Australian Forests & Timber - April 2021 by Provincial Press Group

APRIL 2021

NORTHERN NSW: MORE THAN JUST A PLAYGROUND

NEW SKIDDER

John Deere ups the ante

AUSTIMBER 2021

Ready, set and go for November

ROUND TABLE The carbon debate

HTH616C SERIES-III Featuring a highly efficient valve and extensive optionality, the versatile HTH616C Series-III is performance-ready for productivity on wheeled or tracked carriers.

OVERVIEW

Harvesting in early-to-late thinnings; productive processing or debarking.

RECOMMENDED RANGE

SPECS

100

1800 kg / 3,968 lb. 2000 kg / 4,409 lb. From; Without Rotator and Link

From; Without Link; Std. Rotator

35 MPa / 5,075 psi

APPLICATIONS

Hardwood harvesting/processing Softwood harvesting/processing Debarking Early thinnings Late or final thinnings/clear felling

5-51 cm / 2-20 in.

INCH

Max Hydraulic Pressure

660 mm / 26 in. Max Delimb Opening

685 mm / 27 in. Max Feed Roller Opening* *Harvesting knives

550 mm / 22 in. Max Sawing Capacity

20+ metric ton Carrier Size

20-30 metric ton Carrier Size

For more information contact: Waratah Forestry Equipment

Brendon 0438 445 550

In the news

Forestry exempt from NSW koala code New SEPP solution will ensure protection for core koala habitat

and zoned for forestry or primary production in regional NSW will not be subject to the new State Environmental Planning Policy. Core rural zones in rural areas will be de-coupled from the SEPP as new codes that protect koala habitat under the Local Land Services Act are developed over the next month. This will vastly reduce red tape by removing the dual consent requirements facing farmers and foresters while immediately introducing enhanced protection for koala habitat in areas where more than 95 per cent of development activity occurs. Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the concerns of landholders in regional NSW have been heard by the NSW Government. “Land zoned for primary production or forestry in regional NSW will not be subject to the new SEPP, which means farmers will not be strangled by red tape. Australian Forest Products Association CEO Ross Hampton said there was a balanced decision that should avoid unnecessary duplication for already strictly regulated forestry operations on private land. “I commend the NSW Government for listening to the forest industries on this important policy reform, and we look forward to seeing the detail of this announcement,” Mr Hampton said. “The forestry sector takes koala conservation very seriously, which is why the Private Native Forestry (PNF) Codes of Practice already provide significant environmental protections.” “The new SEPP was always intended to apply to areas where large scale development is underway as our cities and towns expand. That is where it is needed, not in those regions where forest industries and farmers already operate under strict conditions to protect koala habitats, as well as other native species and fauna.” www.timberbiz.com.au

Mr Hampton said private native forestry was a critical source of sustainably harvested hardwood timber for NSW timber mills producing the quality hardwood timber products that Australians love. “AFPA will continue to work with the NSW Government to ensure the revised PNF Codes strike the right balance between the environment, landowners and forest industry’s needs,” Mr Hampton said. Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean said the new solution will ensure protections for core koala habitat and colonies across NSW. “We have ambitious plans to double koala populations in NSW by 2050 and that means we need the right policy tools in place to protect and preserve wildlife and their habitat,” Mr Kean said. “This is a good first step and we will continue to build on that with our soon to be announced Koala Strategy 2.0 which will include targeted conservation and investment actions to boost conservation across the state.” To ensure that Koala habitat is protected, whilst limiting unnecessary regulation on rural land use, the following measures will be introduced: • Koala SEPP 2019 will be remade across NSW as Koala SEPP 2021; • The existing Koala SEPP 2020 will continue to apply in core rural zones (RU 1, 2 and 3), except in metropolitan Sydney, Blue Mountains and the Central Coast, where Koala SEPP 2021 will apply across all zones; • Comprehensive Koala Plans of Management (KPOM) will be finalised to protect koala habitat in Tweed and Byron Shires. • Private Native Forestry (PNF) and Local Land Services (LLS) codes will be revised to ensure robust protections for koalas in areas of high value koala habitat and certainty and consistency for primary producers;

Key Points SEPP 2019 will • Kbeoala remade across NSW as Koala SEPP 2021.

xisting Koala SEPP • E2020 will continue

to apply in core rural zones.

ince 2018, the NSW • SGovernment has

invested more than $44.7 million to secure koalas in the wild.

• The Minister for Planning will issue a new section 9.1 direction to ensure that only the Minister, and not councils, will be

empowered to rezone land used for primary production to an environmental zone, or to rezone land currently in rural zones 1, 2 and 3 to other rural zones; • Once the codes are finalised and reflected in legislation (as required), the Koala SEPP 2020 will be repealed and the Koala SEPP 2021 will apply to the remaining land; • At that time, dual consent provisions for PNF in local environmental plans will be removed through Koala SEPP 2021; • Koala Plans of Management and guidelines under Koala SEPP 2021 will require the approval of the Secretary of DPIE and the

concurrence of the Secretary of DRNSW. The NSW Koala Strategy commits Government to stabilise and then increase koala numbers in the wild by identifying and protecting koala habitat on public and private land. Since 2018, the NSW Government has invested more than $44.7 million to secure koalas in the wild as part of the NSW Koala Strategy. To date, initiatives include purchasing more than 3600 hectares of priority habitat for permanent protection as part of the National Parks estate and securing 24,000 hectares of state forest as koala parks and reserves.

CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR SAWMILL AE GIBSON & SONS Over 100 years of timber engineering solutions for optimum mill productivity • Twin Saw Log Edgers • Log Carriages • Resaws • Multisaws & Board Edgers • Docking Systems • Automatic Sorters and Stackers • Complete turnkey projects

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

From major start ups to retro fits contact: Ph: 02 6559 4001 E: info@aegibsonman.com.au www.aegibsonman.com.au

In the news APRIL 2021 Issue 2 – Volume 30 Established 1991 3―5

News

Northern NSW focus 6 ― 12 Round Table 14 ― 15 Forest Machinery 18 ― 22 Silviculture 30 Mills 31-32 Front Cover: John Deere has releaseds a new six-wheel 768L-II Bogie Skidder designed to conquer wet conditions and steep slope terrain. Publisher and Chief Executive: Hartley Higgins General Manager: Robyn Haworth Editor: Bruce Mitchell b.mitchelll@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9512 Advertising: Gavin de Almeida g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9517 Publication Design: Jarren Gallway Trader classifieds: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9517 Subscriptions: subs@forestsandtimber.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9522 Subcription rates One-year (8 editions) $55 Two-years (16 editions) $95 Accounts: Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9555 Postal Address: 630 Regency Road, Broadview South Australia 5083 Phone: (08) 8369 9555 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 Melbourne Office: Suite 2262, 442 Auburn Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3122 Phone: (03) 9810 3262 Website www.timberbiz.com.au Printed by Lane Print, Adelaide, SA

Conditions

The opinions expressed in Australian Forests & Timber News are not necessarily the opinions of or endorsed by the editor or publisher unless otherwise stated. All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. All material in Australian Forests & Timber News copyright 2021 © Ryan Media. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, the published will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

MEDIA

INDEPENDENT & AUSTRALIAN OWNED

Truckies putting bad roads on the record T ruck drivers have gone online to help highlight damage to major roads in Gippsland and the Green Triangle. The project is being administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator in conjunction with Safe Freight Networks Australia. Using an app truck drivers can identify trouble spots on a map. In time these notifications can produce a “heat map” when a number of drivers all report problems on the same stretch of road. SFNA chief executive officer John Ernst said the aim of the project was to collect the data and use it to improve the safety of roads in the area before an accident occurred. “Everybody knows the roads are bad but no one has been collating the date as to how bad they are,” he said. The idea came from talking to road transport operators, and police in both South Australia and Victoria. VicRoads has already agreed to look at the top 10 priorities thrown up by the data. The project is based around Gippsland and the Green Triangle region because “that’s where the Safe Freight Networks are”.

Safe Freight Networks Australia evolved from the Gippsland Safe Freight Network established in six locations across Gippsland between 2010 and 2016 and comprised of a range of people associated with the heavy vehicle freight industry. It includes Vic Roads TSS, Vic Roads Engineering, Local Governments, police and freight operators including owner-drivers from across the various freight tasks.

It extended into the Green Triangle in 2017. The network had a “win” over a number of roundabouts installed between Sale and Traralgon. Truck drivers complained about the camber of the road through the roundabouts and were concerned a serious accident was inevitable. “We weren’t happy initially,” Mr Ernst said. “Trucks were just falling over. But the drivers and engineers

worked together to ensure the cambers weren’t as steep.’’ The app will run until the end of March and the data gathered used to formulate a report to be delivered to NHVR. “We are trying to get away from Blackspots,” Mr Ernst said. “When we hear of a fatal accident we get ten or 12 truck drivers says ‘Well, we could have told you this was going to happen’. “What we’re hoping for through this system is that they can tell us and we will end up with truck spotting rather than black spotting areas,” he said. “Road owners have got a real stake in this project and they are already showing great interest because they obviously want to spend money where it is needed.” Mr Ernst said the tool was accessible via phone and was simple to use. “Truck drivers just identify areas on the map that they’ve had concerns about and write some notes about that,” he said. “They can do that as many times as they wish for various places across the network, and then it produces what’s called a heat mapping process and we can see straight away where the major issues are.”

Councils wasting everyone’s time on timber

here is an old saying that local governments should stick to handling roads, rates and rubbish and that’s it. But instead, in recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of councils across Australia and overseas involved in social, political and environmental causes. Councils need to be aware and show concern for ratepayers. Making sure rivers and creeks are not polluted by industries is admirable, as is ensuring municipal waste is ecologically and

responsibly handled. Calling on a State Government to halt native timber logging pending resolution of the best approach for the future protection and use of these “unique areas’’ is a huge stretch. Enter Murrindindi Shire Council in northern Victoria which did exactly that. Unanimously. Within days, enter the protestors who disrupted

forestry activities at coupes at Snobs Creek in the Central Highlands of Victoria. The Council’s motion was especially silly, unproductive and illogical given the council was told, and presumably accepted, that the logging activities are not being carried out on council land. The council also acknowledged that the motion was one of advocacy. So many councillors and their councils in so much of this country do a fantastic, if at times, thankless job. But to waste council and

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

ratepayer time over something they clearly know little about and had no control over just for some chest-thumping feel-good exercise is beyond the pale, and does ratepayers little service. That the council would take such an action that threatens local businesses and jobs, in a region recognised by the State Government as an essential industry, producing much needed fibre and wood products required for the building and kindred industries beggars belief. www.timberbiz.com.au

In the news

Full steam ahead for AUSTimber 2021 I t’s all go for AUSTimber 2021. What was envisaged for early last year – and again late last year will go ahead as planned in November 2021. It was planned for April 2020, and then postponed until November because of the devastating bushfires in the Gippsland region of Victoria where the exhibition was to be held. Then, given the uncertainty around ongoing restrictions due to Covid-19, including travel within Australia and internationally, it was rescheduled again until this year. AUSTimber will run from November 10 to 13 with the welcome dinner - with special guest speaker Dr Karl Kruszelnicki - scheduled for November 11. According to Dionne Olsen, who is coordinating the event, everyone involved is getting excited. Ms Olsen said all the exhibitors and suppliers who had signed on for April 2020 and then November, had recommitted to the event. The biggest, and perhaps only, difference will of course be the level of international participation. “It will be a national event with New Zealand involvement as well,” Ms Olsen said. “None of the New Zealand exhibitors have pulled out.

www.timberbiz.com.au

“The Kiwi exhibitors expect to be able to travel.” Ms Olsen said it had been commented they AUSTimber is being considering as the premier forest industry event for the year given everything that’s happened. “Most of us have not had any opportunity for more than a year to meet in person so they are all looking at AUSTimber as their first opportunity to come together as an industry,” she said. “It could have been expected that exhibitor numbers would be down by says that the opposite has happened.” The welcome dinner, with Covid plans in place , will go ahead with fine tuning closer to the time. Ms Olsen said that with Covid-19 still in mind organisers still had to plan for the worst. “But we are fortunate that AUSTimber takes place in an outdoor open-space venue in which maintaining social distancing is easy to accomplish,” she said. “A site visit is still planned closer to the date to ensure all our exhibitors are up to speed with any of the health and safety plan-

•

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki will be guest speaker at the AUSTimber welcome dinner.

ning which now of course includes Covid-19.” Ms Olsen said that the support for the event had been wonderful. “All of our suppliers, such as catering, all the field trips simply changed the date. “It goes to show the resilience of the industry,” she said.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

Northern NSW MY VIEW Steve Dobbyns Timber NSW VP & FWCA Director

North coast not just a holiday playground T

Share your expertise with the industry ForestWorks is looking for your feedback on three skills standards projects: •

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. 6

he native forests of the north coast of NSW are not just the backdrop for an idyllic seaside lifestyle for its 1.7 million residents, they also sustain a hardwood timber industry that has been in existence for more than 150 years. Of the 6.3 million hectares of forested land on the north coast, more than half is on private property (3.4 M ha) with the balance in public ownership. Of the 3 million hectares of public forest, 90% is already in conservation reserves and only 10% is available for timber harvesting. The reserve system on the north coast is already comprehensive, adequate and representative and already exceeds the International Union for Conservation of Nature protected area threshold target of 15% by a further 10%. The hardwood timber industry on the NSW north coast supports over 3000 jobs and produces around 75% of the State’s high quality hardwood logs, such as high-quality sawlogs for floorboards, decking and structural beams, and poles, piles, girders and veneer logs. The Government’s forest grower, Forestry Corporation of NSW is the principal supplier of highquality hardwood logs in NSW, accounting for around 60% of all supply, with Boral the largest buyer of FCNSW high quality hardwood sawlogs. Eleven other companies share the remaining 30% of FCNSW’s high quality sawlogs production, but these mills account for the largest share of hardwood log supply from private property. Despite research indicating that there is “more than enough residues in the North Coast’s sustainably managed forests and sawmills to power more than 200,000 local homes per year”, produce biofuels and high-value chemicals, almost half a decade later there is still only limited opportunities to remove material that would otherwise rot and emit greenhouse gases or provide fuel for the next wildfire from the forest. The 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires have emerged as a tipping point for the hardwood timber industry on the NSW north coast. Over 50% of the area of public State forests available for timber harvesting on the north coast was impacted by fire during the Black Summer. A similar proportion of Private Native

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

Key Points

coast of NSW sustains • Na orth hardwood timber industry

that has been in existence for more than 150 years.

f the 6.3 million hectares of • Oforested land on the north coast, more than half is on private property.

he hardwood timber • Tindustry on the NSW north coast supports over 3000 jobs.

Forestry properties were also impacted. The hardwood timber industry on the NSW north coast has been concerned about inequity in log supply from the public estate for many years. Following the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, log supply has been extremely restricted and largely confined to plantation operations. The NSW forest regulator, NSW EPA, and FCNSW have been in ongoing block-by-block negotiations over access to burnt compartments due to the regulator’s perceived concerns over salvage harvesting. The regulator has also resisted FCNSW’s attempts to access unburnt compartments due to their view that these areas are required as undisturbed refugia for wildlife following the fires. Many of the major Black Summer fires originated from lightning strikes in remote areas of National Parks and conservation areas, where they were allowed to continue to burn for weeks and months in relatively benign conditions, until they emerged on a blow-up day on multiple fronts. Ironically, rather than focus attention on the failed lock-itup-and-leave-it or wilderness strategy employed by conservation managers or the landscape adoption of cool burning similar to Indigenous practitioners over the past 60,000 years, there has been an increasing call to lock up more multiple use, proactively managed, production forests and condemn these forests and their inhabitants, particularly the koala, to a similar fate. Steve Dobbyns BSc (Forestry) is Timber NSW VP & Director, and FWCA Director, and is the principal at Jamax Forest Solutions. www.timberbiz.com.au

Timber NSW is Still Standing and Growing Timber NSW and its previous names of Country Sawmillers Association and NSW Forest Products Association (still a trading name) has existed since 1906 continuously representing the timber and forest products industry in NSW. Although largely representing hardwood companies, forest professionals, contractors and harvest and haulage companies, Timber NSW does have members with softwood interests.

or favour and works hard to ensure the industry and its members comes first. Our members are at the heart of our work and their success is our success. No matter how large or small – every business/ member counts and needs representation and has equal representation in the organisation.

In recent communications and news releases, a new entity named Forest Products Association of NSW was announced and many in the industry assumed it was replacing Timber NSW or was merging with the new entity similar to what happened in Tasmania (FIAT) and Victoria (VAFI).

The highly regulated and controlled native hardwood industry in NSW has significant challenges ahead of it. Timber NSW in conjunction with NSW Farmers and other rural regional organisations, fought off the Koala Habitat SEPP 2019 and has continued to strongly advocate for the changes needed to the Local Land Services Act to enable the continuation of Private Native Forestry without being buried in regulation that overreaches private property rights.

Timber NSW offered to represent the softwood industry in NSW, however they declined and preferred to be represented by a new entity being set up by AFPA which was initially being called a name too close to our trading name. As such they have now decided to establish the AFPA NSW Committee. Timber NSW is not part of that organisation.

Timber NSW recently uncovered a parliamentary process designed to lock out all but selected environmental organisations, reviewing the Local Land Services (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2020 – despite Coalition members sitting on that Committee. Timber NSW called it out and the submission process was opened up.

Our organisation is strong and growing and prides itself on not just congratulating government but more often holding government in NSW to account.

Vigilance, strong advocacy and well researched advice is key to our success. Whether it is negotiating with state and federal government on issues like environmental legislation, forest industry applicable regulation, EPIs, supply contracts, harvest and haul issues, member legal advice, our members are front and centre.

Just as the forest industries are always expected to be held accountable for their actions and performance – Timber NSW believes that governments also have to be held accountable for their performance. Timber NSW advocates and negotiates without fear

Timber NSW members (over 50 companies) represent nearly 70% of all grades of native hardwood ex Crown and Private Property.

If you are involved in the forest and timber industries in NSW and are concerned about the future direction of the industry, then you should join Timber NSW. Contact Maree McCaskill on info@timbernsw.com.au to discuss membership.

Northern NSW BRIEFS Record turnout

With a couple of exhibition spaces becoming available, two new exhibitors have just been added to the record turnout that’s expected in Rotorua in a few months as part of this year’ s major log transport and wood harvesting event, HarvestTECH 2021. It runs in Rotorua, New Zealand on 1314 April 2021. Full details can be found on the event website HarvestTECH 2021.

Tigercat appointment

Bruno Villeneuve joins the Tigercat team in the role of product support representative for Quebec and northeastern Ontario. Based in DolbeauMistassini, Quebec, Bruno Villeneuve comes to Tigercat with eighteen years experience in the heavy equipment industry, ranging from equipment technician to field service manager. In Bruno’s new product field support role, he will be working closely with Tigercat district manager Yannick Lapointe and Thunder Bay based product support representative Keith Gauvreau. Bruno’s appointment represents the latest effort in Tigercat’s ongoing goal to provide the best after sale support in the industry by monitoring and matching increases in field population to field team resources.

Scion research

Scion researchers have started a new program to develop the first ever tree-root-microbiome model. Collaborators in this program include Lincoln University (New Zealand), University of Western Sydney (Australia), Woodwell Climate Research Center (USA) and Wright State University (USA). The program ‘The tree microbiome project: at the root of climate proofing forests’ is a five-year research program supported by the 2020 MBIE Endeavour Fund and the Forest Owners Association.

Pine overlooked

North Canterbury farm foresters would like to see the benefits of pine trees recognised in efforts to meet New Zealand’s climate change targets. Responding to the recent Climate Change Commission report, New Zealand Farm Forestry Association North Canterbury branch secretary Laurie Bennett said his branch was concerned the potential of radiata pine had been overlooked.

Greensill’s Geoff Shannon, Rodney Child and Perry Greensill’s • Owen, who are a combined 46 years with the South Grafton company.

Greensill: tale of two men T

he Greensill Bros story is the story of two men Alan Greensill and John Winkel - whose families have been intertwined for many years. Today the South Graftonbased timber and haulage operation – a strong supporter of the Westpac rescue helicopter with all employees donating weekly - employees around 90 people with 43 trucks and 60 pieces of heavy forestry equipment. Alan Greensill’s first job was loading a Maple Leaf truck with rocks and ploughing fields before starting a carpentry apprenticeship. He then went driving livestock and logging trucks with his broth-

ers Fred and Stan at about 21 years of age. Alan and Fred formed the partnership of Greensill Bros Pty Ltd in 1949 and they worked on cut, snig and haul. In the early days they cut natural hoop pine using nothing but a crosscut saw, axe and crowbar and then used cant hooks and muscle power to load the trucks. John Winkel and Alan worked together at Linville up to 1958 when Alan moved to Emu Vale for two years then to Lismore in 1960 working for Hancock and Gore sawmill at Lismore and Roseberry. In 1966 the company won the contract at Joseph Reid and Son mill at South

• One of Greensill’s new Komatsu harvester.

• Alan Greensill

• John Winkel

Grafton and started present-day business at South Grafton. John Winkel started in the timber industry in 1954 Tannymorel and later moved to Mt Mee, where his father Charlie and brother Bill were cutting hoop pine for Fred Greensill at Squirrel Creek State Forest near Linville. John came to Linville in 1954 and saw a red WC20 White truck parked at the local garage where he met Alan Greensill. Alan was carting timber from Squirrel Creek to Linville railway yards. The government legislated that all timber had to be moved by rail in Queensland. In 1954 the big flood washed away the railway bridge at Colinton, just outside Moore. The government gave dispensation to cart logs to Brisbane by road until the bridge was repaired. Alan and John started double-shifting the truck; Alan bought the logs to the railway line where John then drove to Brisbane via Toogoolawah, Ipswich, Warrego Highway to Brisbane at night. Intrastate night driving was illegal but they got away with it. Once they did not turn off the truck except for fuel for 13 days straight.

Fred sold his share of the business to Alan’s son Denis in the 1970s and the duo built the business to what it is today. Alan stayed active in the company until just up to his death last year. Office manager Cherie Brown said most of the crews were currently working in native timber with three crews salvaging burnt and drought-affected pine around Casino. The bulk of the work now is with Forestry Corp, delivering timber to ports from Brisbane to Newcastle. The company operates around sixty pieces of heavy equipment from Caterpillar, Tigercat and Komatsu, and around 43 trucks which are mostly Kenworths The company purchased its 50th Kenworth last month. Cherie said that wood supply is an issue for native timber due to red tape and the time it takes to open up areas. “By all accounts the State Government is quite supportive of the industry,” she said. An ageing workforce is also a problem with the average age at Greensill being close to 50 and young people not keen to join the industry.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

www.timberbiz.com.au

C A B S PA C E

WINDOW AREA

I N T R O D U C I N G T H E T I G E R C AT

A completely redesigned cab keeps the operator comfortable all day long, while robust, high-quality components and stressfree serviceability boost productivity and minimise downtime. The updated hydraulic system makes this the most fuel efficient skidder ever built. Contact your local Tigercat dealer Onetrak today to find out more.

Northern NSW

Report slams koala park plan for NSW Philip Hopkins

ore than 415,000 cubic metres of native hardwood timber production - more than half New South Wales’ hardwood output – would be destroyed if a Great Koala National Park was created in the state’s north coast, according to a landmark study. In NSW, it would result in a loss of $757 million in output annually, many hundreds of jobs and $292 million in economic value add. All of Boral Timber’s processing plants would close, says the report by Ernst & Young. The E&Y study was requested by the Australian Forest Products Association to assess the economic and social impact of a Great Koala National Park on the region’s hardwood industry, which has been operating for more than 100 years. “It comprises a significant proportion of NSW and Australia’s hardwood supply,” says E&Y, including a substantial volume of high-quality sawlogs such as Blackbutt/ flooded gum and spotted gum timber. “High quality sawlogs are generally used for appearance grade products such as flooring and decking. Blackbutt and Spotted Gum species currently provide the highest commercial return.” The NSW Labor Party has committed to establish the park but has not determined the boundaries or time frame of the project. For the study, E&Y used the boundaries for such a park proposed by the National Parks Association. It would encompass about 10 per cent of NSW’s managed native forest, adding 175,000 hectares of state forest to create a 315,000ha reserve in the hinterland of Coffs Harbour. The area examined takes in the whole North East Regional Forest Agreement area. 10

Key Points Great Koala National • APark in NSW would result in a loss of $757 million in output annually, many hundreds of jobs and $292 million in economic value add.

SW Labor Party has • Ncommitted to establish the park but has not determined the boundaries or time frame of the project.

t would encompass • Iabout 10 per cent

of NSW’s managed native forest, adding 175,000 hectares of state forest to create a 315,000ha reserve in the hinterland of Coffs Harbour.

The Forest Corporation of NSW has wood supply agreements (WSAs) with about 12 large sawmills, including those belonging to Boral. Boral is FCNSW’s largest customer, taking about 35% of harvested timber, including substantial portion of valuable Blackbutt timber. All WSAs expire in 2023, except for those of Boral, whose finish in 2028, and Weathertex, which has a WSA for pulp log that expires in 2027. The study said some private forested land and timber plantations around the park may be unaffected. Similarly, some WSAs may not be affected or may be renegotiated. Given the uncertainty around the whole process, the E&Y study assumed a worst-case scenario; all WSAs would be cancelled. The study said the volume of native forest harvested had dropped by more than half over the past decade in Australia and NSW as governments had converted timber production areas

into permanent reserves and national parks. The cancellation of WSAs in the north-east would reduce this even further – half NSW’s hardwood logs and 10% of the total native hardwood logs harvested in Australia would go. The region has negligible softwood plantations and processing. “Almost 30% of the total output, jobs and value add from the forestry and logging industry will be lost in the NCFA (North Coast Forest Area),” the study said. Additionally, about “45% of the output and value add of the sawmilling manufacturing industry will be lost”. The study warned the job losses would be concentrated in smaller areas around sawmills. Economies would suffer significant losses as almost 50% of sawmill

manufacturing jobs would be lost. “The loss of economies of scale may lead to industry rationalisation that may reduce the size of the industry beyond what was found in this analysis,” E&Y said. “Boral, the industry participant that would see the greatest loss, has stated that should their WSA be cancelled, their hardwood business across Australia would cease. Further, many sawmills in the area only process hardwood, again indicating the potential shutdown of sawmills in the region.” The study found that the forest industry directly employed 15,145 people in NSW and 4735 people in the NCFA, with 22% involved in production and 78% with processing. “The industry is in the top five of 114 industries which

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

spends the most on locally sourced intermediate goods and services per dollar of output,” E&Y said. Due to well-developed supply chains, these sectors delivered broad-based economic benefits to the region. In the north coast forestry area, the study estimated a loss of 1395 jobs, $570 million in output and $224m in value added. “These results do not include the impact on the private native forest industry, who advise that without WSAs, much of the PNF industry would not be commercially viable,” E&Y said. In greater NSW, the losses would amount to $757m in output, $292m in value add and 1971 jobs. Across the whole of Australia, output would drop by a total of $821m, $314m in value add and a loss of 2038 jobs, the study estimated. www.timberbiz.com.au

Northern NSW BRIEFS

Uncovering the Machin Dynasty

New order

The Austrian-based SPRINGER Group has landed a major new order with New Zealand’s leading specialist in sustainable radiata pine products Pan Pac. Together with local partners including Lakeland Steel Limited and Design Manufacture & Installation in Rotorua, SPRINGER will be the main contractor for the new, earthquake-proof, heavyduty sawmill feed system at Pan Pac’s Whirinaki (Hawke’s Bay) site. The investment totals around $12m.

Keith Smiley

ne hundred and six years of Machin Sawmills’s magic is tied up with this man, Ralph Blenkin, who is eager to pass the baton to his son, when the time is right. As a family-owned enterprise, it is lauded to be the oldest sawmill in New South Wales, its epicentre at Wingham, situated 14 kilometres from bustling Taree on the northern coast. Ralph Blenkin who is the great grandson of founder Henry Machin, is proud of their achievements and grateful to his mother’s Machin line; and for uncle John Machin taking him under his wing, when Ralph was fresh out of university. Today, Machins Sawmill continues to thrive, supplying dressed timber for cladding, decking, fencing, flooring, landscaping, and structural timbers. They source their logs from private land holders, logged by contractors, and sent to the mill for cutting into various products. They also apply a boutique-style operation by identifying quality hardwood for use in furniture, to large scale restoration projects. “We’ve always focused on quality and not quantity, providing good service with integrity – we keep getting repeated orders, so this is part of our tradition”, Ralph Blenkin said. Ralph is so easy going and likes to be fair with everyone, “I am not out to extract every cent, out of every deal.” Ralph’s family remain as one, even down to regular visitations with his cousins and their families, rare in our individualistic lifestyles these days. “I am the sole owner, with a flat structure. Board meetings are very quick,” Ralph says with a smile. Adding wryly, “It can be a bit lonely at times.” Ralph is also hands-on, mainly on the maintenance side, and expediting orders. www.timberbiz.com.au

The biggest challenge has been the rise of the green movement in the eighties and nineties which caught them off guard. “We had already been treating the forests well, and being sustainable.” He laments the over-regulation of the timber industry, particularly governments falling on their sword over logging rights. “Almost since the eighties it has been a controversial industry, a media spectacle, but now the anti-loggers have infiltrated government departments. The ‘koala’ episode last year epitomised the extent to which some will go, even using these “trendy little fellas” to make their point, as they flinch not, at closing down another sawmill. This “bureaucracy nightmare”,

Hyne jobs

• Ralph Blenkin, the 4th Machin generation he says, has now filtered down to local councils. Despite their sometimes irrational behaviour, Ralph Blenkin sees a future for forest resources and the markets which “are changing constantly,” but he stresses, “It depends on whether the government want us”. When North Broken Hill shut down, it took a few

iew of the Wingham mill (above) • VFinished product, the pride of Machin legacy (below) •

years for Machins to recoup the loss of market, which hovered around fifty percent of their production. They switched to focus on value-adding to take up the slack; by producing decking and weather boards, which helped augment those losses from the mines. Although Machins have dropped some of the value-adding in recent years, Ralph says, ‘they cut pretty good timber, and can handle orders many of the smaller sawmills cannot meet. With eighteen staff in its employ, Machins have developed a winning formula with tried, true and clearly historic virtue, which would make the original, Henry Machin, proud of the dynasty he began 106 years earlier. The region was rich with undeveloped forests, so Henry and his sons Wilfred and Mervyn and generations beyond, ably exploited its worth. Henry bought other mills for the war effort; the company later amalgamating, withdrawing from that alliance, and reconstituting in 1954 when North Broken Hill offered them to supply all mining timber needs. Ralph’s wife Kate is a psychologist, working in Taree, and likely an adviser to Ralph in his day to day interaction with staff. Their three sons and daughter see each other frequently as possible, but one of the sons is keen on taking over the reins one day soon, honouring, as it were, old Henry’s name.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

Recruitment is set to commence for 50 more jobs created in Maryborough with Hyne Timber announcing a $14.5M expansion project. With demand for structural and engineered timber products on the increase, the 139-year-old, privately-owned Hyne Timber is investing for growth and increased capacity to supply quality products for the Australian construction sector.

EWPA scholarships

The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia is offering a three year scholarship opportunity for graduate students undertaking their research with the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life. The scholarship will provide graduate students interested in wood product durability research with $10,000 funding per year, to a total value of $30,000.

OFO appointment

Brent Guild has been appointed Executive General Manager, New Zealand, by OneFortyOne. He replaces Lees Seymour, who resigned from the role in late 2020.

Blue Sky awards

The 21 candidates from nine countries around the world have been selected for the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Awards. Launched in 2016, the contest is a biennial effort to recognize, celebrate and promote some of the game-changing innovations being developed in the global forest sector. Three of the 21 candidates will receive one of three cash prizes and the opportunity to present their work to the International Council of Forest and Paper Association’s Global CEO Roundtable discussion to be held virtually on April 29. 11

Northern NSW BRIEFS Wildlife review

An independent expert advisory panel will lead a review of the key Act that protects and manages Victoria’s unique wildlife. Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio has announced the most comprehensive review of the Wildlife Act since its introduction more than 45 years ago, to ensure that it keeps pace with contemporary issues, changes in policy settings and community expectations. The Victorian Forest Products Association has welcomed the review of wildlife management and protection across all land tenures.

Bushfire relief delayed

NSW Labor and the Greens have been accused of actively preventing bushfire victims from receiving their share of $250 million in disaster recovery funding by playing political games in the NSW Legislative Council. Deputy Premier and Minister Responsible for Disaster Recovery John Barilaro claims Labor and the Greens have made a deliberate effort to tie up NSW Government departments with mountains of administration in an attempt to halt their capacity to assess bushfire funding applications.

Dieback research

Nearly $1.2 million in grants have been awarded for research into eucalypt dieback which is one of New South Wales’ most damaging ecological issues. It has occurred across NSW, from near Bourke to the New England Tablelands, North Coast, Sydney’s hinterland and down to the Snowy Mountains. Drought, insects, soil microbes and climate change are all thought to contribute to dieback, but without further research, it’s difficult to address.

WA timber film

A NEW film on the sustainable cycle of native forestry has been released providing insight into an often-misunderstood industry. The film was commissioned by the Forest Industries Federation of WA (FIFWA) and aims to promote native forestry and its importance to WA. Native forestry contributes $220million to the WA economy and directly employs more than 500 people.

Nervous wait as officials assess long-term future Philip Hopkins

he NSW north coast native forest industry, with half its resource badly affected by the 2019-20 bushfires and no native timber harvesting this year, faces a nervous wait as officials continue to assess the sector’s long-term future. The north coast has 355,000 hectares of native forest available for timber production under the North Coast Regional Forest Agreement. About 60 per cent of the 200,000 hectares available in the upper north east was affected by the fires, while in the lower north east, 38% of the 155,000ha available was affected, according to Forestry Corporation of New South Wales. In total, the north coast has 836,000 hectares of native forest – 450,000ha in the upper north east and 360,000ha in the lower north east. The fires affected respectively 60 per cent and 40% of these two areas, more than half of which is set aside for conservation. Following the 2019-20 fires, Forestry Corp says

moved to hardwood timber plantations, while in the south of the state, operaThe north coast of NSW tions in native forests took has 355,000 hectares of place at less than a third the native forest available normal rate. Forestry Corp for timber production manages about 34,000ha of under the North hardwood plantations in Coast Regional Forest the north, with about 15% Agreement. affected by the fires. Forestry Corp maintains Forestry Corp manages detailed long-term wood about 34,000ha of supply models that incorhardwood plantations porate mapping of species in the north, with about and environmental protec15% affected by the tions; measurements from 2019-2020 fires. thousands of randomly located plots where the Following the fires, size, quality and species Forestry Corp says it of all trees are recorded; has worked with the and growth rates from EPA to harvest some trees in special permanent fire-affected areas plots which have been reunder site-specific measured regularly so staff operating conditions. can track their change and data from operations. “Many native species it has worked with the are resilient to fire and Environment Protection the fire impact across the Authority to harvest some landscape has been signififire-affected areas under cantly varied. Forestry Corsite-specific operating poration has been working through a process to review conditions. A Forestry Corp spokes- the fire impact on timber person said on the north supply,” the spokesperson coast, the majority of said. “(It) is amending its longoperations last year were

Key Points

•

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

term timber supply models drawing on fire intensity mapping, scientific data about the impact of fire on different tree species, field observations and photo plots. “The impact on timber supply will be different around the state. Forestry Corporation will work with its customers to address the implications of the review when it is complete.” The NSW Labor Party has urged a parliamentary inquiry into the sustainable future of the NSW forestry industry. This follows a statement by the Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, that timber supply shortages would raise the price of new homes, delay construction and cost jobs. Mr Barilaro told a NSW Budget Estimates hearing that timber supply would “struggle”, with NSW facing a “cliffedge” moment. Labor Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Paul Scully, said Labor had long urged the Government to come up with a long-term timber plan. www.timberbiz.com.au

In the news

Bushfire logs leaving KI at last K

angaroo Island Plantation Timber’s first trial load of softwood logs salvaged has left the island. The load was shipped by the Sealink ferry to the mainland, for sale to a South Australian domestic customer – Morgan Sawmill at Jamestown. If successful, KIPT believes regular orders will be dispatched via the Sealink ferry service to domestic customers, and newly emerging export markets from Port Adelaide. KIPT is in advanced negotiations with its construction partner, Adelaide-based Maritime Constructions, to start barging of logs from Kingscote in order to meet impending international market orders for logs. The barging service will occur from an existing ramp facility which is subject to a long-term lease held by Maritime Constructions. KIPT has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with

The first trial load of softwood logs was shipped from Kangaroo Island to the mainland • for sale to a South Australian domestic customer. Adelaide-based T-Ports for barging of log, chip and pellets from the Kingscote site, to start as soon as possible. The MOU between KIPT and T-Ports sets out terms for cooperating on services to be offered by T-Ports from the Kingscote site, for the period until the proposed seaport at Smith Bay

From modest beginnings, Ensign has grown to become one of the most trusted and respected names in the log handling business. Today, Ensign continues to build on that reputation as it continually refines and develops its product range in an effort to supply its clients with the very best tools for the job.

is approved and constructed. T-Ports will relocate its services to Smith Bay once the Seaport is operating. “Following the fires and while the company awaits state governments decision for Smith Bay, we must pursue all practical options to export logs off the island,” KIPT managing director

Keith Lamb said. “The two most practical routes to market via Kingscote and Penneshaw, will present greater impacts to the community and environment compared to our proposed seaport at Smith Bay. Neither are capable of handling the entire resource in the time required.

LOG FORKS

While we are pursuing these in the short-term, KIPT reaffirms its commitment to developing its proposed seaport at Smith Bay as the best all-round permanent solution for the Company and the community of Kangaroo Island.” The company awaits details of the submissions received by the Department of Planning, so that it can make its response document and the Department can complete its Assessment Report for the Minister. KIPT had previously prepared contingency plans for establishing alternate routes to market for its fireaffected timber in the event the approval for the KI Seaport was delayed beyond a reasonable time. Compared to the proposed development at Smith Bay, these alternate routes to market are considered sub-optimal in respect to economic returns to shareholders, impacts on the environment and on the community of Kangaroo Island.

GRAPPLES

When there’s no standard option available we’ll build something that works exactly the way you need it. If you’ve broken it, we’ll fix it - and if you need it altered to work differently, we can do that too.

Servicing the forestry industry for 50 years

That’s why Ensign is the forest industry’s first choice.

BUCKETS

PALLET FORKS

FOR PRODUCT & SALES ENQUIRIES CONTACT GB FORESTRY

P. 03 8353 6655 E: office@gbforestry.com.au GBFORESTRY.COM.AU

GB Forestry are the exclusive distributor of Ensign forestry attachments & equipment.

aft_ensign_halfpage_advert_0203021.indd www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

2/03/2021 1:46:44 PM

Round table

Just where is Australia situated in terms of development of policies to promote carbon sequestration and achieve zero net GHG emissions though managed forestry? In this Round Table Dr Martin Moroni from Tasmania and Andrew Lang from Victoria speak about some of the options facing the country.

Panel

hat role can managed W native forestry and farm forestry play to help achieve for zero net GHG emissions by 2050?

Martin Moroni Forestry plays a significant role in helping to achieve zero net Green House Gas emissions by 2050, but there is tension between the various roles the forest industry can play. The tension lies in how we hope to achieve net zero emissions to do with how we value reducing emission from fossil fuels or through offsetting those emission by storing carbon in forests. The warming of our climate is dominated by emission of greenhouse gasses that warm the atmosphere, predominantly as carbon dioxide, from burning fossil fuels that release fossil carbon from deep underground to the atmosphere. This carbon joins that already cycling as the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the biosphere and oceans. Harvesting trees will release forest stored carbon to the atmosphere, also predominantly as carbon dioxide, as harvest and processing residues and wood products decompose. Some carbon will accumulate in long-lived wood products. Half the dry weight of wood is carbon. 14

Q&A

Carbon dioxide released from trees returns to the forest forming biomass as trees regrow. In this way forest management does not increase the size of the greenhouse gas pool moving between the atmosphere and the biosphere. Burning fossil fuels does increase the amount of carbon dioxide cycling between the atmosphere and the biosphere. Without reductions in the burning of fossil fuels greenhouse gasses will accumulate in the greenhouse gas pool cycling between the atmosphere and biosphere, increasing it to more problematic levels by further warming the climate. Forests can store carbon in them. We can maximise this with forest management that grows more biomass. Management activities to increase forest biomass and carbon stocks include afforestation and reforestation and other forms of forest management such as reduced harvesting, fertilisation, regrowing trees with improved genetics and suppressing natural disturbances. This is only effective to offset fossil fuel emissions while we transition to renewables and away from using fossil fuels.

Worldwide in 2019 approximately 9 thousand million tonnes of carbon was released to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. To absorb this much carbon from the burning of fossil fuels into wood (with a density of 500 kilograms per cubic meter where half of that mass is carbon), we would have to produce a solid wood cube of 36 billion cubic metres, or 36 cubic kilometres, every year in perpetuity. This is impossible and the forest industry should not disproportionally focus on storing carbon in forests as the role of forest management in greenhouse gas mitigation. The only way to reduce fossil carbon emissions with forest management is to produce wood products that when used, displace fossil fuels, reducing emissions from fossil fuels. This can happen directly by using fuels derived from wood in place of fossil fuels (we can make biofuels: petrol, diesel, buncker and aviation fuel from wood in place fossil equivalents). The use of wood products is often associated with much lower emissions than many other products they can replace. For example, the use of wood instead of metals, concrete and plastic in construction significantly reduces emission from fossil fuels. Advances in the use of wood fibre to make substitutes for glass, plastic, metals, and a range of chemicals that are associated with large fossil carbon emissions is progressing quickly and

Dr Martin Moroni

Andrew Lang

Chair IFA/AFG Tasmania Division Manager Bioenergy – Renewables Tasmania Ph.D. Agricultural Science with CRC for Sustainable Production Forestry.

Andrew Lang is a vice president of the World Bioenergy Association and the board member representing Australasia-Oceania. He is a Churchill Fellow (2003) and a Gottstein Fellow (2008).

present exciting ways to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is widely demonstrated to be where the maximum greenhouse gas mitigation benefits from forest management lies, and the forest industry has an enormous role to play here. The prevented emissions from the use of wood eventually dwarf the carbon that can be stored in forests and wood products combined.

sequestered per year, and possibly significantly more, across eastern Australia’s integrated farm forestry plantings. As the plantings become mature, up to 40% of the wood harvested would become processed timber products, and the balance could be used to produce power, industrial heat, biofuels and biochemicals. All these products directly substitute for products sourced from fossil fuels and petroleum, and so this significantly adds to the reduction in overall GHG emissions for the state or country. This may all sound fanciful, but this is long established practice in many countries, with Austria, the Baltic countries and the Nordic countries being leaders. Canada, New Zealand, Spain and China, are among the many countries also heading along this path. In each case their achieving ambition reduction targets in net GHG emissions by 2050 is predicated on the carbon capture via the forest and timber processing industries, as well as the use of woody biomass residues for producing energy and biofuels. In addition the creation of tens of thousands of permanent rural and regional jobs, the production of energy within the regions, the industries attracted to the location of biomass fueled combined heat and power plants to get access to lower cost and lower emissions heat (and cooling), will all improve regional economies.

Andrew Lang Well-managed forestry, and particularly farm forestry, could make the difference between Australia achieving this zero net GHG target or falling well short. Commercial plantations and managed private native forestry have significant amounts of carbon sequestered in living trees and stored in wood products, including houses and larger buildings. The amounts can be readily estimated. However the sector with arguably the best economics for major expansion is farm forestry (agroforestry) There is clearly scope for a great expansion of tree planting on farms across the more temperate and subtropical parts of Australia. At least 100 million ha of land has been cleared of trees in eastern Australia alone for agriculture, and if 5 million ha were re-established as integrated farm forestry plantings, then this would mean about 7-10 tonnes of CO2 sequestered per ha per year. So the potential from farm forestry alone is 35-50 million tonnes of CO2

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

www.timberbiz.com.au

Round table

hat is the scope for W private forestry and farm forestry to sequester atmospheric carbon?

Martin Moroni There is significant potential for private forestry and farm forestry to sequester atmospheric carbon into forests and wood products. This can be done in several ways. Afforestation and reforestation, where half the growing tree biomass is carbon, productive fastgrowing commercial trees will be attractive, especially those that can be made into

long lasting wood products that displace fossil fuels. In addition to increased wood carbon stocks, reforestation and afforestation is often associated with increases in soil and dead wood carbon stocks as the new trees contribute larger amounts of biomass to litter cycles and prevent losses of soil-C from erosion. Soil is one of the largest carbon stocks in forests. Extending forest rotations

hat could be the W measurable benefits, in terms of permanent new jobs, carbon-neutral energy production, and environmental benefits?

Martin Moroni Managing forests solely for carbon will push you to one of two extremes, depending on your focus: to lock all forests in reserves to push up landscape carbon-stocks, or manage all forests for wood products to substitute fossil fuels as aggressively as possible. Neither approach is desirable as forests contain multiple social, environmental, and economic values requiring a variety of forest management approaches to manage these sometimes competing considerations, from reservation to intensive management. Appropriate consideration of the role of forest management in greenhouse gas mitigation can be expected to increase the value of wood. This will increase the pressure to afforest and reforest www.timberbiz.com.au

land as well as increase pressure on optimising the growth of our forests. This increases the forest area and economic activity and employment in the forest sector. Incorporation of trees in agricultural land can also be done while increasing agricultural production. Protection of agricultural enterprises, through the provision of treed shelter, from wind and the provision of shade more than compensates for the area of land occupied by trees when they are strategically planted to provide shelter. Agricultural land can support around 10 per cent of the area as trees, in some cases significantly higher, without reducing agricultural yields due to the benefits of shelter provided by strategically planted trees. Such plantings increase en-

Andrew Lang A new planted tree seedling grows up to 2 metres

a year, and by 30 years the retained tree will have produced an above-ground volume that can yield a butt log and top log, plus head and branches making up 20-30% of the tree’s overall weight. This growth is all due to the removal of carbon from the air and nutrient and water from the soil. This production of wood is continuous, and across a hectare of farm forestry plantings can be anywhere from 3 cubic metres of live wood per year to over 20 m3/yr, depending on rainfall, soils and species. So across the state and country the volume of wood produced annually in managed farm plantings could be enormous. For most species the carbon content of the live wood is about 25% of its

‘green’ weight. The estimate for mean annual increment from the proposed 600,000 ha across Victoria’s farmlands, growing at an average of 7 m3/ha/year, is in the order of 2,100,000 m3 of dry wood. Assuming a dry weight of 700 kg/m3 this would be 1.5 million t of dry wood containing 0.75 million t of carbon. This amount equates to about 2.7 million tonnes of CO2 taken in per year, just to this potential area of farm forestry plantings. Across all of eastern Australia it would be around ten times this figure. Private native forestry that is similarly managed to produce sawlogs will mean proportionately more atmospheric carbon sequestered into live wood and products.

vironmental outcomes and property values while diversifying farmer income. There will also be increased pressure on using forest products to displace the most fossil fuel intensive materials. The wood products are likely to be higher value products (e.g. engineered wood, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, advanced materials) more likely associated with sophisticated secondary processing of wood into these high value products. Such processes are often associated with high-paying roles and significant regional investment in processing facilities that employ significant numbers of local workers. Harvesting and processing woody residues and capture of end-of-life wood can be used to make energy, competing with fossil fuels in every market. Wood waste can be used to make heat, electricity, cooling, and transport fuels potentially powering the industrial processes themselves to produce a range of truly carbon-neutral products and energy for society. Forest management provides carbon neutral solutions across all sectors of the economy and will be required to achieve a net zero emission economy.

Andrew Lang Annual government statistics are collected in many countries for forest area, growth rates, volumes of forest product removal, use of residues for energy, and for employment in these various sectors. Excellent data is available in Austria, Germany, Finland and Sweden. In each case it is obvious that the sector is a major employer, a major producer of energy, is very important for regional economies and for national resource and energy security, and acts as a very large carbon sink. Research done in the NSW Southwest Slopes region in 2005 looked at full time jobs per 100 ha of pine plantations, and this would be applicable to agroforestry and the private native forestry case. About 1.5 FTE/100 ha was the figure arrived at when jobs included milling. For every direct job about one more indirect jobs was created in the region. For farm forestry within Victoria with a proposed planting of 660,000 ha this would mean 6,600 FTE. For Eastern Australia with 5 million ha in farm forestry proposed it would equate to 50,000 FTE. The figures for employment at combined heat and power plants fueled

by forestry and timber industry processing residues have been studied in both the UK and Canada within the last ten years. The Canadian woody biomass fueled energy plants were larger than in the UK and had greater efficiency in sourcing residues, and so had a lower figure of about 2.6 FTE/MW-e, compared with the UK report’s figure of 4FTE/MW-e In the Victorian context, in 2009/10 the pine harvest was 3.5 million m3. If half of this became chipped harvest and milling residues, sawdust and offcuts it would total around 750,000 air dry tonnes, which would potentially produce about100 megawatts of power. So if we use the UK figures this would mean about 400 FTE for Victoria alone (260 FTE using the Canadian figures) with around half of these jobs being in the supply chains. Obviously in Victoria the volume of residues is greater than that, with additional material from farm forestry and private native forestry. The environmental benefits from plantings of well-suited farm forestry species in well-designed wide shelter belts integrated with conventional farm enterprises has been assessed in many studies.

and increases in forest reserves is typically associated with increased average forest age and so increased wood and carbon stocks. This produces higher value logs, but may limit the quantity of wood that can be provided as a resource to society that displaces or substitutes out the use of fossil fuels and fossil fuel intensive products. Forest protection that prevents tree death and forest carbon loss from fire, insects or other disturbances will increase the age of the managed forest and store more carbon in them, also increasing potential timber yields.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

FREE One year of the best

SP OFECIA FE L R

timber industry news Subscribe now, and get Australian Forests & Timber News and Australasian Timber for free including delivery to your door. That’s eight editions of the best news, information, analysis and technical data available - for free!

Take up this offer, and we’ll also sign you up to receive Daily Timber News on Monday, Wednesday and Friday – straight to your inbox.

Hurry, offer ends June 30, 2021. Tell your friends …

To subscribe go to: TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU/PUBLICATIONS or contact us on (08) 8369 9500 or email subs@forestsandtimber.com.au australasian

www.timberbiz.com.au

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

In the news

Uni staff told to train on research integrity T he University of Tasmania will require academic staff undergo training on the importance of research integrity and the disclosure of conflicts of interest. It follows the university’s investigation into the publication of a flawed study last year that linked forestry operations and bushfire severity. The investigation was prompted by concerns raised by Bob Gordon and Dr Kevin Harding from the Institute of Foresters of Australia. “These findings vindicate our concerns and we thank

the University for acknowledging that there were serious issues with this research that needed to be addressed,” IFA president Bob Gordon said. “We particularly welcome the fact that the University will now mandate a training program on research integrity for academics at the school as a result of our complaint.” Last year the Australian Senate passed a motion condemning the flawed study and its misuse by the Australian Greens. The motion to condemn the error-ridden research and the way it was misused

by the Greens and activists to attack sustainable forestry, was moved by Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries Senator Jonno Duniam. AFPA Deputy Chief Executive Victor Violante commended the university for investigating the matter and taking steps to ensure that all academic staff are mindful of the need to disclose conflicts of interest and to ensure their work is scientifically sound and meets the university’s high standards. “AFPA wrote to ViceChancellor Rufus Black last year expressing concern that a scientific paper coauthored by UTAS academics had been withdrawn by the publishing journal due to significant errors, and that one of the authors, Dr Jennifer Sanger, had subsequently disclosed that she was employed by the Bob Brown Foundation (BBF) to run its campaign to shut down Tasmania’s forestry industry,” Mr Violante said. “The investigation confirmed there were shortcomings in the academic

• Bob Gordon

• Kevin Harding

process, and I commend UTAS for committing to ensure academic staff are aware of their responsibilities and undergo training to better understand their obligations.” Mr Violante said that while the review found the conduct of the academics did not meet the high threshold required to amount to “research misconduct”, the University had advised AFPA that the investigation highlighted “the need to support process improvement by providing further training and guidance”.

Mr Violante said the scientific consensus is that reducing fuel loads in the forest through a combination of mechanical fuel reduction and controlled burns play a vital role in bushfire mitigation, and that forestry operations do not increase bushfire severity. “Research has found that in the eucalypt forests of south-eastern Australia, an annual reduction program of 5 per cent of the landscape could reduce the extent of bushfires by as much as 50 per cent,” Mr Violante said.

Fill in your knowledge gaps

uild nd b a n g desi

Free self-paced online learning Designed for timber salespeople, topics include: • Managing moisture content • Timber products and properties • Building regulations and standards Ideal for employee training, the course includes assessment and individual tracking.

Enrol now at woodsolutions.com.au/campus www.timberbiz.com.au

WoodSolutions is resourced by Forest and Wood Products Australia Ltd (www.fwpa.com.au)

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

Skidders

New skidder ups the ante in steep slope logging J

ohn Deere has introduced a new six-wheel 768L-II Bogie Skidder, a true woodland warrior designed to conquer wet conditions and steep slope terrain. Incorporating the proven, durable features found on the John Deere L-II Skidder line-up, the new 768L-II maximizes productivity, performance, and comfort

when carrying hefty loads over long distances in challenging conditions. “Profitability and productivity are critical in the woods, and as loggers take to new areas for jobs, they need dependable machines that are built

with these niche applications in mind,” said Matthew Flood, product marketing manager, John Deere Forestry. “With our new 768L-II Bogie Skid-

der, we’re delivering a purpose-built machine that navigates tough terrain, such as swamps or steep slopes. Providing distinct features, the John Deere

bogie skidder helps logging contractors maximize their potential, regardless of the conditions.” The 209kW (281hp) 768LII features heavy-duty

OUTRUN THEM ALL. ™

THE WOODLAND WARRIOR, UNLEASH THE BEAST. With incredible stability in soft or sloped terrain, the new John Deere 768L-II Bogie Skidder efficiently retrieves timber in hard-to-reach places. The bogie axles on this six-wheel skidder combine excellent traction and flotation with reduced ground pressure helping you move big loads long distances no matter the conditions. Find success in the forest with a 768L-II Bogie Skidder.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

www.timberbiz.com.au

Skidders bogie axles, which incorporate large components to maximize durability and stability for long axle and tire life. The heavy-duty axles are purpose-built for tough applications, effortlessly pulling heavy loads and manoeuvring tough terrain. The smooth, stable operation results in reduced machine vibration, ultimately minimizing operator fatigue. Another key feature is the excellent tractive ability and floatation. When combined with the bogie axles, ground pressure is reduced, allowing the 768L-II to work in wet terrain not accessible with a four-wheel skidder. As a result, the harvesting window is extended, adding more working days to the calendar. The new arch design provides the operator with an expansive rearward view of the grapple and

Key Points Deere expands • Jitsohn skidder lineup with

the new 768L-II Bogie Skidder, a purposebuilt machine designed to navigate wet and steep slope conditions.

The 768L-II features • heavy-duty bogie axles, outstanding tractive ability and floatation, increasing durability and performance in challenging conditions.

he bogie skidder • Tincorporates the

customer-favorite features found in the L-II machines, including a comfort-boosting cab, redesigned electrical and hydraulic systems, and industry-exclusive Continuously Variable Transmission.

work area, providing excellent visibility. Improving manoeuvrability, the long wheelbase and boom-arch envelope boost reach and lift capability for the boom and grapple, increasing performance in the woods. The tight turning radius enhances agility at the landing. “The John Deere bogie skidder is hands down twice as good as a regular four-tire skidder. It’s just all-around better in my book for productivity and ground disturbance,” said Jason Dawson of Triple J Logging. “With the 768LII, you can carry twice as much of a load, especially in wet conditions and on the steep terrain, without tearing the ground up.” The 768L-II retains the other customer-favorite features introduced on the L-II product lineup. Streamlined and redesigned electrical and

hydraulic systems result in improved uptime and increased guarding and protection of key components. An improved grapple squeeze force and two-speed winch further increase productivity, while articulation steering sensors improve the operator experience. Highly regarded by customers, all L-Series II models feature a spacious cab, including ample storage space, configurable controls, and an effective air conditioning system. Armrest-mounted electrohydraulic controls offer, hand-finger operation of all machine functions, and joystick steering provides smooth control of steer, direction, and ground speed. The industry-exclusive Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) marries the efficiency of a direct-drive transmission

with the smoothness of a hydrostatic drive. As a result, CVT provides more power to the ground by sensing the load, increasing torque and tractive effort as needed to maintain the desired speed. To learn more about the updated 768L-II Bogie Skidder, as well as the full line of John Deere Forestry equipment, visit www. JohnDeere.com.au or your local John Deere dealer. About John Deere Deere & Company (www. JohnDeere.com) is a world leader in providing advanced products, technology and services for customers whose work is revolutionizing agriculture and construction — those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure.

JohnDeere.com.au/Forestry TRACTA_JCF63637_AU_768l-II Bogie Skidder_AFTN_03/21

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

Harvesters •

Adam Fielding and (below) Jeff and Lawrence Fielding

Fielding’s a family affair for more than 30 years F ielding Logging is a well-known name in the Tasmanian logging business having been active in the forestry industry for more than 30 years. It is a family business operated by Laurence and Glenys and sons Adam and Jeffrey. Fielding Logging became one of the first customers in Australia to buy Tigercat products when they arrived. They also where one of the first owners of the original 23” series 575 harvesting head when it was released. “Our first 575 has over 20,000 hours on it. We pinned and bushed it only once in this time and it was purchased initially for native forest harvesting. We have put some big wood through it over the years, It has been a great head and it certainly influenced us to look hard at the Tigercat processors for our new contract,” Laurence said. “Initially we trialled the first Tigercat 570 proces-

Key Points

sor in its development stage working closely with Tigercat. “It quickly became apparent to us that the new 570 was fast and super reliable,” he said. “That first head has close to 6000 operating hours now and its performance combined with our experience with the original 575 processor made it an easy decision to purchase more Tigercat 570 processors.” Today Fielding Logging has five of the new 20” series Tigercat 570 processors working between their two ETF contracts in north west Tasmania. Jeffrey says he has been a big promoter of the Tigercat harvesting heads from the start while Adam says he was not as sure about the Tigercat processor for the smaller plantation wood

ielding Logging • Fbecame one of the first customers in Australia to buy Tigercat products.

ielding Logging has • Fowned 12 Tigercat

machines and six processing heads since he bought the first one in 2000.

ielding Logging has • Ffive of the new 20” series Tigercat 570 processors.

having become comfortable with another brand. “It’s hard to step away from what you know and make big changes which is what we had to do when we switched from another brand to Tigercat heads,” Adam said. “One of the big changes is that the Tigercat heads use the debarking knives to hold the wood in conjunction with drive wheels. It took a couple of weeks to get used to, but I’ve turned 100% from being a sceptic to a true supporter – I’ll never change back from Tigercat to another harvester head brand. “My Tigercat H845C base has done 10,000 hours and we have recently fitted a Tigercat 570 to it for this contract – it’s done around 500 hours. The harvesting head handles the logs really

well – there’s absolutely no problems. “When Tigercat build something, they build it strong. Their products are not the cheapest option but down-time is actually the real cost when you’re harvesting, and you don’t have that with the Tigercat harvesting heads. That is why we only run Tigercat heads now,” he said. “I stand firm when I say the 570 is the best harvesting head I’ve operated. “I guess everyone knows I’m an advocate for Tigercat but to put some perspective on it I ran some numbers on my current 570 harvesting head with 6000 hours on it compared to the previous head with the same hours and I had 75% less hoses and maintenance on the Tigercat head compared to the competitor. “Just like with the Tigercat machines every component on the harvester head is big, strong and solid. They’re just extremely reliable and efficient harvesting heads. They are super low maintenance with large diameter taper lock bearings where others use a smaller pin and bush style. It just makes it so much easier. “One thing that stands out for me is how much better laid-out the Tigercat 570 is compared to other harvesting heads – the way the hydraulic hoses are out of the way of the wheels on the sides you just avoid any potential damage while working”.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

“The new contract with Forico asked for Full Optimization and StanForD compliant data transfer including Geo Mapping. This is super simple with the Tigercat 570 processor. A couple of clicks at the end of the day and I’ve got it all on my phone. I transfer the StanForD compliant file to Forico daily. From a management perspective we have detailed cut information for each harvester with full visibility which creates a fun but competitive atmosphere among the boys to produce more than the rest”. “Once you get used to the Tigercat 570 processor it outperforms all competitors –harvesting heads. The 570 is classed as a 20” harvesting head and it’s fast but has the torque and capability of a much bigger head in tough going in my opinion”. “The saw is also strong and fast on the 570 – it cuts like a 404 saw but it’s actually a ¾ saw. When we were upgrading to the new Tigercat 570 processors they recommended the 360-degree rotation. I was unsure at first because other 360 degree rotators on competitor heads have leaked but now I’m so glad I’ve got it because it’s working great and I don’t have any leaks on the Tigercat head.” Jeffrey is now operating the new E-series Tigercat H845E Harvester. “The E-series has better visibility on all sides of the machine and the hydraulic pumps are more responsive. I also like the longer heavier track frame, the reach is great and the toolboxes have been improved with better storage,” he said. Laurence has owned 12 Tigercat machines and six processing heads since he bought the first one in 2000. “The Tigercat team have always offered the best support for their customers. The dealer here, Onetrak support us very well also and have plenty of good factory trained mechanics should we need assistance. They take accountability for what they do – if there’s something that needs fixing they’ll fix it,” he said. www.timberbiz.com.au

Harvesters

Scorpion gets the modern touch

onsse has launched a completely modernised range of its Scorpion harvesters. The new Scorpion takes harvest productivity and ergonomics to the next level and according to Ponsse sets a new standard for the operator’s working environment. The Scorpion harvester was first introduced in 2013 and has since become Ponsse’s flagship product. “As earlier, development of the new Scorpion range has been based on feedback from forest machine users, which we have utilized to put the upgrades now being introduced into production,” Jan Kauhanen, Product Manager, Harvesters, at Ponsse said. “The cabin workspace is now more practical, and the quiet Scorpion landscape office has been developed specifically with the operator’s comfort and ability to keep working in mind.” The Scorpion is characterised by its visibility and manoeuvrability. One of the most visible improvements is the new one-piece front window, which reaches all the way up to the cabin roof to offer even better visibility and safe working in any weather condition. In addition, the unique crane solution provides excellent visibility in all directions. Besides numerous new features, Ponsse Scorpion and Scorpion King harvesters have been fitted out with an advanced fifth generation PONSSE Opti 5G information system and a completely upgraded user interface. The user-friendly information system is the most modern on the market and its smoothness and speed take the user experience to a completely new level. “The fully upgraded Opti 5G user interface together with the recently launched Opti8 computer sets a new

standard for the usability of Ponsse forest machine information systems,” Markku Savolainen, Product Manager, Equipment Automation at Ponsse said. “It’s also quick and simple for operators who have used the earlier Opti generation to switch over to using the new Opti 5G system.” The Opti 5G information system also enables the Ponsse Harvester Active Crane management system, which gives the harvester a new way to control the crane and work more efficiently. The operator can use Active Crane to control the movement of the harvester head instead of individual crane functions. This allows the operator to concentrate on timber processing rather than crane work. Active Crane is easily controlled using two levers, one of which controls the harvester head height from the ground, while the other controls the direction of the movement. The system also ensures that the crane’s

functions slow automatically before the range of movement ends, thereby preventing irritating hits to the mechanical structures and operator. When the operator indicates the required location, Active Crane performs the lift

and uses the boom and extension automatically. The Ponsse Opti 5G information system will initially be available at Ponsse Scorpion harvesters at Finnish and Swedish markets, with other areas to follow later.

Neuson Forest

Distributed by Scandinavian Forestry The advantages offered by Neuson harvesters: —

safety-tested cabin (FOPS, ROPS, OPS certified)

—

very tight tail swing (almost zero tail swing)

—

separate hydraulic pumps for head, crane and chassis

—

separate hydraulic system for harvester head

—

parallel cranes, especially constructed for the forestry area

—

endlessly rotating upper carriage, very compact build machines perfect for thinning applications

—

reinforced undercarriage for forestry use

—

levelling system

—

low fuel consumption

—

ideal access to service platform

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

AU ST R

Official Australian Stockist for Neuson Forest: Scandinavian Forestry & Engineering Pty Ltd 02 6947 4505 196-200, Snowy Mountains Highway, Tumut NSW 2720 Australia

www.neuson-forest.at

Harvesters BRIEFS FAE expanding

FAE is expanding its line of excavator forestry mulchers with the introduction of the new UMM/EX/VT/HP. It is the perfect solution for managing and controlling vegetation in wooded areas, maintaining green spaces, and for any job where a large mulching capacity is required. The UMM/EX/VT/HP mulches vegetation and trees with a max diameter of 40 cm and is compatible with excavators from 30 to 36 tons. It has a hydraulic capacity of 180 to 300 L/ min. Compared to the standard model, the new HP has been designed to fit the most powerful excavators and meet the most challenging tasks. It comes standard with a 160 cc VT hydraulic motor, heavy-duty transmission components and added side-frame reinforcements.

Increasing capacity

Lecours Lumber at Calstock, ON is increasing the sorting capacity in its sawmill with a new 47-bin Pusher Lug sorter. The new vertical bin sorter will feature the Pusher Lug sorter top, ideal for high speed applications. The sorter is designed to operate at 140 lugs per minute. The 47 vertical bins will be fitted with bin deflectors to assist in even distribution of the boards in the bins. Live bin walls ensure smooth discharge of the lumber onto the floor chains. Click here to see a video of this sorter design in action. The new sorter is scheduled to be installed in Q3 of 2022.

Mill upgrade

Pan Pac Forest Products plans to substantially upgrade the sawmill log infeed system at its Whirinaki (Hawke’s Bay) site in New Zealand. The investment (at approximately NZ$13 million) to replace the sawmill log infeed system originally installed in the early 1980s highlights the continued commitment of Pan Pac’s shareholder Oji Holdings. Pan Pac has operated the sawmill at Whirinaki since 1974, while its second sawmill in Milburn, Otago was established in 2015.

New generation harvester head to boost productivity W aratah Forestry Equipment has introduced a new generation of its HTH616C harvester head – the new HTH616C Series-III. The new head features many new service and accessibility upgrades and is highlighted by a new main control valve designed to increase performance, responsiveness, and compatibility to a greater range of carriers – including WCTL (Wheeled Cut To Length), and smaller, lower powered carriers having limited flow. “Boosting productivity and profitability is what the HTH616C Series-III is all about,” Brent Fisher, product marketing manager for Waratah, said. “With a new valve, improved performance, and more uptime, contractors can have confidence in the loads delivered. The new HTH616C Series-III gives more performance from low powered carriers, and it provides a great option for those with WCTL machines who want a 600 series head.”

With a weight starting at 1800 kg, the HTH616 Series-III features a new, more efficient main control valve that can be configured with various options to fit performance needs on wheeled or tracked machines alike. Motor selections can be configured to complement the new valve and improve feeding speed, with a high torque motor option available to help to increase

productivity in the toughest de-limbing conditions. Operationally, the new valve provides improved responsiveness in the delimb and drive arms to enhance grabbing stems, log handling, and improve sawing performance - reducing processing times. New cast de-limb arm design improves limb shedding, and can be configured in processing or harvesting profile with a maximum delimb opening of 68.5 cm (27 in.). The H616C Series-III has optional twin diameter sensors that provide better measuring when small

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

end diameters are critical. Additionally, the head features more length measuring consistency, with more measuring arm travel and enhanced measuring arm responsiveness. Beyond improved productivity, the HTH616C Series-III also has a variety of features for increased uptime. Hose routing has been optimized to the new valve improving fitting access and easier serviceability, while new optional harvesting guards for the main valve, drive arms, and saw box are available to reduce understory hosing interference. A new and improved valve cover provides quick no-tools access with integrated handles and quickattach pins. A larger oiler filler improves the ease of filling bar and chain oil and helps shorten daily servicing. The Waratah HTH616C Series-III is currently available in Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Asia Pacific, Brazil and Latin America. www.timberbiz.com.au

Harvesters

Komatsu Forest provides great combos for steep terrain K

omatsu Forest became the Australian dealer for the EMS Tractionline Tethering System some 20 months ago which resulted from KF previously having a close working relationship with EMS in NZ. Initially it was the Komatsu excavators which were converted by EMS, and was later followed by several successful sales in NZ with the Komatsu PC300LC/ Tractionline combination. Therefore, it made sense to form an exclusive union for Australia due to its small market size. The EMS Tractionline is a twin line traction winch assist system which has proven to be a very positive solution with contractors and forest owners involved with steep slope logging. The Tractionline is designed and manufactured to meet the stringent AS1418-1 safety standard which demands a safety factor of 5:1 on all components. The system runs constant tension with large back up and emergency brakes all controlled via wireless communication between the two machines. The KF and EMS combination is further enhanced with the Timberpro track range now an inhouse Komatsu product with the new 24

Midway. The Tractionline and modified Komatsu carrier were assembled in New Zealand and landed on the Melbourne docks in February. The new machine has an all up weight of 36 tonne as opposed to 42 tonne of his existing unit which will provide the advantages Mick needed for his tighter operations. Clearwater logs both in the Otways – which is pretty much all steep slope – as well as the Strathbogies north east of Melbourne and around Casterton in Victoria’s Western District during the winter. Export issues – now partially sorted – and Covid-19

TimberPro

TL755D

TL775D

Weight

35,380kg

41,277kg

Engine

Cummins QSL8.9

models TL755D zero tail swing & TL775D tail swing HP 260kW (349hp) 260kW (349hp) models especially suited to Track Frame 5.0m Opt 5.3m 5.3m tethering with an in-built three-point hitch system. Tractive Effort 484kN 484kN Their high tractive track Track Speed 5.5kph 5.6kph power, strong slew force, and extra-long track frames Slew Force 87,587Nm 154,292Nm complimented with 28 and Levelling 28/24/7 22/20/8 22 degree levelling have proven ideal for tethering in hit hard last year with one considers is a brilliant maNew Zealand and Australian employee infected and the chine with few problems. steep terrain. “I haven’t really sat down operation shut down for Currently KF have deto work how much more eftwo weeks. livered four Tractionlines But now it’s back to work. ficient it really is,” he said. in Australia all of which “It has certainly added to After 15 months operating are fitted on the Komatsu with the TL755D, Mick still the safety factor and it alPC300LC. The first unit was lows us to access timber sold to Mick Fenn of Clearwhich would been otherwater Logging & Transport wise inaccessible because from Colac in Oct 2019 to we are not allowed to handtether his then new Timfall anymore.” berpro TL755D working in And sidecuts have also the Otways slopes. Mick’s been ruled out. special pink TL755D fitted But with the TL755D he with a Satco 630E was feadoesn’t have to do either. tured on the Nov’19 issue of Komatsu Forest’s ManagAustralian Forest & Timber ing Director, Brett Jones cover. said several Timberpro In March he will take deTL755D’s have already been livery of a new Komatsu sold in Australia and are PC270LC / Tractionline as proving to be a real winner, he needed a lighter maespecially with its superior chine for the tighter counspecifications for steep tertry and will be tethering an rain. There is no zero-tail existing lighter track maswing machine on the marchine which will back up ket that can match it for his work in Western VictoMick Fenn of Clearwater Logging in Colac with his track and slew power. ria for AKD, Hancocks and Timberpro TL755D.

•

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

www.timberbiz.com.au

Carbon offsets

BP buys up big in the US to bank forest carbon offsets

Looking Back 2020

SALVAGING burnt softwood timber in New South Wales is set to expand rapidly, while only small amounts of burnt native forest is being harvested as assessments of the damage continue, according to Forest Corporation of NSW. Fires hit more than five million hectares of NSW this season across national parks, State forests and private property. About 890,000ha of native State forests and 65,000 ha of State forest timber plantations were affected by fire in some way, which is about half the state forest estate.

2016

P has acquired a majority stake in carbon offset developer Finite Carbon, building on its existing interest in the company. Finite Carbon is the largest developer of forest carbon offsets in the US. BP will bring the firm into its in-house business accelerator, BP Launchpad. Together with BP’s additional investment, this is expected to bolster Finite Carbon’s expansion, including into new geographical markets. Finite Carbon identifies and develops projects that enable landowners to generate revenue from the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of forests. These actions increase carbon stored in forests and generate carbon offsets that are verified against industryrecognized standards and can be traded on markets. “Putting a price on carbon can make it possible for anyone with the ability to protect, plant, or improve forests to generate revenue from their efforts,” Finite Carbon founder Sean Carney said. “However, there is currently limited infrastructure to quantify, monitor, and verify these actions at scale. Thanks to this unique partnership with www.timberbiz.com.au

Key Points inite Carbon is North • FAmerica’s leading developer of forest carbon offsets. It has generated over one-third of all California compliance offset supply and delivered more than $500 million to landowners. Its project portfolio includes three million acres of working forestland, representing every region and major forest type in North America from the Appalachians to coastal Alaska.

•

BP, Finite Carbon now has the resources of a global energy company behind it to help address this enormous environmental challenge and help small landowners access this market. “Finite Carbon has the potential to build a global platform for managing and financing natural climate solutions (NCS). Deepening our partnership will allow them to accelerate their development and expansion. Finite Carbon’s progression through bp from venturing investment

to majority ownership and introduction to Launchpad – is a great example of how we are applying our unique innovation ecosystem to foster innovation and build material energy businesses in support of our net zero ambition.” Finite Carbon now has 50 carbon projects on three million acres in the US which have registered more than 70 million i ndependent ly-ver i f ied offsets and generated more than $500 million in revenue for landowners. The increased investment will aid the delivery of a further $1 billion to landowners by 2030 from its existing business lines and its new CORE CarbonSM platform. “Finite Carbon has the potential to build a global platform for managing and financing natural climate solutions (NCS),” BP’s executive vice president of innovation and engineering David Eyton said. “Deepening our partnership will allow them to accelerate their development and expansion. Finite Carbon’s progression through bp – from venturing investment to majority ownership and introduction to Launchpad – is a great example of how we are applying our unique innovation ecosystem

to foster innovation and build material energy businesses in support of our net zero ambition.” BP Launchpad focuses on providing multi-year funding and support for rapid start-up development with BP as a majority shareholder. It offers founders and teams business building capabilities and expertise in operations, finance, tech, growth marketing, talent, and corporate development, alongside long-term growth with an incentivized exit path. Finite Carbon will be able to leverage BP’s global footprint to support expanding its operations internationally and to access BP’s technological infrastructure to scale up the voluntary carbon market, while also supporting efforts to restore, maintain, and enhance biodiversity. CORE CarbonSM is the first web-based platform designed to enable small landowners to access the carbon offset market. The technology removes barriers, including high transaction monitoring and reporting costs, which prevent small landowners from accessing the carbon market and instead enable them to generate new annual income through long-term commitments to good land stewardship.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

THE Australian Forest Growers Biennial National Conference in Launceston (23-26 October) will challenge speakers and delegates from all parts of the private forest grower enterprise to show how and why private and farm forests provide a diverse range of social, economic and environmental values to be shared, managed and enjoyed by local and regional communities in Australia and elsewhere. The conference theme is ‘Make the Right Choice’. Communication is the principal objective of the three-day conference program consisting of up to 40 ‘face-to-face’ speakers and presenters.

2011

APPROVAL, with controls, has been given to Scion to field test genetically modified radiata pine (Pinus radiata) in outdoor containment. “Scion’s role for New Zealand is to scientifically assess the commercial potential of new technologies for forestry. Our application was a logical extension of the research we are currently conducting under previous approvals,” said group manager Bioproduct Development Elspeth MacRae, after Scion had gained approval from the Environment Risk Management Authority. Field trials are designed to provide proof of concept in a contained outdoor site that is similar to a natural forestry setting. They are an intermediate stage between the production of genetically modified trees in the laboratory and commercial forest plantation. 25

Hydraulics

Taimi introduces hydraulic peace of mind

e know that today’s hydraulic machinery is not simple. Machines are highpowered, have very sophisticated systems and they have a lot of work to accomplish each and every day. Taimi Hydraulics, Canada (www.taimi.ca) is recognised for their reliable ballless swivels and cartridges that stand out by enduring side loads, high pressures, and pressure spikes like no others. The fact that their swivels also last about 10 times longer than a standard ball-bearing swivel makes

them a wise choice for hard to reach or oil sensitive environments or when downtime can simply not happen. These are also some of the reasons why most of A Taimi hose support the OEMs of the forest industry have chosen Taimi’s 34 countries and 12 markets products. Nowadays, you including forestry, mining, can find their products in agriculture, solar, railway, construction, and offshore operations, among others. Tough, Professional Tools Taimi wants to help opAustralia-wide delivery! erators, mechanics, and owners to focus on the imHaglof Forest Measurement Haglof Tree Calipers portant stuff, not on the Strong, lightweight umpteenth leak. With this Swedish made goal in mind Michel Tailaluminium tree lon, founder and president calipers of Taimi Hydraulics, creNew Vertex V Vertex Laser Geo ated Taimi swivels and carSpencer Logging Tapes tridges 15 years ago. Michel Clinos/Height Meters saw how loggers from his Tough US made logging tapes surroundings in the north 15m, 25m length tapes of Quebec, Canada, were and 30m+diameter faced with hose and swivel failures creating downtime Suunto Tandem Nikon Diameter/Girth Tapes and oil spills in the forest. Compass/Clino Forestry Pro II Large range of steel & It resulted inevitably in a fibreglass diameter tapes lot of time and money down from $22 Huge range of tree the drain. Changing a hose planting, pruning and Tree Planting Equipment in the Canadian winter at measuring equipment! temperatures reaching –40 degrees (and Australia’s +40 Pro-Pruner degree summer) is no fun Swedish made game. This is what drives Pottiputki tree planters Taimi’s team: a desire to ofModels 45/55/63/75 fer expertise and innovative New Zealand made lopper Kidney trays, planting belts, components allowing for designed for lift pruning spades & Hamilton planters safe, efficient, and long-lastof pine & eucalypts. ing hydraulic circuits. For Also Razorback, Bahco, Felco & Barnel 15 years, they have developed custom solutions and Over 2000 products at products like the SwirollTM, info@forestrytools.com.au www.forestrytools.com.au designed specifically for 02 9417 7751 or call for our 2021 catalogue harvesting heads and Strap

•

WrapTM that groups, supports and protects hoses. New product In-line hydraulic swivels are one thing - but how can their benefits be transmitted to the whole length of the hydraulic circuit? Michel, discussing with operators and mechanics from different industries, wanted to further secure a safe and long-lasting hose set up. After plenty of thinking, many tests and having the final product run in the field in Canada for 20 months, Taimi is now ready to launch the ‘Taimi Rings’. They are said to be the perfect complement to their swivel solutions for a reliable and long-lasting hose routing; a way to firmly support and route hoses while still allowing the relief of torsion during operations. The product is made of rings clamped on each hose and then inserted in a support which is fixed on the machine. The support comes in different shapes to fit different types of machinery, such as harvesting heads without continuous rotation. Each hose in its Ring is free to rotate inside the support.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

The feedback so far is unanimous: Taimi Rings are a compelling hose routing solution for harvesting heads and other machinery. Compared to conventional equipment, the use of Taimi Rings reduces costs in many ways, the first being by being more affordable than the other options available. Weight is also reduced, as well as the pressure drop in the system and the total number of fittings needed. Taimi Rings also provide an integral hose torsion relief, a better hose grouping and support and an increased flexibility because of the elimination of rigid hose sections. This is no small achievement according to the operators and mechanics. The result is a reduced number of leak points and an increased hose life. Taimi is proud to offer their clients a new solution, that is simple, sturdy and effective while being user friendly with an easy installation and a quick hoses access. To find out more about Taimi products and see the combination of Taimi Rings and In-line swivels in action visit Australian dealer Forest Centre, online at forestcentre.com.au/attachments www.timberbiz.com.au

Mulchers

Mulcher moves from silviculture into forests

igercat has added to its mulcher line-up with the release of the 760B mulcher and the 4061-30 mulching head. The new 760B is a 550hp class mulcher carrier that shares major components with the field proven and similarly classed Tigercat 480B track driven mulcher as well as the popular M726G wheel driven mulcher. The 760B was designed primarily for silviculture applications. Forestry companies require the capability to efficiently clean up residual post-harvest forest debris and grind stumps to ground level. The 760B meets this requirement and the machine will also find application in large scale

land clearing and ROW projects. In stable, well drained soil types, a high horsepower wheel driven machine has many advantages including quicker travel speeds, lower operating costs and the ability to run a wide mulching head for improved coverage and wider swaths, increasing quality and productivity. As such, Tigercat also designed a 3 metre wide mulching head to complement the new carrier. The new 4061-30 mulching head is based on the original Tigercat 2,5 metre 4061,

with several updates and enhancements. The 2,5 metre 4061 will be rebranded as the 4061-25 when similar updates are introduced in early 2021. The 760B will be standard equipped with boom float, LogOn™ (Tigercat’s wifi based machine monitor-

ing system), ground level fueling and Tigercat’s WideRange transmission. The operator’s station was designed with operator comfort in mind, with a climate controlled seat, Bluetooth audio connectivity and ergonomic controls. Tigercat mulcher car-

riers offer superior build quality, greater hydraulic efficiency, better operator ergonomics and easier access to components and daily service points than competing mulcher carriers. The result is greater uptime and higher productivity.

HYDRAULIC PEACE OF MIND

forestcentre.com.au

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

Tyres & chains

Tractor tyre T for soft and hard ground

he Nokian Ground King tractor tyre with its new kind of HybrilugTM pattern caused quite a stir upon its release in 2019. For the first time, the same tyre could bring excellent results both on soft field and in fast road transports.

World Leading Forestry Chains and Tracks

To unlock the potential versatility of as many tractors as possible, the Nokian Ground King tyre range is steadily growing – with the total of 20 sizes available from January. Every tyre must make a long journey from an idea to something you can buy and use on your tractor. With Nokian Ground King, this journey started as a concept tyre with a quite unique-looking tread pattern. It drew a lot of attention on trade fairs and promised to combine the best properties of lug and block tread patterns. After the concept was perfected and production-ready, it proved to be a winning one. “Of course, we had made thousands of hours of our own testing”, says Tero Saari, Product Manager at Nokian Tyres. “But the final proof for me was when Nokian Ground King tyre was tested by a German university and proved to be superior to a standard lug

tyre pattern. What’s more, the word from the field, the experience of the actual users, has been very, very positive.” Growing the size range Once the tractor tyre has been released to the market, it should be made available to the types of medium and high-power tractors that can benefit from its, power transfer capability and mobility on a soft soil combined with a stable and comfortable road behaviour. During the last quarter of 2020 as well as beginning of 2021, the Nokian Ground King tyre family is expanded to cover 20 sizes – enough to make the new versatility available for most common medium and high-power tractors. ”The current trend in tractor contracting goes towards more versatile jobs that change during the course of the year”, Tero Saari says. “Nokian Ground King responds to this trend, and these new sizes make more versatile tyres available for most medium and high-power tractors.”

FIRST WITH INDUSTRY NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

www.chaffeyschains.com.au

03 6491 1686

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU

26 Claude Road, Sheffield TAS 7306 28

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

australasian

Brought to you by

www.timberbiz.com.au

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

www.timberbiz.com.au

Silviculture

Drones head under canopy I f volume equals value in forestry terms, the lower stem is one of the most important, yet least accessible parts of the tree for airborne remote sensing. Until now, that is. Flying above the canopy, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) scanners cannot reliably map tree stems. On the ground, GPS error prevents conventional laser mapping. SLAM technology (Simultaneous Location and Mapping) is the solution. It can create 3D maps from sensors without GPS. Attached to a UAV, this technology can navigate around a forest unpiloted. All the while, the sensors are collecting a highly detailed point cloud dataset of the forest environment that is immediately available after the scan, avoiding expensive and time-consuming data processing.

Over the past 18 months, Scion has conducted forestry trials with the manufacturers of a range of mobile SLAM scanners, including GreenValley International and GeoSLAM. And in November 2019, Scion and Emesent successfully completed a world-first and trialled Hovermap technology beneath the forest canopy. Results from the trial show that there is tremendous potential for SLAM technology to detect tree stems and take detailed measurements including location, diameter, height, stem volume, branching and stem defects, all of which determine the value of wood in the trees. Forward thinking forest industry consultants, Interpine, have now taken up the

Results from • trials show that

there is tremendous potential for SLAM technology to help determine the value of wood in the trees. technology and have begun to offer it as a service. “We look forward to working alongside Scion to provide a pathway to implement SLAM-based LiDAR technology in the forestry sector. Together our teams will continue to extend what can be done with this game changing technology,” says David Herries, Director and General Manager of Interpine. Potential uses for the accurate data created by this technology stretch far and wide. Precision forest management activities to benefit include tree thinning opera-

NO ONE KNOWS

air fl W LIKE SMITHCO

We’ve been a leading force in air ﬂow design for almost 3 decades, with 4-, 6-, 8-, and 12-bladed propellers, designed and manufactured exclusively for the lumber industry. Now, they are even more capable with higher- temperature capacity for certain applications. We combine this technology with unsurpassed customer service, design consultation and technical expertise, so whatever your air ﬂow need, you can trust SmithCo to deliver.

Phone 503-295-6590 • 800-764-8456 U.S. smithcomfg.com sales@smithcomfg.com 30

tions, targeted application of fertilisers and tree harvest and marketing. The ability to measure exceptional individual trees for inclusion in tree improvement programmes and improving descriptions of tree characteristics will help researchers make better tree breeding selections, resulting in better trees shaping tomorrow’s forests. Scion also aims to develop use of autonomous flying. This will speed up the data gathering process and make it safer, reducing health

and safety risks presented by manual forest measurement, as well as solving issues with skills shortages in the industry and the subjective nature of manual measurements. Areas that have been completely unreachable will also be able to be surveyed. This safe, efficient and effective way to gather undercanopy data is the last piece in the puzzle of representing a forest digitally and creating a complete picture of the forest from above and below that identifies and characterises individual trees.

DON’T MISS A THING Australasia's home for timber news and information

DO MIS THI

Get all the latest timber and forestry news, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Get all the latest ti SUBSCRIBE ONLINE TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU

and forestry news Tuesday and Thurs

australasian

Brought to you by

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

www.timberbiz.com.au

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

Visit www.timberbiz www.timberbiz.com.au to sign up today.

Scanning

New 3D scanner receives warm welcome S

awmill scanning experts JoeScan has launched its latest JS-50 WX model scanner. A successful beta program saw scan heads put through the paces in mills across North America. The JS-50 WX is being praised as a do-it-all sawmill scanner, with current installations covering machine centers from bucking lines to transverse edgers to trimmers. “In order to facilitate the greatest range of options we tested the JoeScan’s against a number of other considerations and decided to standardize on the JS-50 WX as part of our core offering,” says Joe Korac, President at Automation and Electronics USA. “With our optimizing platform’s current projects requiring Log Merchandising, Whole Log Breakdown, Gang, Edger and Trimmer optimizers; the JS-50’s unique attributes made it an excellent fit for all our customers’ needs.” Automation & Electronics have been utilizing JoeScan JS-50 heads as part of the development of their NextGen Platform for Geometric Optimization, including this optimized trimmer.

A high density scanner in operation at Pollard Lumber in Georgia, • in the United States.

JoeScan senior business • development manager Blake DeFrance

“The new scan head delivers accurate high-density range data, quality ‘Laser Imaging’ data for inspection of visual defects and knots, and scan rates sufficient for high-speed systems,” says Steve Fletcher, Director of Optimization at Timber Automation. “JS-50 WX provides us all this in a compact, reliable packSimplicity is the big advantage Making scanners easier to install age. There is built-in redundancy and maintain is the primary focus with two cameras, and the 5-year of the newest member of the JoeS- warranty gives peace of mind to our can family. Sawmill-first features customers.” like Power over Ethernet single cable connectors and an intuitive new A fresh face To help introduce their new scanmounting bracket are aimed at simplifying the scanning experience for ner to the industry at large, JoeScan installers and operators alike. The has hired a new Senior Business API interface has been re-designed Development Manager, Blake Defrom the ground up to make the task France. Blake brings with him over of integrating JoeScan hardware 20 years of industrial automation with optimizer software as quick experience and a passion for forging partnerships. and easy as possible. “I’m thrilled to join such a dediEarly adopters have also been impressed by the next-gen perfor- cated and talented team,” says Demance and JoeScan’s well-earned France. “My #1 goal at JoeScan is to help our optimizer and OEM partreputation for reliability.

www.timberbiz.com.au

ners get sawmills the scanning solutions they need.” The JS-50 WX is just the latest innovation from a company that has dedicated itself to the sawmill industry for the last 20 years. JoeScan views JS-50 WX as the herald of a new age in sawmill scanning. “The reception has been great so far, and we’re really excited to expand the benefits of this platform through the parts of the mill not covered by our new WX model,” adds DeFrance. “If someone is

scanning it in a green mill, planer mill, or veneer mill, we want to find a way to make that process simpler and more reliable for them.” Work has already begun on developing a single camera variant of the JS-50 WX that will offer many of the benefits in an even smaller package. JoeScan invites anyone that shares their vision of simpler, more reliable sawmill scanning solutions to contact Blake DeFrance at Blake.DeFrance@joescan.com

SCAN NEW JS 50 WX HEAD

SIMPLY BETTER

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

Mill technology

USNR service through Covid and beyond

hroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, USNR’s support for its customers has been unwavering. Having the designation as an essential service has afforded USNR the green light to continue supporting our customers throughout this pandemic. The company was fortunate that technology and infrastructure were in place to allow it to continue its activities within its manufacturing facilities, employees working from home, and technicians supporting customers remotely and with limited travel. USNR’s large and dedicated service team has been there to serve our customers long before the COVID-19 virus was thrust into our world. Challenging work environments and conditions are nothing new, but what is new is the reality

The regular support calls were handled remotely, with technicians either working from home, or from USNR offices with that now we must take extra strict safety precautions. As 3/8/2021 PM restrictions are liftsome precautions to ensure the7:53:22 safety of our teams and our ing, service technicians are customers while providing now more able to travel as continuous support for our needed. These service trips are evaluated on a case-byindustry. During the initial out- case basis to continue to break, many of USNR’s ser- provide a safe environment vice technicians were called for everyone. Early on, USNR established back home as regional governmental travel restric- its own protocols for the safety of its employees. Then tions were put in place. Team members who didn’t those protocols were built need to travel far to accom- into a guideline USRN admodate customers’ emer- hered to in its facilities and gency service were able to when team members went continue to handle these to a customer’s site. These ensured everyone remained calls. Key capital system start- as safe as possible, while alups that were already un- lowing them to perform necderway continued with essary service work. USNR’s objective in the appropriate precautions in place to guard against protocol was to take the appropriate precautions spreading the virus.

Millwide. Worldwide.

32 AFT_2021-04_USNR-BioVision1.indd

+1.360.225.8267

USNR service specialists have been able to help via • remote support. against potential exposure by evaluating a customer’s COVID-19 awareness, policies, and practices prior to allowing USNR employees to enter the premises, and offering a summary of USNR’s efforts for customers’ site evaluations. The customer’s safety verification covers such initiatives as their policies and practices as they relate to stopping the spread of COVID-19, sick leave policy, whether any of the cus-

tomer’s personnel exhibit signs of infection or have exposure to an infected individual, and how the customer is prepared to assist a USNR employee on their site who may face a medical emergency. And on the USNR side, the protocol details USNR’s preparedness measures, international travel, individuals displaying flu-like symptoms, social distancing, and the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE).

usnr.com

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

3/8/2021 7:53:22 PM www.timberbiz.com.au

Haulage ictured in front of the Freighter offices this Tandem • Paxle flat top Freighter trailer is ready for a customer

delivery. Photo circa 1960s.

Carrying Australia since 1945 T

his year marks 75 years since the first Freighter products rolled onto Australian roads. Freighter’s history is clearly as long as it is rich, and that legacy is a key component of every trailer that rolls off the line today. The origins of Freighter hark all the way back to before World War II, and its influence has been growing ever since. Truly national before any other manufacturer dreamed it was possible, the company didn’t limit itself to being the best in truck trailers. It also made boats, buoys, buses, forklifts, caravans, starting gates for racing tracks, wood heaters, and even had a crack at building its own 4WD vehicle. It’s said that during the 1970s, nine out of every ten heavy-duty trailers on the road were Freighter. Its influence on the industry remains undeniable. Freighter was officially created in 1945 with the first products rolling onto Australian roads in February 1946. However, its origins reach back even further, starting with a man named John McGrath, who was born in Melbourne just as the 19th century turned into the 20th. Back then, an estimated 1.6 million horses, 6000 camels and 45,000 bullocks were providing the power behind freight, and a car trip between Sydney and Melbourne could take a week. From scratching around to get by, McGrath had become the biggest trailer manufacturer in the country. Post war, new roads and new regulations were created to formalise the transport industry. The developments didn’t suit John’s mode of operation or stage www.timberbiz.com.au

Key Points

of life, so he decided to sell out of his burgeoning, but somewhat ramshackle operation. An enterprising man named Noel Peel saw things another way – with more structure around the already impressive operations, surely McGrath’s team of engineers, welders, fixers and makers could really shine. They named their company Freighters Ltd (apparently after a champion racehorse of the time) and held their first AGM in late 1945. The main order of business? Buying McGrath Trailer Equipment. Peter White – an experienced industry professional – purchased the business in late December 1982 and in early January. It was named Freighter Australia Manufacturing. With Peter’s laser focus on costs and product innovation, as well as some inspired licensing arrangements (such as the relationship with Tautliners), by 1985 the new Freighter celebrated the manufacture of 600 trailers in two years. By the early 1990s, the business was on the up-and-up again. More geographic and product diversification followed, and by the late 1990s Freighter’s performance drew the attention of a respected industry performer, Jim Curtis. Jim had created Maxi-CUBE, which had been ASX-listed in 1994, and was looking for a big step forward to achieve his growth aims. Freighter was a much bigger fish than Maxi-CUBE, but that didn’t stop him. In 1998, Freighter was acquired by Jim’s business. Later that year, Maxi-

reighter was officially • Fcreated in 1945 with

the first products rolling onto Australian roads in February 1946

the 1970s, 90pc • Dofuring every heavy-duty

trailer on the road were Freighter.

reighters is believed to • Fhave been named after a champion racehorse of the time.

TRANS was established. Freighter’s standing was so well-established that its name was retained and Freighter products became a key component of the MaxiTRANS business. Its status continued throughout the 2000s, as MaxiTRANS underwent a period of significant acquisitions and growth. Today, Freighter is celebrating 75 years as Australia’s longest standing trailer brand. While it has gone through significant changes through its journey, the brand continues to deliv-

er on its promise of high quality, high performance trailing equipment with an unmatched network of national back up support. “Freighter’s long and successful history is owed to our loyal customers”, Dean Jenkins, MaxiTRANS Managing Director and CEO, said. “Many of our customers are two or three generation Freighter loyalists. It is this on-going support that has helped build the legacy that Freighter prides itself on and will continue to be a part of every locally manufactured high quality trailer that is produced. “We sit here today reflecting on the great achievements of Freighter, from introducing the first curtain sided trailer into the Australian market, known in the Freighter family as the Tautliner, through to continuing to push the boundaries on Performance-based standards (PBS). “A common theme across the years has been finding innovative ways for our customers to get more out of their equipment, allowing them to increase productivity with outstanding

reliability, so they can focus on continuing to deliver the needs of the nation. “Senty-five years in operation is a significant milestone, not only for the Freighter brand, but for the wider transport industry as well,” said Dean. “Supporting Australian business and locally manufactured products is what has made it possible for the brand to continue to thrive.” “In celebration of this milestone and for our customers wishing to be a part of this historic year, we have released a limited edition Freighter 75th year Diamond Pack, available across the Freighter range throughout 2021. We encourage those interested to reach out to their local MaxiTRANS Dealer. “We again take this opportunity to thank all our customers, suppliers and staff for their on-going support throughout our extensive history, but also as important, during the most recent challenging times. We look forward with great excitement to the future of the Freighter brand and the transport industry as whole,” said Dean.

• An early 16-ton payload tandem axle Freighter semi-trailer with 32ft platform.

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

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

Onetrak

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

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.

NEW Tigercat 632E

Valmet 425EXL Feller Buncher

Skidder $POA

$85,000 + GST

• 21,000 page views on Timberbiz.com.au (* Google Analytics, Sept 2020)

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

Tigercat 635D Skidder

NEW Tigercat 480B Mulcher

$350,000 + GST

$895,000 +GST

Tigercat E625C Skidder $160,000 + GST

Timberjack 560D Skidder $55,000 + GST

CAT 325DL Log Loader $65,000 + GST

Hidromek HMK102B Alpha Backhoe Loader

Rotobec Forwarder Grapples POA

Tigercat H860C Harvester $190,000 + GST

FIRST WITH INDUSTRY NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

MEDIA

INDEPENDENT & AUSTRALIAN OWNED

MK IMPIANTI

$125,000 + GST

RF continuous laminated timber press line (came out of door component factory) Press very good for solid core door panels, table tops, and laminated panels utilizing offcuts. Ideal for production line using PVA glue.

In good, sound condition

NEW Rotobec RPA4570R RGP1300 Fits 25-35t carriers

$65,050 +GST

NEW Dressta TD9S

$POA

$38,000 + GST

Komatsu PC350LL

$165,000 +GST

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU NEW Fuchs MHL320F Timber Handler. POA.

1300 727 520 www.onetrak.com.au All Prices exclude GST

Brought to you by www.timberbiz.com.au

Two products utilising Laminated pine

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

australasian

magazine

Austral Timber Group

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

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021

www.timberbiz.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 SIII

With Install Kit Priced $59,000.00 +GST

Priced $287,866.85 +GST

Priced $217,052.00 +GST

Priced $148,600.00 +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 $34,000.00 +GST

Traded unit, just arrived in. POA

Bar & Chains

Danfoss handle

Seal Kits and Rods

WA119031 - Danfoss Handle Left Promo price $950+ (Saving $225)

WA108478 priced at $75.00

#T&Cs apply.

USED ATTACHMENTS

PARTS - New Ordering Site - partscatalog.waratah.com

Waratah Grapples

Purchase a Grapple and receive FREE road freight within Australia. *T&Cs apply.

For a limited time 10% off when you order online

*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 Terms and Conditions: * Free Road Freight applied to a single order that grapple has been order on, applies to both GR3010 and GR3020 purchase in the month of March. Other parts can be added to the order and will receive FIS road freight also. Limited stock, whilst stocks last. # To be eligible to receive 10% off your bar and chain order, order must be places order via our online portal - partscatalog.waratah.com

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News April 2021