Australian Forests & Timber - February 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

KENWORTH SETTING THE PACE IN WA

CHINA TRADE BAN Call for Federal fix

OUR 30 TH BIRTHD A ISSUE Y

ROUND TABLE WA in focus

In the news

China ban needs a Federal fix Trade dispute paves way for increased domestic processing, new markets Philip Hopkins

W

ith no end to China’s ban on a category of Australian softwood exports in site, more federal help will be needed to avoid more widespread losses and mill closures, according to Australia’s forestry chief, Ross Hampton.

However, Mr Hampton, chief executive officer of the Australian Forest Products Association, said if there as a ‘silver lining’ in the dispute, it could pave the way for further domestic processing of the timber such as into engineered products.

The Federal Government was aware of the need for new domestic manufacturing opportunities and was also investigating finding alternative markets for the affected exports.

“However, there is no change to the situation in sight, so it will get worse,” he said.

Mr Hampton said the ex-

FEBRUARY 2021

ports were mainly ‘thinnings’ from softwood plantations for which there was little use in Australia. The smaller dimension and lower quality ‘logs’ were used for a variety of uses in China, even for furniture.

“About 20 per cent of this timber could be diverted back for use in Australia,” he said. This would require retooling at mills, but there was no pulp mill or biomass mills, for example, that could use the timber.

China has banned the importing of the softwood logs from all states, with the only exceptions the Northern Territory and ACT, which do not export such softwood timber. Mr Hampton said this export trade was valued at $600$700 million a year.

The worst affected area is the Green Triangle straddling South Australia and Victoria. The affected timber exports through the Port of Portland are worth

Our new look

T

HERE are some exciting changes coming to Australian Forests & Timber this year which will improve the look and feel of the magazine for readers and advertisers.

ROUND TABLE CHINA TRADE BAN Our first major step is to switch to digital printing.

This exciting move will allow for a significant increase in production speed and quality. And it will mean faster delivery to our readers.

There is also an almost imperceptible change in size in the magazine with the introduction of improved paper quality and brighter colours that will be noticeably more vibrant, with richer and deeper tones.

These changes are part of Ryan Media’s ongoing commitment to deliver high-quality publications, grow our audience and advertiser base, and better service the industry.

We hope you like the new look Australian Forests & Timber.

KENWORTH SETTING THE PACE IN WA

Call for Federal fix

OUR 30 TH BIRTHD AY ISSUE

• Chips being loaded at the Port of Port; and in the Green Triangle. more than $500 million a year. About 150 direct jobs in the area have been lost, with further impacts downstream in areas like local retail. Some workers are doing shifts in the local abattoir.

China claims that the bark beetle pest was found in

the timber. In response, Mr Hampton said the industry had created a two-tier sanitary process where all exported timber was fumigated twice. China had been informed of that but there had been no response. “But no timber is being exported,” he said.

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WA in focus

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Mr Hampton said firedamaged timber exports from NSW and Queensland had been affected, not in as large quantities but still valued at millions of dollars. At least the Visy pulp mill at Tumut could take vast volumes of pulpwood, he said.

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In the news

FEBRUARY 2021 Issue 1 – Volume 30 Established 1991 3―4

News

Western Australia focus 5―9 Round Table 8―9 WA Timber Awards 12 My view 12 Malaysia profile 14 Mill profile 31

Thirty years of delivering best in forestry news 1/25 Mareno Rd., Tullamarine, Victoria Ph (03) 8336 1500 Fx (03) 8336 1499 Incorporating AUSTRALASIAN FOREST LOGGER & SAWMILLER February 2008, Issue 1, Vol. 17 Ph: (03) 9888 4834 Fax: (03) 9888 4840 Email: lmartin@forestsandtimber.com.au Web: www.forestsandtimber.com.au ISSN 1444-5824

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Print Post No. PP 767324/00002

AUSTimber 2008 special edition, see pages 17 to 43

Millions of dollars tied up in premier trade event

By John Hudswell

IT HAS BEEN estimated that more than $100 million worth of forestry/timber and associated machinery will be on show during Australia’s premier industry trade and conference event, AUSTimber 2008, in Mount Gambier from 3-8 March.

AUSTimber 2008 carries on the tradition fi rst established by the Forest Industries Machinery Exposition in 1972, giving the forestry and timber industry a venue to convene every four years to share and gain knowledge, experience and technology.

It is an international exposition now owned and managed by the Australian Forest Contractors Association, and is run in conjunction with the Institute of Foresters, the Australian Sawmilling Industries, machinery suppliers and forest growers in Australia.

According to AUSTimber general manager David Quill, this year’s event represents a number of fi rst:

•

fi rst time organised by the Australian Forest Contractors Association extended to run for six days feature and promote careers in the forest and timber industry • being held in South Australia • operational sites easily accessible and close to the city “Obviously, this year’s event has a major emphasis on careers within the industry,” said Quill. “It is vital for the industry that a solid, welltrained workforce is available for the future.

The fi rst two days will be heavily involved in careers, with day one featuring a conference with the theme “If only they knew”. Quill said field tours “to see the industry at work in best practice plantation forestry” would also help highlight future work choices to educators and career advisors. The move will go a long way to providing practical solutions to a “looming skills shortage that is confronting every link in the forest industry chain”.

• •

Front Cover: Kenworth trucks are making thyeir mark in Western Australia with one of the state’s biggest logging operators.

Page 22-23 Publisher and Chief Executive: Hartley Higgins

FEBRUARY 2021

NOVEMBER 2018

Camco has moved!

n Push-button, precise and programmed to work… the Storti PGS 2008 makes simple work of small log processing. This machine, installed at Kilcoy Timber Company, has boosted production by an estimated 85%. The Italian-made machine was supplied

by Adelaide-based specialist machinery supplier TTS Machinery. The Storti Prismatic features, among other things, an eight-saw system. More details about the machine are on pages 13-14 of this issue. Photo by Trudi Pratt, courtesy Kilcoy Sentinel.

A major site on the edge of the Blue Lake crater (just south of Mount Gambier city) has been set aside where mature-age pine trees will be clear felled by a variety of different machines from different manufacturers.

An adjacent open paddock site has been set aside for static displays and other exhibitors.

The third day has been allocated to the AUSTimber Conference, the theme being “Are forests the issue, or the answer?”

On the following days the demonstrations and displays will continue.

On the Friday and Saturday (7 and 8 March) plenty of attention will be focused on the Airport site (just north of the city) where operations will include fi rst and third thinning, plus clear felling of radiata pine plantations from 10 to 29 years of age, as well as bluegum clear falling. The bluegum operations will include the latest techniques of cut-to-length harvesting and in-forest chipping. Coaches will operate on a continuous cycle between the two sites.

“The beauty of Mount Gambier is that there is only eight kilometres between the major display sites,” said Quill.

He was high in praise for the support he had received in the lead-up to the big event.

“The industry, that being the forestry growers, the machinery suppliers, the sawmillers and sawmill suppliers and the transport industry have been enthusiastic in their response and have been very understanding of our desire to put on a good show.

“Another thing worth noting is that we have a major increase in the active exhibition sites. We have 25 different operations being displayed in the forest which is significantly greater than in 2004. That shows the level of response we have had from the machinery suppliers,” he said.

In addition to that there are 133 indoor exhibitors and 57 outdoor exhibitors.

“Given the levels of rationalisation in the past four years, particularly with machine suppliers, sawmillers, forest owners etc., and the reduction of sawmills through the regional forest agreements, I think we have had an outstanding response, especially given that we have only been involved in staging the event for just on 11 months,” he said.

Quill also lauded the efforts of ForestrySA during the lead-up. “Their support, to a man, has been outstanding. The staff at all levels, ably led by Brian Farmer (chief executive), has been amazing with their assistance in preparing sites and assisting in staging the event.

“The other body that has been excellent has been the City of Mount Gambier, particularly through chief executive officer Greg Muller, so too the District Council of Grant.“Special thanks must be made of the generosity of farmer Max Feast. He donated the use of a prime piece of real estate which is being used as our pavilion and display area and which is adjacent to the area that will be felled. Max expects nothing.

Continued page 16.

Plan to turbocharge Australia’s forest industries

KENWORTH SETTING THE PACE IN WA

OUR TH BIRTH3D0 ISSUEAY

– Page 3-4

Powerful new advocate for SA

n AUSTimber general manager David Quill.

VicForests’ roadmap for FSC-controlled wood – INSIDE

CHINA TRADE BAN Call for Federal fix

ROUND TABLE WA in focus

“Orange Roughy”

Proud Silver Sponsor of

AUSTimber 2008

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USTRALIAN Forest & Timber News this year is celebrating 30 years of delivering forestry industry news.

And there are some exciting changes coming to Australian Forest & Timber News this year that will improve the look and feel of the magazine for readers and advertisers.

Australian Forest & Timber News began life as Tasmanian Forests & Timber in November 1991 under the ownership of Kate and Gerry Cross – who had worked in the forestry for more than twenty years - in partnership with a public relations consultant.

Kate and Gerry had recognised that a niche opportunity existed which would appeal to the people working at the coal face, and they believed there was a need for greater

levels of information from people such as growers, transport operators, sawmillers and others in the value-adding chain.

The original concept was based on a US model called Loggers World aimed at loggers and transport operators.

Over the next few years this concept expanded to embrace forest and plantation management, logging, and sawmilling.

The first major change came just seven months after the first editionj, with advertising clients and those in the industry wanting the publication to take on a national feel.

In June 1992 the name was changed to National Forests & Timber and distribution went national and into New Zealand.

Initially it was a monthly publication but it was decided in 1993 to switch

to eight issues each year, a format which continues today.

Ryan Media acquired National Forests & Timber from Gerry and Kate late in 2005 - at the time the leading forest industry magazine – and the publication’s name was changed to Australian Forests & Timber News in January 2006.

Its competitor at the time was Forest Logger and Sawmiller, formally owned and published by Ron and Nalda Limb. FLS subsequently ceased publication along with Australian Timberman magazine, which originally was registered to the Queensland Timber Board.

Ryan Media purchased Australian Timberman in April 2008 to complement its specialist forest industry coverage and changed its name to Australasian

Timber with expanded coverage of timber processing and products information.

Australian Forest & Timber News has broadened its information base in recent years to cover political issues on both national and state levels as they apply to the industry, silviculture, round-table discussions, special features and the growing bio-energy scene, while maintaining its core mission of telling stories about people in the industry at the coal-face and the machinery they use.

These changes are part of Ryan Media’s ongoing commitment to deliver high-quality publications, grow our audience and advertiser base, and better service the industry.

We hope you will continue the journey with us for the next thirty years, and beyond.

Value of aerial fire units brought into focus SOUTH Australia had the first real bushfire of the season in late January.

Sadly, homes and buildings were lost. Trees were lost.

But it was short, sharp and brought under effective control through the efforts of Forestry SA, the CFS, crews from the Department of Environment and Water, Metropolitan Fire Service and property owners with firefighting units.

A change in the weather and heavy rain also helped, but also hindered efforts.

Aerial firefighting units

also played a big part both in the firefight and of course on the evening television news.

In fact aerial firefighting units have become very much a “face” of firefighting in this country.

Aerial units have a value.

They have their purpose.

But are the spectacular images of water bombers creating perhaps a false sense of security in the

minds of those in suburban Australia?

The Institute of Foresters of Australia and Australian Forest Growers seem to think so and wants a greater focus on yearround bushfire prevention activities over the use of water bombing aircraft.

IFA/AFG president Bob Gordon sees a need to weigh-up the effectiveness and cost of relying on water-bombing aircraft as a reactive measure against the need for conventional wildfire responses and enhanced year-round pre-

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

vention activities.

“We often see aircraft bombing established fires, and people think that they put the fires out. They don’t put forest fire out. It is ineffective to attempt to water bomb a large fire out,” Mr Gordon said.

He might be right. His opinion is based on information from people who know what they are talking about.

But unfortunately it seems that the people making the decision on fire management may not be getting the same information. www.timberbiz.com.au

WA: State of the state

Election year hope timber industry recognised as vital T HE lead up to a State election is always an interesting time, presenting both opportunities and challenges for the forestry industry.

As part of FIFWA’s election strategy, we have been lobbying key recommendations to candidates and current government in an effort to strengthen and develop the industry’s future.

We have targeted several main areas, including encouraging the use of sustainably sourced and locally produced timbers through government procurement processes.

Significant investment in construction, including $492.2 million on education buildings, forms part of the WA Government’s Recovery Plan, offering an opportunity for the industry to promote the use of local timber.

FIFWA is also seeking security and growth for softwood plantations, as this estate has continued to decline due to several critical factors.

Last year, the State government invited marketled proposals to support a 50,000-hectare expansion of softwood plantations over 10 years, and we are keenly awaiting the outcome.

Further to that, FIFWA is actively pursuing a State Plantations Policy to provide some consistency in planning processes, for

Melissa Haslam Executive Director FIFWA

both development and expansion.

There are so many economic, environmental and community benefits generated from plantations, a State Plantations Policy would go a long way towards publicly recognising and supporting those benefits.

Resource security continues to be an ongoing issue for our industry, so FIFWA have called for a rolling State Forest Management Plan (FMP).

Ideally, rather than the current strict stop-andstart, 10-year plan with contracts that hinder long term business planning, the State commitment to a rolling FMP would improve confidence and encourage vital investment.

In-line with research and the joint State-industry Djarlma Plan, we have recommended that ecological thinning be embraced by

Independent advisor to the world’s forest and agricultural industries

Fire continues to be a big issue across Australia and remains a substantial threat to industry. the State in order to reduce tree density, promote forest health and reduce fuel loads.

Fire continues to be a big issue across Australia and remains a substantial threat to industry.

Ecological thinning and mechanical fuel reduction

help reduce fire risk, and FIFWA has also recommended the retainment of the State’s prescribed burning program as a key preventive measure.

Our industry was one of the fortunate sectors to be able to continue providing essential products and

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Our unique combination of forest management and consulting skills, deep industry knowledge and technical know-how, enables us to provide a wide range of expert services. These include forest valuation and transaction due

services during last year’s COVID-19 crisis, when most of the nation came to a halt.

We are hoping that during this election process, the political powers-that-be recognise how vital our industry is and offers support and security going forward.

diligence, sales advisory services, analysis and advice for forest owners, resource planning and business strategy, markets and market forecasts, operations and tech solutions.

At its core, Margules Groome stands for objectivity, impartiality and ethical business practice.

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Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

5

WA: State of the state

From little things big things really do grow in WA J

EFF Loton has come a long way since he began with a couple of graders in the 1980s.

What developed into a cartage and earthmoving business, Loton Investments Pty Ltd based in Bunbury, is now involved in pine, bluegum and native timber harvesting, firewood supply, plantation management, road construction and maintenance and, just for good measure cropping as well as sheep and cattle production.

It was in 1994 that Loton Investments Pty Ltd, trading as Plantation Logging Co, began operations in timber harvesting and haulage services, gaining contracts with a number of private plantation companies.

“Back then we had one tree harvester doing mainly private work but also a little bit of work for the Forest Products Commission,” Jeff said.

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Plantation Logging Co today is one of WA’s largest logging contractors with 85 full time employees and around 20 sub-contractors, and operating 15 harvesters and 21 forwarders working from north of Perth to Albany in private pine forests and some bluegum.

“Most of the pine goes into LVL or sawlog,” Jeff said.

The teams use a variety of machines but the majority are John Deere using largely Waratah harvesting heads.

In 2013 a contract was secured with FPC for the purchase of firewood, where processed firewood was supplied to Simcoa at Ke-

Plantation Logging • operations in steep slope forest. The company has 15 harvesters and 21 forwarders in operation from north of Perth to Albany.

merton. Later, a retail yard was established to sell firewood under the name of Bunbury Firewood Supply.

This business has continued to grow, to in excess of 15,000t of firewood blocks, now carting and supplying firewood to many Perth and state-wide firewood outlets.

Five employees work full time in this division.

The family also runs farming properties at Boyup Brook, and Arthur River. In April 2020 a third farming property was also leased in Arthur River. In 2016 the Pinedina Pastoral Company was set up to manage two cattle stations north of Mullewa knows as Pinegrove and Wandina Stations.

“We have a number of contracts for tree harvesting, log cartage and roading works with both private and government agencies,” Jeff said.

“We pride ourselves in providing prompt efficient

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

service that meets the delivery schedules and environmental standards set by its customers.

“In addition, the company is constantly reviewing its operational capability to meet customer commitments and identify new and innovative ways to achieve new and existing products delivery. We have demonstrated that we will provide operational services to our customers for 52 weeks of the year.

“The diversity in our company’s operations provides flexibility to respond to industry changes, market fluctuations, and changes in environmental conditions (i.e. seasonal changes) which may otherwise restrict operations from time to time.”

This operational flexibility has proven a key factor in the company’s ability to retain a stable workforce and reliably complete contractual works. www.timberbiz.com.au

WA: State of the state

Pathway into timber a less than regular journey M IKE and Michelle Rautenbach had a less than regular journey into owning timber plantations in southern Western Australia.

The couple arrived in Australia from South Africa more than 40 years ago with Mike working with Alcoa in various roles for 35 years.

He retired seven years ago.

“We had been interested in timber for some time,” he said.

“When we retired we decided to launch into a timber venture.”

An old family friend got involved in timber in the 1990s and he was their introduction into the world of forestry.

And it would seem they making a pretty good job of it, collecting Outstanding Forest Grower award at last year’s Great Southern Timber Hub Timber 2020 awards.

“We both share a love trees and the outdoors so moving into retirement this was quite a logical extension of our lives,” Mike said.

Their property, around 70km inland from Bunbury in the south west of Western Australia, is around 400 hectares with about 200ha under pine.

Much of the rest is native jarrah redgum forest with some “miscellaneous” eucalypt which was already on the property.

Some of the native is harvestable but previous livestock grazing practices means some of the forest is quite degraded.

“One of our projects now is to do some rehabilitation work to restore

the understory and mid-story,” Mike said.

At this stage there is no plans for harvesting but there may be room for some ecological thinning in the future.

“First radiata plantings were in 2015 over 80ha and the second planting was in 2016 and we planted 101 acres.

“And we have just planted 22ha last winter.”

The main saw log mill destinations for the trees are at Neerabup and Bunbury.

“For first thinnings there are smaller mills who produce timber for packing cases, or landscaping poles,” Mike said.

“There has also been an export market for first and second thinnings.”

First thinnings will be done when the trees are about 10 years old.

“We wouldn’t be doing the whole area because it hasn’t grown uniformly,” he said.

“We’ve got some areas where the growth has been very good with trees that are 13-15 metres high.’’

Mike believes plantations may be the future for WA given the possible doubtful future for native timber.

“There are very small niche markets for plantation hardwoods,” he said.

“But as far as the harvesting of Jarrah and red gum within the native forest areas is concerned I think the State Government is in retreat.

“I fully expect the whole regime around the Government-held native

forest areas is going to undergo change over the next five to 10 years and that native forest area will be probably be handed over the traditional custodians.”

But the government will come under increasing pressure to cease commercial operations within those areas.

“Biggest challenge we face at present is that the market is opaque,” Mike said.

Mike and Michelle Rautenbach • putting in their first trees in July 2016.

“If I was a sheep farmer with 200ha spare and I was thinking of planting pine the biggest challenge I would have is that I don’t know what the current price is, let alone the price in 30 years time.

“And 30 years ago we did.

“When we planted we did.”

• An aerial view of the Rautenbach’s plantations.

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

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BRIEFS Timber drives employment boost MANJIMUP will receive an economic boost this year, with the re-activation of a local timber processing centre creating 65 full-time jobs.

The new jobs are the result of a $14 million-dollar investment from Parkside Timber, as it retires its dry mill at Greenbushes to upgrade the Manjimup facility.

A spokesperson for Parkside said recruitment had already started, with 10 fulltime staff employed to date.

“Our business plan is for the majority of our wood fibre to be processed into high-end, value-added products, with an emphasis on wood utilisation,” the spokesperson said.

The upgrade will introduce world-class timber processing technology including two high-speed scanning and docking lines, an auto stacking line, finger joining line, large end section joinery planning line and a 56- pocket bin sorter.

A pre-drier shed will also be repurposed into a 1000m3 kiln.

“Our finger jointing line allows us to process shorter lengths of timber that would normally go to waste and our paint line is used to pre-oil decking for the retail market.

Together with our pocket sorter, we produce five-piece handy man decking bundles,” the spokesperson said.

“We are targeting these oiled bundled products directly against imported timber products which come from countries that do not share our high environmental standards.”

Shire President Paul Omodei welcomed the news and said Parkside’s investment was significant for Manjimup.

“This investment will create secure jobs for local people, which is good for those seeking secure employment,” Mr Omodei said.

“That is on top of the jobs created by the six other timber mills, contractors and associated businesses in our district.

“The Shire of Manjimup are strong supporters of the timber industry in our region, it is part of our strategic plan, and we consider the industry to be very important to our economy and to our community.”

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Round table

Western Australia’s forestry industry contributes $1.4 billion to the WA economy annually and supports about 6000 jobs, with more than 90% of those jobs located in regional communities. Regional polling has revealed more than 80% of South West voters want the WA Government to do more to support and grow local timber industry jobs and decrease a reliance on timber imports. In This Round Table WA’s Forestry Minister Dave Kelly, the Shadow Minister for Forestry Tjorn Simba and the Nationals Forestry spokesman Colin Holt share their views on the importance of the industry in their state.

Q&A Panel

Q

Dave Kelly

Tjorn Simba

Colin Holt

Minister for Water; Forestry; Innovation and ICT; Science; Youth

Shadow Minister for Planning; Environment; Forestry; Public Sector Management; Veterans’ Issues

Nationals Spokesperson for Housing; Culture and Arts; Racing and Gaming; Forestry; Women’s Interests

Why will forestry be important to the WA community in the future?

Dave Kelly AS we move toward a low carbon, sustainable future, the forest industry will continue to play a role in Western Australia.

Wood is a natural carbon storage device and our forests act as carbon sinks, storing carbon as they regenerate and grow. This presents us with a unique opportunity to continue increasing and benefiting from the timber products we use, while also combatting climate change. It is also recognised that the use of wood in buildings have a positive effect on health, wellbeing and productivity.

The McGowan Government continues to be committed to ensuring healthy forests and the preservation of our environment for generations to come.

Preparing our forest for a drying climate and the reality of decreased rainfall is a key tenet of forest management practices and will only grow in importance as we move into the future, ensuring we have strong,

resilient forests for generations to come.

The forest industry is also an important employer in the regions.

Industry research estimates that it provides employment for more than 6,000 people, over 90% of which are located across regional WA. Tjorn Simba THE Western Australian timber industry has a long and proud history which is unfortunately overlooked by many people. In simple terms, it was the timber industry which first supported the development of Western Australia from the earliest days of foundation. Indeed, I think we owe a debt of gratitude to the timber industry for providing the jarrah and karri sleepers which built the railways which opened up the interior of the state and connected us with the rest of Australia.

The industry has been buffeted by a range of difficulties over the course of recent decades. Climate change, intense bushfires, pressures from competing land uses, reductions in the plantation estate, bureaucracy and political activism are acknowledged by the Liberal Party as key challenges facing the industry today. Solutions to these challenges will not be easy but the Liberal Party clearly understands the economic value of industry both in terms of the gross value of its output and the 6000 jobs it supports. It is also a significant employer throughout the South West and the Great Southern.

We are committed to do what we can

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

to save jobs in the industry and in regional towns and communities.

From my short time in the portfolio, I have developed a respect for the industry’s innovative operational practices, particularly in terms of waste minimisation and maximising the value of each harvested log. I expect that this will continue. On-going careful management is essential for the long-term future of the industry.

There is a turning point in the public debate regarding how primary industries such as forestry can coexist with a commitment to tackling climate change. This debate is more sophisticated than it perhaps was even ten years ago. That presents a great opportunity for the industry to demonstrate to the broader community, the public benefits of a well-managed forestry industry in terms carbon sequestration, improved water quality and the mitigation of salinity will become more broadly accepted.

Inevitably the future of the industry is going to be influenced by government policy, legislation and regulation. The drafters of those policies, laws and regulations will invariably live in Perth. The challenge of being understood by a metropolitan audience is one that the industry must always be alert to. There is also political risk for all primary industries operating in Western Australia that a re-elected Labor Government will attempt to disenfranchise regional Western Australia by reforming the electoral act to ensure metropolitan representatives dominate the membership of the Legislative Council. www.timberbiz.com.au

Round table

Colin Holt WA’S timber industry employs about 6000 people directly and indirectly, with 92 per cent of direct jobs based regionally.

It also contributes close to $1.5 billion to the State economy and plays an important role in the management of healthy and sustainable forests, supplying products to the construction and energy sectors domestically and abroad, providing positive environmental outcomes in the areas of fire and water management, innovating the use of timber products, recreation value and contributing much to local communities.

Strong and sustainable forestry means strong and sustainable regional communities and economies.

Q

How will the forestry industry meet predicted increasing demand for wood and fibre over the next generation / 20-30 years?

Dave Kelly THE demand for sustainably sourced, high quality timber products is going to continue to grow for the foreseeable future as people continue to embrace renewable, environmentally friendly¬ products.

In response, the McGowan Labor Government has invested almost $24 million on planting trees and expanding our pine plantation estate. The annual average expansion of the softwood estate under the McGowan Labor Government is greater than the total expansion of the estate over the entire eight years of the former Liberal-National Government.

We will continue to expand the estate in the future, building on and supporting WA’s vibrant softwood inwww.timberbiz.com.au

dustry, providing employment and opportunities for carbon offsets. As part of our Market-Led Proposal Initiative, we have invited investment proposals from the private sector. If successful, this process will support a 50,000-hectare expansion of the softwood plantation estate and result in 60 million trees being planted over a period of up to 10 years.

However, the supply of timber is naturally constrained, which will require the industry to maximise the recovery of timber from our forests and plantations and strive to achieve full utilisation of every fibre of timber grown to meet the increasing demand.

While we continue to use traditional sawmills for native timber, we are seeing the development of new processing industries that are emerging to service the supply of smaller regrowth timber. This includes veneer timber and a variety of engineered timber products, which will continue to become more prominent and widely used in the future.

Tjorn Simba THIS is a really interesting question.

I hold a range of shadow portfolios in the State Parliamentary Liberal Party, one of which is Planning.

That means I’m in regular touch with the construction industry who see supply side shortages in terms of materials and labour emerging at the moment.

While I am wary of the reliability of most long-term forecasts, it is clear that due to the significant decline over decades in the size of the softwood plantation estate that local demand for wood and fibre could outstrip supply potentially within a 15 to 20 year horizon and the gap filled by lower-quality imported product. Personally, I would hate to see that occur and while it might not be the place we get to, it remains a sobering plausible outcome. To some degree, the strategic challenge faced by the timber industry is exacerbated by the very nature of the product itself, the long years required for a tree to reach maturity for harvest.

The future is in encouraging private investment and forestry initiatives. I note that Government’s Market Led Proposal strategy to encourage the private sector to support a 50,000 hectare expansion in the softwood plantation estate.

However, the prospects of a successful outcome through the MLP strategy are very slim.

Obviously, careful and sustainable management through agreed Forest Management Plans which are

flexible and adaptive to changing circumstances will be of utmost importance to industry and we cannot overlook the fact that future governments will have to provide confidence concerning the continuity of hardwood supply.

Colin Holt QUITE simply, without Government assistance it won’t.

There is a real need for the State Government to assist industry expand our renewable timber estate, particularly in the softwood sector, which without investment and expansion will decline to the point the industry will be unviable.

We are strong supporters of establishing a National Institute for Forest Products (NIFPI) in the South West to complement the existing South West Timber Hub, something the Labor Government has failed to co-fund and secure despite several offers from the Federal Government.

Q

What will forestry look like over the next 10-20 years across areas such as supply chain – planning/ harvesting/ transporting/ processing/ product diversity?

Dave Kelly FOR an industry that has been around for so long, the forest industry is a keen adopter of technological advancements and this will continue to shape the future of the industry.

Technology like drones and 3D imaging are currently being trialled in Western Australia and have the potential to revolutionise the way foresters do their jobs. These technologies minimise the need

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

for physical fieldwork, instead replacing it with the opportunity to remotely view the forest.

This means that foresters could one day be tree marking entirely remotely, and not need to step foot into the forest. Geo-fencing, the creation of a virtual perimeter in a real-world geographic area, also offers the possibility for remotely demarcating forest coupes, removing the need for difficult, time-consuming, and sometimes hazardous physical work.

Continuing to improve the efficiency of the supply chain will also be an important part of the industry’s future success.

Fully utilising the log trucks on our roads will also help maximise the industry’s efficiency. By maximising loaded time of log trucks through increases in backloading and a centralised dispatch, the industry will create major efficiencies in the transporting of timber in Western Australia.

Tjorn Simba ONE of the strategic lessons of COVID-19 is that many of our existing supply chains for essential products have critical dependencies on overseas inputs. Any disruption to that supply chain has multiplicative second and third order effects throughout the rest of the economy.

Industry will hold most of the answers as far as the future of the forestry and forest products supply chain is concerned particularly as far as the development of new value-added products and markets are concerned. Obviously, however, there is a constructive role for government to play. The most significant contribution from a government perspective as it effects the timber industry’s supply chain (at least as far as the planning and harvesting side is concerned) is in guaranteeing access to the resource to begin with. Fundamentally, that is where we must put the attention because that is where confidence has been most steadily undermined.

Colin Holt AS forestry practices and understanding of forest systems continue to improve along with technologies and innovation in the sector, forestry is set to become even more valuable and provide an ongoing source of employment, product and enjoyment for many years to come.

Our timber is some of the most beautiful in the world. We need to keep educating consumers and industry participants about the aesthetic, economic, social and community value our timber provides.

9

Forestry In the news hub

Trees in the ground a priority Forestry Hub’s 30-year strategic plan Philip Hopkins

E

NCOURAGING farmers to grow trees on their land will be a key focus of the new Gippsland Forestry Hub in its 30-year strategic plan for the future of Gippsland’s forestry industry.

The chairman of the group, Simon Gatt, said farmers would be important stakeholders in this process.

“We will be reaching out to the farmers in the community to understand how they can contribute to increasing the plantation estate in Gippsland,” he said, speaking before the group’s first meeting in Traralgon. The role of forestry products in storing carbon will also be a strong theme in the plan.

Gippsland is one of 12 forestry hubs in key forestry regions throughout Australia established as part of the Commonwealth Government’s 2018 forest policy commitments. The Gippsland hub is jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments.

Gippsland, which stretches from the shores of Western Port in Bass Shire to the

10

New South Wales border, now has 1.43 million hectares of productive forests, mainly native forest and including 90,000 hectares of plantations.

“It’s about ensuring fibre supply - getting more trees in the ground - as part of the Federal Government plan to plant one billion new trees over a 30-year period,” said Mr Gatt, who has worked in forestry for the past three decades, having begun his forestry career at Orbost in East Gippsland.

Apart from the strategy plan, the hub’s other key focus will be innovation and regional research, consultation with local education institutions on future skill needs, and determining the technical issues, needs and opportunities for the development of the region’s timber industry.

Mr Gatt, currently operations manager for Hancock in Gippsland, has just been appointed to a position at AKD Softwoods in Colac, but hopes to stay on as chairman of the Gippsland hub.

Mr Gatt said the hub had

Gippsland Forest • Industries Hub chairman Simon Gatt.

funding for 12 months and depending on reaching milestones, would be funded until 2022. A key step was the strategic plan, which should be completed early this year.

Different stakeholders would be consulted, Mr Gatt said, ranging from the hardwood and softwood sectors, regulators, politicians, local councils, the state government, processors, education providers and scientists who specialise in climate change.

“It’s really great to have so many stakeholders focussed on understanding how we will improve the industry moving forward,” he said. He expected that the State Government’s 30year forestry plan would be integrated into the hub’s strategy.

Mr Gatt acknowledged the challenges faced by plantations in Gippsland, where land tended to be expensive and well suited to agriculture.

“That’s exactly why we are putting so much emphasis on farmers. The industry itself can’t do this on its own through massive greenfield investments,” he said.

“But we’ll see; we will workshop it, put some good thinking around a strategy having the farming community on board, talking to them about the advantages of trees on farms – not just

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

income, but the advantages of shelter and alternative incomes, even carbon.”

Mr Gatt said the role of wood products in storing carbon was an idea whose times was coming. “Trees on the ground absorb carbon as they grow through their life cycle and then those trees are processed. That carbon is stored in the forest products – tables and chairs, paper, buildings. That is definitely an area that will gain momentum as the bio-economy grows and becomes more a feature of the general economy,” he said.

Mr Gatt said Australian Paper was not a member of the Gippsland Forestry Hub. “But we are keen to have AP on board. We will continue discussions with them. I’m sure they will join eventually,” he said. “Fibre security is important for Australian Paper.”

www.timberbiz.com.au

My In the view news MechLog CEO, Jillian Aylett Brown, recently addressed a forestry forum on the importance of organisational culture. Based on her experience of implementing a successful organisational culture at MechLog, the company’s programme could serve as a road-map for other forestry companies considering their own organisation’s culture.

What follows is a precis of Ms Aylett Brown’s presentation.

Organisational culture key to success It’s about living values through actions not words

T

HE importance of organisational culture to any business cannot be overestimated. In the forestry industry organisational culture has fundamentally transformed the sector into one of the most vibrant, progressive, and wholly sustainable industries in Tasmania.

Industry-wide organisational culture is extremely important – as it is at a business level. At MechLog, we use organisational culture to build and improve our business and to motivate our employees.

Businesses must walk the talk when it comes to organisational culture.

The term ‘our people are our greatest asset’ cannot become something they know their customers want to hear. It must be embedded in their organisational culture.

MechLog’s people are our greatest asset because they deliver our culture.

Since 1994, MechLog’s organisational culture of valuing our employees and the important contribution they make to our business has never changed.

Organisational culture is intangible, but you know it when you see it. Great food at a great restaurant will lose its appeal if the service is poor. Organisational culture is not the food or the décor. Organisational culture is the staff who serve the meals.

It is easy to dismiss organisational culture as a busi12

MY VIEW Jillian Aylett Brown CEO, MechLog

ness fad or unimportant.

However, the actions of companies that don’t value organisational culture in our industry, unfairly reflects on us all.

Tasmania’s forestry industry has evolved over the past two decades. Before 2004, many in our industry were in lock-step with our out-ofstep industry leaders; and it was an industry in turmoil.

We were constantly fighting with environmental groups, defending outdated forestry practices and, as a result, public opinion was polarised.

Then came the intervention of the Federal Government and the Forestry Accord of 2004. An Accord that very few people thought would survive the year. We have come a long way in less than two decades.

Today, Tasmania’s forestry industries are vibrant, progressive, sustainable, environmentally

responsible, and thriving.

The Tasmanian forest industry makes a significant economic contribution to the State. In 2017-18, there were 3,076 direct jobs in the forest industry and 2,651 indirect jobs generated in associated industries. In 2015-16, the direct value of output by the Tasmanian forest industry at the point of sale was $712 million.

This figure increases to over $1.2bn including flowon-effects generated as a result of spending by the industry.

Tasmania’s forestry industries achieved this for one reason – we changed our culture. Today, forestry practices and the standing of the industry are lightyears ahead of where they were before 2004. This is why organisational culture is so important.

Our industry is not judged on how much money we make; or how many tonnes of timber we grow, harvest, and sell to stimulate the Tasmanian economy. Our industry is judged on how we do these things.

If we are to continue to build our industry, we should live, breathe, and consider our culture every day. The whole sector has a critical role to play. It is a shared responsibility,

which should be at the forefront of every decision.

At MechLog, we define organisational culture as the core values and behaviours that speak to who we are as a company, and how and why we do what we do. It defines how our employees interact with one another, and how they interact with external stakeholders.

We develop MechLog’s organisational culture through training and skills development, and ongoing coaching to drive continual growth in each employee.

When organisational culture involves change, we consult with employees as part of the process. They are involved in the planning stages of new initiatives.

We keep employees informed and they contribute perspective, ideas, and solutions relevant to how we might improve our operations.

We also enable employees to have flexible work arrangements. We educate our employees about positive mental health, wellness, general health, and fitness. By making this part of MechLog’s organisational culture, employees also value it.

It is an accident waiting to happen when performance is prioritised to such a degree that employees consider their physical and mental health is being overlooked.

The industry is proactive in educating workers about mental health and wellness issues. However, we need

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

to be diligent and prioritise our employees’ work-life balance as part of our business models. This will speak volumes about our industry’s organisational culture and the image of the forestry sector.

One of the advantages of building a resilient organisational culture is that it can turn employees into ambassadors for your business and forest industries.

Employees who believe in a company’s organisational culture will promote it.

Without a doubt, organisational culture is hugely important to the success and overall health of the forestry industry. It will assist us to retain our current workforce and solicit interest from prospective employees and customers.

At MechLog, organisational culture is a professional term for our heart and soul. It is about living our values through actions not words. It is about being unified, cohesive, and working as a team.

We have seen what strong organisational culture brings to the business. It has taken commitment to develop MechLog’s DNA, which is still evolving and maturing as our business grows.

The benefits of organisational culture are now embedded in the forestry sector, aligned with a renewed sense of pride, as we successfully promote the message of forestry being the most sustainable of all industries. www.timberbiz.com.au

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Malaysian wood BRIEFS NSW HUB MANAGER DR Stephanie Hernandez has been appointed project manager for the pilot NSW North East Pilot Forestry Hub. Andrew Hurford from Hurford’s Hardwood at Lismore is inaugural president.

Dr Hernandez holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Master of Science from James Cook University Tropical Ecology, has worked in environmental and conservation projects with both Federal and State governments and has recently completed her PhD in statistical forest policy evaluation and planning.

Malaysia turns the tables on unsustainability

VFPA’S FIRST CEO FORMER Australian Pork senior executive Deb Kerr is the Victorian Forest Products Association’s foundation CEO. Ms Kerr has extensive experience in the primary industries sector, having worked in various industry representative roles across the sector, and most recently as a senior executive with Australian Pork Limited where she was General Manager of Policy.

AFPA DEPUTY CEO THE Australian Forest Products Association has appointed Victor Violante to the new role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer after more than four years in the organisation.

Mr Violante has held the position of Senior Policy Manager for the past 4 ½ years, looking after AFPA’s Hardwood Processing Chamber as well as native forestry policy, bushfire management, and export regulations.

IFA/AFG BOARD DR Michelle Freeman has been elected as a vice president of the Institute of Foresters of Australia and Australian Forest Growers and Jan Newport has joined as a director.

Dr Freeman, who joins the re-appointed Dr Kevin Harding as one of two vice presidents, is a forester and consultant with a passion for native forest management.

14

Campaign to establish plantations put in place

• Staff at work at the Sapulut nursery.

Philip Hopkins

B

ACK in the 1990s, the ‘penny dropped’ in Malaysia: there was broad recognition that the forestry industry based on a growing use of native forest was unsustainable.

There was no limit or control of the size and volume of the harvested timber.

This threat was the catalyst for a revolution in Malaysia. Vast expanses of forest were protected in reserves, a finite area of forest was designated for sustainable harvesting, and a large campaign to establish plantations was put in place.

Hand-in-hand with that was a revamp of forestry administration; new bodies formed in the 1990s were the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB), the

Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) and the Malaysian Timber Certification Council.

The plan committed Malaysia to retain 55 per cent of its land as forest cover – 18.12 million hectares of the country’s total land area of 33 million ha.

This was to show the sustainability of forest management that we have put in place.

The MTIB’s main task is as a regulatory agency – registration, licensing, physical inspection and enforcement of the country’s timber-based policy.

It also has a role in trade and industry development, strategic planning, forest plantations, training, and research and development.

The MTC is the industry’s

marketing arm, while the MTCC was set up in 1998 tasked with developing and operating an independent national certification scheme of sustainable forest management. Through the MTCC, local accredited certification bodies can apply for PEFC certification, a crucial step for Malaysian timber exports.

Now, in Peninsula Malaysia, the 5.78 million ha of forest cover (43.9%) is dominated by national parks, wildlife reserves and bird sanctuaries (10.2%) and permanent reserved forest (83.4%), which comprises production forest (62%) and protection forest (38%).

It was clear plantations were needed to feed the appetite of the forest in-

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

dustries, but limiting factors were the high establishment costs, the long gestation period required, obtaining land for development and a lack of financial incentives.

The result was that in 2005, the Government put in place a plan to develop commercial forest plantations. The species listed under the program were Rubber, Acacia and its hybrids, Binuang, Sentang, Batai, Laran, African Mahogany, Teak and Bamboo.

The target was to spend 1.045 billion Ringgit to plant 375,000ha within 15 years, but this was reduced to a more realistic 130,000ha, with a sustainable production of about 5 million cubic metres per year after 15 years and onwards. www.timberbiz.com.au

Malaysian wood

Soft loans with low interest rates over 20 years were offered to encourage the private sector to get involved. Private operators were given a grace period of 15 years, with repayments over the five years after the grace period. The interest rate was 3% for medium (41-2499ha) and large scale (2500ha and above) plantations, while small scale crops (4-40ha) had an interest rate of 0.5%.

Of the total area planted, more than 70 per cent was rubberwood, the species that continues to give; its milky sap produces rubber, but when exhausted the tree is excellent for furniture.

The assumption was that each hectare would produce 180m3 of rubberwood and 120m3 from other species.

Malaysia had no experience of climate change yet, but the Government had a keen interest in the issue.

Particularly important for Malaysia is how the forest industry develops in Sabah, the state rich in biodiversity located in the north of the island of Borneo. Sabah’s Forestry District Officer, Richard M. Mijol, said that under Sabah’s new 2018 forestry policy, 62% of the state’s 7.4 million ha was covered in forest. Of this, 52% was forest reserves, parks and wildlife sanctuaries; 26% was totally protected; and 10% was state land and alienated forests.

Commercial (Class II) forests make up 1.66 million ha, with 38 sustainable forest management licenses available to private companies. The licenses, which can be valid for 50 to 100 years, allow only reduced impact logging, not clear felling, but tree plantations can be clear felled. The license requires protection of water catchments and high conservation value forest. The licensees’ operations are audited yearly.

One company, Sapulut, has a license over 52,552 ha of natural forest and 21,970 ha for plantations. Sapulut’s Executive Manager, Teddy Sius, said indigenous species in the native forest www.timberbiz.com.au

were harvested on a rotation cycle of 25-35 years, whereas plantations – mainly White and Red Lara and Albizia - were harvested on 10-12-year rotations.

Mr Sius said under the forest management plan, only trees 60 centimetres in diameter at breast height should be cut. “Mother species 120cm and above are left to become next generation trees. A supervisor identifies the trees,” he said.

The stumps of felled trees and the supplied logs all have identification tags as part of the PEFC chain of custody certification management.

“A post-harvest inventory assesses the condition of the forest to ensure harvesting does not change the ecosystem. We replant indigenous commercial trees as part of the silviculture treatment, otherwise the forest is not sustainable long-term.”

Mr Sius said the plantations were integrated into the native forest through strip lines in a ‘zebra’ pattern. The strip plantings were separated by a buffer that varied from 15 to 33 metres. “They are planted in an east-west direction.

We want to make sure the planted seedlings achieve maximum sunlight,” he said.

One 12-ha plot, for example, was planted in 2015 with 5300 trees – mainly Albizia but also local White Laran and Red Laran from Kalimantan. With the buffer, the block became 55ha in size.

“There is slashing to clear the planted area, and pruning depending on the species. The buffers act as a fire break and also a corridor for wildlife,” he said.

Samba deer, like wallabies in Australia, also love eating young trees.

With the high rainfall, good soil and humidity, the plantation growth rates are extraordinary. Mr Sius said the average tree diameter when harvested was 50-55cm. After only threeto-four years growth a tree was more than 30cm in diameter.

• Saluput’s Mr Suis at a tagged stump.

Sapulut has an open-air plantation nursery that it is converting to a greenhouse operation.

Laran is mostly used for veneers, but one Sabah processor is investigating using Laran and Albizia for CLT. The Malaysian forestry revolution is bearing fruit.

According to the MTCC, 369 companies in 2019 had been issued with PEFC Chain of Custody certificates out of a total of 3500 timber companies in Malaysia. Twenty-two types of timber products have been certified, the main types being mouldings, plywood, sawn timber and wooden furniture.

In 2009, the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) became the first tropical forest scheme in Asia to receive PEFC certification. Since

then, timber products under MTCS have been exported to 68 countries.

From January to October last year, despite a slight downturn due to the impact of the Covid virus, Malaysian forest product exports were valued at 17.8 billion

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

Ringgit, while imports were RM5.4b – still a healthy trade surplus of MN12.4b.

The United States was the main export destination, but Australia came in at fourth position. Furniture dominated, with 47% of exports, followed by plywood and sawn timber.

Malaysia’s first wood expo in late 2019 resulted in sales of RM 140 million. It attracted 135 exhibitors from 22 countries and more than 3000 visitors. Mr Yu pointed out that Malaysia would also import timbers for processing.

“The expo also showcased what we can do with temperate hardwoods and softwoods. We can use these foreign timber species … to increase the value of our exports. This will reduce our reliance on local raw materials,” he said. *Philip Hopkins travelled to Malaysia as a guest of the Malaysian Timber Council.

15

Silviculture BRIEFS FIRE SERVICE MEDAL

INSTITUTE of Foresters of Australia and Australian Forest Growers director Dr Lachlan McCaw was awarded the prestigious Australian Fire Service Medal as part of the Australia Day Honours.

Dr McCaw received the medal, which recognises distinguished service by members of Australian fire services, for his ability to bring strategy, fire science and incident management together to inform best practice fire-management principles.

AUSTRALIA DAY HONOUR

SOFTWOOD Working Group chairman Peter Crowe has received the Order of Australia Medal in the Australia Day Honours for his service to the softwood plantation industry.

Mr Crowe has worked in the forest industries since 1959 when he joined the then NSW Forestry Commission, where he worked for in a variety of positions until 2006.

Since then he has worked as an industry consultant and advocate, and has been involved in plant breeding initiatives which have improved the quality of the timber grown in plantations.

SHADOW CABINET

TASMANIAN MP Julie Collins has been appointed Shadow Agriculture Minister in a reshuffle of Labor’s front bench.

Ms Collins was taken from the aged services portfolio to agriculture which includes the forestry portfolio.

She replaces Ed Husic who was appointed in November last year to replace Joel Fitzgibbon.

SCION APPOINTMENT

SCION’S Dr Paul Bennett has been announced as Chair of the world’s leading international collaboration on bioenergy research, development and usage.

Dr Bennett was elected Chair of International Energy Agency - Bioenergy (IEA Bioenergy) for two years, from 1 January 2021. It is an honour for Dr Bennett to lead the world’s most prominent bioenergy scientists and policy makers as they work together to contribute to the international bioenergy agenda.

16

Seed of an idea turns into a research harvest W HILE we all agree planting trees is good for the environment, one Southern Cross University researcher has spent more than half his life finding out just how beneficial it is.

Southern Cross University’s Dr Kevin Glencross has worked in the Northern Rivers for almost 30 years, and owns a small farm where he has been replanting in the upper reaches of the Richmond River.

He’s actively involved in Southern Cross University research on replanting forest ecosystems, with particular expertise in carbon sequestration, biodiversity services, timber plantations, sustainable agriculture, food systems, agroecology, ecotourism and agroforestry. He supervises PhD students, works with undergraduate students in the field to expand their experience, while also running research programs in Australia, China and the Asia-Pacific specialising in rural livelihoods, protected area management, sustainable agriculture, natural resource management and restoration of complex ecosystems.

“Here around Southern Cross University Lismore campus, most of the area was covered in sub-tropical rainforests before Europeans arrived, but that forest was very quickly cut down.

A lot of the timber that grew in those forests was then exported out as highvalue timbers like red cedar, rosewood, some of the pines,” he said.

“They cleared those trees, grew grass, but we never thought to put trees back.

Now things have run full circle - the dairy industry has shrunk dramatically

• Southern Cross University’s Dr Kevin Glencross.

and there’s a lot of land out there that’s underutilised.

My PhD research looked at ways we could put trees back into the landscape, and also look at them as a potential resource. Could we re-establish a timber industry and do a much better job this time around?”

He says while people understand that planting trees has a whole range of benefits, there has been lit-

we store carbon, but these trees help keep the soil in place up in the valleys, up in the catchment and stopping that from running into our waters, and losing that productive soil. This can help mitigate the economic impact of these intense floods as well. This vegetation not only has ecosystem value, but human value as well, for timber, food and shelter.”

Dr Glencross also project manages, designs and supervises large-scale forest restoration operations for the public, for private enterprise, NGOs including the UN, and Communitybased groups. He works his own land while also running a consulting business, and has had more than 25 research publications in national and international journals since 2008. His re-

The kind of research I do is very much a two-way relationship and I get to work with people who have this incredible connection to the land. tle data from this region to support the kind of changes tree-planting can make, in terms of taking carbon from the atmosphere and storing it.

“Part of my research brief has been to understand more clearly what’s going on, and account for the capacity these forests have to store thousands of tons of carbon in the tree’s timber, the canopy, the leaves, and also within the soil and the debris pool,” he said.

“And in these flood-prone environments, not only can

cent projects have included a lot of time working in Vanuatu and Fiji in the South Pacific, helping locals to rebuild some of their industries.

“Vanuatu had a very vibrant forest industry right up until the late 80s, then like a lot of the tropical world, that forest resource was completely harvested.

So now one of the greatest places in the world to grow trees, is actually importing wood from New Zealand.

There’s huge opportunity to re-establish their own in-

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

dustries, including producing coconut oil, nuts and tropical fruits and coffee and so on.”

Dr Glencross says he has a huge appreciation of the wealth of knowledge and understanding and depth of connection that Indigenous communities in each area have with the land.

“The kind of research I do is very much a two-way relationship and I get to work with people who have this incredible connection to the land, who need support and scientific understanding to help them promote their cause and have their voice heard through a scientific lens,” Dr Glencross said.

“This is a mechanism for a type of reconciliation with the land that we share – so it’s not only solutions for the threats that face us, but also part of a process of re-establishing a much more sound and sustainable relationship with the landscape.”

For students who want to pursue study in forestry, agriculture and science, Dr Glencross encourages them to take the opportunity to hone their intellect at University while also getting out into the world with hands-on experience and research.

“No matter where you find yourself, there are opportunities to really engage in life and in study that’s really meaningful to you to find where your niche is,” he said.

“I’ve been able to explore an area that I’m really passionate about with the support of my family, and what I love about my research is getting out there engaging with the environment and engaging with people outdoors and on the ground.” www.timberbiz.com.au

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Silviculture

STT adopts new seed zone system A MORE efficient seed zoning system for Tasmania’s native forest regeneration, developed by the ARC Training Centre for Forest Value, has been officially adopted by Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

Seed zones guide where seed is sourced from in the regeneration of native forests and researchers at the University of Tasmania-based Centre have identified 14 new seed zones. These have replaced the previous 61 discrete seed zones that were based on difference in location, altitude, dryness and coldness.

Centre for Forest Value Director Associate Professor Julianne O’ReillyWapstra said the new seed zones are a great example of scientific knowledge being turned into practical policy and shows how the Centre provides value to its industrial partners.

“The Centre for Forest Value researchers have

Key Points

ew seed zones • Nexample of scientific

been working closely with Sustainable Timber Tasmania on this project and this is a fantastic outcome where collaborative research has improved the application of seed choice for forest regeneration,” Associate Professor O’Reilly-Wapstra said.

Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s Forest Management Services Manager Dr Dean Williams said the new seed zone information was integrated into their GIS system, which has expanded scope for seed sourcing for forest regeneration; leading to more efficient management.

“Through the centre for forest value we had access to scientists that are globally at the forefront of this area of research and were able to engage them on

knowledge being turned into practical policy.

Seed zone information has expanded scope for seed sourcing for forest regeneration.

Paradigm shift in the application of the seed zones for forest regeneration.

• •

this particular project,” Dr Williams said.

“The scientific understanding of the environmental drivers for plant adaptation has become more refined in recent years and in parallel there has been great improvements in how that knowledge can be applied geographically through computer models.

“What we have been able to achieve in partnership with the Centre is a paradigm shift in the applica-

tion of the seed zones for forest regeneration.”

Dr Williams said that thanks to the Centre’s engagement there is a short path from scientific discovery to operational implementation.

“The Centre for Forest Value provides us with the intellectual muscle to continuously improve our operations and we have great engagement with their researchers, staff and students,” he said.

“That rapport means we can be quickly on the same page when it comes to expressing the research needs of our organisation and developing a path to the implementation of solutions.

“There is also a flip side to this, in that career researchers and students in the university system have access to real-world situations where their talents can be applied, and the impacts can be seen.”

Centre Director Associate Professor O’Reilly Wapstra agreed.

“This has been a fantastic outcome from our engagement with Sustainable Timber Tasmania and we will continue to work in partnership on future research in forest management,” Associate Professor O’Reilly Wapstra said.

“We are looking forward to expanding this work to include other tree species and continue the climaterelated research that we do.”

Dr Williams said the next collaboration will see Sustainable Timber Tasmania look at the challenges imposed by climate change.

“As a land manager there is still a lot to learn about how our forests are going to respond to climate change, and our next collaborative project will examine the genetic diversity of our forest trees to see how they might respond to a changing environment,” he said.

“That information will further inform our forest management practices.”

Planting trial exceede expectations F

• The Risutec mechanical planting system in operation.

• A Risutec-planted seedling.

20

ORESTRY Corporation of NSW has finished trialling mechanical forest planting in the Nundle area, with the technology offering many advantages for the bushfire recovery planting program.

The trial was conducted using equipment manufactured by Risutec in Finland and is the first time this equipment has been used in Australia.

The use of mechanical planting has the potential to reduce the need for site preparation, to increase planting rates and to extend the planting season, said Forestry Corporation’s Manager of Innovation and Research, Mike Sutton.

“Mechanical planting could be a way of addressing the extra workload ahead of us in replanting burnt forests, while maintaining a safe workplace for our crews and contractors,” Mr Sutton said.

“The trial is a partnership between Forestry Corporation and All Above Reforestation Australia, with

support from Risutec and Komatsu, to explore how planting machinery can complement on-ground crews.

“The trial is a great opportunity to advance the forestry industry’s knowledge in this area.”

The planting technology offers many benefits for the replanting program, including extending the planting day (by operating at night under lights) and planting season (with the option of irrigation), spot site preparation, and GPS navigation and tagging of tree planting locations.

The 40 hectare trial, across two compartments at Hanging Rock State forest, identified the potential benefits of mechanised planting and ways that the equipment and operations could be improved.

“We look forward to comparing the performance of the machine-planted seedlings with hand planting at the six month survival assessment,” Mr Sutton said.

“The planting head spot-

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

cultivates at the time of planting, removing the need for separate site preparation.

“The trial was able to demonstrate that the spot cultivation was superior to conventional site preparation - ie ripping followed by ‘double-dig’ planting with a spade.

“Cultivation, planting and the optional application of herbicide, water and a water-retaining gel is done in one pass.”

All Above Reforestation leased the machinery from a New Zealand business to assess its suitability for use in NSW forests, said Managing Director Shay Radcliffe.

“Despite some initial teething problems, the planting unit exceeded our expectations,” he said.

Forestry Corporation is responsible for managing over two million hectares of forests across NSW, including around 240,000 hectares of plantations. Around one quarter of the plantation estate was affected by the 2019-20 bushfire season. www.timberbiz.com.au

Forest contracting best practice Training developed and customised for the leaders of forest contracting businesses.

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The future of training and certification for forest contractors

Haulage

Good service P vital to logging ops

•

Jeff Loton with one of the Kenworth’s in Plantation Logging’s fleet in Western Australia.

22

LANTATION Logging’s managing director Jeff Loton takes everything he does seriously.

Loton Investments Pty Ltd, which ownes Plantation Logging, is involved in WA’s timber harvesting and logging operations, firewood supply, plantation management and also has invested in agribusiness with cropping, cattle and sheep operations as well as road construction and maintenance In 1994 Loton Investments Pty Ltd, trading as Plantation Logging Co, was formed, and began operations in timber harvesting and haulage services, gaining contracts with a number of private plantation companies The key to the operation is of course trucks, and the key to keeping that part of the operation running properly is good service.

And Jeff takes the servicing of his trucks very seriously.

“About 50 per cent of our trucking fleet are subcontractors,” Jeff said.

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

“We could have all the trucks ourselves but we felt that we can’t do every damn thing.’’

Plantation Logging has 10 Kenworths; 104s, 108s, seven K200s.

And he is in the process of ordering another K200 from CJD Equipment in Bunbury.

The K200 is powered by the Cummins X15 Euro 5 engine available in a range of horsepower and torque ratings up to 600 hp and 2050 lb-ft. The X15 features Advanced Dynamic Efficient Powertrain Technology (ADEPT) – a suite of electronic features when coupled with Eaton automated manual transmissions, provide an optimised driveline solution for reduced fuel consumption.

Manual transmissions are also available in the K200.

There is a choice of a large single or two piece windscreen, both offering exceptional forward visibility.

www.timberbiz.com.au

Haulage The wrap-around instrument panel allows easy access to controls, featuring an optional adjustable steering column and a “Smart Wheel” with fingertip controls for vital operating functions, including engine brake and cruise control.

The overhead console includes a storage locker, handy oddments storage and the provision for vehicle information displays.

There is a wrap-around privacy curtain to utilise the full cabin space during rest periods, and a range of premium seats further enhance driver comfort and safety.

A low engine tunnel results in a near flat cab floor in which a six-foot driver can easily stand upright and move around the Aerodyne cab.

The cab interior features high quality “soft plush” upholstery in the traditional studded pattern, available in a range of colours.

For maximum living space, the K200 is available with a 2.8m sleeper and King Single Bunk option,

• Part of Plantation Logging’s Kenworth fleet.

We could have all the trucks ourselves but we felt that we can’t do every damn thing. and when a manual transmission is selected, entry through to the sleeper is made more accessible by a foldaway gear lever. For additional storage, under the bunk there is space for two 30 litre fridges or storage drawers.

Jeff’s Kenworth trucks are also serviced by the local CJD Equipment workshop in Bunbury.

“They do an excellent job and are the main reason that we are buying Kenworth trucks,” Jeff said.

The service element is key.

“Every week our Kenworth trucks go over the CJD pit on rotation and they go over the prime mover and the trailers over a three-day period,” Jeff said.

“That keeps our down-

time to a minimum.

“It’s convenient for us; they come and pick the trucks up and bring them back.

Most of our operations are on a five-and-a-half day week with the trucks working ten to thirteen hours a day.”

Plantation Logging maintains a small number of MAN trucks but they are

a totally different truck.

“They are an eight-wheeldrive truck and they only pull a five-axle dog trailer so we use them on certain steep slope operations,” Jeff said.

“So we use the Kenworths for long-haul and the MAN trucks on short-haul where we need the eight-wheeldrive to haul the trailers in and out.”

LOGGING IS IN OUR DNA Reliable, durable and purpose-built, the Kenworth name has been synonymous with the logging industry for decades. Our extensive model range and choice of options gives you the flexibility to specify the truck to suit your requirements, whatever they may be.

Wherever the road leads, whatever the load, Kenworth has the power to deliver.

Speak to your local Kenworth dealer or visit KENWORTH.COM.AU Images for illustrative purposes only.

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

23

Feller buncher Forestry customers a close fit PAT Weiler founded Weiler, Inc. in Knoxville, Iowa, • USA in 2000 and quickly established itself as a cuttingedge manufacturer with proven products that are industry leaders in the asphalt paving business.

Pat is an Agricultural Engineer that started his • career at Vermeer, Inc. and learned early that listening

to the customer is the best way to drive innovation.

Weiler works closely with contractors to ensure Weiler products provide the features they require to complete projects in a timely and efficient manner.

Weiler Forestry is a new company that was formed • in 2019 that enabled the purchase of the purpose-

built forestry line and Forest Products manufacturing facilities from Caterpillar. The same philosophy regarding a customer focus and product development that drives Weiler’s paving division is also at the core of Weiler Forestry. Headquartered in Lagrange, GA, USA, Weiler forestry equipment is sold exclusively through Cat dealers in Australia and New Zealand.

The forest industry was a natural progression for • Pat. In his close relationship with Caterpillar, Cat

New Weiler machines adapted for Australia W EILER Forestry released two new reduced tail swing track feller buncher models 18 months ago, the B457 and B458.

These two models respectively replaced the Caterpillar 521B and 522B and were the first of a broader range of track feller buncher and track harvesters being developed by Weiler. During the summer of 2020, two additional models, the H457 and H458 track harvesters were launched and now include a new boom and stick configuration adapted for the Australian market.

These productive track feller bunchers feature excellent multi-function capability with dedicated pumps, a new cab that maximizes operator experience, field proven components, and excellent serviceability. The Weiler B457 and B458 track feller buncher models have the latest Cat® C9.3B engine that produces 298 hp (222 kw) and meets EU Stage 5/ U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final emission standards. These models also feature a Tier 3 engine solution available in certain regions.

The B457 is a non-leveling model best suited for plantation thinning, biomass harvesting, and medium

24

production select or clearcut applications; the B458 is a leveling machine for steeper terrain and excels in select or clear-cut logging.

Powerful Performance The B457 and B458 provide a leading combination of lift capacity, swing torque, and drawbar. Multi-function performance is achieved through dedicated pumps and optimized circuit configurations.

The B458 has an extended track roller frame option that includes two additional bottom rollers for a total of eleven, enhancing

overall machine stability in steep terrain. In addition, a standard or heavy counterweight option is available for a diversity of harvesting conditions. Unobstructed ground clearance enables unimpeded travel over stumps, rocks, and other debris.

Maximum Operator Experience The spacious cab maximizes operator visibility by providing an open field of view to the work area and upwards through a large skylight. An optional 14 LED light package is available for improved productivity in night shift operations and an optional heated and cooled seat keeps operators comfortable all day long.

The cab also features a front window emergency escape, a 7” (178 mm) in-

Forest Products started the conversation of perhaps manufacturing a couple forestry models to ease the small volume/niche product requirements that the purpose-built forestry business requires. The scope of this discussion eventually turned into the purchase of the business and the facilities from Caterpillar.

The smaller volume of the in-woods forestry and mill yard business segments fits perfectly into the Weiler business model of satisfying unique application requirements that require innovation and a quick response to customer needs.

Weiler Forestry is now a significant part of Weiler’s • overall business with over 200 employees worldwide

and with Cat dealers selling and supporting machines.

The profile of the forestry customers fit closely with Weiler’s own profile of a family business that likes to keep things simple and efficient. tuitive color touchscreen monitor, multiple storage compartments, and numerous charging ports.

Innovative machine functionality helps to reduce the frequency of foot pedal motions in certain applications, reducing operator fatigue at the end of the day.

Proven Durability and Reliability The Weiler B457 and B458 are designed and built for the severest of harvesting applications. The forestryduty cooling package is designed to provide reliable operation by keeping components cool in even the toughest environments. High torque rated final drives and Caterpillar field-proven engine, undercarriage, and swing drive components ensure overall machine reliability.

Easy to Access and Maintain Excellent service access is provided by a gull-wing engine enclosure that provides maximum access to components, while the integrated counterweight

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

walkway allows operators machine level access from the cab. Upper frame access ports allow for efficient debris clean out and component access.

Dealer Support Weiler Forestry customers are supported by the industry’s largest network of Caterpillar dealers who will keep their machines running with parts availability, field services, state-of-the art diagnostic programs, and more.

Weiler forestry has a longstanding relationship in Australia and New Zealand with Cavpower, Hastings Deering, Terra, WesTrac, and William Adams. These dealers offer the best customer support and industry expertise in all segments they serve and have been selling and supporting Weiler paving products for 10 plus years. They are now also selling Weiler forestry products which will complement their Cat forestry offering and will give them the broadest line of forestry equipment on the market. www.timberbiz.com.au

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Instagram.com/cjd_equipment Images are for illustration purposes only.

BRIEFS

Steep slope

WILDING PINE CONTROL

NEW Zealand is undertaking one of the largest wilding pine control programmes in the world.

The spread of wilding pines threatens the ecology and economy of indigenous grasslands, scrublands and forests, especially in the South Island high country.

Wilding pines are self-sown conifers originating from early forestry, shelterbelt and farm plantings. Around two million hectares in New Zealand are estimated to be infested.

The goal of wilding pine management is to limit future spread and reduce the extent of current infestations.

Over the next decade, control operations will be carried out over large areas with various densities of wilding pines with over $100 million already allocated towards achieving this goal. The most efficient operational tool that New Zealand currently has to control dense wilding conifer infestations is aerial spraying of the ‘TDPA’ brew, which combines the herbicides Triclopyr, Dicamba, Picloram, and Aminopyralid into a single mixture at relatively high concentrations.

EDEN EXPANSION

A FOUR-HECTARE site at Eden will be transformed into a suitable pine log storage area to allow for an additional 60,000 tonnes of burnt-logs to be handled and stored at the Eden facility.

The new storage area is expected to ease pressure on the existing facility at the Eden export terminal.

Since the devastating 2020 bushfires, vital revenue from softwood export log sales together with woodchip sales from interim woodchip operations has allowed Allied Natural Wood Exports to retain employment during the rebuild of the Eden wood processing and export facility.

TREE PLANTING

CANADA will spend $3.16 billion to plant an additional two billion trees by 2030.

Canada says it is a plan for meeting its climate change targets, as well as increasing the renewable resource used by the enormous Canadian timber sawmilling and processing industry.

Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan made the funding announcement Monday at a tree nursery in St. John’s, saying the project will help Canada achieve its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

26

Ponsse winch reliable in challenging terrain F

OR years now, rubber tyre cut-tolength harvesters and forwarders have proven to be very suitable for steep ground logging in many Countries around the world.

In these situations, traction assistance is becoming more widespread as contractors and forest owners search for lower cost and safer ways of logging steep slopes. Traction assistance is the term used for using a winch with a long cable to assist travelling up and down the slopes while working. A correctly set traction assistance winch coupled to the machine’s transmission control system enables slipfree moving of machines providing reduced ground disturbance, less stress to the drive transmission and parts, lower fuel consumption and of course a safer and more comfortable working platform for the operator.

The PONSSE Traction Assistance Winch is installed on harvesters and forwarders as new equipment from the factory. This provides peace of mind knowing the winch is factory approved and designed to work in harmony with other control systems in the machine and is covered by the same warranty as the rest of the machine. It can be installed on the largest machines that Ponsse manufacture,

the 20t Elephant King Forwarder and the Bear Harvester as well as on smaller machines.

Winch speed is synchronized to the machine drive transmission so that it automatically spools the cable in or out according to driving controls. The operator tethers the machine to an anchoring point whether that be a stump, tree or heavy equipment by using the handheld remote control to operate the winch unit. After pretensioning the cable, he sets the desired tension values or pulling power for uphill and downhill and switches the winch to automatic mode. While driving, the cable tension is maintained automatically. To make operating on steep slopes effective and safe, the winch is not the only option required. Machines fitted with a winch also require tracks, a tilt crane pedestal, a levelling seat with four-point seat belt, camera systems and inclinometer. All of these options used together will improve the machine performance in steep terrain and add to the operator’s comfort and safety.

PONSSE Traction Assist Winch, Technical Data: Harvester winch

Forwarder winch

Weight:

1 950 kg

1 900 kg

Cable length:

350 m (ø14.5 mm)

350 m (ø14.5 mm)

Cable tensile strength:

min 20 tonnes

min 20 tonnes

Pulling force:

up to 10 tonnes

up to 10 tonnes

Even a small variation in operational slope and in terrain layout can be an obstacle for an ordinary machine. Equipping machines with the PONSSE Traction Assist Winch avoids the necessity and added costs of employing other steep slope logging methods, such as skyline yarding, hand falling and cable skidding along with their inherent safety risks. A traction assistance winch helps to mitigate productivity losses in forwarding too. No more limited load sizes, long detours back to the hilltop or

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

forwarding only downhill.

Additionally, forwarding capability does not have to dictate log stack location and forwarding direction is free, uphill or downhill as required.

The PONSSE Traction Assistance Winch is being used already in numerous countries around the world, with the biggest markets being Central Europe, Brazil, Western USA and China. It has proven to be a reliable way to harvest challenging terrain effectively, profitably and with minimal ground disturbance. www.timberbiz.com.au

Forestry technology

Tracking Tassie logs in real time F

ROM log to LOGR, new technology allows Tasmania’s harvested timber to be tracked in real-time The evolution of forestry practices has greatly evolved over the last decade.

From investing in research and technology to building sustainable communities, to harvesting reclaimed timber from the bottom of a remote lake, to studying the density of plantation grown timber for potential new uses, innovation has exploded across Tasmania’s forestry sector.

The state’s forestry suppliers and companies are employing the most innovative systems and processes to ensure efficiency from tip to toe, all with the technology to prove it.

One of these leaders in innovation is SFM Environmental Solutions, a leading provider of independent plantation management across Australia.

SFM offers fence-to-fence management of commercial forestry estates, harvesting logistics solutions, market options and independent advice to a wide range of forestbased projects. Implementing a new software platform has elevated their chain of custody tracking giving

their customers peace of mind- in real time.

LOGR is a haulage and weighing solution that simplifies tracking of trucks through its mobile app, eliminating the use of paper dockets and data entry allowing data to be shared with forestry companies, its contractors and customers, instantly. LOGR consists of a cloud-based administration dashboard and companion mobile app for drivers transporting timber, and a solution suite that assists in the management of transporting forestry products from collection to delivery.

SFM’s Finance Manager and Production Coordinator Tammy Price was the lead on implementing the new technology and says the new software solution has transformed the way they look at their supply chain.

“LOGR replaces the old paper docket system so all interested parties can keep track of what’s being harvested and transported. A driver creates a docket at the start of their route and real-time figures and data are made available along their route, all the way to their final destination. We can see how many trucks we have on the road at any given time, where they are and what

New technology replaces the old paper docket system so all • interested parties can keep track of what’s being harvested and transported.

While SFM is new to using this technology, Price says the industry only continues to adapt and change as new technologies become available.

“I think that there are a num-

ber of forestry businesses that are going to start to go down this kind of path, using systems that allow for data to be collected in real-time. It really is the way forward.”

Share your expertise with the industry ForestWorks will shortly commence three new skills standards projects:

they’re carrying,” explains Price.

Having the software built into their existing database by a local design company in May, Price says it’s been a smooth and speedy transition.

“We’ve been using LOGR for six months, and the access to real-time data has been a huge benefit to us and our customers. We’ve eliminated all paper so the issue of not being able to read handwriting, losing dockets or confusion around payments has been eliminated.

Before, it could have taken almost www.timberbiz.com.au

a half a month for processing and now it can be completed within a day,” says Price.

Being able to track each truck has also help improve their chain of custody.

“Our chain of custody is much more rigorous now. We can tie down any information that we’re after with the click of a button. If someone wants to know where a truck is or what roads they took to get to their final destination, we can track that.”

•

Career paths to attract people to our industry

•

Developing our experienced workers and managers

•

Safety mindsets in remote operations

To register your interest or for more information contact forestworks@forestworks.com.au or 03 9321 3500.

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

27

Grinders

Peterson leads grinder market Main focus is recycling and biomass

K

OMATSU Forest P/L became the Peterson dealer in 2008 with their main focus being mobile debarkers and chippers for the blue gum export chip industry, which has proven to be very successful over the last 12 years.

But it wasn’t long before enquiries increased for the Peterson Horizontal Grinder range due to its strong history in North America with the first unit sold in Australia being the Peterson 2710C in early 2011 to Tripodi Transport.

The grinder industry is rather small in Australia but KF has been rather successful in selling 25 units with the 2710 being the most popular (18 units) and the other 7 units ranging across the other three larger models with the largest being the Peterson 6710D. The latest Peterson 2710D sale was to Luke Jones in June last year.

Townsville-based Luke Jones has worked in the forestry industry for the past 25 years, making his start in his father’s business in 1996 before he and his wife Belinda established Jones Forest Management & Haulage in 2006. Much of his work is for HQP doing site preparation including clearing, spraying, interrow spraying and mulching.

28

Key Points eterson 2710D • Pdesigned for

operations requiring high production and frequent moves between jobs.

0cm wide tracks • 5enables better handling on hilly or rocky terrain, maximising productivity.

arge feed opening is • Lideal for processing odd sized feed stock.

On top of that he does harvest work for HQP. In all he has three harvest crews and about five silviculture teams working the Atherton Tableland and in Tasmania.

But ever on the lookout for new business opportunities Luke recently took possession of a Peterson 2710 Grinder and it’s already clocked up in excess of 800plus hours on railway lines, pipelines and land clearing.

“We do a lot of site preparation and this is an addition to give us some better opportunities at other jobs,” Luke said.

“A lot of the jobs in North Queensland require grinding, so hopefully there will be enough work to keep it working.”

Luke is very happy with the grinder.

“It’s a good size, easy to move around, plenty of power, and easy to look after and maintain,” he said.

“And Komatsu Forests are great to deal with and we’ve dealt with them for years now.”

Luke said he would not have looked elsewhere for his grinder purchase; “It was the Peterson and that was it”.

The Peterson 2710D is designed for operations requiring high production and frequent moves between jobs. The 2710D is powerful, with Caterpillar Tier II C18 765 hp (570 kW) for export.

Heavy duty and mobile, the 2710D has outstanding production throughput for a machine of this size.

The 2710D’s large feed opening is ideal for processing odd sized feed stock.

Measuring 153 x 81 cm, when boosted by Peterson’s high lift feed roll, the feed opening’s maximum lift of 112 cm, is amongst the largest in its class.

The 2710D features a large grate area that enables it to produce materials to exact specifications. Our quick-change multiple grate system makes it easy to cus-

tomize grate configurations to produce a wide variety of finished materials. Grates are removed through an easy-access door on the side wall.

Triple grouser 50cm wide tracks enables better handling on hilly or rocky terrain, maximising productivity.

Unique Features 3-Stage Grinding Process Provides Faster Reduction Peterson’s powerful up-turn 3-stage grinding process provides better fracturing of material and a more consistent product, giving you just the product your buyers are looking for.

The Impact Release Sys-

tem Protects Your Investment Peterson’s patented Impact Release System’s air bags provides uniform grinding and protection from contaminated feedstock, a feature unique to Peterson grinders.

The Second Line of Defence: The Impact Cushion System Urethane cushions and shear pins help protect the mill from catastrophic damage in the event of a severe impact from contaminants in the feed stock.

Since 1981, Peterson has specialised in the developing and processing equipment that turns low-grade material into high value products.

Luke Jones’ new Peterson 2710D grinder in action in • North Queensland.

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

www.timberbiz.com.au

Grinders

Tigercat 6900 Grinder offers maximum mulch production T HE all-new Tigercat 6900 grinder premiered at CONEXPO last year along with the 6050 carbonator – both machines are part of Tigercat’s new Material Processing range.

The Tigercat 6900 horizontal grinder is a heavyduty upswing grinder designed for maximum production. The 6900 is built for extreme duty and long-life utilising only the highest quality components. It is made with the same build quality and components that Tigercat’s forestry range is renowned for.

The grinder outputs maximum mulch production thanks to its high processing capacity upswing motor. Feeding of both long and short material is easy and productive due to the adjustable in-feed angle.

www.timberbiz.com.au

The open discharge system includes a single discharge conveyor, and the open bottom allows for clean operation and easy service.

Easy maintenance is always a focus area of Tigercat machines, and the grinder is no exception. A split hog box opens for full access to rotor and screens.

Anvil and screens are also hydraulically retractable.

Operator controls includes an easy to access electronic control system with colour LCD screen interface for machine monitoring and function adjustment. A radio remote control is used for primary machine operating functions. A convenient storage

compartment for tools elevates to position for easy access.

Other standard equipment includes Tigercat’s RemoteLog™ telematics system and LogOnTM local wifi machine monitoring system.

The 6900 grinder is extremely versatile with the

bolt-on hog box and feed conveyor assembly.

Metal can be effectively removed with optional large diameter magnetic head pulley and optional over band magnet.

Other options include a dolly system, three axle, air compressor kit and work lights.

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

This machine will be available towards the second half of 2021 and will likely be showcased at AUSTimber.

Contact your local Tigercat dealer Onetrak to learn more about the Tigercat range.

Call 1300 727 520 or email contact@onetrak.com.au.

29

Fire prevention

Walsh appointed fire manager EXPERIENCED forest and fire manager, Anthony Walsh has been appointed the Green Triangle Fire Alliance’s inaugural fire manager.

With almost 20 years’ experience working in the Green Triangle managing some of the region’s largest plantation companies, Mr Walsh has developed strong relationships with key industry stakeholders to implement the region’s firstof-its-kind collaborative forest fire management strategy.

The Hamilton-based forest manager has held the role of regional manager at PF Olsen Australia for the past decade with previous experience in management roles at Sustainable Forest Management Australasia and ITC Limited.

GTFA chair Andrew Matheson said Mr Walsh was a highly respected industry leader with extensive forest fire management experience.

“All of our members are delighted to welcome Anthony to this new forest fire management role,” Mr Matheson said.

“Anthony has a wealth of industry experience and is a leader in his field. He will be instrumental in delivering the alliance’s objectives of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of fire suppression, detection and prevention activities for our forest owners and managers in the Green Triangle,” he said.

The GTFA membership includes 10 forest companies, drawn from both hardwood and softwood plantation managers in the Green Triangle, as well as ForestrySA. Mr Walsh said he looked forward to working closely with the committee to achieve the work objectives, which come at a pivotal time for the sector.

“I am looking forward to delivering on the key focus areas of this first-of-its-kind industry fire plan which has the potential to transform fire management in the Green Triangle, particularly for cross border communities,” Mr Walsh said.

30

Firehawk forestry’s eye in the sky

A

N eager eyed robotic camera with the ability to undertake a 360-degree scan of the landscape is anticipated to enhance fire management across the Green Triangle this summer.

The FireHawk camera provides a 360-degree snapshot of the local landscape A sophisticated FireHawk camera has been installed on the Bluff communication tower at Tantanoola, halfway between Millicent and Mount Gambier, in an Australian-first to test the capability of the computer aided fire detection and risk management system.

Early results of the $60,000 trial have shown the camera can detect fire up to 30km away, providing industry with confidence the technology has the potential to significantly enhance fire management this coming season.

The camera has been installed by the Green Triangle Fire Alliance, a group representing about 90 per cent of the region’s forest growers, in an effort to provide improved protection for its assets and to guard the broader community.

The camera provides a panoramic scan of the landscape, streaming up-to-the minute 24-hour surveillance. Using artificial intelligence and tailored algorithms, the system sends alerts to fire managers mobile phones when smoke is first identified, allowing for an immediate ground or aerial response. The technology is currently used in

GTFA chair Laurie Hein (seated) from Green Triangle • Forest Products and committee member Andrew Matheson, from OneFortyOne, operating the FireHawk management system. countries such as Chile and South Africa as a defence to protect forest and agricultural crops.

Green Triangle Fire Alliance chair Laurie Hein said the local trial had highlighted the potential for a camera system to further augment the existing fire detection systems. He believes cameras will be commonplace fire management tools in the near future alongside other emerging technologies, such as drones and geostationary satellites.

“This technology is one of the more advanced detection tools we have seen in fire management in the Green Triangle since the introduction of digital communication tools,” he said.

“For the first time we will have 24-hour surveillance, scanning the landscape for a fire threat anywhere within the tower radius, providing immediate data to our network of fire managers.

“We know that early detec-

tion is critical in managing and suppressing wildfire and this system has the capability of providing a far greater level of defence than we have ever experienced before.”

The forestry sector has invested in the trial following a State Government decision to suspend use of two fire towers, the Bluff and Penola North, due to safety concerns related to their poor structural condition. The forest industry fears this decision will compromise the protection of key assets over the summer season.

Furthermore, the deteriorating condition of the remaining towers raises concerns about the networks long-term viability.

FireHawk project manager Martin McDonald said the camera technology removed the OHS liability for forest growers, who are forced to remove fire spotters from towers in extreme weather conditions, such as

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

high wind or temperature days, as was the case on one extreme fire danger day during the 2019-2020 fire season.

“Fire agencies, forest and park owners in the past have relied on eyesight and in some cases basic CCTV imagery to assist them.

FireHawk is more than this; it is a real time computer aided fire detection service that will accurately locate fire giving distance, bearing and coordinates,” Mr McDonald said.

“The system will alarm a located fire or smoke sighting and place cross hairs on that location until it is cleared by an operator. If a smoke sighting occurs but then dissipates, the fire can still be located as the system gives accurate initial location data. All images are stored on a database that can be accessed as required.

“Users of the system have 24/7 access via Android or IOS devices anywhere in the world to vital local up to the minute images and weather data providing site specific climatic conditions.”

Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub chair Ian McDonnell said the trial was another key milestone for the forest and timber sector who were introducing world best technologies to protect and support the supply chain.

He said the industry could not see a repeat of last fire season, which destroyed 130,000 hectares of plantation forest nation-wide leaving a major gap in future domestic supply. www.timberbiz.com.au

Mill profile Looking Back 2020

• Darren Saillard, Kim Hayter, and brothers Anthony and Colin to the right

Four generations working with a proud pedigree Keith Smiley

T

HE Hayter family possesses a pedigree few could match, but rather than rest on past accomplishments, they show drive and innovation.

Two hundred years of timber in the blood must count for something, since Jeremiah Hayter arrived as a free settler in 1830’s, worked for John Macarthur, the famous pastoralist who developed the merino sheep.

Jeremiah was a sawyer from England, who eventually bought land of his own at Werombi, which nestles on the edge of the blue mountains of New South Wales, an hour from Sydney, where the sawmill and treatment plant is today, with Kim Hayter at the helm.

Kim Hayter’s father, Richard Denzel Hayter, was the fourth generation on the property. He started supplying mine props, out of hardwood round logs, to supply the local coal mines in Burragorang Valley, which leads to the sawmill. They used half round logs about 20cm diameter, 5.4 long, ripped in half with a chainsaw, but it was slow and hard work, so in 1968, Richard bought an old three-man saw bench, which had a flat belt drive for the feed rollers.

The then 41 year old Richard Hayter was killed in a truck accident close to the mill. His wife Lylia was left with four sons: Neil, Kim, Anthony and Colin to care www.timberbiz.com.au

for, while she ran the business, with only three people working at the mill. Secondborn Kim used to spend a lot of time with his father, from the age of 12, when he felled his first tree: “I had the best ‘unattendance’ at high school, averaging two days a week. I was only 17 when dad was killed, and I married the same year, when I turned 18,” said Kim. The mines wanted more sawn timber, so Hayters accommodated. The business grew exponentially according to demand. Ten years later, their mother died of cancer, and Kim took over the reins.

Kim’s brother Neil wanted to come into the business, so they opened a retail yard at Narellan. Their other sibling, Anthony, was also working in the business, driving trucks while the youngest, Colin, was still at school, later completing an apprenticeship as a mechanic, and joining the Hayter businesses.

Due to the local coal mines closing down, and hardwood logs becoming harder to source, Kim decided to change from a hardwood to a pine sawmill. They began cutting pine for the burgeoning treated timber market, which at the time was being treated at Homebush Bay on the Olympic Games site.

“As sales increased in sawn timber, the old sawmilling gear could not cut enough;

so we upgraded the mill and put in the first over-arbor multi saw, made by Gibson’s; which increased our production buy three times.

We used to send our timber to Koppers at Canberra and Newcastle, which was costing half a million dollars a year in cartage. Then we realised we could make our own treatment plant, which we commissioned in 2004 at the mill site. We then added another retail outlet at Mittagong.”

Today, Hayters Timber and Sawmill is employing about 80 people, including brothers, sons, nieces and nephews and grandchildren, supplying timber all over Australia.

The four brothers have their share of woes; with the death of their father and mother; with Neil’s wife dying of cancer; his son dying in an accident; and Anthony losing his wife to cancer.

“People have said to me, how did you keep going?

But not long after my father died, I said to myself, I would not let anything stop me. While I am proud of what I’ve done in the journey of life, I can still hold my head up,” said Kim. Kim is an emotional man, full of ideas, and ready for the next pitch which is likely to ‘revolutionise timber usages and longevity,’ if he can ‘get it right’.

Kim • with the

chainsaw his dad bought him when he was 14.

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

WARNINGS that New South Wales sawmills and harvesting operations have begun to close due to the bushfires, the state’s peak forestry body has urged the Government to guarantee the industry’s future.

The general manager of Timber NSW, Maree McCaskill, said jobs and stand downs were already occurring.

“The impact of the bushfires heightens the need for commercial certainty. The extension of the Wood Supply Agreement to 2028 is a major factor along with continued wood supply,” she said.

“Action is needed now if this government is committed to the long-term future of the industry.”

2016 AFTER 45 years of operations, South East Fibre Exports at Eden in south east New South Wales will be sold to new Australian owned company Allied Natural Wood Exports Pty Ltd. Allied Natural Wood Exports (ANWE) is a new world class wood products marketing and logistics company that will sell certified natural and plantation grown wood products from public and private growers to the international market.

2011 NORTHERN United Forestry Group (NUFG) - a not-for-profit community group with a focus on growing trees for sawlogs and firewood - will host the South Eastern Australia 2011 Farm Forestry and Firewood Expo at the City of Greater Bendigo’s 242 hectare Huntly plantation, 15km north of Bendigo on 8 April.

Some trees (all hardwoods) within the Huntly plantation that need to be thinned will be available for demonstration purposes on the day. This provides an excellent drawcard for the event. By way of example, Ian Rankin, NUFG President, will demonstrate the cutting head attached to his excavator that removes all branches, tops the standing tree, cuts the tree off at the base and loads it into a trailer, all in one, swift, but safe, sequence.

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Classifieds

Sell your used equipment, advertise your tender, offer your real estate or find your next employee.

For rates and deadlines call Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369 9517 or email: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

FIRST WITH INDUSTRY NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

CLEARANCE Milling & Processing Machinery

PUR glue pump and applicator for finger joint or laminated post line Made by APQUIP, USA, brand new.

Brought in for a new venture that did not proceed.

Priced to sell $24,000 plus gst.

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU australasian

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I n c o r p o r a t i n g A U S T R A L A S I A N F O R E S T L O G G E R & S AW M I L L E R

magazine

Onetrak

Two Loser AA220 dowell cut off machines.

2011 Komatsu PC350LL Log Loader • • • •

14,303 hours Full forestry guarding Pierce boom / arm set, live heel & grapple In very good condition & ready for work

Plant capable of making 100,000 furniture dowell daily, eg 32mm x 8mm.

$4000 each or $6500 for the two

For more info visit stock.onetrak.com.au

Loser dowell sander

$2500

Prices do not include GST

Austral Timber Group

Contact: Ken Baker 0438 643 992 or ken.baker@dynagroup.com.au

x Laverton, Vic)

$171,000 + GST (E

onetrak.com.au 0 or email contact@

Call 1300 727 52

REACHING OVER 6,500 EMAILS EVERY WEEK. Daily Timber News provides value for advertisers and an opportunity to build your brand in this niche market, or to sell off any second hand equipment.

ADVERTISE WITH US TODAY! CALL (08) 8369 9517 or EMAIL: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

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Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

www.timberbiz.com.au

Sell your used equipment, advertise your tender, offer your real estate or find your next employee.

For rates and deadlines call Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369Â 9517 or email: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

Classifieds www.leesons.com.au

2013 Komatsu Forest

2005 Kennedy Folding Skel Trailer

895 Forwarder (S/N: 177) With 14,911 hours Full Service history from New. Fitted with G40HD Grapple As is $175,000 including GST.

LOG TRAILER. With all the truck parts, cabin guard, roll ramps. As is. $75,000 including GST

2008 Kenworth T908

2005 Kennedy Drop Deck Skel Log Trailer

(S/N: 438076) With Cummins 600. Full service history from new $80,000 inc 28,619 hrs / 1,534,561 km.

Engine rebuild at 18,010 hours B-Double Kennedy folding B log trailers (1997) $70,000 inc As is: $150,000 including GST. Prefer to sell as a unit but would split for right price

2014 Western Star 4800 (S/N:64684) With Cummins ISX550.

Full service history from new.

Truck $55,000 inc 15,010 hrs.

B-Double Elphinestone log trailers (2004) Trailers $100,000 As is: $155,000 including GST. Prefer to sell as a unit but would split for right price

1998 Volvo NL12.

(S/N: 554812)

2005 Prentice Loader 210E. (S/N E210PR58488) With Cummins engine.

18,365hrs. As is.

$98,000 including GST

2013 Komatsu Forest XT450L

(S/N: A4017) with Valmet 398 harvester head Machine hours 12,867.

Head unit only 6,600 hours Full service history. $220,000 Including GST

With Disc brakes ready to go to work $50,000 including GST

2012 Kenworth T409 (S/N:446285)

With Cummins Signature.

Full service history from new.

Truck $75,000 inc 19,603 hrs / 1,534,561 km.

Engine rebuild at 18010 hours.

B-Double Kennedy folding A log trailers (2004) Trailers $100,000 inc As is: $175,000 including GST. Prefer to sell as a unit but would split for right price.

2015 Nissan UD With 426,000kms. *Air-Conditioning *250hp turbo engine *8 speed gearbox Fitted with up-graded driver seat.

Air Cti on Drive. PTO. Set up with removeable 5,000ltr diesel transfer tank. an by PTO driven pump.

Selling as is where is. $70,000 including GST.

2009 Komatsu 941.1 Fitted With S132 Harvester Head

(S/N: 174) Machine hours are 20,700 and head hours are 10,000. Machine has been well maintained and is ready to go to work. Full service history from new.

For sale as is where is. $140,000 including GST

LEESON’S LOGGING & CARTAGE PHONE 03 5199 2768 EMAIL ricky@leesons.com.au

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

33

Classifieds

Sell your used equipment, advertise your tender, offer your real estate or find your next employee.

For rates and deadlines call Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369 9517 or email: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

Get your digital edition today timberbiz.com.au/AFT/current

Onetrak Komatsu PC 200–5 7500 hrs Prentice log grab NEW Tigercat 632E

Valmet 425EXL Feller Buncher

Skidder $POA

$85,000 + GST

Tigercat 635D Skidder

NEW Tigercat 480B Mulcher

$350,000 + GST

$895,000 +GST

FOR SALE Logmax harvester head Good condition ALL ITEMS TOGETHER

Tigercat E625C Skidder $160,000 + GST

Timberjack 560D Skidder $55,000 + GST

$25,000 + GST Rob Horner 0418170735 info@yarratimber.com.au

CAT 325DL Log Loader $65,000 + GST

Hidromek HMK102B Alpha Backhoe Loader

Rotobec Forwarder Grapples POA

Waratah 618C Debarking Processor $30,000 +GST

NEW Rotobec RPA4570R RGP1300 Fits 25-35t carriers

Komatsu PC350LL

$65,050 +GST

NEW Dressta TD9S

$POA

$125,000 + GST

$171,000 +GST

NEW Fuchs MHL350F Log Handler $POA

1300 727 520 www.onetrak.com.au

50% tyre wear, 9500 hours.

Well maintained.

All service records available. $295,000 + GST Contact Kevin Muskett musketts@bigpond.com

Ryan Media is the dominant media source for the forestry industry in Australia and New Zealand.

We reach: • 8,000 readers with Australian Forests and Timber, the sole print magazine for the Australian forestry sector, • 6,500 weekly subscribers to Daily Timber News e-newsletter.

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This cross-media coverage generates the greatest effective reach to the Australian forestry and timber sector.

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34

2015 895-8 Komatsu Forwarder

Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

www.timberbiz.com.au

Classifieds

Sell your used equipment, advertise your tender, offer your real estate or find your next employee.

For rates and deadlines call Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369Â 9517 or email: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

NEW PRODUCT The new H219 for thinnings and small clearfell for tracked and wheeled carriers 15 to 25 ton.

Call Brendon for more information 0438 445 550

Waratah H219x

NEW ATTACHMENTS

Waratah FL85

Waratah 624C

Waratah 622B SIII

Waratah 616C

With Install Kit Priced $59,000.00 +GST

Priced $287,866.85 +GST

Priced $217,052.00 +GST

Priced $145,000.00 +GST

Waratah 624C 4x4

Waratah 625C

Waratah 616C

Waratah 626

With H16 Cabin Kit Priced $153,000.00 +GST

Refurbished Unit with New Timber Cabin Kit $180,000.00 +GST

With TimberRite Cabin Kit Priced $60,000.00 +GST

Traded unit, just arrived in.

POA

USED ATTACHMENTS

PARTS With warmer weather upon us, ensure you have shock valves on hand

Harvester Chains

Waratah Colour Marking Fluids

Assorted Shock Valve Kit

9 Tooth ž Sprockets

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For a limited time 5% off RRP

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now available for Both Manual and Automatic tensioning Saws *prices exclude GST and are valid for a limited period.

Tasmania South Australia Queensland Tas Auto Air Green Tranagle Mech.

Champion Contracting MR & JA Gray Mechanical SE Forest & Hydraulic Ctr

Victoria C.F.H Hydraulics

New South Wales AB Diesel R & D Forest Services

Western Australia Waratah Bunbury

Contact Waratah Foresty Equipment on 03 9747 4200

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Australian Forests & Timber News February 2021

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