Timber

The Australian Government is providing development funding for technical assistance and capacity building support which will further strengthen Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) sustainable forest management. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy, Matt Lowe, said the PNG Forestry Twinning Program aims to collaborate in support of the forestry and forest industries of both countries.

One of the key drivers of fire behaviour that Professor Lindenmayer seems to pay little attention to is the ground fine fuel load across the forest landscape. The key driver of fire intensity, with a given fuel moisture content, wind speed, air temperature and relative humidity, on the day, is fine fuels.

David Lindenmayer's response to my rebuttal still fails to address the core points I raised in my original blog and overlooks the straightforward questions I posed in my response to his critique ... If Professor Lindenmayer believes his theories reflect reality, he should test them in the field.

In a recent article in Australian Rural & Regional News, I highlighted the overwhelming body of scientific evidence showing that logging does indeed increase the risk of high-severity wildfire. Mr Onfray wants evidence of this effect of logging on wildfire – and there is plenty of it.

In response to the South East Timber Association’s (SETA) critique, I want to clarify the scientific evidence and address the inaccuracies in their claims. SETA disputes the well-documented link between logging and increased fire severity, but the scientific consensus is clear: logging fundamentally alters forests in ways that make them more flammable.

Professor David Lindenmayer’s response fails to engage with the key points I raised. The core argument in my piece is that the peer-reviewed studies claiming logging increases fire severity often rely on unknown or poorly defined methodologies, selective data, weak correlations, or literature reviews rather than empirical fire behaviour analysis.

Members of the South East Timber Association respectfully disagree with many of the assertions made by David Lindenmayer and have a few observations and questions relating to Professor Lindenmayer’s opinion. Kosciuszko State Park was established in 1944. Areas of the original dedication, now in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP), were either never harvested or last harvested more than 80 years ago ...

Professor Lindenmayer responds to Robert Onfray's article, "Debunking false claims about bushfire risk and native logging in Australia" by contending that logging does indeed increase the risk of high severity wildfires, and the evidence for this worrying narrative comes from work by many scientists across Australia and in fact around the world.

Millari Group Australia has entered into a sale and purchase agreement to acquire 100 per cent of JUKEN Gisborne, NZ Facilities, including LVL and Plywood manufacturing lines and Sawmill ... ARR.News asked Millari Group some questions about the acquisition, including opportunities for the Australian industry.

The report of the Select Committee on Matters Relating to the Timber Industry in the Limestone Coast and Other Regions of South Australia has been tabled in Parliament, after 5 years of evidence over two parliamentary sessions ... The committee published 17 recommendations covering aspects of the industry from transparency, infrastructure investment through to industry productivity innovations and the importance of water security.

Kersten Gentle, CEO, FTMA. The debate on the “right” materials to use when building homes in bushfire-prone areas often sparks fierce opinions and misguided claims. While some advocate for alternative materials, timber framing remains a viable, safe, reliable and effective option when designed and built in accordance with modern practices.

On the first anniversary of the Victorian state government’s closure of Gippsland’s native forest industry, France’s rebuilt historic Notre-Dame Cathedral has been completed in all its glory – and French timber was at the heart of this historic project. The oak hardwood timber used came from trees in French forests between 80-150 years old, with some more than 200-years-old.

A pilot international exchange program between Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia has been developed to offer participants an opportunity to gain diverse perspectives as well as foster personal and professional growth ... “The pilot international exchange program offers a unique opportunity for emerging leaders in forestry and forest management to participate in a 3-month paid international work placement,” Ms Martin said.

Robert Onfray critiques claims that native forest logging in Australia contributes significantly to increased bushfire risk. Some academics championed this idea, purporting to follow the scientific method, but often their work lacks scientific rigour. These claims have misled the public, skewing the debate around forest management, fire prevention, and the ecological role of logging.

In August 2024, the NSW Government announced the appointment of an expert panel to lead consultation on a Forestry Industry Action Plan. The final report of the Independent Forestry Panel has been provided to the NSW Government. Whether the report will be made publicly available and the shape of the future Forestry Industry Action Plan is a matter for the Government.

Roger Underwood. I had an email from a Queensland mate the other day. “I recently took a train trip from Brisbane to Charleville” he told me, “and there were huge piles of concrete sleepers beside the line to the Toowoomba Range and elsewhere.” I knew exactly what he was talking about. In September 2024 I travelled by train from Perth to Adelaide, from Ballarat to Melbourne and from Melbourne to Sydney. Alongside every railway line along this trip were piles of “used” concrete sleepers.

The transcript of proceedings of the Independent Forestry Panel in teleconference with the Independent Koala Expert Panel on 1 November 2024 has been released. The Forestry Panel will oversee the destruction of sustainable forestry in NSW to 'save’ koalas.

Forestry Australia has welcomed a new study published in  Australian Forestry  peer-reviewed journal by the former chief research scientist at the CSIRO, Dr John Raison. The paper, titled "A review of the impacts of sustainable harvesting, non-harvest management and wildfire on net carbon emissions from Australian native forests", investigates the science behind claims that timber harvesting increases greenhouse gas emissions.

Nationals MPs are urging the Premier to immediately intervene and pause the assessment process for the Great Koala National Park, until claims of serious conflicts of interest are investigated. NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders, Shadow Minister for the North Coast Gurmesh Singh, Member for Clarence Richie Williamson, and Member for Oxley Michael Kemp made the calls in a letter sent to Chris Minns on Thursday.

A captivating chapter of Tasmania's industrial heritage - a story of history, engineering, and environmental stewardship that celebrates innovation and resilience in Tasmania's wild west ...The story culminates  with the  remarkable Lake Margaret Hydroelectric Power Scheme - a testament to ingenuity and the enduring legacy of wooden pipelines.