Issue 232 Timber & Forestry E News

6790

MBA pushes best practice Advertising: Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email: cancon@bigpond.net.au

issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 1

This Issue

•F orest ‘peace’ talks extended • Less domestic wood used in new houses

Governments must lead by example

THE building and construction industry has called for governments to examine their contracting practices and introduce a best practice model code.

This initiative will extend to the importation of what the Master Builders Association describes as “dodgy” building materials that fail to meet Australian standards.

In a submission outlining priorities for reform of contract law lodged this month with the Attorney General’s department, Master Builders has urged the government to lead by example in the reform of on-ground practices.

Chief executive Wilhelm

Better building .. recommendations to improve contract law practices.

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Harnisch said this was an opportunity for the government to show leadership and set a best practice benchmark for contracting, and then of course, abide by this best practice.

“The Attorney General administers a model litigation program that any department wanting to engage in litigation must follow. This model should be recreated for contracting,” Mr Harnisch said.

In relation to imports, Mr Harnisch said MBA was working with other associations, attorneys-general and Standards Australia on imports that were not fit for purpose or failed regulations

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K iwi protected in the pines •D eadline too short for biosecurity review •U S-Canada group checks out Aussie market •W ood to energy a no-brainer •L ast of the red gum sawmillers

issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 1

INDUSTRY NEWS

Simon Dorries

John McVeigh

Industry concern on content of domestic wood in new houses Case wins ear of government

THE engineered wood industry has registered grave concerns over the rapidly declining proportion of Australian-made components used in residential and commercial construction.

Recent surveys suggest the ‘home-grown’ component of manufactured building products in new houses has fallen to as little as 30%, with the remaining 70% derived mostly from factories in Asia where workers are earning less than 30c an hour.

Also, Australian houses are being built with combinations of timbers sourced in Russia, Chile, China, USA and the

‘It is indeed a very perverse outcome that the tax designed to reduce emissions is certain to drive business offshore to countries with less environmental regulations and much higher emissions intensities’ – Simon Dorries Page 2 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

Czech Republic and the local market is threatened by increasing supplies of factorybuilt kit homes from Japan.

These concerns were put to Queensland’s Forestry Minister John McVeigh last week by an industry delegation led

by Simon Dorries, general manager of the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia.

“We were pleased with the Mr McVeigh’s level of interest in our concerns and his recommendation that further submissions be made to the Minister for Housing and Public Works [Dr Bruce Flegg],” Mr Dorries said.

The industry also seeks the assistance from the ministers to ensure local manufacturers are not disadvantaged in state purchasing policies.

“The fact remains that Australian manufacturers are at a significant price disadvantage to overseas competitors at a range of levels such as labour costs, transport costs, exchange rates and are subject to a number of unfavourable taxes such as payroll tax,” Mr Dorries said.

“Most recently, domestic manufacturers have the added burden of the carbon tax which

Cont Page 11

ForestWorks performs a range of industry wide functions acting as the channel between industry, Government and the Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) system

Learning Skills Research Advice Innovation

VICTORIA

PO Box 612, North Melbourne 3051 Tel: (03) 9321 3500 Email: forestworks@forestworks.com.au

NEW SOUTH WALES

PO Box 486, Parramatta 2124 Tel: (02) 8898 6990 Email: smukherjee@forestworks.com.au

TASMANIA

PO Box 2146, Launceston 7250 Tel: (03) 6331 6077 Email: edown@forestworks.com.au

BRISBANE

PO Box 2014 Fortitude Valley 4006 Tel: (07) 3358 5169 Email: bharle@forestworks.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Unit 2/191 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide 5006 Tel: (08) 8219 9028 Email: michelle@forestworks.com.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Statutory constructs entangling builders in web of contract law

From Page 1

with regards to safety.

“We are very conscious of this problem,” he said.

“In a contractual sense, the contractor is held liable so we are concerned about the supply chain liability where everyone potentially can be caught out or potentially dodge the issue.

“There has to be quality control throughout the whole system.

If a country like China gets an approval on a building product and then fails to maintain quality assurance, then authorities must act on this.”

Mr Harnisch said it was not unusual for federal and state governments and their agencies to engage unfair contract practices in their dealings with the construction industry.

“It is common for governments to include ‘termination for convenience’ clauses in contracts. This allows the government department or agency to end the contract at will, at a time of their choosing and without reason.

“Other clauses permit governments to change the scope of a project at any time.

So if a contractor has tendered on a $10 million project, the government could change it to a $15 million project and expect the tenderer to stick to its price and margins for a smaller project. The clause also allows government to reduce the size and scope of a project at any time.

“These practices would not be permitted in the private sector.

The government should set a positive example and play by

Valuable asset .. construction industry represents more than 9% of the total Australian workforce.

the same set of rules it creates for other parts of the economy,” Mr Harnisch said.

Master Builders’ submission to the Attorney Generals department on improving Australia’s law and justice framework makes 10 recommendations to improve contract law practices.

In the submission Master Builders says there are too many inconsistent statutory constructs in place which attenuate the notion of fairness and which create a difficult web of contract law in which builders become entangled.

These statutory provisions have arisen largely as a result of the common law courts rejecting substantive unfairness as a ground of intervention

Wilhelm Harnisch .. concerns about supply chain liability.

in otherwise validly formed contracts, a position Master Builders supports.

It is the various and contradictory ways that the notion of ‘fairness’ has been introduced as an overlay on the common law which has

‘The government should set a positive example and play by same set of rules it creates for other parts of the economy’ – Wilhelm Harnisch

raised on-ground difficulties.

Master Builders submits that the area requiring reform is harmonisation of federal, state and territory laws that underpin contracts or which regulate contractual disputes.

Master Builders represents 33,000 businesses nationwide, including the top 100 construction companies. It is the only industry association that represents all three sectors – residential, commercial and engineering construction.

MBA estimates that the cumulative construction task over the next decade will require work done to the value of $2.4 trillion. The residential and non-residential building sectors combined will require $1.25 trillion worth of work and the engineering construction sector $1.15 trillion worth.

The construction industry represents more than 9% of the total Australian workforce with the number of jobs expected to increase by 300,000 to around 1.3 million employees by 2021.

According to the ABS, the value of work done by the building and construction industry was $172.9 billion in the year to September 2011, excluding around $30 billion of smaller renovations work. Residential building work amounted to $46.7 billion, non-residential building $32.5 billion and engineering construction $93.7 billion.

At November 2011 the construction industry employed 1,039,900 people.

Resignation: Gunns board shrinks to just four members

THE board of Gunnd Ltd has shrunk to four members following the resignation of one of its directors.

Gunns has told the stock exchange Paul Teisseire has left the board, but will continue as chairman of its subsidiary

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Gunns Plantations Limited. Mr Teisseire joined the board in 2008.

Gunns’ shares have been in

a trading halt for more than four months as the company negotiates a $400 million capital raising.

issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 3

INDUSTRY NEWS

Forest ‘peace’ talks extended

SIGNATORIES to the Tasmanian forest agreement have been given an extra two weeks to do more modelling on the impacts of a peace deal on industry and its effects on communities by the creation of new high conservation value forest reserves.

The Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has backed the decision to grant another extension. The deal is expected to cost more than first thought.

The Forest Industries Association’s Terry Edwards says more money will be needed to implement any decision to reduce the amount of native forest logging. “[They’re] not all big ticket items in terms of cost but nevertheless all issues are important to ensure that any agreement can be implemented properly.

Premier Lara Giddings says a

Page 4 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

deal must be struck first; there has been no final agreement reached on protected forests – an answer to The Australian newspaper report that 525,000 ha of forest will be protected from logging.

“We have to be patient and wait for that to enable appropriate modelling and appropriate analysis to occur that will help to inform that final decision,” she said.

“Until we actually see a final agreement, it doesn’t matter what speculation there is around numbers.

Signatories have indicated any agreement will require extra implementation money, on top of the $276 million already set aside. But they have refused to say how much would be involved.

A meeting last week between the state and federal governments failed

Terry Edwards .. pulp mill remains important infrastructure project for the sector.

to produce any more funding commitments. It is understood the state government is yet to put a funding request to Canberra.

Both sides of the peace talks have admitted there has been no focus on Gunns’ proposed Tamar Valley pulp mill, despite the project being one of the key terms of reference that initially

sparked the peace process.

Signatories have revealed there has been little discussion about a plantation-based mill.

Terry Edwards says a pulp mill remains an important infrastructure project for the sector. But he told ABC Radio it has funding challenges that are not for signatories to the peace process to debate.

The Wilderness Society has conceded there will need to be a native timber log supply for veneer company Ta Ann. The company has been the focus of ongoing environmental campaigns in Asian markets which lost it two contracts and forced it to shed 50 staff.

While not going into the specifics of the deal, the society’s Vica Bayley has told ABC Radio it was critical there was a wood supply for Ta Ann

Cont Page 10

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WHAT’S ON? JULY

23-25: Australian Timber Trainers Association annual workshop. Albany, WA. Visit www.atta.org.au

31: Australian Timber Importers Federation board meeting.

Morning meeting in Qantas meeting rooms, Adelaide Airport, followed by lunch and the 2012 AGM. South Australian ATIF members and guests have been invited to lunch with the board before the AGM. Lou Boffo of Le Messurier Timber is the local coordinator for inquiries on (08) 8447 0400). AGM inquiries to John Halkett (02) 9356

AUGUST-NOVEMBER

FWPA R&DWorks seminar series: Churchill, Vic, August 8; Melbourne August 9; Coffs Harbour, NSW, September 4; Maryborough, Qld, September 6; Brisbane September 7; Albury, NSW, October 4; Oberon, NSW, October 31; Sydney November 1; Hobart November 29.

AUGUST

13-15: Australian Window Association’s annual conference and exhibition.

Fenestration Australia 2012 at The Esplanade Hotel, Largest gathering of local and international organisations associated with the window industry, bringing together more than 300 delegates from right across the value chain.

Inquiries to conference secretariat on (08) 9381 9281 or email fenestration2012reg@iceaustralia. com

22-23: Carbon Forestry2012.

Auckland NZ. Forestry is New Zealand’s largest potential carbon sink and, as the ETS continues to grow in importance to NZ businesses,so does its investment future. A raft of new legislation,a dramatic drop-off in carbon trading and pricing during 2011, thsome international emissions units and uncertainty around the future alignment of New Zealand and Australia’s trading schemes has changed the landscape significantly. It’s led to uncertainty in the marketplace about the immediate future and opportunities that exist in carbon forestry.

Visit www.carbonforestryevents. com

OCTOBER

3-4: Joint ISCs and Skills Australia conference: The Future of Work In 2011, Australia’s 11 industry skills councils and Skills Australia held their inaugural joint conference.

Join MC Kerry O’Brien, Q&A panel moderator Tony Jones and a range of industry identities to explore the future of work, and its implications for building Australia’s human capital. Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour, NSW. 14-17: Australian Forest Growers conference. Gympie Civic Centre, Gympie, Qld. More than 50 speakers will present at 20 sessions. Three concurrent streams will feature growing, products and markets and integration. The middle day will

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EVENTS

feature six field trips heading in all directions from Gympie to examine local growing and processing in action. This will be followed by the presentation of the national Tree Farmer of the Year Award at the conference dinner. Visit www.afg.asn.au for further information or contact Terry Greaves on (02) 6162 9000 or email terry.greaves@afg.asn.au

30-31: Industry Development Conference hosted by ForestWorks in Canbrerra.

Following overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding the opportunities for high-level political engagement afforded by holding the dinner at Parliament House, ForestWorks has moved quickly to secure one of the few remaining available dates during sitting weeks. Speakers, topics and themes will be available soon.

10-11 (Rotorua) and 16-17 (Melbourne). Improving international cost competitiveness through smart science, research and technology. New Zealand and Australian forest products companies face increasing competition from low cost producers, and from lower cost, better performing nonwood products. Low costs and high fibre recovery,achieved through process innovation, are prerequisites to competing in today’s global forest product markets. This Australasian technology event will provide local forest products, wood processing and manufacturing companies with a unique opportunity. Visit www.woodinnovationsevents.com

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 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 5

EVENTS

AFG in Gympie: you might not see the foresters for the trees From ANDREW SINCLAIR on the Sunshine Coast

THE region has scored a major boost this year with the biannual Australian Forest Growers conference to be held in southeast Queensland over four days from October 14 to 17 in Gympie.

Up to 350 foresters are expected to attend the event at the Gympie Civic Centre, which will feature two packed days of presentations, a day of field trips and great social functions and networking opportunities.

The conference kicks off with an icebreaker at the well-known Gympie Woodworks Museum where the steam-powered sawmill will be in operation demonstrating the region’s historic links to forestry.

Over two days more than 50 speakers will present at 20 sessions. These include

Peter de Marsh

Ric Sinclair

representatives from our own University of the Sunshine Coast’s Cooperative Research Centre for Forestry.

Three concurrent streams will feature growing, products and markets and integration.

The middle day will feature six field trips heading in all directions from Gympie to examine local growing and processing in action. This will

be followed by the presentation of the national Treefarmer of the Year Award at the conference dinner.

Keynote speakers this year are Peter de Marsh and Ric Sinclair.

Peter from his native Canada is the president of the International Family Forestry Alliance – a group representing more than 25 million family forest owners worldwide. Ric is

the managing director of Forest and Wood Products Australia, the industry-owned services company researching and promoting the sector.

The conference is being organised by a committee whose members include local growers, academics, wood processors, departmental officers and industry groups based across the Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast regions.

AFG is the peak body representing people concerned with the growing of trees for all purposes in Australia. Members include farm foresters and woodlot owners up to large commercial growers.

Visit www.afg.asn.au foR further information or contact Terry Greaves on (02) 6162 9000 or email terry. greaves@afg.asn.au

‘Woodchip facility sale generates certainty for Green Triangle’

A TIMBER industry analyst expects new Asian investments will generate certainty in the Green Triangle.

The Tasmanian timber company Gunns has sold its Portland woodchip export facility in

Page 6 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

Victoria to Australian Bluegum Plantations (ABP) for about $62 million.

The director of Industry Edge Robert Eastment says ABP is a large player and will spark 20 years of timber exports for the

region of southeast Victoria and southeast South Australia.

He says new paper manufacturers in China have boosted positivity in the industry.

“There’s some new investments

in China; they’re building new pulp mills and paper machines over there but the problem is while there is competition in the market, of course prices are not as high as the growers would like them to be,” Mr Eastment said.

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NEW ZEALAND

Kiwi protected in the pines

Forest owner partner in conservation project

A MAJOR forest owner has started a partnership with a conservation group, the Project Kiwi Trust, to monitor and protect Coromandel brown kiwi living in a large radiata pine plantation near Whitianga.

Many native species – including birds, bats, reptiles and insects – live in planted exotic forests.

Forest owners certified by the Forest Stewardship Council actively protect these species by controlling possums, stoats and other predators.

“When we became aware that kiwi were living and migrating through our plantation, we were faced with the responsibility of looking after them while operating a working forest,” says Steve Couper of Ernslaw One, the owner of Whangapoua Forest.

In 2007, with advice from environmental consultant Dr John McLennan, Ernslaw created a safe haven within the forest for kiwi and other native species where predators would be intensively controlled. For the last five years, this control work has been carried out by a local contractor.

“But while we know we have been successfully controlling predators, we still know very little about the kiwi themselves.

Is their population growing?

How, if at all, are they affected by forest operations?” Mr Couper asks.

“Hence the decision to put kiwi monitoring into the hands of the Project Kiwi Trust and to appoint the trust’s contractors to carry out the predator control

Already the trust is helping Ernslaw to locate and protect birds that are nesting in areas scheduled for harvest

Kiwi .. protected species in plantation forests.

work after a well-subscribed tender process.”

The trust was the country’s first community-led kiwi conservation project.

Established on the Kuaotunu Peninsula, near Whangapoua, the trust pioneered predator control strategies, captiverearing strategies including Operation Nest Egg, kiwi tracking and predator-proof fencing. Its experience is now being applied by numerous community wildlife protection

Cont Page 12

www.tanalised.com

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issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 7

CELEBRATION

Last of the red gum sawmillers celebrates 123 years of history

Processing timber since time of the paddle steamers ARBUTHNOT Sawmills, the last remaining mill using red gum high quality sawlogs harvested from state forests along the Murray River, celebrated its 123rd birthday this year.

Managing director of the mill Paul Madden said Arbuthnot had been processing timber since the time paddle steamers ruled the Murray River and was part of rural Australia’s rich history.

“From supplying wood for the boats that once made the Murray the river highway of Australia, to the high quality red gum for furniture and homes, the timber that came from Arbuthnot helped build many of the towns along the Riverina,” he said.

“We have a proud history of local manufacturing and 123 years later we are still processing quality red gum timber for heritage projects in our towns, including the upgrade of the Echuca wharf, to keep the history alive for another generation.”

Mr Madden said locking up 90% of red gum state forests in Victoria and New South Wales in national parks made it difficult for the business, which is now the last of the Riverina sawmills working with high quality red gum sawlogs from public land.

However, as one of the largest employers in or around Koondrook, with 25 full-time staff, Mr Madden is convinced the mill will continue the proud tradition of sawmilling in the region.

“As its 123-year history shows, this business is a survivor,” he said.

“With supportive state governments and increasing demand for low-carbon

Page 8 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

Paul Madden .. Arbuthnot helped build many of the towns along the Riverina.

renewable building products like timber, we believe that not only do we have a rich history to look back on, but a longterm and sustainable future to look forward to.”

The 123rd anniversary was celebrated on July 23 and was attended by a number of guests, including state member for Rodney Paul Weller and

Gannawarra Shire mayor Max Fehring.

The celebration included a mill tour and an exhibition of the mills latest investments in new laminating and finger jointing plants.

Chief executive of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries Lisa Marty said Arbuthnot’s

‘Locking up 90% of red gum state forests in Victoria and New South Wales in national parks has made it difficult for the business, which is now the last of the Riverina sawmills working with high quality red gum sawlogs from public land’ – Paul Madden

longevity highlighted the socio-economic importance of businesses in the forest and wood products industry to a number of communities across Victoria.

“Arbuthnot played a major role building the communities along the Murray River,” Ms Marty said.

“For 123 years they have provided employment in Koondrook and surrounding communities, and produced sought-after red gum timber products for furniture and flooring, heritage building projects, such as the Port of Echuca, and structural building products and firewood.

Ms Marty said businesses like Arbuthnot were not only part of the history of their communities, but also an important part of their future.

“Arbuthnot is an example of a local business that has continued to invest and upgrade its equipment and its products,” she said.

“They are also an important part of the Victorian forest and wood products industry, which directly employs around 24,000 people and indirectly supports up to 50,000 more jobs.

“Secure future availability of timber is crucial to underpin the success of Arbuthnot and other forest and wood products businesses into the future.

“The Victorian government’s timber industry action plan provides for this security, encouraging future investment and competitiveness in the industry and helps provide a sustainable future for the industry and ongoing benefits for the local communities it supports.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Deadline too short for industry review of biosecurity laws

AN August 10 deadline for feedback on new biosecurity legislation has riled some sectors of industry.

Chapters of draft legislation that will form the new biosecurity Act have been progressively released for public comment since July 4.

Coalition forestry spokesman Senator Richard Colbeck says this is a bungle of another important consultation period by the federal government.

“The main grievance is that this is a very short amount of time to consider legislation of such magnitude,” Senator Colbeck said.

The forest and wood products industry has a strong interest in biosecurity and the new Bill in regard to potential incursions of damaging pests and diseases on both forestry and wood product supply chains, managing damaging pests and diseases when / if established, and implications to international and interstate trade of forest and wood products.

“So far nine of 12 chapters have been released, which is 333 pages of reading alone. Then there is a regulatory impact statement to consider and also another related piece of draft legislation, the InspectorGeneral of Biosecurity Bill.

‘Labor has an appalling record when it comes to engaging in genuine consultation with industry and it looks like the biosecurity Act is going to be its latest failure’ – Richard Colbeck

Richard Colbeck .. bungle of another important consultation period.

“And industry is still waiting to see chapters 2, 6 and 8 which deal with human health, prevention and control, and emergency provisions, so they will not have the full 28 days to consider those elements.

“It looks like the federal agriculture minister [Joe Ludwig] is set to again alienate Australian industries with a farcical consultation period.

“It is clear Minister Ludwig just isn’t listening – he is ignoring industry and he is ignoring his parliamentary colleagues.”

Mr Colbeck said that given the bungling of export certification reforms, the Coalition had made it clear that the new biosecurity Act would go to a senate inquiry.

“For the minister to come out and state that he wants the final bills debated in parliament in the spring sitting is incredibly naive or incredibly arrogant – or both,” Mr Colbeck said.

“The development of this draft legislation has taken almost three years and while there has been some industry input, it has been relatively restricted and participants have been bound by strict confidentiality agreements preventing them from discussing the mooted changes with the broader wider industry.”

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issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 9

TRADE VISIT

US-Canada group checks out Australian market conditions

By WENDELL MACLOUD

A US-Canada delegation representing a range of sawmills and timber industry associations from the Pacific Northwest of USA and Canada spent a busy week visiting Australian importers and wholesalers in July.

The group visited Australia to observe changes in the market, learn about trading opportunities, meet Australian importers and wholesale distributors, discuss the present and developing market conditions and keep up with any changes in regulations.

The tour encompassed calling on the importer wholesalers of Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales over a period of five days.

InSurAnce..

It’S All In the SelectIon

US-Canada delegation meets Aussies in Sydney ..Tom Rogers, Patrick Lumber Company, Wendell MacLoud, Thorlynne Pty Ltd, Vicki Onuliak, Bridgeport Forest Products, Mike Parr, Dongwha, Frank Stewart, Western Wood Products Association, Natalie Macias, Softwood Export Council, Dale Bartsch, Hymark Wood Manufacturing, Mike Beye, Vaagen Bros, Trent Gustafson, Trans-Pacific Trading, and John Halkett, Australian Timber Importers Federation.

On the first evening of the visit, following a meeting of the Victorian Timber Importers Association, the delegation met timber importers at the Imperial Hotel in Melbourne.

There Frank Stewart of the Western Wood Products Association, headquartered in Portland,

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Page 10 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

Oregon, gave a presentation on the current state of the US timber industry, the North American building market and the future outlook for the industry.

Overall he suggested that the outlook was now “somewhat optimistic”.

The delegation expressed its thanks to the Victorian function organising committee, including Michael Moorhead, Robert Cairns and Ingrida

Matulis for their help and efforts in putting together the reception function.

During the week, the delegation was impressed with much of the current technology utilised by Australian suppliers and the quality of output of manufactured products.

Overall, the North Americans were most impressed with the openness, friendliness and hospitality of the Australian timber industry people they met.

Ta Ann supply critical From Page 4

to meet its contracts.

“Ta Ann being part of the future industry for Tasmania is something that everybody has accepted,” he said.

“We’re not going to the specifics of what is being modelled here, but it’s important that this information is modelled and that these negotiations are given the clear space and the

clean air to finalise.”

Meanwhile, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre wants Aborigines to become the enforcers of any forestry peace deal. The centre’s legal director Michael Mansel, says a twoweek extension to the forestry peace talks will enable him to talk with state and federal governments about allowing Aboriginal people to take over forest management.

HQPlantations not involved

A comment attributed to Brian Farmer of HQPlantations (T&F enews 23/7/12) suggesting HQP is having discussions with state’s forest policy group in terms of developing access to native forest reserves has been misconstrued.

Mr Farmer says HQPlantations’

view about the opportunity to re-enter or continue the access to state forests is unimportant. “I neither support nor discourage the option. I don’t believe HQPlantations should enter the debate at all as it has no relationship to our business,” Mr Farmer said.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Government committed to a vibrant Queensland forest industry: McVeigh

From Page 2

our competitors are simply not subjected to.

“The impact of the carbon tax and other factors has seen domestic manufacturers placed at further disadvantage.”

Mr Dorries said in the case of engineered wood products, the carbon tax had added about1%- 3% to manufacturing costs.

“In the current competitive market, business is frequently lost to our overseas competitors on a price difference of less

Standing up for the 20,000 local jobs Queensland’s timber industry.

The government has agreed on a plan to revive the lagging fortunes of the state’s timber industry

than 1%,” he said.

“It is indeed a very perverse outcome that the tax designed to reduce emissions is certain to drive business offshore to countries with less environmental regulations and much higher emissions intensities.”

A request to John McVeigh that the EWPAA be included

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in consultations on the Queensland Timber Industry Plan was well received by the minister.

Mr McVeigh has agreed on a plan to revive the lagging fortunes of the state’s timber industry.

He says the new LNP government is committed to a vibrant forest industry and that

its approach will be different to the previous Labor government.

His department and Queensland industry are jointly developing an industry plan to provide a road map for the future.

Mr McVeigh says the plan will be a commonsense process looking at what access is required by hardwood millers to both state forests and plantations.

The industry is pleased the new government will stand up for the 20,000 local jobs Queensland’s timber industry underpins.

“We welcome Minister McVeigh’s fresh approach and look forward to working closely to develop a plan that will revive and grow our Industry,” the chief executive of Timber Queensland Rod McInnes said.

Don’t give traders who cut corners a licence to sell wood that threatens the lives and livelihood of our workers.

Face the facts FACT: All EWPAA structural plywood and Type A bond exterior plywood have an emission class of E0 or E1 certified under a JAS-ANZ accredited system.

FACT: All EWPAA products have a durability guarantee and all EWPAA members carry liability insurance.

FACT: All EWPAA products can gain extra Green Star rating points – one for low formaldehyde emissions (E0 or E1) and one for super E0 in office fit out.

FACT: Not all imported non-certified LVL and plywood

meet these requirements. In fact, laboratory tests show many imported non-certified products are continuously failing Australian standards for emissions and bonding strength and are life threatening.

FACT: Manufacturers, agents and suppliers trading in inferior quality, unlabelled and non-compliant plywood and LVL risk damage to their business, media exposure and high penalties under Australian law.

Don’t risk it.

Specify EWPAA products stamped with the approved certification.

Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia Plywood House, 3 Dunlop Street, 4006 Queensland Australia Tel: 61 7 3250 3700 Fax: 61 7 3252 4769. Email: inbox@ewp,asn,au Web: www.ewp.asn.au

issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 11

NEW ZEALAND

Getting into Brisbane Timber Industry Timber In the action ..Bris dustry H bane oo Holden Kingswoo -Hoo Club 218’ Hoo-Hoo Club 218 has entered s ’77 d Queensl and Varie is ready for the 2012 ty Dalby on e the Dar Club Bush Bash the 2012 Variety Club of ling Dow fro North Q ueenslan ns to Mac m d. kay in Queensland Bush Bash to raise funds for disadvantaged children and has purchased a veteran Bush Bash performer – a 1977 Holden Kingswood.

The Variety Bush Bash in the club’s major children’s charity event this year.

Please support it and show how the forest and forest products industry can enrich the lives of underprivileged children.

Your sponsorship will attract wide media coverage and is tax deductible.

The Waikato River – the longest in New Zealand running for 425 km through the North Island - passes through a plantation forest between Lakes Ōhakuri and Maraetai.

Plantations valuable habitat for threatened, endangered species

From Page 7

a kiwi call count survey in the predator control area. This provides a baseline to measure the success of Ernslaw One’s investment in pest and predator control in enhancing kiwi abundance over time,” Mr Couper says.

Whangapoua Forest covers 10,500 ha and includes 175 km of riparian (streamside) strips of native bush and more than 2000 ha in wildlife refuges and corridors. About 7500 ha is in radiata pine production forest that is in a constant 30-year cycle of planting, growth and harvest.

Plantation forests can provide valuable habitat for some threatened and endangered species and contribute to the conservation of biodiversity in a landscape that is dominated by pastoral agriculture.

As well as providing habitat in their own right, plantations play particularly important roles in buffering native forest remnants and in enhancing connectivity between areas of native ecosystems, including patches of primary forests, riparian strips, and amenity plantings The 1430-ha area safe haven within Ernslaw One’s Whangapoua Forest includes mature pines that are progressively harvested.

Alan Jones 0419 754 681 Don Towerton 0428 745 455 Tim Evans 0417 726 741 Jim Bowden 0401 312 087

initiatives around the country.

Project Kiwi Trust chairman Fraser Lampen says the trust is thrilled to be appointed as the manager of the biodiversity enhancement program in the Whangapoua forest. “This new relationship with Ernslaw One helps ensure the long-term financial sustainability of our work, allowing us to achieve our primary goal of protecting and enhancing the Coromandel kiwi population,” Mr Lampen said.

The new pest control contractors are Jono and Paula Williams who will work with Project Kiwi to manage the area.

Dr John McLennan, the original designer of the pest and predator control program, is a trustee of Project Kiwi. His expertise and that of other trust professionals will be used to build understanding of the behaviour of kiwi within the forest.

This information will help Ernslaw One and the trust to mitigate negative effects, if any, forest operations have on kiwi that inhabit the forest. Already the trust is helping Ernslaw to locate and protect birds that are nesting in areas scheduled for harvest.

“The trust recently carried out

Page 12 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

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We sincerely thanks the following sponsors: Silver sponsors Kennedys Timbers, Queensland Sawmills (John Crooke) Bronze sponsors Alan Jones, Trade Builders, Thora Wholesale Timbers, HQPlantations

The Governor of Queensland Pen elope Wensley ‘fl the start of Brisban ags’ e Timber Industry Hoo-Hoo Club’s Variety Bush Bas h project for children ’s charities during World Forestry Day celebrations in Bris bane. Looking on are committee members Alan Jon es (club presiden Don Towerton and t), Tim Evans.

Contributing sponsors Bill Philip; CGU Insurance, Brisbane; Colin Wilson; Bank of Queensland, Ashgrove and Sunnybank; Austbrokers Premier Insurance, Brisbane; Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Timber Industry Club 218 Inc; Tim Evans (Coast to Coast Pacific); Timber&Forestry enews; RACQ Caloundra; Contract Electrics Pty Ltd; Eden & Son Body Works; Advanced Timber Systems (Ian Watkins); Pacific Premium Funding Pty Ltd; Chancellors Chartered Accountants; Mark Kapper; Tableland Timbers; Skyline Building Supplies; Zenith Timber; Colin Galley; Steel Pacific; ITreat Timber; Frank Withey; Anderssen Lawyers; IVS Australia; Ringwood & Ply. For more information and to discuss sponsorship options – and a chance to join the Bush Bash team on the road – contact one of the committee members:

FRAME AUSTRALIA IN FOCUS

Putting delegates in the frame at Frame Australia

Nathan Benton, construction supervisor, CRS Ltd, Sydey, and Dr Alastair Woodard, executive director, Australian Life Cycle Assessment Society.

MORE than 300 delegates from the building and wood products industries converged on Melbourne for the Frame Australia 2012 conference in June.

Many visitors commented on the high level of speakers and the diversity of topics.

The event this year for the first time looked beyond the standard development of frames and trusses and software packages and fixed on totally new methods of construction such as factory-built panels

and cross laminated timber for multi-storey buildings.

The program contained many highlights including a presentation on the Lend Lease project Forte – a 10 storey CLT construction building in Melbourne’s Docklands that will be the world’s tallest timber apartment building.

Speaker presentations are available at www. frameaustralia.com (A report on Frame Australia appeared in issue 227 of T&F enews on June 25).

Shannon Mott, channel manager (west), LP Building Products, Venice, California, USA, and Australian agent Michael Thompson, chief executive, Woodtec Global, Kirkland, WA.

2012

Conference & Exhibition Melbourne 18-19 June

The major national event for engineered timber and On the Homag stand .. Ryan Slater of Homag and Gary Raven, Gary Jack Haber, director, TecBuild, and Justin Iscaro, project engineer, building pre-fabrication Raven Frame and Truss, Hamilton, NZ. Cardno, Melbourne.

HURRY & save $100 Early bird ends MONDAY www.frameaustralia.com

Tim Facoory, sales manager, Versace Timbers, Brisbane, and Warwick Cashman, Queensland sales manager, Multinail.

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Visiting the EWPAA stand at Frame Australa are Kris te Lintelo, Australand, Dr David Pollard, chief executive, Australian Forest Products Association, and Daniel Marsic, Australand.

issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 13

FRAME AUSTRALIA IN FOCUS

James Wang, managing director, Auswood, Auburn, NSW (left) on the Stora Enso Timber Australian stand with Matthew Wood, managing director, Helen Pham, supply chain manager, and Darrin Wheeler, national sales director.

Colin MacKenzie, timber application and use manager, Timber Queensland, Brisbane, catches up with old friend Richard Hough, principal, Arup, Sydney, while Peter Robinson of Boral Timber joins them.

2012

Conference & Exhibition Melbourne 18-19 June

The major national event Dr Alastair Woodard, executive director, Australian Life Cycle Assessment Society, Greg Jensen, commercial and regulatory for engineered timber and manager, Lonza Wood Protection, and Robbie McGavin, Department building pre-fabrication of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI), Damien Simpson AKD Softwoods, Mark Cooper, Bunnings, Melbourne, and Bruce Wallace, The Truss Joint, Bendigo, Vic .

Brisbane.

Welcoming delegates to the Platinum Global exhibit at Frame Austraia are Nhi Phan, executive assistant to the chairman, and Tham Nuguyen, both from Vietnam.

Kersten Gentle, executive officer, Frame and Truss Manufacturers Association Australia, shares a coffee break with Paul Codes, owner / manager, Aston Newman Timbers, Mount Gambier, SA, and Bill

HURRY & save $100 Early bird ends MONDAY www.frameaustralia.com

Page 14 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

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FRAME AUSTRALIA IN FOCUS

Leon Quinn, southern region sales manager, Tilling, Paul Micallef of Peuker & Alexander, Melbourne, and Dean Ashton from MiTek, Melbourne.

Mark Dindas, director, Panelbuild Pty Ltd, Brisbane, Kris te Lintelo, development director, Australand, John Cunnard, Panelbuild, Doug Bartlett, industry consultant, Brisbane, and Daniel Marsic, Australand.

2012

Conference & Exhibition Melbourne 18-19 June

The major national event for engineered timber and On the Lonza Wood Protection stand .. Ron McMaster, Redlandbuilding Bay Rene deVries, PlaceMakers, New Zealand, Kurt Stancombe, Pryda, pre-fabrication Roof Trusses, Steve Koch, business development manager, Lonza, Melbourne, Frank Michelton, Wingfield Timber Supplies, Adelaide, Narangba, Qld, and Troy Justice, business development, Lonza..

and Chris Rogers, Estim8 Pty Ltd, Melbourne.

HURRY & save $100 Early bird ends MONDAY www.frameaustralia.com

Sean O’Malley, research and technical, manager Planet Ark, Philipp Zumbrunnen, project director, Eurban Ltd, London, Andrew Dunn, chief executive, Timber Development Association, Sydney, and Boris Iskra, national manager codes and standards, Forest and Wood Products Australia, Melbourne.

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Tim Sherry, Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts Australia, and Olle Berg, senior vice-president, marketing and sales overseas, Stora Enso Wood Products Europe.

issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 15

NEXT NEXT NEXT BIG BIG BIG STEP STEP STEP

NEW NEW ADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES NEW ADVANTAGES WITH WITH KOMATSU WITH KOMATSU KOMATSU

Komatsu 'FoREst XtREmE' FELLER BuNCHERs & HaRVEstERs Introducing Introducing

Komatsu Komatsu

Komatsu Forest offers the PC300LC-8 and PC400LC-8 as purpose built forest machines (FX) with specifications to match the toughest jobs.

Forest Xtreme features: • ROPS/FOPS/OPS Cabin • Full heavy duty Gull Wing canopy • Heavy duty under body guarding

• Harvest or Feller Buncher boom sets • Single or double bar track grousers • Integrated 1200 litre fuel tank • Engine option; 260hp or 362hp

The Forest Xtreme machines illustrates Komatsu forest’s dedication to provide the best solution for the logging contractor.

Page 16 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

www.komatsuforest.com.au www.komatsuforest.com.au www.komatsuforest.com.au

Introducing

Komatsu

Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd 15C Hyland Cres Rotorua, New Zealand Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd. Dean O’Connor M: +64 of 277 718 254 11/4 Avenue Americas E: dean.oconnor@komatsuforest.com Newington NSW 2127 Australia John Kosar M: +64 2274 8653600 844 T: +61 9647 E: john.kosar@komatsuforest.com E: info.au@komatsuforest.com

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Making logging on steep slopes a lot safer in NZ

THE Forest Owners Association of New Zealand and the government’s Primary Growth Partnership are putting their resources together to the tune of $NZ6.5 million to investigate more productive and safer ways of harvesting steep slopes.

The business plan for the project is being lead by the FOA, and will be managed by Future Forests Research.

The government and forestry sector have set themselves the target of reducing harvesting costs by 25%, substantially growing the manufacturing of harvesting machinery, and making harvesting jobs safer and more attractive for workers.

From the safety perspective, the vision is to have “no worker on the slope and no hand on the chainsaw”. The outcome would be to develop remote controlled machines for steep slopes and high speed cable extraction systems.

The FOA has brought together research providers, the forestry companies and harvesting equipment manufacturers. The business plan aims to identify direct economic benefits of more than $100 million by

2016 and $400 million by 2020.

These benefits will mostly be realised through better practices and local and global equipment sales.

This joint funding has supported development of the Kelly Logging / Trinder Engineers steep slope harvester, the ClimbMAX. The beta prototype of ClimbMAX is now working on slopes in the Nelson area and productivity trials under way.

A New Zealand North Island contractor has ordered the machine which, with enhancements to the winch hydraulic system, is expected to be Trinder’s commercial model.

ClimbMAX is a big step towards fulfilling the aims of the FFR harvesting theme research over the past two years including safety (no hands on the chainsaw, no workers on the slopes) and productivity (bigger payloads, reduced cycle times and cost reduction).

Harvesting and transport, especially on steep slopes, make up 40% to 60% of the delivered cost of logs.

FORESTS AND FOREST MACHINERY

We’re right behind you in the field Combining remote locations, harsh operating environments and heavy vehicles and equipment, the forestry and timber industries face significant fire risks.

With Wormald, you have an organisation that is always right behind you when you need us most. We’ve helped prevent and protect against fires for over 120 years.

Wormald has the fire protection solutions for heavy vehicles that range from fire detection and suppression systems, to portable fire equipment, personal protection gear and staff training; our end-to-end tailored solutions help protect major forestry operations throughout Australia and the Pacific region.

So, you can get on with the job, confident that your people, resources and machinery are supported by one of the world’s fire safety leaders. That’s peace of mind.

Trust the forestry fire safety experts.

In Australia: Call 1300 556 015. email wormald.ads@tycoint.com or visit wormald.com.au/vehicles In New Zealand: Call 0800 496 762, email wormaldnz.ads@tycoint. com or visit wormald.co.nz/vehicles

Pictured: Cylinders and Extinguishers

Steep climb .. the ClimbMAX harvester is undergoing trials in New Zealand.

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issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 17

FORESTS AND FOREST MACHINERY

Wake up Australia .. wood to energy is real no-brainer

CAN someone help me out here? What really is the go with the greens in Australia opposing wood use and forestry? I really don’t get it.

In Scandinavia, across Europe and elsewhere, the greens are increasingly becoming the most vigorous disciples for increased wood use for building construction and for renewable energy production.

Why is it then that here the greens – aided and abetted by the federal government – remain implacably opposed to wood use for almost anything especially biomass?

No – I really don’t get it.

However, I do hasten to say that Planet Ark is the impressive standout exception to the rule. Founded in 1992, Planet Ark is about practical ways businesses and communities can reduce their impact on the planet. Among other things they have a Make It Wood website. Check it out at www. makeitwood.org For now let’s forget about Aussie green campaigns to stop forestry operations and focus just on biomass to energy.

Within 15 years Australia could be producing at least 20% of its energy needs from wood residues, but this fact has been almost totally ignored in the present energy debate.

Yet in Scandinavia, wood biomass for energy production is embraced by greens, industry, communities and politicians. For example, in central Finland up to 45% of industrial and household energy consumption is produced from wood biomass, mainly sourced from forest thinning, harvesting, or timber processing waste.

Tops and slash are bundled or chipped and sold to larger biomass plants that

Page 18 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

In Finland up to 45% of industrial and household energy consumption is produced from wood biomass, mainly sourced from forest thinnings, harvesting or timber processing waste.

are equipped to handle it in this form. Overall in Finland, the world leader in energy production from biomass it is more than 25%.

In Sweden, the share of the national energy total produced from wood biomass is over 20%, approaching the energy produced from the seven remaining nuclear plants.

The Swedes have recently decommissioned two nuclear plants and have announced the intention of decommissioning their remaining seven as they can replace them with renewable energy sources, mainly with biomass fuelled plants. The Swedes have set clear targets for independence

Within 15 years Australia could be producing at least 20% of its energy needs from wood residues, but this fact has been almost totally ignored in the present energy debate

Deep in the Woods with ..

Cheryle Forrester from imported fossil fuels and aim to have ceased fuel imports by 2025, including increasing biomass to energy production from the present 20% to 40%.

Denmark and the other Scandinavian countries are also on the bandwagon and have active government policies and incentives to encourage biomass to energy production.

While the Scandinavians know

it, the Australian greens appear not willing to comprehend that a key issue in favour of bioenergy as a by-product of sustainably managed plantations and forests is that it is approximately carbon neutral.

It can be argued that overall it is carbon positive as the use of woody fuels replaces the equivalent energy value of fossil fuels. In addition some of the ash the wood combustion process is a useful product in itself as a potential component of agricultural fertiliser. About a million tonnes of non-coal ash is produced every year in Sweden.

And if all that isn’t bad enough for Australia’s image – after being beaten by the Scots in rugby – a 44 megawatt power plant to be fuelled by wood biomass has been built near Lockerbie in southern Scotland, using 475,000 tonnes a year of thinnings, harvesting residues, sawmill waste and 90,000 tonnes from chipped short rotation willow coppice. The plant powers 70,000 homes and has created in the vicinity to 300 new jobs in forestry and farming.

On top of all this, off-the-shelf power plants fuelled by wood biomass are relatively cheap, have low visual impact and come in all sizes. They can be fuelled by a wide range of woody biomass and by alternative solid flammable wastes, such as straw, nut husks or olive pits.

Why is it then that biomass energy has had such a slow start in Australia? Information about the latest available wood biomass to energy systems technology is widely available.

These systems can now be purchased in all sizes from two megawatts – enough for a small

Cont Page 19

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FORESTS AND FOREST MACHINERY

Wood biomass will help reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels

From Page 18

rural community – to more than 500 megawatts, such as one at Pietarsaari in Finland, enough to power a city of hundreds of thousands of residents .. so we don’t have any remaining excuses.

In addition to electricity production, extracting biofuels from wood biomass is seen as the principal way to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.

In an Australian context, plantation, forest and wood processing are all sources of wood biomass.

It would be easy, in terms of available technology and biomass to build several 10

Implications from utilising biomass for the profitability of plantation and forest management activity are significant at a time when investment in forestry is almost non-existent

megawatt or larger electricity plants and / or biofuel plants and co-fire these plants with a mix of woody biomass and flammable industrial and domestic waste – as they are increasingly doing in Scandinavia and northern Europe.

The implications from utilising biomass for the profitability of plantation and forest management activity in Australia are significant at a time when investment in forestry is almost non-existent.

Of course we need a federal government that demonstrates some receptiveness to forestry – we need to work on that.

What do you think? Catch you in a couple of weeks.

Cat’s new wheeled feller buncher real ‘turn-on’

The Cat 553C wheeled feller buncher (pictured) is the third model in the C series line-up.

The 553C and 573C were launched towards the end of 2011.

The new 553C contains all the advancements found in the first two models, but has a different engine. It is equipped with the 174 hp (130 kW) Cat C6.6 ACERT engine, while the 563C and 573C are equipped with the Cat C7.1 ACERT engine.

The 563C has wheelbase of 2,794 mm and weighs 13,862 kg.

The C series machines have been designed to be more versatile than previous models; they have a longer wheel base and new engine position, which improves stability.

Machine width has been maintained which provides a tighter turning radius for good manoeuvrability in thinning.

Caterpillar says fuel

consumption is better than previous models due to power only being delivered where and when it is needed, thanks to a new technology called PowerDirect Plus. This results in better performance from all functions on both flat and steep slopes.

Cat also claims that simultaneous lift-tilt and liftsteer functions are faster than their major competitors, and saw recovery time is also faster.

Other general areas of improvement in the C series are ground level servicing, a high performance hydraulic control valve, pressurised and separated engine compartments to keep debris from entering, and an improved cab for operator ergonomics.

This section is supported by the Australian Forest Contractors Association

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issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 19

Study challenges views held about western US forest fires Historic surveys provide a surprisingly detailed record

SCIENTISTS in the US using field notes from surveys first conducted by the government before the Civil War believe they’ve gained a better understanding of how western wildfires behaved historically.

Researchers at the University of Wyoming studied historical fire patterns across millions of hectares of dry western forests.

Their findings challenge the current operating protocol of the US Forest Service and other agencies that today’s fires are burning hotter and more frequently than in the past.

Combing through 13,000 first-hand descriptions of forests and retracing steps covering more than 400 km in three states, where teams of government land surveyors first set out in the mid-1800s to map the nation’s wild lands, the researchers said they found evidence forests then were much denser than previously believed.

“More highly intense fire is not occurring now than historically in dry forests,” says William Baker, who teaches fire ecology and landscape ecology in Laramie, Wyoming, where he’s been doing research for more than 20 years.

“These forests were much more diverse and experienced a much wider mixture of fire than we thought in the past, including substantial amounts of high-severity fire.”

If he’s right, he and others say it means fuel-reduction programs aimed at removing trees and shrubs in the name of easing

Page 20 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

US western fires .. better understanding of how wildfires behaved historically.

fire threats are creating artificial conditions that likely make dry forests less resilient.

“It means we need to rethink our management of western dry forests,” says Mr Baker, a member of a US Fish and Wildlife Service working group that is developing plans to help bolster northern spotted owl populations in dry forests.

Mr Baker’s conclusions have drawn sharp criticism from other long-time researchers who believe that decades of

Human fire suppression activity during the past 100 years has created dense, more crowded forests

Jennifer Marlon .. trend from high fire in the 1800s to very low fire in the 1900s is strong and clear from three independent datasets.

fire suppression have led to more densely tangled forests and more intense fires, the position advanced by the Forest Service.

“I have yet to hear any knowledgeable forest or fire

ecologist or forest manager say they are convinced by the main interpretations in that (Wyoming) paper,” Mr Thomas Swetnam, a professor of dendrochronology and director of the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research at the University of Arizona, said.

“I doubt it will gain much traction in the scientific or management communities.”

William Baker said the historic government land surveys provided researchers with a surprisingly detailed and precise record.

The studies by Baker and others over the past two years focused on parts of Colorado, Oregon and Arizona, but were indicative of dry forest types stretching from the Rockies to the Sierra Nevada previously thought to be ‘open and parklike’ and typically enduring only cycles of frequent, low-severity fire.

“The major surprising finding was .. areas of high density of forest and higher severity fires in really all dry forests across the west,” says Mark Williams, who co-authored two of the three studies with Mr Baker.

“The notes are pretty descriptive,” Mr Williams said.

“You can look for where the fire started and ended. We were actually walking the same lines, collecting fire scars from trees.”

Wallace Covington, the director of the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University, takes no issue

Cont Page 7

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INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Fires during the 20th century generally are fewer and smaller than ever before

From Page 20

with the Wyoming duo’s data collection or statistical analysis but said some of Mr Baker’s conclusions don’t follow from his data. Covington first testified before Congress in 2002 about the urgent need to thin forests to guard against catastrophic wildfires and insists it’s still necessary.

Others say the Wyoming studies are important new information in an emerging field of research.

Jennifer Marlon, a Yale University paleoecologist, said a study she recently led on the impact of climate change on forests over thousands of years appeared to be largely consistent “with Baker’s idea

that there were large, severe fires even in dry forests historically”.

The fire record her team built for the western US for the past 3000 years shows “that fires during the 20th century generally are actually fewer and smaller than ever before given

current climate conditions,” Ms Marlon said, emphasising the role of climate on wildfire.

“The general trend from high fire in the 1800s to very low fire in the 1900s is strong and clear from three independent datasets,” she said. “Open park-like conditions may have

indeed occurred after the ‘peak’ in burning during the mid-1800s.”

An updated view was summarised in the 2012 spring edition of California Forests: “Human fire suppression activity during the past 100 years has created dense, more crowded forests and shifted the fire regime in Sierran mixed conifer forests from one of frequent, low-level fire to one where high intensity wildfires are more common,” wrote John Battles, chairman of ecosystem sciences in Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California, Berkeley.

– Associated Press

COPYRIGHT NOTICE Items provided in this section of Timber & Forestry E news are drawn from a number of sources. The source of the item is quoted, either by publication or organizations in line with the practice of fair reporting.

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issue 232 | 30.07.12 | Page 21

Nominations Excellence :: Recognition :: Celebration The Queensland Timber Industry Awards are an important means of highlighting excellence in our industry and rewarding organisations who are leading the way in terms of service, innovation and commitment to improving both their business and the industry as a whole. The gala evening when these awards are presented is the only event of its kind; it provides a platform to celebrate our industry, our state and recognise our top performers.

This evening is set for Saturday 3 November 2012 at Victoria Park Function Centre, Brisbane.

To maintain the credibility of these awards and therefore the prestige and honour they represent for finalists and winners, the judging criteria for 2012 have been adjusted to reflect recent ideals and trends as well as give greater weight to operational areas of importance. The criteria for each category is available to view on the website, www.tabma.com.au - Queensland - Information Sheets - 2012 QTI Awards Criteria.

Award Categories 2012 

Best Specialist Timber Merchant



Best Frame & Truss Operation (Metro)



Best Building Materials Centre (Metro)



Best Frame & Truss Operation (Regional)



Best Building Materials Centre (Regional)



Best Timber Manufacturing Operation



Best Timber Wholesale Operation



Best Sawmilling Operation



Best Specialist Service Operation



Trainee of the Year



Best Training Culture



Apprentice of the Year



Best Wholesale Sales Representative



Recognising Women In Forest & Timber

If you wish to nominate please visit www.tabma.com.au - Queensland - News and Events - 2012 QLD Timber Industry Awards Nomination Form and complete an entry for each nomination. All nominations will be kept confidential and only be seen by TABMA Queensland management and judges. Nominations close 15 June 2012.

Introducing the Sponsor’s...

Sponsorship packages are still available.

Page 22 | issue 232 | 30.07.12

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