quality window that does not require additional shutters or screens in flame zone designated areas.

Up to now, the new Australian standard for buildings in bushfire-prone areas (AS39592009 and AS1530.8.2.), allowed only windows combined with a screen system for buildings in the highest bushfire attack level (BAL-FZ).

Timber & Forestry e-news is the most authoritative and quickest deliverer of news and special features to the forest and forest products industries in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region.

Weekly distribution is over 6,400 copies, delivered every Monday. Advertising rates are the most competitive of any industry magazine in the region.

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Tony Paarhammer .. breakthrough with red ironbark and double glazing.

PUBLISHER Dennis Macready admin@industryenews.com.au

Window passed fire safety and risk testing beyond expectations This astonishing result was achieved with locally sourced red ironbark timber, special double-glazing and seals, and the expertise of Tony Paarhammer, who with his wife Edith operates a window and joinery business at Ballan, a small town on the Werribee River, 78 km from Melbourne.

Believing in its products, the FSC-accredited Paarhammer Windows undertook the research without government funding and developed its famous tilt and turn timber window to withstand temperatures exceeding 850 deg. over 30 minutes with a cooling down period of one hour, thus achieving the required Australian standard AS1530.8.2.

Fire safety and risk testing to AS 3959-2009 and AS 1530.8.2 was conducted by NATA accredited Exova Warringtonfire Melbourne and the Paarhammer window passed beyond expectations.

Readings after the test showed

HEAD OFFICE Custom Publishing Group Unit 2- 3986 Pacific Highway Loganholme 4129 Qld, Australia

CONSULTING EDITOR Jim Bowden Tel: +61 7 3266 1429 Mob: 0401 312 087 cancon@bigpond.net.au ADVERTISING Tel: +61 7 3266 1429 cancon@bigpond.net.au The Paarhammer window .. no additional shutters or screens required in flame zone areas.

the tilt and turn and locking operation were in perfect working order. The inside of the window and weather seals showed no signs of the raging fire and heat of the test simulating the highest level of bushfire outside. Radiated heat through the window did not exceed 6 kW, which is less than half of the 15 kW allowed by the Australian standard 3959-2009 and AS 1530.8.2.

At last, two years after the devastating bushfires of 2009, Cont Page 12

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PRODUCTION MANAGER Leigh Macready production@industryenews.com.au

Opinions expressed on Timber & Forestry e news are not necessarily the opinions of the editor, publisher or staff. We do not accept responsibility for any damage resulting from inaccuracies in editorial or advertising.

The Publisher is therefore indemnified against all actions, suits, claims or damages resulting from content on this e news. Content cannot be reproduced without the prior consent of the Publisher- Custom Publishing Group.

issue 185 | 08.08.11 | Page 11

TIMBER TRACKING

Adelaide merchant over the moon after chain of custody certification to planning and monitoring; protection of environmental ideals; adherence to laws and rights to the land; consideration of indigenous, community and worker rights, values and benefits; and assurance of ongoing forest yields.

Baker Moon recently sought and was awarded CoC accreditation for the purchase, storage and distribution of a wide range of timber products and mouldings.

INTERNATIONAL chain of custody certification schemes enabling timber to be tracked from seedlings to building sites are vital if suppliers want to move forward and cover the lost environmental highground, says Kym Buckingham, manager of Baker Moon, a leading Adelaide timber merchant.

Baker Moon has been distributing locally and internationally sourced timber for more than 40 years; it has witnessed many changes in the industry as well as consumer expectations.

‘The only way for timber to enhance its reputation is through international tracking protocols which will enable customers to know where the wood has come from and be assured of its environmental credentials – Kym Buckingham Mr Buckingham believes consumers are becoming more discerning when choosing timber products and the impact their production has on the environment, opting for ecotimber if they can find it.

“Timber is arguably the most environmentally carbon friendly building material available, but concerns such as unsustainable logging and land clearing are having an impact on public

Consumers won’t have to pay any more for wood products

Separated and certified .. western red cedar (above) and Oregon (below) at Baker Moon.

support for this renewable product,” Mr Buckingham said.

“The only way for timber to enhance its reputation is through international tracking protocols which will enable customers to know where the wood has come from and be assured of its environmental credentials.”

This chain of custody tracking protocol was developed to ensure consumers that the timber products they are purchasing have come from a legal and responsibly managed forest, with independent third-

party verification of all supply links from the forest to the marketplace.

Chain of Custody certification is voluntary and involves independent assessment to identify and demonstrate responsible eco-timber management. The assessment seeks to identify commitment

“In most cases the consumer won’t have to pay any more for wood products with a chain of custody guarantee, but they can be assured that their timber comes from legal and responsibly managed forests, sawmills and suppliers,” Mr Buckingham said.

“Consumers are expecting businesses to be more open and up-front about the history or content of their products, and timber is no different.

Forest certification is the way forward for our industry.”

Window for toughest bushfire-prone areas From Page 11

there is finally a tested and accredited window suitable for the toughest Australian bushfire-prone areas.

“This development is very significant for people wanting to build in the highest bushfire prone area,” says Tony

Page 12 | issue 185 | 08.08.11

Paarhammer.

“Up to now, there were no windows available at all for flame

zone.

We

developed

these in addition to our BAL40 windows and FZ-shutters to help keep people and property save during bushfires.”

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ENGINEERED WOOD

Outdated standards serious barrier to timber use in structural buildings THE wood industry risks missing out on enormous opportunities to rebuild Christchurch because of outdated building standards and a lack of unity.

Speaking at the recent Reinventing Wood conference in Nelson, Scott Gibbons, managing director of Gibbons Construction, said the system for reviewing standards took far too long, was unduly complex and costly and too slow to respond to new technologies.

“They are a significant barrier to the use of wood in both residential and commercial buildings,” he said.

“The standards also lacked teeth and consequences for those who didn’t comply with them and were ‘a bit of a mockery’.

“For example, the main

Andy Van Houtte (left) of Nelson Pine Industries and Scott Gibbons of Gibbons Construction with a building under construction using NZ-grown and processed Douglas fir.

standard for structured timber buildings had not been reviewed since 1993, had major

deficiencies and didn’t cover design developments involving the use of engineered timber

and joints.”

Mr Gibbons, who is also managing director of Waimea Sawmillers at Nelson, said amendments were also needed to the major standard for timberframed buildings, despite a recent review which had taken two years to complete.

The situation was not helped by the overly cautious approach taken by the Department of Building and Housing, which was sitting on funds it could be using to help the process, he said.

As a result, many excellent and innovative engineered wood products and systems suitable for large commercial buildings were being developed outside the standards process, which Cont Page 15

A matter of trust.

New Zealand engineered wood products – particleboard, MDF, laminated veneer lumber and plywood – manufactured by member mills of the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia They tick all the boxes Made in New Zealand - keeping jobs at home Reliable supply NZ Building Code compliant - 50 year durability for structural plywood with an A-bond All products specify EO or E1 emissions certified under JAS-ANZ All products must pass rigorous testing $10 million product liability insurance Free technical advice from qualified engineers

You pay for what you get.

Credentials of NZ wood are unbeatable.

Imported wood doesn’t make the cut!

You get what you pay for.

Don’t risk it. Trust the home product.

Contacts: CHH Woodproducts New Zealand Email: info@chhwp.co.nz Web: www.chhwoodproducts.co.nz IPL (West Coast) Ltd Email: tuffply@xtra.co.nz Juken New Zealand Ltd Email: Bill@nzwoodproducts.co.nz www.nzwoodproducts.co.nz

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issue 185 | 08.08.11 | Page 13

ACHIEVEMENT

Sweden’s strongest woman in the forest

Disability no barrier to tough young forwarder operator IT isn’t often that the tough men of the forestry world are seen to have tears in their eyes when a young woman talks about her life as a forwarder operator.

But the story told by Sweden’s Anna Utter at an inspirational seminar at this year’s SkogsElmia fair in Sweden must be one of forestry’s most impressive achievements At the age of 22, Anna was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. This disorder of the connective tissue means that every joint in the body risks becoming dislocated. If such trouble wasn’t enough, a few years later she was also diagnosed with cancer, for which she is receiving treatment.

“I’m happy every morning that I wake up, and my goal is to make every day as good as possible for myself, my daughter, and the people closest to us,” she says.

The small meeting room at the fairgrounds was jammed to the rafters, mostly by burly forestry

Anna Utter .. inspirational worker in Sweden’s forest industry.

men who were both teary eyed and impressed.

Anna works as a forwarder operator for her father’s company. Even under Sweden’s now very restrictive labour regulations, she would be entitled to a disability pension.

But she chooses to work, and at a job that even men regard as both tough and stressful.

“I love my job,” she says.

“Despite my illness, I can lift large trees and go everywhere in the forest.”

Not only does she work full time in the forest, she is also a rally and enduro driver – the latter with an ATV (all terrain vehicle).

She wears a neck brace for support. If her cervical vertebrae become dislocated she risks becoming a quadriplegic. Yet she won’t stop.

“I don’t want to sit in a glass bubble or have people pity me.

I want to live,” she says with great determination.

How can a person maintain such a positive attitude when

life keeps throwing them one curve ball after another? The answer: by deciding to just keep pushing ahead, and choose what kind of life you want to live.

“I’m the one who has to decide, not my illness,” Anna says.

At the same time, she has a plan in mind if it becomes impossible to keep working in the forest.

Between her cancer treatments she is studying journalism.

Her inspiring talk was part of a special focus at SkogsElmia 2011 on gender equality in the forestry world. As a role model, Anna Utter is one very tough lady who happens to come in fragile packaging. If she can manage to do a fulltime job there is nothing to stop other women from also being much more active in the forest industry.

Everyone who listened to Anna’s lecture can bear witness to the fact that the strength needed in the forest isn’t to be found in the arms, but in the will to live well.

Wood appealing to hardline investors From Page 8

manufactured out of glued laminated timber panels and designed to be transported to the site as individual modules which are then assembled on location.

For this purpose, standard containers are sufficient and no special heavy-load transport vehicles are needed.

“Last, but not least, wood is a renewable resource of considerable ecological significance,” says Mr Prass.

“The wood used for TimberTower structures comes from sustainably-managed forests. The wood suppliers operate under PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) schemes which

Page 14 | issue 185 | 08.08.11

guarantee compliance with ecological, economical, and corporate citizenship benchmarks in forestry.

Mr Prass is convinced that wood ranks among the key resources of the future. But not necessarily as a reflection of ecological awareness, he points out.

“It’s price/performance ratios and hard technical data that count because in the domain of wind energy, the money also comes from hardline investors – and their emphasis is on profit.

“The fact that wood is not being used more extensively in vehicles, aircraft, construction, and perhaps even in machines mainly originates from a lack of insight, and might be based on prejudice as well.

but are sceptical about its fire resistance.

“There is a huge repository of knowledge about its fire resistance. In the 1930s, machines, propellers, and even entire aircraft were made of wood.”

Gregor Prass .. conquest of wood is unstoppable.

“Fire protection specialists know that wood resists fire much better than reinforced concrete but have second thoughts about its stability. Civil engineers might trust the stability of wood

But in his opinion, the knowledge is not being properly evolved. Faculties for timber engineering at universities are gradually disappearing and new ones are established only very rarely. But thanks to innovative bonding technologies that make wood arbitrarily formable and simultaneously more predictable, Prass says the conquest of wood is unstoppable.

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CERTIFICATION

Snooze sleeps well on surety of legal source of bedroom timbers BEDROOM manufacturer Snooze says it has been giving Australians a better night’s sleep for more than 30 years – and the company is sleeping well, too, on its ethical timber sourcing policy.

Melbourne-based Snooze Sleep Well Pty Ltd, with more than 70 franchises across Australia, is committed to identifying the source of all timber materials used in the manufacturing of furniture products.

“The company’s demands documentation proving legality and source from all suppliers,” says Snooze national product manager Adrian Galiazzo.

“If a supplier can’t provide documentation, and the source of the timber material remains unknown, we will replace the timber material and replace the supplier.”

Snooze has adopted very stringent levels of status for its timber sourcing, including: Credible certification: Timber

originating in forests that have been independently assessed and certified as well managed; FSC or PEFC/AFS will be the only credible certifications accepted.

Known licensed timber source: A basic level of legality checking that involves verifying that the timber originates from a forest management unit in which the harvesting entity had a legal right to harvest.

The purchasing organisation is required to know the geographic source of the timber, and confirm that the harvesting entity had a legal right to harvest. It does not involve verification that the timber in a consignment was actually harvested legally (e.g., the timber may have been cut in breach of the permit conditions, royalties may not have been paid or the timber may have been exported illegally) and does not involve third-party verification of the chain of custody.

Verified legal timber

purchaser knows where the timber was purchased. The source forest is identifiable to a degree of precision that is commensurate with the risk that the source may be unwanted.

For example, where the risk is low the location could be as broad as a district; where risk is higher, the specific forest management unit (FMU) should be identifiable.

(classified as high risk): Verified legal timber requires the purchaser to obtain proof, through a third party, not only that the harvesting entity had a legal right to harvest, but also that the entity complied with the law when harvesting the timber.

Known timber source: The

Timber must be traced along an unbroken chain of custody – from the purchaser back to the source entity. Documentation must identify the source location, the source entity, and each intermediary in the supply chain.

If timber cannot be traced to a source, or is unwanted timber material, then a cut-off date will be given to the supplier to achieve a level of traceability.

After this date the product will not be accepted.

Lack of united voice a stumbling block From Page 13

restricted their use to those who owned the rights to those brands at a time when they needed to be available to the whole industry.

“Those who have developed such products are forced to go through a time-consuming and costly alternative approval system,” Mr Gibbons said.

“The failure to regularly review standards also meant sawmills could not get the best value out of timber, and that was discouraging investment because of the difficulties of getting new technologies to market.

“Also, the lack of common standards with Australia, a

major market, meant New Zealand processors were missing export opportunities there.”

Mr Gibbons was also critical of a “one size fits all” approach adopted by standard-setters and their “absolute obsession” with radiata pine, saying his company – a major supplier of Douglas fir – had had to fight tooth and nail to get it accepted as an alternative for house framing, despite the species being the second-largest plantation type in the country.

“The wood industry might seem well positioned to assist in the rebuilding of Christchurch, but we have some systems well short of making this happen,”

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he said.

“We must have regulatory processes that enable innovative wood-based products and systems to come to market at speed.”

He said a lack of a united voice was also a major stumbling block to capitalising on the growth opportunities, particularly for commercial

buildings, provided.

that

Christchurch

The industry was represented by too many different organisations which often were on “different planets” and had different agendas.

“We’ve got forest owners heading in one direction and wood processors in another.”

editorial inquiries tel:

+61 3266 1429 issue 185 | 08.08.11 | Page 15

ON THE ROAD

Caddy with Golf front well up to par

Fuel economy drives VW’s ‘van’ a fair way ‘WHILE tearing off a game of golf, I may make a play for the caddy. But when I do, I don’t follow through ‘cause my heart belongs to .. ‘ So go the lyrics of the Cole Porter song. And our test vehicle the Volkswagen Caddy Life impressed early morning golfers when we dropped in to play the back nine at the Samford Valley Country Club nestled in a picturesque valley 20 km northwest of Brisbane.

We were on our way to Dayboro Show where one of the highlights was the choice of miniature horse Wizard (“less than 97 cm measured at the last hairs of the mane which are found at the withers”) as grand champion equine.

So the VW Caddy has impressive horsepower .. and a golf connection – its front suspension comes from the very popular front-wheel drive Golf sedan, Volkswagen’s first successful replacement for the iconic VW Beetle.

While including many mechanicals from the Golf, Caddy’s rear-end is a basic leaf spring arrangement reflecting its delivery van origins.

Technical high spot of our Caddy was the 1.9-litre turbodiesel which moves it along with gusto, either one-up or with a substantial load on board.

All signs reflect the heritage of the VW Kombi, and at first we thought this Caddy was just another courier van. Sure, it looks like a van, but the sliding rear doors and five seats tell another story: it’s a real people mover.

Caddy’s five (or optional seven) seats can be folded down or removed to create a level loading area. Extra storage compartments have been installed above the windscreen and in the foot wells behind the front seats. Then there’s a large capacity glovebox, which is

Page 16 | issue 185 | 08.08.11

VW Caddy Life .. much more than just a van.

Sliding rear doors and five seats tell another story.

Admiring our Caddy at Samford Valley Golf Club.

great for keeping valuables and small items out of sight. And the carpeted floors were a nice touch.

Sensible driving will return sub8L/100km consumption with the added bonus of Euro IV emission rates. So the 60-litre tank drives you a fair distance.

It might be me, but I had a devil of a time with the petrol cap, all fingers and thumbs. You have to hold the key at a certain angle and your mouth at another and it will open, hopefully.

Down to the nuts and bolts – the Caddy Life’s transversally mounted 1896cc 4-cylinder TDI250 engine has an inline cylinder layout with a cast iron block and alloy cylinder head. It uses single overhead camshafts that work with

8-valves (2-valves per cylinder).

The engine uses direct injection and features both a turbocharger and intercooler to increase torque.

Caddy gets dual front airbags, ABS and traction control,

but we’d like to see side and curtain airbags and stability control included in the standard package.

The turning circle is excellent and the front-wheel drive makes it easy to park. The slim 1.79 m width gives room to move and load and unload. It is long though, getting close to 5 m.

Maybe I’m a little biased – my daughter just loves her Golf – but I think Volkswagen is doing a top job of designing and building cars right now.

And the Caddy Life is really a neat, powerful and economical creation by the German car manufacturer.

Price on road: $33,100 (manual), $36,190 (six-speed DSG auto).

Power: 77 kW at 4000 rpm.

Torque: 250 Nm at 1900 rpm.

Test car supplied by Norris Motor Group Volkswagen, Gympie Road, Kedron, Brisbane.

Even with two rows of seats, Caddy has good boot space.

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