Australian Forests & Timber September 2022

Philip Hopkins

LOGGING

contractors in Central and West Gippsland with virtu ally no work, a large mill in Orbost running out of log supply, while a new poll shows Victorians over whelmingly support home grown timber for housing.

Welcome to the paradox and crisis facing Victoria’s forest industry; the native forest sector, largely based in Gippsland, is at a virtual standstill due to legal action by environmentalists and decisions by the Supreme Court, as demand for na tive hardwood because of its beauty, strength and dura bility remains high.

At the same time, a lack of investment in softwood pine plantations and sup ply chain issues have led to high prices and a shortage of housing timber – and the state election is only two months away.

Logging contractors from West and Central Gippsland met in Traralgon recently to discuss the hardwood issue.

“There is absolutely no urgency from the govern ment,” said Chris Stafford, a logging contractor from Neerim South in West Gipp sland. Similar meetings were held in Bairnsdale and Marysville.

The dozen or so at the Traralgon meeting have mil lions of dollars of expensive equipment lying unused, and workers threatened with pay cuts or unemploy ment,

This comes as the latest independent audit shows VicForests in 2020-21 was 94 per cent compliant with the code of forest practice; the logging contractors, part of VicForests staff, are largely doing their job properly.

Parkside, Orbost’s second largest employer with 37 staff, has only a few loads of log supply. Like the Mectec mill at nearby Newmerella,

it will have to lay off its casu al work force and put perma nent staff on annual leave. If these mills close, along with the contracting businesses that supply them, the direct timber losses in the Orbost/ Marlo area will be 115.

Meanwhile, new polling has found overwhelming public support for the state government to invest in homegrown timber.

The chief executive of ficer of the Victorian Forest Products Association, Deb Kerr, said a UComms poll in the Keysborough district showed that an average 86 per cent of voters agree that Victoria should grow more trees for timber production.

“More trees in the ground will help secure Victoria’s future timber supply. A lack of vision for forestry by suc cessive state governments, bundled with high demand and a growing population, is now creating a perfect storm,” she said.

Ms Kerr said 90 per cent of Ash forests were injunc ted by the Supreme Court’s December 21 decision in relation to protecting the Greater Glider.

“VicForests has won five out of now 12 cases. Before the courts are two jointed litigations about the Greater Glider. The case has been heard, and the judge is yet to hand down her decision,” she said.

The Greater Glider is at the heart of the current situa tion. The Andrews Govern ment’s November 2019 an nouncement that it would close the native forest in dustry by 2030 included its policy on the Greater Glider through an Action State ment.

The Glider is widely dis tributed along Australia’s east coast, from central Queensland to eastern and central Victoria, includ ing in the Strzelecki and

Strathbogie Ranges. A 2018 Arthur Rylah Institute As sessment report estimated a Glider population of 69,000 in the Strathbogies.

The Glider is now declared ‘threatened’ under state law and ‘vulnerable’ under Commonwealth law, its pop

ulation having declined in recent decades.

DELWP (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning) in a website comment said the reasons were unclear, but factors included habitat loss and fragmentation, bushfires,

planned burns, threats from predators, climate change impacts and drought, and timber harvesting.

The Greater Glider Action Statement No 267 noted that “timber harvesting only oc

• Mike Brady, Daryl Hutton, Chris Stafford, Australian Forest Contractors Association general manager Carlie Porteous and Brian Wheelan at the Traralgon meeting.

Front Cover: Once again we present FORESTRY NOW, an industry-wide snapshot of how forestry has been handling the past 12 months, and where it sees the next 12 months and beyond. PAGES 11-34.

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My view

Labor strangling Victorian regions

THE inevitable job losses and the with ering of regional communities is showing its first signs as log supply dwindles thanks to a Victo rian Government which is using activism as its most potent tool.

The Mectec sawmill at Newmerella in East Gipps land was forced to lay off its casual work force and has put permanents on what lit tle annual leave they have left after Covid stripped most of their entitlements.

Critical log supply, which would see them continue to employ its workforce, is cur rently tied up in the courts as remarkably well-funded fringe groups do Victorian Labor’s dirty work.

These unqualified, self-in terested anti-forestry activ ists have somehow been giv en standing in the Victorian Supreme Court to mount actions purely designed to cripple supply.

They are given this stand ing because the Victorian Government refuses to close the loophole in the Sustainable Forests (Tim ber) Act 2004 which allows such groups to become vigi lante regulators.

The result is production coupes are tied up in in junctions, while a judge sorts through the facts from the fiction, and supply to Victorian hardwood mills is squeezed to a trickle.

Meanwhile, the Govern ment’s own environmental attack dog, the Office of the Conservation Regula tor (OCR), is doing its best

MY VIEW

Justin Law Forest & Wood Communities Australia Managing Director

to obstruct the salvage of windthrown timber in the Wombat State Forest.

This timber would go a long way to alleviating the timber supply shortage situ ation caused by the court actions, and yet the OCR has thrown its weight at one of the contractors going about performing this environ mental service.

Remember that this cleanup is at the request of the Dja Dja Wurrung people who identified a need to heal country by removing the windblown trees to al low new ones to grow.

But the OCR is figuratively throwing contractors per forming the task up against the cop car and frisking them for some kind of evi dence they can use to ob struct the operation. It even went so far as to get a Mag istrate involved.

Perhaps the OCR is feel ing left out because its NSW counterpart, the Environ

mental Protection Authori ty, has waged war on Forest ry Corporation, smashing the state forest agency with massive fines over four trees cut down a metre into an area designated a protec tion zone for koalas.

Where was the OCR when activists cut down trees in special protection zones in the Central Highlands back in February? Despite being alerted to the situation and police attending the scene, the OCR mumbled its way to complete inaction and the activists got away with it.

To the casual observer, this unholy mess looks like a concerted effort to bring about an early demise of an industry which is recog nised everywhere else in the world as our best chance to mitigate climate change.

Is it conspiracy or just plain old incompetence? Perhaps a bit of both – poli tics is all about making backroom deals, and with an election coming up, they’d be dealing faster than a Crown Casino croupier on a Friday night.

Meanwhile, the prom ise of a 2030 transition for the thousands of regional families who rely on native timber harvesting and pro duction looks as empty as the promise to make up the shortfall in the vitally need ed timber with plantations. Mills are rapidly running out of wood well before the promised transition pack ages are made available to them. That means they could lose everything with out compensation.

It’s causing fear and confu sion in our regional timber towns. Not just for the thou sands directly employed to harvest and mill timber, but their families, the shops who rely on their custom, the sporting teams which will fold and the schools which will close as our once proud timber towns dwin dle away.

All for what? A narrowminded ideology? An ecopolitical agenda supported by activist academics and journalists? The millions of dollars generated by greedy corporate activists using anti-forestry outrage?

Given how completely anti-forestry campaigners have managed to influence the public narrative, and that governments are by the people for the people, it could be tempting to let La bor off the hook.

But in Victoria, you would hope they look at the whole picture before making deci sions which affect so many people. They would know full well that everywhere else in the world forestry is celebrated and recognised as our best chance to effec tively manage our environ ment and reduce emissions.

So Labor did not make its decision out of concern for the environment, it’s a de cision designed to satisfy a subset of people who can influence their inner-city power base.

The people in our regional communities deserve bet ter.

Recovering $2M of taxpayer money is definitely in public interest

EVER

tried to skip pay ing a bill from a state government agency?

Didn’t think so.

Odder still, ever had a state government say don’t worry about paying that bill?

Obviously not.

So why then can the Vic torian State Government simply decide that a $2m debt is not worth recovering because it is “not in the best interests of the Victorian Government”.

For months former Agri culture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas repeatedly blocked requests for copies of a let ter she wrote to VicForests in February directing its

board to back off taking le gal action to recover a $2 million debt from an envi ronmental group.

At the time Ms Thomas said “no direction” was given to Vic Forests by the Victorian Government”. Yet the Minister and the Depart ment of Jobs, Precincts and Regions rejected Freedom of Information requests for copies of the letter, stating its release was “contrary to the public interest”.

But when Victorian Na tionals leader Peter Walsh

lodged an appeal with the Victorian Civil and Adminis trative Appeals Tribunal the government finally caved in, releasing a copy of the letter.

In the letter to then VicFor ests chairman Chris Lovell, Ms Thomas states recover ing the court-ordered costs against the group was “not in the best interests of the Victorian Government”.

Mr Walsh quite rightly points to what he describes as the government’s irre sponsibility with Victorian taxpayers’ money.

“Labor has put its own interests ahead of the Vic torian taxpayer in a letter that contains false advice

not to pursue the debt based on the government’s own guidelines,” he said.

“It’s behaviour sympto matic of the government and how they treat transpar ency.”

Ms Thomas says not re leasing the information was “contrary to the public inter est”; Mr Walsh argues refus ing to recover $2 million of taxpayers’ money is defi nitely in the public interest.

So, next time a licence or registration renewal notice arrives in the post you could perhaps mount a similar challenge not to pay.

But it’s unlikely you would succeed.

VicForests’ audit testament to ‘diligent and detailed work’

Philip Hopkins

THE annual EPA en vironmental audit of Victoria’s forest man agement practices has found that VicForests complied with 94 per cent of condi tions mandated in the state’s code of forestry practice.

A total of 30 coupes across Gippsland and the Central Highlands were audited, with two of the Central High lands coupes in Melbourne’s water catchments.

Across the 169 compliance criteria, VicForests’ perfor mance varied between 77% and 100%, with an average of 94% in 2020-21. VicFor ests’ average performance the previous year was 95%.

The criteria cover protec tion of forest soils; protec tion of water flows, water quality and river health; pro tection of biodiversity val ues; road maintenance and closure practices; and coupe planning.

VicForests, a state-owned body, is responsible for har vesting and selling the tim ber from state forests and regenerating the harvested areas.

The auditor, Jacobs Group, was commissioned by the Department of Environ ment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) to do the work as part of its Forest Au dit Program (FAP). The FAP, operating since 2002 and managed by DELWP since 2010, is commissioned by a unit of the Conservation Regulator.

Incidents that did not conform to the code were recorded in 19 of the 30 audited coupes. This was an average of 1.3 incidents with potential environmen tal impact per coupe, with as many as five incidents re corded in one coupe.

However, only one inci dent with a potential envi

ronmental impact was ob served.

This resulted from con struction of a boundary track into a Leadbeater’s Possum Special Protection Zone (SPZ). “Disturbance associated with the track affected about 1000 square metres within the SPZ (less than one per cent of the SPZ,” the audit said.

An SPZ is a forest manage ment zone that is managed for specific conservation values. SPZs form a net work within State forests that complement the for mal conservation reserve system.

Among the average com pliance results of the vari ous audit themes were:

*Environment: 92% for forest soils and 91% for wa ter flows, water quality and river health.

*Conservation of biodiver sity: 95%.

*Operational planning and record-keeping: 97%.

*Coupe infrastructure –protection of water and soil from roading, snig tracks and landings – ranged from 86-95 per cent.

Some incidents with lesser environmental im pacts included incursion of regeneration burns into buffers or other areas that were planned to be pro tected from timber har vesting and regeneration, and poorly executed reha bilitation in in-coupe road waterway crossings.

VicForests’ chief execu tive, Monique Dawson, said the findings were tes tament to the diligent and detailed work of VicForests staff. VicForests, as part of its continuous improve ment program, would take action on the 2020-21 audit findings,” she said.

“It will increase its focus

on including a selection of salvage coupes in ongoing post-harvest monitoring, reviewing and updating procedures and provid ing further training to the staff around soil and water protection associated with coupe infrastructure,” Ms Dawson said.

Coupes for the audit were risk-based, rather than fully randomised. The find ings of the audit cover a portion of VicForests’ oper ations, with low-risk areas not audited.

The high-risk criteria in cluded waterway crossings, long in-coupe roads, steep slopes, more erosive soils, rainforest vegetation in close proximity, and pres ence of threatened flora and/or fauna.

Changing of the guard at AFPA as Greg McCormack steps down

RIVERINA-BASED

ago econo mist Diana Gibbs has been appointed Chair of the Aus tralian Forest Products Associa tion.

She has replaced long-serving Australian forest industries leader Greg McCormack who has stepped down. Mr McCormack will also re tire from the Board at the Annual General Meeting in November.

The Chair of the Softwoods Work ing Group and Murray Region For estry Hub Peter Crowe congratulat ed Ms Gibbs on her appointment.

“Diana has been a stalwart of the SWG and MRFG for many years and her competence as an agro econo mist has been recognised at the highest levels of government,” he said.

“Diana has made major contribu tions to a portfolio of important re ports and studies on the softwood plantation industry, and her de tailed analysis of the economic ef fects of the 2019-20 bushfires were of enormous benefit to policies and

decisions by the NSW and Federal Governments on bushfire recovery programs,” he said.

Ms Gibbs is based on a farm near Wagga Wagga and has served on the AFPA Board since 2019. AFPA is the peak national industry body repre senting the resources, processing, and pulp, paper and bioproduct industries covering the forest prod ucts value chain.

She has a master’s degree in En vironmental Studies and has more than 40 years of experience as a consultant working across the for estry, agriculture, and mining sec tors, with specific experience in economic assessment and strategic planning issues associated with forestry.

She is currently a director of Ag rifutures Australia, Riverina Local Land Services, MRFH and SWG, and has previously been a director with organisations including Mur ray Darling Basin Authority, Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation, NSW

Rural Assistance Authority and NSW Climate Change Council.

Ms Gibbs said it was extremely humbling to step into the shoes of an industry statesman like Greg Mc Cormack, who has played such an enormous role in forest industries in this nation.

“I will continue, as Greg has done, to vigorously prosecute the role of forest industries as a crucial part of a carbon-constrained future and a sustainable driver of regional econ omies.

“I look forward to working with the Albanese Government to deliv er regional growth and a real con tribution to the path to net zero, via a strong forest sector,” she said.

Mr Cormack said it had been an enormous honour to fill this leader ship role.

“Twelve years ago we set out to unite the industry under one ban ner, to take our message into the corridors of power more effectively and explain to politicians and the broader community just how vital it is for Australia to have strong, growing forest industries.

“Although the journey is far from over, I am delighted that we secured $300 million in new funding com mitments from the Federal Gov ernment at the last election, have bipartisan support for planting one billion additional timber produc tion trees, a newly announced $100 million forest industries research

centre and recognition in policies that our industry is vital if we are to meet more ambitious climate goals.

“I’m also very proud of the con tinued support AFPA has provided Australia’s native forestry indus tries, including telling the story of how critical native hardwood timber products are in our lives and homes. We must keep arguing the climate and economic benefits of keeping our native industries strong into the future.”

“However, it is now time for oth ers to take forward the vision. I look forward to seeing even more suc cess as our industries really carry so many answers to some of the world’s biggest problems.”

Chief Executive Officer of AFPA Ross Hampton said, “Greg McCor mack has been a globally respected forest industry leader for decades. For the last eleven years he has been the clear, strong voice for our industries and taken our cause up before everyone from Prime Minis ters, Premiers, Ministers and Shad ow Ministers and other commodity leaders.

“Greg has been a voice of reason and never shied from the difficult issues, overseeing the growth of AFPA from a very modest organisa tion to a formidable advocacy Asso ciation with 17 staff around the na tion. Under Greg the vision of ‘one voice’ has been growing ever more real.”

• New AFPA chair Diana Gibbs with former chair Greg McCormack.

VFPA delivers two-pillar election platform

THE Victorian Forest Products Association has launched its state election platform, Our future grows on trees.

VFPA CEO Deb Kerr said she was proud to present a program that will help the state meet its demand for timber and emission reduction targets.

The State Election will be held on November 26.

“We need commitment from all sides of politics to support our twopillar policy platform. This will deliver more timber to our tradies, help decarbonise Victoria’s econo my to achieve net zero by 2050 and drive innovation, growth, and jobs”, said Ms Kerr.

The two pillars are:

Our Home-Grown Timber Fu ture: Our goal is to become selfsufficient in wood products while supporting jobs in Victorian pro cessing and supply chains. For this, we need more investment in a stag nating plantation estate as well as a commitment to a sustainable native forestry industry

Delivering our Climate Future: More trees will sequester more car bon; more wood products in use lead to better ecological outcomes

than carbon-intensive alternative materials such as plastic, steel & concrete

“Our asks include more invest ment to increase the static planta tion estate, policies to prioritise wood as a building material and active forest management for im proved ecological outcomes,” Ms Kerr said.

“Among today’s most pressing issues are climate change and af fordable housing. Our sustainable forestry industry produces the only renewable building and packaging material in the world, wood. That means we can and should play our part in addressing these issues.”

Ms Kerr also outlined the VFPA’s election strategy.

“We are meeting with senior poli ticians from all parties, outlining our platform and seeking support. We will be active in key seats and

Logging, mills grinding to a halt in Victoria

curs in a relatively small proportion of the total area of habitat occupied by Greater Gliders”.

Timber harvesting is only carried out in about 5 per cent of Victoria’s native forest.

The action statement said about 26 % of Glider habitat was in for mal parks and reserves, with an additional 14% protected in Special Protection Zones in State forest. Of the remaining area, about 43% fell in the General Management Zone or Special Management zone of State forest.

To protect the Glider from timber harvesting, the initial policy stat ed that if five or more Gliders are found within a spotlight kilometre, 40 per cent of the eucalypts across each harvesting coupe must be pre served, including live, hollow-bear ing trees.

This management action, DELWP says, replaced the existing prescrip tion in the Code of Practice for Tim ber Production until the Code was reviewed and amended accordingly.

The action statement is not yet for mally part of the regulatory frame work (in law), but the Conservation Regulator will monitor compliance

“until Code amendments are made”.

Glider policy was tightened after the 2019-20 bushfires, with stricter requirements particularly in East Gippsland, and in July this year conservation advice was updated as part of the federal State of the Envi ronment Report.

VicForests maintains that its new policy of retention harvesting, in contrast to clear-felling, can retain up to 80 per cent of forest stand, and dovetails with the actions rec ommended in the Greater Glider Action Statement and subsequent policy updates.

VicForests now puts the action statement requirements in place, prioritising live, hollow-bearing trees, when it finds three Gliders per spotlight kilometre, not the pre vious five.

“An analysis overlaying all detec tions (from the Victorian Biodiver sity Atlas and VicForests Species Ob servations layer) made post-harvest in timber harvesting areas in Vic since 1980, found that the species can persist in timber harvesting regrowth areas of very young age,” VicForests says on its website.

growth areas. But we will also be out in forestry communities, through socials and in person where we can, sending a strong signal that our in dustry has its place in Victoria’s fu ture,” she said.

“We don’t want Victoria to head into a period of growth as the ‘im

port state’ – we have a sustainable, renewable resource at our door step,” Ms Kerr said.

“Forest industries have come to gether to support our common goal this coming election– sustainably growing Victoria.” Download VFPA’s election platform document here.

• VFPA CEO DEB KERR.

BRIEFS

Hume Forests sale

THE Australian Competi tion and Consumer Com mission is making market inquiries about NSW For estry Corp’s proposal to buy Hume Forests.

Hume, which is overseen by Global Forest Partners, comprises softwood planta tions located between the Tumut-Tumbarumba and Bathurst-Oberon regions of NSW.

They comprise about 19,000 of freehold land with a net plantation area of about 14,000 hectares and have been up for sale through Resolute Advisory.

The asset could fetch a price of close to $200m, judging from analyst esti mates.

New HVP chair

ADRIAN Kloeden is step ping down as a director and independent Chair of Han cock Victorian Plantations after eight years to focus on his increasing range of busi ness and other interests.

Senior business execu tive and commercial lawyer Therese Ryan has been ap pointed as a director and independent Chair.

New business division

NEW Forests, a global in vestment manager of na ture-based real assets and natural capital strategies, has announced the forma tion of a new business divi sion, New Agriculture and the appointment of four ex perienced investment pro fessionals to the team.

New Agriculture has been established to build a port folio of agriculture assets globally, starting in Austral ia and New Zealand, and to manage the Lawson Grains 100,000-hectare aggrega tion.

VP appointed

Jim Wilson has been ap pointed as Vice President of Forestry Australia, covering the position made vacant by Dr Michelle Freeman while she takes maternity leave.

Mr Wilson is a Registered Forestry Professional, with a career which has been fo cused in the private sector. He has invested his recent years working with Forico in Tasmania, as well as pro viding significant service to the forest sector in advoca cy and leadership.

Telematics emerging as business analysis tool

Gary Olsen and Paul Iarocci

COST per tonne is the total cost of an indi vidual machine or a logging system divided by the total production of that machine or system.

It is a simple formula but the accuracy depends on challenges related to com piling and often estimating variable and fixed costs, as well as production rates – all broken down by machine.

It is an important analysis that can help contractors to improve profitability by optimizing equipment and system choices, eliminat ing flow bottlenecks, and identifying poor operating practices.

The process leading up to plugging numbers into this simple formula can be complex, often relying on dangerous assumptions and extrapolation outside of the known. This article dis cusses the basics of cost per tonne calculations as well as methods and resources to get the best quality input data and assumptions.

This is where Tigercat’sRemoteLog tele matics system comes in. RemoteLog can tell offsite owners and managers that the machines are in the right place and operating within established mechan ical parameters, but users can also pull important data from the system to aid in cost per tonne calculations and other types of business analysis.

Total production should not be difficult to figure out because harvesting contrac tors are paid based on some type of volume or weight measurement. The unit of measurement might be tons, tonnes, cords, truck loads, cubic feet or cubic metres. Here, we use the unit tonne to represent a measure of production.

Determining the produc tion for a particular piece of equipment or logging sys tem can be more complex. RemoteLog telematics or the machine control system may help in some cases to provide very accurate pro duction volume. This func tionality is currently limited

to stem counts for a feller buncher, volume reports from the harvester comput er control system, and bunk scales that provide payload data via the forwarder’s computer control system.

For other types of ma chines, it is necessary to ob serve and count the individ ual machine’s production to determine the associated production volume over a fixed time period. Then di vide by the total number of hours the machine actu ally worked. This provides a good estimate of produc tion per working hour. The longer the sample period, the more accurate your in formation will be.

Availability and utilization

If your machine operator is running an eight-hour shift and you are keeping careful track of the number of actual productive ma chine hours per shift, you will very likely notice that it is some percentage of eight hours. This analysis is relat ed to machine availability and utilization. In general, availability or mechanical availability is the propor tion of time the equipment is able to be used for its in tended purpose and is re lated to uptime.

Utilization is the propor tion of the available time that the equipment is then used for its intended pur pose. Employee breaks, daily maintenance, nonproductive travel time, re fuelling and mechanical breakdowns are all factors that reduce machine utiliza tion. In order to get an ac curate production rate per hour figure, the denomi

nator should be utilization hours, not total shift hours.

Although machine shift length and shifts per year can likely be determined from payroll or account ing records, RemoteLog can take the analysis a step further by dividing the shift into discrete group ings – productive time, idle time, refuelling, machine shutdown and an additional optional category, service mode. The accuracy level of the utilization assump tion is directly related to the accuracy level of the entire cost per tonne analysis. In addition, it is instructive to figure out what exactly are the causes of the non-pro ductive time in a shift.

Once you have determined how much a machine or a harvesting system is pro ducing per hour, it is time to assign a cost per hour to that given machine or system. Good record keep ing will make this process easier. There are many vari ables to consider when de termining the cost per hour for your forestry machine.

Variable costs

These are the costs di rectly incurred by run ning the machine. Fuel consumption, defined by whatever date range you choose, can be accessed from RemoteLog. However, careful record keeping is re quired in order to get good estimates per machine for inputs such as filters, fluids and maintenance labour.

Fixed costs

The telematics system is not going to help you with fixed costs, but your ac countant or bookkeeper can. An important point to remember here is that un like production and vari able costs, which can be calculated for a time period of any duration, some fixed costs must be factored over the expected life of the ma chine. This is where your own experience, machine records, history and the experience of your dealer can help you to estimate a suitable machine lifespan and residual value based on your unique operating con

ditions. Then these fixed costs can be amortized over the life of the machine. Oth er fixed costs such as insur ance premiums and licenc ing fees are annually based and thus more straightfor ward.

As touched upon earlier, cost per tonne analysis is a great way to compare and evaluate different ma chines. The model is often used to compare different brands of machines to one another in order to make a purchase decision. How ever, cost per tonne can be used to help decide be tween a track or wheel feller buncher for a given applica tion. The analysis may be used to decide between a full-tree or CTL system.

Like factories, mecha nized logging operations must run continually, on schedule and with mini mal downtime. Successful industrial manufacturers conduct some type of cost versus production program, often in real time, in an ef fort to improve efficiency and reduce costs. By mak ing all your costs transpar ent, this exercise will allow you to determine different strategies for reducing costs or increasing production, possibly by replacing tech nically obsolete or trouble some equipment, or modi fying processes to remove bottlenecks, and improve flow and productivity. And performing cost per tonne analysis based on fixed time periods will allow you to compare with past periods to determine if your costsaving or production-en hancing tactics are actually working.

Tigercat has made avail able to its dealers a series of spreadsheet based cost ing models. These models are fairly easy to use and provide a solid foundation for cost per tonne analysis. RemoteLog telematics is a value adding system that is collecting vast amounts of data and processing it into actionable information. Over time as additional functionality is added to the system, this information will become more compre hensive and valuable.

The past three years have been a period of upheaval within the timber industrynationally with bushfires, COVID lockdowns, China, the decision to halt the native timber industry in at least two States and legal challenges to the timber industry as a whole. On top of that we now have economic as well as supply chain challenges. We believe the time is right to take a snapshot of where we are and where we may be heading. FORESTRY NOW is a State of the Industry Review which includes observations from the industry’s key players on the industry as they see it.

Collaboration is the key to growth

THE size and scale of Austral ia’s forestry industry can’t be understated - the jobs it pro vides, the communities it supports, the projects it enables. Where would our big infrastructure projects and housing be without it?

It’s an industry that supports more than 64,000 jobs across the country, and is on track to deliver $2.3 billion in gross value of production in 202223 according to the ABARES Agricul tural Commodities June Report.

That’s an incredible result consid ering the challenges faced in recent years, including bushfires, trade in terruptions, the global pandemic, and the impacts of climate change.

The Albanese Government is proud to support Australian forest ry. And as a current home renovator, my family and I can personally at test to the quality of its product and the pressure on the industry!

As the new Minister, I am commit ted to working alongside industry, unions and state and territory gov ernments of all persuasions.

As the recent Jobs and Skills Sum mit proved, we can get better out comes by working together.

Since being elected, the Albanese Government has got to work sup porting initiatives in the forestry sector. We’ve been engaging with industry, workers and governments, particularly around supply and workforce challenges.

In my first few months in the new role I have been working with the industry to find the best ways to promote better use of our timber re sources and grow the forestry indus try, including through our election commitments.

Very early on, I met with members of the Australian Forest Products As sociation and we talked about our shared commitment to promoting Australia’s sustainable forestry in dustry.

The Government has made com mitments that will see more trees in the ground and more investment in innovation so more timber products are made here at home. We want to train the next generation of timber industry workers, recognising the unique needs of the sector.

We have begun work on our Stra tegic Forest and Renewable Ma terials Partnership, which takes a collaborative approach and forms a constant line of communication between industry stakeholders and the government to consult on gov ernment programs and capitalise on opportunities.

I have also been working with my colleagues to fulfill our commit

SENATOR THE HON MURRAY WATT

Senator for Queensland Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister for Emergency Management

ment to remove the water rule in relation to the Emissions Reduction Fund and carbon farming, and hope to be able to provide an update on progress soon.

Recently I visited the Australian Sustainable Hardwoods mill at Hey field in Victoria.

It is Australia’s largest hardwood timber manufacturer, and I was im pressed by their efforts to maximise efficiency and get the most from regrowth harvest. It’s the kind of in novation that will help to grow the industry by combining smart busi ness with sustainability.

It was also really pleasing to see their timber front and centre at the local Performing Arts Centre during a visit to Latrobe Council in Traral gon later in the day. That sort of lo cal support and pride for the indus try is commendable and should be the norm.

Working together we will contin ue to find new pathways to growth through innovation and promoting Australia’s sustainable and environ mentally friendly forestry practices.

I am excited about the future of the forestry and timber industries in Australia.

I am seeing an industry of resil ient and innovative people, and so much potential in new technolo gies and ways of working to grow and produce forestry products to benefit Australia and our trade part ners across the world. The industry also has an important role to play in helping Australia achieve our emis sion reduction target. If we get the right investment framework and the right regulation, we can create the carbon sinks that we’ll need to help remove carbon from our atmos phere. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to working with all in the sector to realise it.

I offer my thanks to all the people in this industry that make it among the best in the world. It’s a privilege to represent you, your families, and your communities now and into the bright future ahead. Responsible Wood mark Australian

Attention turns to keeping new Government on task

IT’S been a fascinating year so far for us working for industry at the Australian Forest Prod ucts Association.

The first half of 2022 was dominat ed by the looming Federal Election, where AFPA successfully secured bipartisan support for more than $300 million in policy and funding commitments to benefit the sector.

So, with the election result now behind us and the new Albanese La bor Government taking the helm of the nation, AFPA now turns to the implementation phase for the com mitted policy and funding, which included initiatives to get more pro duction trees planted, the establish ment of a new National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI) in Tasmania, continued Regional Forestry Hubs funding and an in dustry roundtable.

It’s convenient to think that for an industry association like AFPA, the advocacy job is done when a gov

ROSS HAMPTON CEO Australian Forest Products Association

ernment says its going to do some thing. Far from it. It’s now our job to make sure the committed policy and funding fulfils its purpose. The initiatives need to best fit with and work with industry. And, ultimate ly, they need to help achieve the broader goal of boosting domestic timber and fibre supply.

AFPA’s job now continues - to be the usher along the way. For ex ample, we have already facilitated an industrywide and stakeholder group on the design of the NIFPI and we’re now working with in dustry to make sure the funding to drive plantings is most effective.

One of the key planks of the Alba nese Government’s policy platform is climate policy and emissions reduction, with the 43 per cent reduction on 2005 emissions lev els commitment, well known. It’s an ambitious policy and one that requires real solutions to make a dent in emissions.

AFPA has been calling for the fed eral government to work towards and achieve its own goal of plant ing one billion new production trees by 2030. Without those plant ings, sourcing local timber and fi bre will become increasingly diffi cult in the decades ahead and we

have been documenting the risks. The new Government must realise though, that growing those trees will have major benefits in climate change mitigation. Those billion trees can help with Australia’s 43 per cent target!

In November, AFPA is team ing up with the National Farmers Federation (NFF) at the World Cli mate Conference in Egypt (COP 27) to promote forestry and climate smart farming as big solutions to fighting climate change. This will take our advocacy to a whole new level, offering a partnership to the Albanese Government.

Getting more trees in the ground benefits the climate and secures our sector. Ultimately, that’s what it’s about. Making sure Australia’s forest industries continue to pro duce essential and high-quality products while providing longterm sustainable employment in the regions and the cities.

We are a sunrise industry, we have a big future ahead because a growing Australia and world wants what we sustainably produce. It will be a big charge at COP 27 and I see the second half of 2022 being just as important as the first half was with the election.

It is time to reclaim ‘forestry’ as a science and craft

AUSTRALIA needs a vibrant forestry sec tor led by trained professionals equipped with a scientific and prac tical understanding of for ests.

As we all know, Australia’s forests are facing numerous and converging challeng es including ongoing and heightened concerns over climate change and its im pacts on forest health and biodiversity, recovery from bushfires and floods as well as increasing pressures to meet society’s demand for timber and other forest products and services.

We welcome the increased focus on the benefits of farm forestry to improve farm productivity, seques ter carbon, support biodi versity, produce wood and fibre as well as diversify in come streams for land hold ers. A successful national farm forestry strategy will require national forest pol icy settings that allow and actively encourage land owners to integrate tree plantings into their farming systems. There is a risk that as various governments and agencies rush into this area there will be a duplication of initiatives and resources. For this pivot towards farm forestry to be successful we

JACQUIE MARTIN Australia

been listed to sign off on Forest Management Plans. Forestry Australia has ini tiated a review of the RFP scheme to ensure that it is fit for purpose and that the scheme provides assurance that the skills, knowledge and ethics of an RFP meet a high standard as well as be trusted and relied upon.

We note there are also pressures on our profes sion, forest science, and the future of a skilled workforce in Australia. These pres sures include the decline of opportunities to study forestry, some negative per ceptions of the profession impacting its attractiveness to younger generations, and some media outlets’ bias re inforcing a misunderstand ing of our noble profession.

Reflecting on the future, it is clear now is the right time for us to adapt and to pur sue a new vision for how we manage our forests, seeking collaborative and holistic approaches to active and adaptive management.

The sector knows that for estry holds the key to solv ing many of our societal challenges:

• Carbon capture to help address climate change

• Tools to restore and protect ecosystems and bio diversity

• Year-round active man agement to mitigate the im pacts of catastrophic bush fires

• Opportunities to learn from and work with Tradi tional Owners

believes that we need to be active and passionate advo cates, as a collective and as individuals, promoting our value, skills and the need for what we do. At times, we will also need to adapt our message and our approach to secure our future.

It is our role, as forestry professionals to adapt our approach to engagement through genuine listening and broader collaboration as we build a brighter future for the health of our forests and our communities.

need to collaborate as a sec tor and be mindful of les sons from our past.

The carbon farming mar ket, notably through the 2022 Plantation Forestry Method, offers a signifi cant opportunity and en couragement of forestry in Australia. Forestry Aus tralia’s Registered Forestry Professionals (RFP) have

It is time to reclaim “for estry” as, the science and craft of creating, manag ing, conserving, using and caring for forests. Science –because there is knowledge and learning that underpins our profession based on observation, measurement and analysis. Craft – be cause there is a skill and art form needed that requires us to read, connect with and understand forests in ways that include, but can’t al ways be described, by west ern science alone.

• Opportunities to lead the development of a cir cular bioeconomy that ben efits regional communities and broader society.

Most Australians are una ware that our dynamic and sustainable sector can pro vide so many solutions.

In the absence of a na tional shared vision for our forests, and in wanting to be seen to be “doing something”, governments continue to react with thought-bubble policies that miss the big picture.

Forestry Australia strongly

As a sector, there is an op portunity for us to discuss and promote the balance of all forest values. These val ues do not necessarily com pete and can successfully co-exist. A workable future for forestry will require our federal and state forest poli cies to be well-considered, focus on long-term think ing and be informed by evi dence and science, and it is our role to light the way.

Forestry Australia and our growing and vibrant member community ac knowledges that these chal lenges are significant, but it is within reach if the sector commits to investing in our collective futures with in tegrity, hope, positivity, and an open mind.

Haulage State of the Industry Australian plantation statistics 2021 update

AUSTRALIA’S plantation es tate was estimated to be 1.74 million hectares in 2020-21.

The total estate has been declin ing in area since 2012-13, driven by structural changes in the hardwood sector.

While the hardwood estate has de clined from one million hectares in 2012-13 to 0.75 million hectares in 2020-21, the softwood estate has re mained stable at approximately one million hectares since 1998-99.

Structural change in the hardwood sector has come about through the introduction and cessation of Man aged Investment Scheme (MIS) incentives for forestry in the early 2000s.

Under the MIS, companies priori tised investment and expansion in short rotation hardwood pulplogs.

Around 2009, the majority of for estry MIS companies collapsed, re lated to the global financial crisis. In turn, the least productive short rotation hardwood plantations pre viously owned by these companies were progressively converted to oth er land uses, driving a contraction in the size of the hardwood estate.

In 2020-21, there remains approxi mately 80,000 hectares of former MIS plantations in the hardwood estate that are now owned by farm foresters and other private land holders.

It is expected that the trend to con vert ex-MIS plantations to other land uses will continue and a significant proportion of the 80,000 hectares is likely to be removed from the plan tation estate.

Of the current estate, softwood plantations are concentrated in New South Wales and Victoria which to gether account for over 50 per cent of national softwood plantations.

Hardwood plantations are con centrated in Tasmania and Western Australia, again accounting for over 50 per cent of the hardwood estate in 2020-21.

In the financial year to 2020-21, new plantation establishment was not sufficient to offset plantation conversions to other land uses.

In 2020-21, around 1500 hectares of new plantations were estab lished, consistent with low levels of annual plantation establishment since 2013-14.

Of the small area established, Western Australia accounted for the majority of softwood planation es tablishment over the past two years and the majority of hardwood plan tations were established in Victoria.

At a jurisdiction level, all jurisdic tions except Queensland experi enced a net reduction in plantation area, while the Queensland estate was static.

The largest decline was observed in New South Wales. Most of the plantation estate is privately owned, with 85 per cent of the hardwood es tate and 66 per cent of the softwood estate owned by private entities such as institutional investors.

Notably, New South Wales and Western Australia have higher than average public ownership struc tures.

In New South Wales, 76 per cent of plantations are under public owner

• Log harvest value.

• Plantation established.

Battling government out of step with expectations and demands

THE forestry indus try in WA continues to navigate its way through the implications of the State Government’s poorly considered decision to cease native forestry by 2024 and to stand on the timber supply hose.

Despite committing to business as usual to 2024, and in a desperate effort to give substance to its narra tive that WA’s native forests have run out of sawlog, the WA Government has fla grantly ignored its contrac tual obligations in an effort to starve businesses out of the industry earlier than 2024.

This double assault on family-run timber business es is not only disgraceful, but it also flies in the face of the basic principle of Gov ernment – do no harm.

While the Forest Indus tries Federation of WA has been successful in securing a compensation payment for harvest and haulage contractors and sawmills di rectly impacted by the deci sion, the payment falls well short of the promised ‘just transition’.

The payments do not rep resent ‘just’ compensation for the value of the business as a going concern before the State Government’s de cision to cease native for estry, the financial hardship experienced as a result of critical skilled workers leav ing the industry and busi nesses being unable to fill the vacancies, and supply volumes being more than halved by a government more interested in giving substance to its false narra tive than honouring its con tractual obligations.

These payments are also insufficient for businesses to transition either within the industry or to another industry, leaving impacted families with an uncertain financial future.

Timber businesses with residue contracts and oth er certain contracts, and their workers, have been excluded from accessing the business and worker compensation payments. The government’s refusal to undertake socio-economic assessment of its decision

ADELE FARINA WA Chief Executive Officer

nity of Manjimup 10 years to begin to recover. While the native forestry industry was significantly reduced as a result of the 2001 policy de cision, the decision to close native forestry will be far worse for these communi ties and the state.

The ongoing uncertainty for industry and lack of clarity as to what we are transitioning to, as we wait for the release of the draft Forest Management Plan 2024-2033 to learn the scope of and prescription for eco logical thinnings, continues to exact an emotional and financial toll.

replant most of the pine plantation over the Gnanga ra mound without any plan on how to replace this lost pine resource.

The current planning pol icy settings in WA, serve to frustrate, not facilitate, ex pansion of the plantation estate. The government’s refusal to engage with the forestry industry and to correct planning policy set tings illustrates the McGow an Government’s true lack of commitment to grow the plantation estate despite its funding commitment.

subject to plantations being a subsidiary use to a ‘prop er’ farming activity and removing consideration of the economic benefit of the plantation in in its consid eration to grant a develop ment approval. The same local government author ity is proposing to amend its town planning scheme and local planning strategy to further enforce these re strictions.

means we do not know how many businesses are im pacted by this decision. It is estimated that more than a thousand businesses in the supply chain or provid ing services to industry also will face significant adverse financial impact as a result of the decision, many will be forced to close. Their workers face redundancy, as a direct result of the Gov ernment’s decision, yet they are ineligible for financial support.

The economic and social impacts on timber commu nities following the ‘protect ing our old growth forests policy’ of 2001 left these communities shattered. Lo cals say it took the commu

At the time of its announce ment, the WA Government hailed its joint announce ment to invest $350 million over 10 years to expand the softwood plantation estate, equating to 33,000 hectares for softwood plantations as a significant investment to assist the State transition from native forestry to plan tation timber.

This completely ignored the fact that hardwood tim ber and softwood timber have different qualities and therefore different uses. In truth, the announcement, if realised, will not expand the softwood plantation es tate but rather return it to its former size, which was decreased as a result of a government decision about a decade ago to fell and not

Despite the Minister for Agriculture’s position that growing trees for timber is an agricultural pursuit like any other and plantations being a permitted use on ag ricultural land, State Plan ning Policy 2.5 facilitates the frustration of this policy by local governments.

Since the WA Govern ment’s funding announce ment one local government has proposed imposing a higher differential rate for plantations as opposed to other agricultural activities and two local governments have moved to implement local planning policies on plantations with clear inten tion to drastically limit the expansion of plantations within their jurisdictions. One goes as far as imposing a 30 - 35% of the total farm area cap on plantations,

We have the technology and know-how to build tim ber skyscrapers, consumers are demanding the use of sustainable, renewable and carbon neutral products and the demand for timber has never been stronger. Yet never has government policy, at the State and lo cal level, been so out of step with societal expectations and customer demand.

In a State that relies heav ily on the mining sector for wealth generation, there is little likelihood of the WA Government meetings its commitment of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 without significant growth in the plantation es tate.

It is simply not enough for governments to an nounce net zero carbon targets, they must ensure policy settings facilitate, not frustrate, achieving these laudable and necessary out comes.

• WA’s timber mills such as Whiteland Milling in Busselton face an uncertain future. Picture: Bianca Kate Photography

Tasmanian focus on sustainable forestry

TASMANIAN forestry is demonstrating in novation and climate credentials

Forestry and related industries on our island state are continuing to boom as the state looks to sustain able forestry for solutions to climate change.

The key to our success has proven to be “on island pro cessing” which is supported by the community and is un derstood as being beneficial for both the environment and the economy.

This mindset is seeing an era of great innovation and value adding of both planta tion and native timbers.

Continued investment is seeing our industry continu ally advance in the areas of high-quality veneers, con struction ply, glue lam and

NICK STEEL CEO Tasmanian Forest Products Association

wood/plastic composites as well as expanding softwood processing capacity and con tinued supply of fibre making its way to growing markets.

We are continuing to see investment into research and trials of plantation eucalyp tus nitens where there is an opportunity to value add on island to a high value product. This is happening in the areas of cross laminated timber for construction and ongoing work into planta tion timbers for appearance products such as veneer pan els, furniture, flooring and kitchens.

There still exists an “any thing but forestry” attitude in sectors of the community however our advocacy, me dia and PR work is beginning to pay dividends with people starting to understand the

importance of forestry and the role we play in carbon mitigation.

Our education campaign in the first year focussed on bridging the connection between forestry and the products that people use every day which was a first step in some basic educa tion connecting consumers with forestry. Now, as we evolve our messaging to our new campaign we will

be focussing on the future. Future housing, a carbon free future, a plastic free future and jobs for the future and what forestry’s role is in achieving that.

Information can be found at tasmaniantimber.com. au and on our social media channels.

The Tasmanian industry is working hard and continuing to innovate work hard for the benefit of the industry.

Victorian forestry works towards a sustainable, self-sufficient future

AS we are hurtling to wards the November election in Victoria, it has been nothing short of encouraging to see how the industry has rallied behind a common goal – advancing forestry by working towards a sustainable, self-sufficient future. And this spirit is ex actly what is needed to tack le the various opportunities and challenges we face.

The outrageous ongoing litigation against VicForests is pushing some mills to wards, if not already, moth balling at least part of their operations. Meanwhile, escalating land prices con tinue to thwart the expan sion of the plantation estate and has resulted in Victoria importing more softwood than any other state. And yet there remains consider able consumer demand for wood in all its forms. This consumer demand will con tinue, with Melbourne soon set to be the most populous capital city.

There are still a lot of neg ative perceptions around forestry, mainly from eNGOs, and those who have not come to terms with the need to harvest trees to provide wood. Others don’t realise that forestry is at the heart of Victoria’s circular economy and es sential to achieving net

DEB KERR CEO VFPA

zero by 2050. Wood will be required for bioenergy, to house our growing popula tion, and to build our clean, low-carbon future. Recent Victorian elections have lacked a vision, policies, and programs to support Victoria’s forestry. And that is even though we provide the primary input to 115,000 businesses across regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne!

And a vision is what VFPA seeks from the party that forms our next Govern

ment. It will need to pro vide a safe, stable, and supported investment en vironment to underpin the attractiveness of Victoria across regional and metro politan Melbourne. We are in the process of providing the major political parties with our election manifes to, with initiatives that sup port Victorian-grown and processed timber that will, in turn, support jobs, busi nesses, communities, the economy, and our aspira tions to achieve net zero by 2050.

We are underpinning our election asks by rolling

out a long-term awareness program that, at its heart, is aimed at Victorians who love wood products but are largely ignorant of the in dustry. The aim of our me dia and PR efforts is to make Victorians aware of and support sustainably pro duced Victorian wood and wood fibre products.

To make this happen, we have initiated an aware ness program to win the hearts and minds of Vic torians. The program will feature case studies of the variety of Victorian wood products and educate the audience on how forestry

works. We want to take our audience on a journey, cre ating a positive connection between end products and forestry through videos and storytelling, busting myths, educating, and making consumers feel good about using Victorian wood prod ucts.

We have many challenges ahead of us, but the Vic torian forestry industry is united in its efforts – and we’re not too shy to say that our industry is central to the achieve the aspirations of all Victorians for sustain ably produced, renewable wood for tomorrow.

Laying the foundation for industry growth

THE Queensland for est and timber indus try has been running at full steam the past year to keep up with current high levels of housing demand and an ongoing pipeline of future construction.

New housing starts in Queensland have sat at over 40,000 homes per annum the past two years and is forecast to remain the same in 2022-23 and almost 39,000 new dwellings in 2023-24. Net migration increases into Queensland and natu ral population growth has meant mills have worked to maintain high production across the softwood planta tion and native hardwood and cypress sectors. This production was disrupted by several flooding events through the year which resulted in a number of temporary shut-downs or reduced log intakes from restricted access.

There was also a 30 per cent increase in non-resi dential building activity to $10.4 billion in 2021-22 with a lift in public infrastruc ture spending. This leads to the exciting development in Queensland with the an nouncement of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. This has catalysed the Queens

land Government and the private sector to use the Games as an opportunity to position Brisbane as a glob al city with a 10-year runway of economic and public in frastructure development.

The announcement of an Australian Research Coun cil grant in 2022 to boost re search at the Future Timber Hub hosted at the University

of Queensland was also wel come news in positioning the Queensland industry and researchers at the fore front of timber building de sign and innovation. It was exciting to see more mas sive and light weight timber mid-rise and tall building projects in Brisbane with many Timber Queensland members directly involved in supply and installation.

On the supply side, con siderable work is being done to lay the foundation for longer term hardwood availability to increase local industry capacity. In addi tion to discussions as part of the Native Timber Advi sory Panel, the industry has been briefing the State Gov ernment on the multiple economic, social and en vironmental benefits from actively managed state and private hardwood regrowth forests. These include car bon positive outcomes and much-needed wood supply to meet the state’s building needs and essential services such as power poles, indige nous forestry opportunities and local manufacturing jobs. Timber Queensland is actively working with indigenous stakeholders and unions including the Queensland Branch of the

Australian Workers Union on long-term foundations to grow the industry into the future.

In July 2022, the Queens land Government also es tablished a new Timber Industry Ministerial Round table as a whole-of-industry forum to provide feedback to government to further grow the industry. A num ber of key issues were iden tified at the first meeting. These included: the need to address labour needs and related skills and training requirements; promoting new plantation investment and increasing the produc tivity of the plantation es tate; promoting greater in novation and use of timber in sustainable procurement policies and building de signs; and actions to deliver native hardwood resource security in both public and privately managed re growth forests.

The industry is working on local recruitment and train ing initiatives with techni cal support from the South and Central Queensland, and North Queensland, re gional forestry hubs. Pro moting new models for plantation and farm forest ry investment is also high on the agenda including ap

plied R&D. The silvopasto ral (integrated pine and cat tle grazing) trials in North Queensland represent a large-scale experiment to look at the potential returns for farmers from joint tim ber and beef production from pasture alleys within planted forests. More em phasis is being placed upon increasing productivity and recovery from the existing plantation resource, as well as new ways of promoting and integrating more trees on farms with investors and landowners.

Finally, following the hard work by Timber Queens land and other allied bodies during the federal election, we continue to advocate for the removal of the discrimi natory ‘water rule’ barrier in the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). This barrier is stifling any new plantation investment in Queensland by blocking access to car bon markets under the ERF for any areas that receive over 600mm annual rain fall. The Albanese Govern ment committed to remov ing this barrier as soon as possible after the election and we continue to hold the Government to account un til this perverse policy issue is fixed.

Heads above the competition!

Log Max harvesting heads are designed for installation on various types of carriers, from light wheeled harvesters to large tracked harvesters. Low weight is essential for the CTL-method using wheeled harvesters. This has resulted in Log Max being top of the range when comparing pulling force to weight ratio. A product of technical excellence and performance.

The company is well-known and well-reputed in the industry. Well-experienced technical support and customer care.

Concentrated work with ISO/quality assurance in every ongoing process Continuous staff education regarding commitment and understanding of each customer’s needs.. Altogether, this has made Log Max an established brand worldwide.

MICK STEPHENS CEO Timber Queensland

Expand native forestry to relieve pressure on dwindling resource

VICTORIA has the capacity to main tain a financially vi able and sustainable native timber industry support ing thousands of workers, their families and busi nesses, while protecting Old Growth Forest and en dangered wildlife.

Not only does native forest management deliver posi tive social and economic outcomes, it is critical to combatting climate change.

The current plan by the Victorian Government to phase out the industry is not supported by economic or environmental data and will occur at the detriment of communities, industries and the environment.

Rather than phasing out the industry, native forestry should be expanded to re lieve pressure on the dwin dling resource, improve our existing $2billion trade deficit in wood and tim ber products and improve employment security for regional Victorians. Native timber production in pub lic forests promotes carbon storage and must be taken seriously if Victoria is to tackle climate change The current situation

In November 2019, the Victorian Government an nounced its plan to phase out native forest logging by 2030. Harvest levels will be maintained at current lev els to 2024, then reduced by around 25% in 2025, and a further 25% from 2026 to 2030.

The Government’s policy is to transition the remain ing native forest timber in dustry to plantation timber. Only $120 million is offered as a transition package for the whole of Victoria; a recent economic report shows the industry is worth $311 million per annum across two eastern shires in Wellington and East Gipps land alone.

Plantation timber is insuf ficient to support the entire

timber industry. It requires 40 to 60 years to develop hardwood plantation tim ber for harvesting and the Government has currently failed to meet its own plan tation planting targets for 2030. In addition, the plant ed timber is blue gum, only suitable for pulp wood. Blue Gum cannot be substituted for the timber required for the construction and local manufacturing industries, which are already experi encing significant shortfalls in hardwood.

Economic impact

According to VicForests, native timber generates $1 billion in revenue. The en tire Victorian timber indus try employs around 21,000 people across the State. The native timber industry un derpins entire local econo mies and is a key employer, if not the major employer in many small towns in Gipps land. The native timber sec tor generates around 2,500 direct jobs and employs up to 10,000 people in down stream jobs across the state and in Melbourne, particu larly in the furniture mak ing industry.

The loss of native timber

industry jobs will have dev astating flow-on impacts for workers in small regional communities and for down stream construction indus tries. These flow-on effects need to be fully understood - it’s not just timber workers who will lose their jobs.

Regulated vs unregulated markets

Victoria’s native timber in dustry is regulated, sustain able, and renewable.

• Victoria has more than 7.64 million hectares of na tive forest. 94% of the native forests are unavailable and/ or unsuitable for harvest ing.

• VicForests harvests and regenerates approximately 3,000 hectares each year from Multiple-use Public Forests. That equates to just 0.04% of Victoria’s 7,645,000 hectares of native forest area– equivalent to 4 trees in 10,000.

• Victoria’s most environ mentally important forest areas are protected in 3.367 million hectares of Victo rian Nature Conservation Reserve and can never be harvested.

• All Victorian Old Growth Forest is protected

within the reserve system or excluded from harvest ing areas; Old Growth For est cannot be harvested for timber products.

• Every tree harvested is regrown, by law.

A ban on Victoria’s na tive timber industry means that timber required for the construction and furniture manufacturing industries will be sourced from other jurisdictions, including un regulated overseas markets which harvest timber from rainforests which cannot be regenerated.

Combatting climate change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report states that sustainable for est management can in crease and maintain forest carbon sinks through har vest, transfer of carbon to wood products and their use to store carbon and sub stitute emissions-intensive construction material. The native timber industry thus provides a climate solution. The industry also improves forest health by regenerat ing forest areas badly dam aged or killed by high inten sity bushfires.

CR KAREN STEPHENS President Timber Towns Victoria

Rebuilding from ground up after fires, floods and Covid

This year was a year for re building, following shocks from fire, flood and COVID in recent years.

Rebuilding resilience continues to be a major component of our in vestment in the estate. Post-fire sal vage programs in recent years have exceeded expectations and we have continued to maximise value from salvageable products more than two years on from the 2019-20 fires.

A record seedling crop was plant ed last year to start re-establishing fire-affected areas and the replant ing program is ahead of schedule.

Our expanded nursery operations in Blowering and Tumut have meant we will be planting around 14.7 million native and softwood seedlings in the plantation estate this year.

This is somewhat more moderate than the record 16 million planted in 2021, however a substantial boost to planting programs prior to Black Summer.

The NSW Government has an nounced a grant of $60 million for Forestry Corporation to repair roads, bridges and associated infra structure damaged in State Forests in the recent floods and severe wet weather.

The damage to our road network has been substantial and a signifi cant safety concern resulting in many areas and roads closed for use. The funding is earmarked for use in local government areas de clared as flood affected and stretch es across large portions of the state.

With this funding we have an op portunity to repair large swathes of our infrastructure to support all the uses of State forests and invest back into the forest estate for the future.

The funding is spread over three years and the expenditure program will involve more roading than For estry Corporation has ever deliv ered.

Timber is the ultimate renewable and is managed carefully to ensure it is responsibly supplied over the long term. Timber yields have been recalculated in response to the 2019-20 fires to ensure we continue to supply renewable timber respon sibly.

New long-term contracts are be ing sought for the Grafton softwood resource, and long-term hardwood supply contracts on the north coast are being extended for five years. The passage of legislation during

2022 to facilitate renewable energy production in softwood plantations has also enabled market sounding to commence into opportunities to produce renewable energy along side renewable timber.

Since the 2019-20 bushfires, en vironmental considerations have heightened and accordingly so has our investment in environmental compliance as we work to maintain a balance between environmental considerations and ongoing supply of renewable timber.

While regulatory actions are un derway, our focus has sharpened on compliance. In native forestry operations in fire-affected areas, we continue to bolster the regulated environmental prescriptions with additional voluntary measures.

During 2022, Forestry Corpora tion has continued to work collabo ratively with staff and contractors to drive a positive and proactive safety culture through a range of in itiatives. Our ongoing coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandem ic continues to provide leadership and structure for the organisation to support business continuity while minimising infection risk.

Implementation of safety leader ship initiatives continue and includ ed the introduction of a new CEO safety award, regular information sharing and staff and contractor safety meetings and forums, trial ing preventative on-site physiother apy programs to prevent soft-tissue injuries and intervene early to treat minor injuries.

Training opportunities were also identified and developed for key is sues including supporting mental health in the workplace and man aging challenging interactions with stakeholders and the management of end-to-end incident cycle was also further refined.

Our firefighter safety and capacity to protect the forest estate were also bolstered in the year, with the NSW Government funding a joint bid with the NSW Rural Fire Service to upgrade the Forestry Corporation tanker fleet to the value of $14.8 million over seven years.

This represents a seven-year pro gram with about 50 tankers being replaced.

All in all we are well on the way to rebuilding after the 2019-20 bush fires. Forestry continues to look for ward to a sustainable and exciting future. Harvesting operations in the Forestry Corp managed forests near Walcha.

The new generation of tankers offers fit for purpose vehicles with the latest safety systems, improved reliability and interoperability with other firefighting agencies. This will be a tangible improvement to safety and effectiveness in our fire fighting.

MechLog enthusiastic and

THE

Forest and Wood Products industry gen erated $23.1 billion in revenue and contributed $7.2 billion to Australia’s gross domestic product in the 2019–20 financial year.

As of April 2021, the sec tor employed over 52,000 people.

There is growing confi dence in the forestry sector –a sentiment shared by many industry leaders, including

MechLog Director and CEO, Jillian Aylett Brown. By any measure, Australia’s forestry sector has faced a challeng ing few years.

As we leave the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic be hind us, recovery in terms of social confidence and economic growth continues on a sustainable trajectory. A strong export market, commitments to large infra structure projects by state

and federal governments, and private and public sec tor confirmation of plans to build tens of thousands of new homes across Aus tralia, all bode well for the timber industry.

Speaking about a post-pan demic resurgence in the for estry industry, Jillian Aylett Brown said that every aspect of the forestry industry will benefit from forecasted in creased demand for timber

products for at least the next eight years.

“Personally, while most forecasts extend out to 2030 or 2040, I see the forestry industry becoming more stable, sustainable, and imperative to the Austral ian economy for many dec ades,” Jillian said.

“Research undertaken and published by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and

Sciences in Global Outlook for Wood Markets to 2030 suggest that:

• Global consumption of roundwood is likely to in crease by about 10 per cent to 2.2 billion cubic metres by 2030, supported by strong economic and population growth in Asia. Similarly, woodchip consumption is also expected to increase by about 40 per cent to 350 mil lion cubic metres by 2030;

optimistic about future

doors and window frames, to construct and renovate dwellings. Demand from downstream wooden furni ture manufacturers is fore cast to rise over the next five years, as greater construc tion activity stimulates de mand for everything from house frames to furniture.

book policy of prequalify ing prospective employees, identifying potential in our existing workforce, offering training, and encouraging people to take on more re sponsible roles.

• Globally, the sustaina ble harvest of existing wood fibre resources is expected to be sufficient to meet ris ing global consumption out to 2030, with wood prices in creasing modestly at a rate of one per cent annually in nominal terms;

• Large shifts towards imports of roundwood and woodchips in Asia is expect ed by 2030 as the sustainable yield of local supplies reach capacity. It is expected that these imports will be sup plied by producers in Eu rope and North America, increasing the amount of interregional trade in global wood markets; and

• Roundwood produc tion and exports from Aus tralia and New Zealand are expected to be stable and

remain constrained by the sustainable yield of existing forest resources.

“An IBIS report suggested that rising demand from residential and non-residen tial building construction is forecast to support the tim ber wholesaling industry’s recovery over the next five years. Ongoing home im provement trends are pro jected to support DIY con sumer demand at the retail level, boosting sales of tim ber products to downstream retailers.

“Demand from wooden structural component man ufacturers is also forecast to rise on the back of growth in residential building con struction and manufactur ers source timber for struc tural components, such as

“As a forestry services pro vider, MechLog is preparing for a period of sustained growth and stability in the forestry industry as we as sist our clients to meet the needs of downstream indus tries and manufactures. We are upgrading equipment, recruiting staff, and identi fying career paths for exist ing staff; so, as our contracts grow, we will have people in place to assist MechLog to expand its service offer ing to existing and potential clients.

“There is a chronic short age of workers across all sectors of the Australian economy and the forestry sector is no exception. The issue we face in forestry is one of perception. Too many potential employees still look at the industry as it was pre 1997 before the signing of the Forestry Ac cord. You cannot compare the industry of 25 years ago to the modern, safe, pro fessional, sustainable, and environmentally-aware for estry industry of 2022.

“MechLog has an open

Eco Log Forwarder 594F

The Eco Log 594F is our largest model forwarder with a loading capacity of 20 tons. Volvo Penta engine with a full 320 hp.

Updated cab with smart solutions, improved comfort and better visibility Enhanced control system IQAN MD4.

7-inch touchscreen for an even better overview.

Replacement of components provides easier service.

The new 594F belongs to the new generation of F-forwarders that has been developed with the driver in focus. The model has been fitted with a completely new cab, where space, comfort and visibility are prioritized - all in order for you to work as a driver, both more comfortable and efficiently. We also provide the market’s best warranty on our forwarders - 2 years warranty or 3000h operating time (Whichever comes first).

“A typical MechLog em ployee is skilled, highly qualified, environmentally aware, and committed to a career in forestry.

“This is an exceptional time to be part of the for estry industry for growers, contractors, and employ

ees. Forestry is, without a doubt, Australia’s most sus tainable industry; one that will continue to be a cor nerstone of the Australian economy. MechLog is fore casting growth of 10-15 per cent over the next five years, with an annual investment of $3.5m in new equipment and a continuing commit ment to training and up skilling for our workforce. MechLog is enthusiastic and optimistic about the future,” Jillian said.

• MechLog Director and CEO, Jillian Aylett Brown discussing training options with Work Health & Safety Manager, Duncan Norton.

New era of growth for Tasmania

TASMANIA’S largest and most innovative sustainable for estry company, Forico, is leading the charge in transitioning to a new model: one that considers the tangible value of biodiversity in its native forests just as important as the economic value of the wood fibre produced on its plantation es tate.

Forico was created in 2014 by Sydney based investment manager New Forests, and given the chal lenge of building a business based on plantation-only, high-quality woodchip for export, utilizing the 89,362 hectares of Nitens and pine plantation. The remaining 77,552 hectares of natural forest is man aged for conservation, biodiversity, water sequestration and cultural value to the Aboriginal community.

Under the management of longtime forestry chief Bryan Hayes, Forico developed into Tasmania’s largest plantation-based forestry manager, operating with the high est levels of environmental stew ardship and certification attain able. This has all been done without fanfare.

‘I call it Tasmania’s best company that nobody’s heard of’ says new CEO Evangelista (Ange) Albertini, who stepped in at the helm in Janu ary of this year.

With a passion for sustainabil ity and renewable energy, Albertini has delivered business planning to the Board which sees the compa ny embark on the next stage of its growth and development journey: more fully utilising the attributes and endowments of the estate, op timising the assets under manage ment and changing the way they are valued.

‘That means continuing with our core business of ‘chips to ships’ but also becoming a diversified asset management company,’ says Alber tini.

Further bolstering the company’s broader thinking at Board level are two accomplished non-executive directors, Tasmanians Beth Ma thison and Tracy Matthews. Ap pointed shortly before Albertini, both are seasoned Board opera tors who bring perspectives from a wealth of environments and are invested in sustainability and the state’s economic prosperity and natural values.

Since 2020, Forico has emerged as a global leader in the publication of Natural Capital Reports. Pro duced for the past two years, these report on the economic value of the ecological assets under Forico’s custodianship, adopting four of the United Nations’ twelve sustainable development goals. The reports

have been hailed internationally as a benchmark in new, nature-posi tive reporting, with Chief Financial Officer Rayne van den Berg speak ing on a panel with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern in July at the ANZ’s Melbourne head quarters.

This year, the third report will in corporate social capital and exam ine ways in which the newly diver sified company will bring increased value to Tasmanians, not just in offering employment but by ad dressing the challenges of climate change and pursuing business in a nature positive manner.

The company is now exploring opportunities to develop renew able energy, biofuels and biomass projects. They will potentially in crease domestic value-add through downstream timber processing and engineered timber products. This is especially salient given Australia’s heavy reliance on timber imports, and the need to decarbonise our housing and construction sectors through the use of renewable al ternatives to traditional steel and cement.

‘Whilst in their conceptual or formation stages, these are the ex citing initiatives and emerging op portunities,’ says Albertini. ‘We’re of course looking to maximise the value of the productive estate for our investors, but collectively we need to come up with global solu tions that address climate change and value nature positive activities that support and promote biodiver sity as well.’

Those in forestry understand the broad spectrum of activities that are required. Besides carrying out seed genetics, tree improvement and all the operations associated with plantation forestry, harvest ing and processing, Forico carries out a multitude of tasks focussed on enhancing biodiversity and sound ecological stewardship of the nat ural environment. That includes monitoring eagles during nesting season, and facilitating the study by UTAS researchers of colonies of healthy Tasmanian devils living in the far northwest of the estate, as well as the threatened Ptunarra but terfly on protected grasslands.

An active Reconciliation Action Plan has the business engaging regularly with the Aboriginal com munity, working towards improved understanding and collaboration, and the sensitive management of

• Former and present day Forico CEOs Bryan Hayes and Ange Albertini.

forestry’s quiet achiever

places on the estate which have cultural significance. The company is looking to deepen this commitment by supporting an Aboriginal cadet student through their Certificate II in Forestry Growth and Management.

A recent internal restruc ture has readied the com pany for shifting to a diver sification agenda. ‘We see ourselves as custodians of the natural environment, and that means creating value for our investors, but also being prudent stewards and maintaining the envi ronmental and biodiversity values of the estate for the benefit and betterment of future generations,’ says Al bertini.

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

Stay well-informed on market dynamics for better decision making

MARKET dynamics in the forest and wood products industry have been par ticularly unusual over the last cou ple of years, with the tail end of the 2019/20 bushfires still impacting businesses, and the vast array of im pacts felt from Covid-19 still rever berating to current day.

These market dynamics have been particularly present in the residen tial construction sector. Recent coverage in the news about timber supply for residential construction has been frequent and extraordi nary. There has certainly been an increase in public interest in our in dustry and its important role in pro viding homes for Australians.

One of the key reasons for this in creased interest is the events span ning from 2020 and especially 2021, where Australia experienced a rapid increase in demand for all building materials, including market domi nating hardwood and softwood tim ber products.

This surge in demand for wood products was unable to be matched by an increase in supply, either from domestic or imported sources, and this brought on price increases.

From the start of the Covid-19 pan demic, East Coast Australian soft wood structural timber products have now increased in price by be tween 40% and 55%. This informa tion is presented in the graph on this page, which uses a subset of pub licly available data from the longrunning FWPA Softwood Weighted Average Data Series.

Although the volume of national dwelling commencements has now begun to slow, and there is a growing expectation from within the sector of a cooling residential construction market, we know that eventually the demand for timber will be returned at even greater levels.

A recent FWPA funded study titled Future market dynamics and poten tial impacts on Australian timber imports has found that the increas ing demand for housing will contin ue to be a strong driver for timber demand into the future. This report states that by 2050, national housing demand will reach 258,000 dwell ings per annum with almost 60% of these dwellings being houses. This is an additional 75,000 dwellings per year compared to current demand levels.

KEVIN PEACHEY Statistics and Economics Manager, FWPA

While imports will work to fill this gap in demand, Australia must also look to its production forests of all tenures to meet this future demand for forest and wood products.

In 2019-20, Australia’s bushfire season was particularly serious, from many perspectives. In terms of timber supply, 140,000 hectares of plantations impacted, as well as millions of hectares of native for ests. FWPA has undertaken projects to aggregate bushfire-related forest plantation losses, with data acces sible on our website.

Efforts to replanting these bush fire-affected plantations have been underway ever since, and by all re ports this year’s replanting effort has been particularly successful. While widespread devastating im pacts of La Nina weather patterns have been felt by communities, the additional rainfall since the fires has created excellent conditions for seedlings to become established. The recovery process from the 201920 fires is well underway, however a few more years of work remain.

As our sector moves on from the most recent set of market settings, we will inevitably be met with new challenges. Our sector continues to improve in our ability to cap ture and apply the critical data and knowledge needed to assist with these future decisions.

The answer to many of the ques tions that we will face in the future lie within the collective data that we hold across the sector. FWPA will continue to work closely with the industry so that we are able to assist with this task, informing improved decision making within individual companies and across the forest and wood products sector.

Quadco Group offer the complete range of attachments and cutting tool equipment including the Southstar range of harvester and processing heads and Quadco bar and disc saws. Southstar Equipment based in New Zealand is proud to be part of the Quadco group and can offer the full range of products in Australia and NZ.

Get in touch +64 212 653 813 msutherland@quadco.com www.quadco.com

Visit the stall online: www.forestrynow.com.au/ 2022-event/quadco

Tigercat manufacture purpose-built forestry equipment to the highest standard. Tigercat owners in Australia are backed by unrivalled product support based in 7 different locations including factory trained field service technicians, factory-direct representatives, and a substantial local parts inventory. Contact Onetrak today to learn more about the Tigercat forestry equipment range.

Get in touch 1300 727 520 contact@onetrak.com.au www.onetrak.com.au / www.tigercat.com

Visit the stall online: www.forestrynow.com.au/ 2022-event/onetrack

Tigercat Forestry Equipment

Quadco Group –in the attachment industry

With a focus on high quality, reliability, and easy handling, Markusson Sweden produce some of the market’s best chain grinders. Suited to both .404” and 3/4” chains, Markusson grinders can be operated at both 12 and 240 volts, working just as well in the workshop as out in the field.

Komatsu Forest

Leads the way

Komatsu Forest is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of forest machines with its Australian HQ in Sydney. It operates through an extensive network of branches and agents covering all major forest regions within Australian and NZ. The product range includes Komatsu wheel harvesters & forwarders from Sweden, hydraulic excavators from Japan and TimberPro track and wheel machines from the USA.

Visit the stall online: www.forestrynow.com.au/ 2022-event/markusson 2 9647

Visit the stall online: www.forestrynow.com.au/ 2022-event/komatsu

Visit the stall www.forestrynow.com.au/ 2022-event/neuson Simon

Visit the stall www.forestrynow.com.au/ 2022-event/responsiblewood

Visit the stall

The CAT® MH3040 material handler builds upon the legacy of the M325D L MH to provide the power and reliability you need for your toughest material handling applications. A new cab with up to 25% reduced fuel costs and up to 20% reduced maintenance costs combine with proven components to bring you the next generation of material

Visit the stall online: www.forestrynow.com.au/ 2022-event/cat

Randalls has been working directly with SANY over the past 6 years and developed the Model SY245F. Our range of Harvesting heads suit this package very well. The SANY SY245F Log Loader is based on the same machine platform and has a variety of configurations. (See image of the SANY SY245F Elevating option.)

Visit the stall online: www.forestrynow.com.au/ 2021-event/sany

NEW CAT® MH3040 MATERIAL the in 03 9369

Machinery

Komatsu 895.2 Xtreme fast in mud and steep terrain

THE Komatsu 895.2

Xtreme has been well received in the Australian market with the fourth unit being delivered in May to Anthony Brown of Mechanised Logging in Tasmania.

Overall the Komatsu 895 Series has proven to be very popular with 194 units now sold across Australia mak ing it the obvious market leader.

Komatsu Forest AB spent several years developing two new 895 transmission options to meet the various demanding conditions from global markets. Australia was chosen as one of the testing grounds, and over the last couple of years two 895.1’s were fitted with a “SpeedShift” and “Xtreme” transmissions which have completed over 5000 hours and 4000 hours respectively. Both machines have per formed well above every one’s expectations.

Based on the success of the two new 895 transmis sion trials Komatsu Forest Australia decided not to continue with the standard transmission as the Speed Shift and Xtreme provide substantial production ad vantages in their respective domains over the standard transmission. Unfortunate ly, these advantages come at additional cost especially the Xtreme version.

“The main objective was to develop two 895 trans mission systems that would cover the two extremes of a flat and steep terrain ap plications”, says Brett Jones Managing Director Komatsu Forest P/L. “and obviously improve the production and cost per cu. metre in these two applications”, he added.

Speedshift Transmission: It was developed to operate in the average type terrain found in Australia but can also manage steeper terrain if required by still having the same tractive effort as the previous standard 895 at 262 kN.

The stepless speed shift feature allows the machine to travel throughout its en tire speed range without having to stop to change

from low to high range. The infinite speed control of 0 –22 km/h provides the best of both worlds, torque when required and ground speed when the terrain allows for a higher travel speed. This speed advantage obviously increases production and lowers cost per cu.metre.

Xtreme Transmission: This was developed for se vere applications such as steep terrain application of up to 35 degrees, where a typical forwarder is lim ited to approximately 25 de grees.

The Xtreme transmission provides a great amount of drive torque at 307 kN, this makes it the most powerful forwarder on the market making it very productive in steep terrain. It’s impor tant to note the differential/ bogie system have been upgraded including larger final drive reductions to handle the increased torque

all driven by a dual motor gearbox.

Komatsu Forest expects the demand for the Xtreme version to be less than the SpeedShift version which will be standard in the new model. At this stage the Xtreme sales are forecast ed to be half of that of the SpeedShift due to the higher cost but the benefits of the Xtreme can easily be justi fied by the higher tractive effort.

Over the years Anthony Brown has been a strong supporter of Komatsu for warders with this recent Komatsu 892.2 Xtreme be ing his 15th Komatsu For warder. The new machine is operated by Sam Dean hav ing nine years forwarder experience with Anthony operating previous models such as 865,890.3,895.1 and others.

“The new 895 makes a real difference to productivity,” said Anthony. “It has in creased the production by

approx 10% he added. “Sam is a very experienced op erator and he can confirm these production numbers”.

Sam is very impressed with the Xtreme transmission’s tractive effort, both on steep terrain and in heavy mud (very little use of diff locks) 2-3 kph quicker climbing up steep blocks. Generally, the loaded ground speed is 3-4 kph faster than previous forwarders including oppo sition machines.

In addition, Anthony or dered the new generation of “Komatsu Comfort Ride” cabin for the new Komatsu 895.2. And according to Sam the Comfort Ride cab is a big plus, much smoother ride with no sudden jarring.

“This new forwarder trav els really quick and needs the Comfort Ride cab for the operator to achieve the faster speeds,” confirmed Anthony. “I would only pur chase another 895.2 Xtreme with the Comfit Ride cab as a package”.

BRIEFS

Electric truck pilot

FENNELL Forestry is to pilot the first electric B-dou ble in the Green Triangle this month with a purposebuilt charging station under construction in its yard.

Janus Electric, a start-up in New South Wales, has developed technology that allows companies to con vert existing diesel engine trucks into electric powered vehicles, with zero emis sions.

Labour shortages

A NEW targeted diver sity program to induct new workers into the timber in dustry as labour shortages and timber demand have combined to create unex pected demand for workers.

As part of the ForestWorks (industry skills council) Snowy Valley Skills Devel opment Service, the project will provide the practical training that people who may not have tradition ally seen a future career for themselves in the timber in dustry need.

That training includes completing forklift license with Ironbark Training in Wagga Wagga.

John Deere award

MAX O’Brien has been named the Construction & Forestry Service Technician of the Year at the second an nual John Deere Technician Awards in Brisbane.

The talented tradesman, who works for RDO Equip ment Wingfield, South Australia, vied for the title against five other Construc tion and Forestry techni cian finalists from across Australia and New Zealand, and excelled during the hands-on practical testing at John Deere’s Crestmead workshop.

Industry Liaison Officer

THE Queensland timber industry has welcomed the appointment of Alex Rid dington as the new Industry Liaison Officer as part of a project to build greater ca pacity in compliance and improved management systems for operators in the state based native hard wood and cypress sectors.

The project has received financial support from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Harvesters

Taking harvesters to a new level

JOHN Deere has been making both wheeled and tracked har vesters for more than 30 years.

The company makes them tough to harvest the largest trees in the most difficult terian forests are grown on, nimble enough for thin nings and regeneration harvesting and comforatble for long days.

Earlier this year John Deere an nounced the addition of Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) to its tracked harvester models. Its wheeled har vester and forwarder operators have been enjoying this feature since 2016.

So what is IBC functionality? It’s the intuitive control of boom and swing functions; straight-line boom motions (horizontal & vertical); adaptive swing functionlaity; uni form and consistent boom velocity and it’s customisable to the opera tor’s preferences and skills.

“Think about when you reach out to grab a bottle of water. Your fo cused on what your hand is doing, not what your arm is doing” Simon Shackleton, General Manager for Sales & Marketing John Deere For estry said.

“Same thing with IBC, it allows the operator to focus on where the attachment needs to be, not how it gets there.”

The benefit for customers is that IBC takes less skill to operate, it’s a shorter leanring curve for new operators, it’s easy to adapt, expe rienced operators can be more pro ductive and they feel less fatigue over the length of the shift.

Recently Harry Phillips from Pine Harvesters in New South Wales vis ited John Deere’s Dubuque works and had the opportunity to try out the IBC option on a tracked har vester. After just 10 minutes in the seat, Harry said “Pine Harvesters will only be buying harvesters fit ted with IBC functionality going forward”.

IBC is easily configurable to user preferences, so operators can adapt their motions to the application. In dividual user settings can be saved in up to eight separate profiles to accommodate multiple skill and experience levels. IBC can also be switched off if not required.

IBC, as proven in wheeled har vesters and forwarders, not only brings improved ergonomics and operator efficiency but increases production, reduces fuel consump tion, and improves durability and reliability.

“IBC has proven so popular that all wheeled harvesters and forwarders are now brought into the Oceania markets with IBC. It’s another way that John Deere continues to add new innovation to proven technol ogy, giving you the equipment and tools needed to excel in the woods and offering operators simpler

but more productive and efficient tools,” Shackleton said.

So, what other technologies do John Deere have available in not only their range of tracked and wheeled harvester, but across all forestry machines? Each machine arrives with a powerful set of tech nologies and capabilities built in. Each plays an integral role in man aging the health and performance of your fleet. JDLink is at the core of these technologies. It enables you to manage your entire fleet from your desktop or mobile de vice and gives you anytime remote access to machine hours and loca tion, fuel consumption, idle time, maintenance reminders and more.

“This information can really help with operator coaching, schedul ing in maintenance to suit your operations and track the time and fuel spent on a jobsite.” Shackleton said.

“If you ever have a machine is sue, JDLink allows your dealer technician, with your permission of course, to remote in to diagnose and potentially resolve the issue without having to come on site. If the tech needs to come out, they know what the issue is and can bring the right parts to do the job. This is a real timesaver for custom ers,” he said.

For more information about John Deere tracked and wheeled harvest ers and the technologies available, visit www.deere.com.au/en/forest ry or contact your local John Deere Forestry Dealer, AFGRI Equipment in Western Australia and RDO Equipment for the rest of Australia.

• A John Deere harvester with IBC in action.

NOKIAN

Tough tyres for tough conditions

BKT has boosted its product line-up with Multimax MP 538, a new agro-industrial tire designed for different types of machinery and applications.

The specially-designed tread pattern ensures ex cellent traction. Moreover, thanks to the strong steelbelted casing, the product allows to carry heavy loads at high speeds. Multimax MP 538 is an extraordinar ily durable radial tire that is currently available in size 405/70 R 20 MPT.

The latest move by BKT extends the Multimax tire line which includes tyres that are perfect for agroindustrial applications and have been developed for high speeds with heavy loads.

Part of the same range is Multimax MP 540, for which BKT has recently

introduced two new sizes: 335/80 R 18 and 365/80 R 20. This is a multi-purpose tire (MPT) intended for universal vehicles used in municipality and main tenance applications. Its main features are excel lent puncture resistance plus efficient performance on hard grounds and as phalt surfaces. The tire distinguishes itself by top traction and a robust car cass that enables carrying heavy loads at high speeds.

There is a variety of pat terns that belong to the Multimax line, including the following outstanding versatile products:

• MULTIMAX MP 513 designed for universal ve hicles. Thanks to its strong steel-belted casing, it can carry heavy loads at high speeds. In addition, it of fers excellent driving com fort and traction as well

as excellent self-cleaning properties.

• MULTIMAX MP 527 is a multi-purpose prod uct for telehandlers and compact loaders in agro-industrial applications. The strong sidewall is designed to provide maximum stabil ity, and the special compound makes it reliable and re sistant to cuts and tears.

• MULTIMAX MP 522 has been developed for all lifting and load ing operations in the agro-industrial sector providing maximum stability and traction. It is an indefatigable prod uct thanks to a special compound that makes it extraordinarily resistant.

Nokian signs distribution deal with Aussie wholesaler

SCANDINAVIANOWNED tyre manu facturer Nokian Tyres has signed an exclusive dis tribution agreement with Tyres4U.

The companies have forged their partnership with the mutual agreement to focus on providing worldclass products, service and technical support to the for estry and timber industry.

Nokian Tyres are known as a world leader in forestry tyres due to their innova tions and collaboration with machinery OEM’s which en sures they develop the best tyre for the application. The tyres are tested and proven in the rough Nordic forests which ensures they can withstand the harshest of environments.

Nokian Tyres are provid ing technical training to the Tyres4U forestry deal ers to ensure that they are well versed in the technical requirements, safety, and speed of fitment of their tyres.

“Heavy machinery needs specialised equipment and technical skills to fit forest ry tyres in a safe and timely manner, whilst also provid ing the information and ser vice to maintain correct tyre pressures. By having the right fit for the application, and the correct tyre pres sures, the customer will get the optimum results from their machinery,” James Dickinson, General Manag er Sales, Tyres4U Australia, said.

Dean McRae, Business Manager – Asia Pacific, Nokian Tyres said the com pany intended to develop a skilled forestry dealer network that supports the needs of the forestry and timber industry by provid ing them great technical support to help customers reduce down time and opti mise tyre life.

“Nokian Heavy Tyres are excited to partner with Tyres4u in Australia, as a commercially focused tyre wholesaler, Tyres4U offer an end-to-end tyre solution

• General Manager Sales, Tyres4U Australia, James Dickenson.

for the entire value chain within the forestry indus try,” he said.

“With strategically located warehouses around Aus tralia, their strength lies in the ability to hold the right stock to service our custom ers.”

Tyres4U prides itself on the support of our cus tomer’s activities, employ ing the tyre industry’s most highly respected technical talent. With the main hub of the forestry industry limit ed to certain pockets of Aus tralia, we offer locally based account managers, and the support of an efficient and flexible supply chain to best meet the needs of the indus try and our customers.

“We know that forestry machinery is just one as pect of the value-chain, with truck, trailer, forklifts, and tractors also being used. We intend to give our forestry dealers access to all of the tyres required to sup port the industry, plus have the technical knowledge to fit the right tyre and provide great in-store and on-field service,” Mr Dickinson said.

The full range of Nokian Tyres became available through the Tyres4U forest ry dealer network in early September.

Twisted wood turns a profit

LOOKING BACK

2019

Sustainable timber har vesting is not a significant threat to koalas in New South Wales, a State Govern ment inquiry has been told.

The Forestry Corporation of NSW has told the inquiry into koala populations and habitat in New South Wales than known threats to koala populations are permanent land clearing, activities asso ciated with urban develop ment, fire, and drought.

There threats occur across tenures, including in areas set aside for conservation, the corporation told the in jury.

It said NSW had a worldclass reserve network that encompasses more than a quarter of the 22 million hectares of native forest found state-wide and in cludes the forests with the highest conservation value and best koala habitat, 2016

Keith Smiley

FRESH, innovative and adventurous charac terize what Cosjack Timbers is all about. With an organic marketing strat egy in place, they are going places with a large and loyal following, who are designconscious and appreciative of solid old logs.

Due east of Melbourne in the Croydon hills, a young and energetic Jack Mar tin lays claim to style on demand, as cutting of a salvaged log reveals each freakish swirl of grain. The wood is pored over by Cos jacks, and evaluated for quality to perfection. As a sawmiller, Jack is not only a realist but an artist with a keen eye for detail.

“I’ve definitely got a crea tive strength. I like to build things. You learn a lot the hard way but you only need to learn it once,” said Jack.

It’s said, you can’t put an old head on young shoul ders, but surely Jack Martin is an exception, after going into self-employed sawmill ing at 18, he is now aged twenty five, and exhibiting the maturity of an older man, belying his years, in these turbulent times.

“I grew up in Mt Evelyn, without finishing year ten, became an apprentice at 16, and started my own business when I was 18. I had a yard at Clyde, then I split the sites with the timber cutting in Bunyip, a warehouse in Clyde and selling timber slabs from our Croydon premises.

“From initially working with chainsaw mills, as a framer by trade, I just liked working outdoors, for an honest day’s work. So, I used my passion for timber, to make slabs and enjoying some interesting characters along the way in the timber industry,” Jack said. “My grandfather had sawmills back in the day, in the three bridges area, between Powelltown and Yarra Junction. Pretty good country, so that links me to the past. My parents let me choose my own path, there was no expec tation, they just supported me for whatever I wanted to do. You have to enjoy what you do.”

Cosjacks use arborists to source their logs, and for making their posts, rails, and rough-sawn timber, ‘whatever people need’. They also buy their logs

from a plantation near Bunyip, with many trees cut from inner-city Mel bourne. Jack said the tim ber cut from Black Satur day, was very popular with Melburnians, many feel ing they were giving back to the community; a story people seemed to like.

Jack’s sawmilling opera tion in Bunyip, consists of a Lucas 1030 and a Nor wood HD36 bandsaw, a frontend loader and other vital resources, capable of providing each log with a new journey. Cosjack’s specialty is the cutting of slabs and with a spray of water or dust off, the grains jump out at you, while the addiction is em braced. The bunyip site mills hardwood posts and timber, cladding, beams, post and rail, as well as the slabs.

Slabs are mainly fash ioned for bar tops, hand made furniture, tables, book shelves, coffee ta bles. Some of the timber is older than 100 years. Cos jacks cut and make slabs out of messmate, redgum, spotted gum among other species. The messmate is an ‘exceptionally beautiful timber’, a hardwood which

varies in colour from pal er browns to yellows and pinks, part of the eucalyp tus range but also known as oak, or stringybark, and native to Victoria.

“Life is a bit of fun, but I won’t get hired as a co median any time soon. I’ve also got a construction company, with two teams of framers; this includes framing for leading house builders like Metricon, Henley, Simmonds, Her mitage, most of the larger builders,” said Jack.

“I also have an e-com merce business which sell tools on the internet. It started out as a weekend job and has grown sub stantially. I want to keep the businesses growing, but without using crazy capital.

“I’m not an intense per son, but I have grown con fident through experience, and always up to a new challenge. I’m not con vinced there’ll be a mas sive downturn in building, there’s been little immi gration and we still have massive demand. I main tain an organic marketing strategy and that is grow ing too, so the future looks bright for us.”

MEMBERS OF the Aus tralian Forest Contractors Association (AFCA) have become advocates of the FOLS Skills Verification Pro gram, signing an agreement with ForestWorks to provide AFCA members and their operators with discounted FOLS fees.

AFCA Chairman Ian Reid said they were pleased to be working with ForestWorks to implement this significant development to assist indus try meet workplace safety requirements and support skills development.

2011

THE AUSTRALIAN Timber Trainers Association (ATTA) members elected Boardmember Tim Isaacs (Fitec Australia Inc) from Queens land as the association’s new president during the annual general meeting in Lakes Entrance.

Isaacs takes over the role from outgoing president Rob Rule (Timber Training Creswick, VIC) who remains as an ex-officio advisor to the ATTA Board.

Charlie Waites (South ern Training Organisation, Eden) and David McElvenny (Workspace Training, NSW) continue in their respective roles of treasurer and sec retary. Greg Howard (Tim ber Training Tasmania) was newly-elected as vice presi dent.

• Cosjack Timbers’ Jack Martin.

• Cosjack Timbers yard at Bunyip.