SOUTHEM ONLINE Southern Hemisphere Forest Industry Journal Online news briefs SOUTHEM Online - Issue 272 – 27 September 2011 Hi and Hola - Welcome to this edition of Southem Online. Cheers and Saludos from Down Under Mike Smith Editor and Director Email: info@southem.com URL: www.southernhemisphereforestry.co.nz and www.southem.com SOUTHEM COMMUNITY REGISTRATION You can register for this free e-news headlines service. Send an email to subscribe@southem.com LINKEDIN GROUP @ http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2218173 YAHOO GROUP @ http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/southemonline/?yguid=224336867 FACEBOOK @ http://www.facebook.com/pages/southem/33458700993?ref=ts SPONSORS’ MESSAGES Help keep this publication free – please visit our sponsors today! Contact info@southem.com for sponsorship details. UNDERWOOD FARM - FORESTRY/RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION - 1,120 HECTARES This stunning property lies only around half an hour from Picton over mostly sealed roads. At any given time there is approximately 800 hectares of professionally managed, mostly second rotation Pinus radiata forest, complete with extensive high quality logging infrastructure. Having an abundance of highly desirable ‘Sounds’ coastline here is also the option to capitalise the recently approved Resource Consent permitting a unique subdivision containing 25 well-located residential sections that will enjoy easy access to the beach and coastal views of his world renowned location. This property has a long history of professional sustainable forest management and is now, for the first time, being offered for genuine sale. . The substantial amount of desirable Sounds coastline that comes with it which includes. . BAYS, BEACHES AND VIEWS . 12 titles Option to secure an APPROVED SUBDIVISON of 25 lifestyle blocks. It
includes a large area zoned “Sounds Residential” in Opihi Bay, for which resource consent for a subdivision containing 25 sections has been recently approved by the Marlborough District Council. Inspection is by appointment with the vendor’s sole agents CRT Real Estate. For more information see; http:///www.crtrealestate.co.nz/index.php?listing=TU9334 www.underwoodfarm.co.nz Email: crt.realestate@crt.co.nz Price by negotiation, contact John Hollis B 03 43 316 M 0275 43 42 (International: 64-3-543 9316) Mobile: 0275 343 042 WARNELL FORESTRY RESEARCHERS: HARVESTING REGIONAL BIOMASS Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources researchers recently published a paper on “Regional approaches for harvesting forest biomass” The paper details a report on field studies to the Wood Supply Research Institute. The UGA team’s final conclusions formed a component of the Institute’s recently concluded “Forest Biomass Supply Chain Project”. For more information, go to: http://www.ugacfb.com/taxonomy/term/6 Or email: sbaldwin@warnell.uga.edu **************************************** COPYRIGHT NOTICE Items headlined in SOUTHEM Online are drawn from a number of sources. The source of the item is quoted, either by publication or organisations in line with the practice of fair reporting. Items originally published in Spanish are translated by TMS Ltd. Every effort is made to ensure use of paid wire service material is avoided at all times. Should users wish to utilise SOUTHEM Online on their own web sites, we request that this is done to accurately reflect the current layout to ensure attribution is appropriate. ************************************************ INFOR LAUNCHES AND WOOD INNOVATION PROJECT The Chile Government’s forestry research agency Infor has launched a project to develop innovation and competitiveness in the forestry and wood products sectors of the Los Rios Region. The move is a public-private initiative which recognises the forest potential of the region, Infor says. The project was awarded to Infor by the Innovation for Competitiveness Fund, an offshoot of the regional government’s FNDR 2011. STRATEGY FOR TURNING WOOD HARVEST INTO ADDED VALUE EARNINGS Meanwhile, in New Zealand a new Bay of Plenty Forestry and Wood Processing Strategy aims to drive a major increase in wood processing in the region over the next decade, a media release said. The strategy, developed
over the past year, sets a goal of adding value to over 70 per cent of logs harvested in the region by 2020. Currently, NZ$1 in every NZ$10 dollars earned in the region comes from forestry and wood processing. ************************************************ CMPC SECURES US$400M CREDIT In spite of financial market tensions, the big Chilean forest industry group CMPC has been able to enact a syndicated credit line of US$400 million for five years and committed an additional line for US$200 million for three years. Diario Financiero reported the operation was not minor and several local banks were required to participate in the syndication process. The entities involved are Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Export Development Corporation de Canada, J.P. Morgan and Scotiabank. (Via Lignum) SUZANO CLOSE TO COMFORT LEVEL ON INDEBTEDNESS Meanwhile, the Brazilian group Suzano says it is close to its ideal level of indebtedness. Started in 1924 by Ukrainian immigrant Leon Feffer, Suzano is now a R4.5 billion company with investments in pulp and paper. The company said in a recent statement it had not discarded possible future investments, however it wished to keep the level of indebtedness at below the level of 3.5 times earnings. ************************************************ SOUTHEM COUNTRIES PATCHY BIOFUEL PROGRESS Southern hemisphere countries have made some progress in biofuel developments but still lag behind northern hemisphere counterparts, a new map indicates. The Global Biofuel Information Tool has been developed by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) to provide a geographical overview of biofuel production, consumption and investment around the world. Overall, the map shows countries like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa having biofuel production levels at relatively low levels compared to the USA and Canada. Although Chile’s production is not indicated, Argentina is at a higher level and Brazil has similar levels of production to its North American counterparts. BRAZIL INVESTING IN IMPROVED FIREWOOD Meanwhile, the Brazilian Government is to invest for the first time in improvement of the use of firewood and charcoal ovens in a bid to fight desertification and to promote degraded areas of the country, CIF Florestas reported. The plan will see the government spending more than Real 6 million in the production of bricks for more sustainable industrial ovens. ************************************************ ITALIAN COMPANY PLANS US$570M RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT IN CHILE Italian company Enel Green Power is investing US$570 million in renewable
energy projects in Chile in the next five years. The large amount of available renewable resources and the regulatory framework have encouraged the company to financial local initiatives, Diario Financiero reported in a special feature. The investments will be in a range of alternative energy projects aimed at helping to satisfy the country’s energy demand. FORESTS NSW IN POST-HARVEST BIOMASS STUDY In Australia the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) is working with Forests NSW as they measure exactly how much biomass is left in radiata pine forests following harvest. Researcher, Fabiano Ximenes, said the study aimed to work out how much residue could be sustainably harvested for use in meeting renewable energy targets. (Source: AFPA Canopy) ************************************************ MAPUCHE TURN FIGHT TO COAST Native Mapuche communities in Chile – fighting for land rights in the country’s main forest region – have now turned their attention to the coast. El Mercurio has reported that communities are now demanding rights to 75% of the coast in the Los Rios Region. They are said to be frustrated that a law enacted by the previous government of President Bachelet giving them rights to the coastal area has not moved forward. ************************************************ LAND DEAL GIVES KZW A CONSERVATION BOOST Conservation awareness in rural area of South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal region has been given a major boost with the announcement that 45 000ha of traditional land will be given over for use as a wilderness area, according the SA Business Report. Ezemvelo KZN-Wildlife reported that two amaKhosi entered an agreement, and have applied for part of their land to be included as a wilderness area with a long-term vision for inclusion in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site (UDP WHS). The agreement to set aside the vast expanse of their combined traditional land is considered one of the most dramatic and progressive community conservation decisions made in KZN. PLANS FOR “TREE OF LIFE’ PLANTATION Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal (a province of South Africa) may soon be home to a plantation of what research shows to be one of the most useful trees in the plant kingdom, FAO’s Non-Wood Forest Products Digest reported. Moringa oleifera, commonly referred to as the “tree of life” or “mother’s best friend” in many cultures, is native to northern India and ancient Ayurveda medicine claims that it prevents 300 diseases. The iLembe District Municipality and Dr Samson Tesfay, a post-doctoral student at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s discipline of horticultural science, are planning a plantation project for the plant. The project will harvest Moringa pods for biodiesel processing, using small-scale emerging farmers in the area. Source: Daily News (South Africa) ************************************************
AFPA SUPPORTS KOALA INQUIRY FINDINGS ON FORESTRY’S ‘MINOR IMPACTS’ The final report of a Senate Committee Inquiry into the status and health of Australia’s Koala population was released recently. Forest industry agency, AFPA notes the Inquiry’s findings that forestry has a relatively minor impact on the conservation status of koalas. Just 6% of public native forest is available for timber production and 0.06% is harvested and regenerated each year. *********************************************** SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE VIDEOS TE KARERE VISITS NZ FOREST INDUSTRIES EXPO This video by the Maori news service of Television New Zealand provides an overview of NZ Forest Industries Expo 2011. In Maori and English. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWZ0CRpkuPI ************************************************ ARTICLES OF INTEREST: CHINA-AFRICA: AS BUSINESS TAKES OFF, WHAT HAPPENS ON THE GROUND? In light of increasing criticism of the social and environmental impact of Chinese trade and investment in Africa, Ccenter for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) scientist Louis Putzel writes in this blog, "Is China's interest and impact in Africa really that different from any other country, and if so, how?" http://blog.cifor.org/4170/china-africa-express-as-business-takes-off-whathappens-on-the-ground/ ************************************************ SOUTHEM KORERO BRAZIL INTERNATIONAL PULP AND PAPER 3 October 2011, ABCTP 2011, 44th Pulp and Paper International Congress and Exhibition, Transamerica Expo Center, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Daniela@abtcp.org.br FORESTRY EDUCATION IN LATIN AMERICA 18 and 20 October 2011. 3rd Workshop on Forestry Education in Latin America (III Taller sobre Educación Forestal en Latinoamérica), in the framework of the 5th Latin American Forestry Congress (V Congreso Forestal Latinoamericano) from 18-21 October. Lima, Peru. Latin American Network for Forestry Education (RELAFOR) in cooperation with the IUFRO Task Force on Education in Forest Science. Contact: Osvaldo Encinas, oencinas(at)ula.ve; relafor(at)gmail.com
http://www.iufro.org/science/task-forces/education-forest-science/ FORESTS, GOVERNMENTS AND FOREST RIGHTS 26-28 October 2011. VIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Derecho ForestalAmbiental "Bosques, Gobernanza y Derecho Forestal". San José, Costa Rica. IUFRO 9.06.01, Contact: Lucia Ruiz, lruiz(at)cima.org.pe; Vivian Wyllins, congresoforestalcr(at)abogados.or.cr http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-9/90000/90600/90601/ FOREST VEGETATION MANAGEMENT 7-11 November 2011. Forest Vegetation Management for Timber and Nontimber Values. Valdivia, Chile. IUFRO 1.01.04, http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-1/10000/10100/10104/. Contact: Euan Mason, euan.mason(at)canterbury.ac.nz http://www.treesandstars.com/vmc7/ SECOND ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY WEEK 7-11 November 2011 New Challenges, New Opportunities. Beijing, China. FAO and its partners are inviting the forestry sector to come together at the second Asia-Pacific Forestry Week, expected to be the largest and the most important forestry-related event in the region in 2011. The event will bring together some 1500-2000 participants from governments, NGOs, research institutions, regional and international networks, UN agencies and the private sector. High-level forestry officials from throughout the Asia-Pacific region will attend the event. It will provide a unique opportunity for diverse stakeholders and forest managers to share perspectives and seek solutions to the most challenging issues facing forests and forestry today. For more information, please contact Mr. Patrick Durst (Senior Forestry Officer) FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific; Email: AP-Forestry-Week@fao.org www.fao.org/forestry/ap-forestry-week/en/ SUSTAINING THE FUTURE 12-16 December 2011. Sustaining Our Future: understanding and living with uncertainty. Perth WA, Australia http://www.mssanz.org.au/modsim2011/ AUSTIMBER 2012 29-31 March 2012. AusTimber 2012. Mount Gambier, South Australia, Australia. http://www.austimber2012.com.au/ ACCURACY 2012 International Spatial Accuracy Research Association (ISARA). The Tenth International Symposium on Spatial Accuracy Assessment in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. July 10-13, 2012. Florianópolis, SC – Brazil http://2012.spatial-accuracy.org/
FOUR DEGREES OR MORE? 12-14 July 2012. Four Degrees or More? Australia in a Hot World. Melbourne, Australia. weblink: http://www.fourdegrees2011.com.au LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY 5-12 November 2012. Biannual IUFRO Forest Landscape Ecology Conference: Sustaining Humans and Forests in Changing Landscapes: Forests, Society and Global Change. Concepción, Chile. IUFRO 8.01.02, http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-8/80000/80100/80102/. Contact: Cristian Echeverria, cristian.echeverria(at)udec.cl; Sandra Luque, sandra.luque(at)cemagref.fr. http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division8/80000/80100/80102/activities/ BRAZIL TO HOST 2015 WORLD STATS CONGRESS The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics will host in the second half of 2015, the 60th World Congress of Statistics, organised by the International Statistical Institute. Go to: http://www.isi-web.org/ ************************************************* NEWS ONLINE Do you have news items you wish to make available to others on SOUTHEM Online? If so, please send them to info@southem.com ************************************************ MISSING? Did we miss you off the list, or do you have an associate who may want to receive SOUTHEM Online. If so, please feel free to register by sending a message to info@southem.com ************************************************** REMOVE If you would prefer not to receive further issues of this newsletter, please reply to me at email info@southem.com with the word ‘Remove’ in the subject.