WoodWeek – 21 October 2020
Click to Subscribe - It's FREE! Greetings from your WoodWeek news team. Today we have the usual palette of wood updates, despite the unprecedented election outcome. Well, some of today's news is specifically about the outcome as FOA gets in early with a message to ensure forestry doesn't lose land use options. Armed with a recent PwC report showing incomes per hectare from forests are higher than running sheep and beef and are an important option for farmers, FOA is concerned the new found political power will result in them listening to demands to banish our $7 billion- plus industry to land so poor that no farmer would graze their animals there.In more positive news, registrations continue to pour in for this year’s ForestTECH 2020 conference running on 18-19 November in Rotorua. We are also seeing strong demand for our virtual event featuring on-line coverage for the first time this year. If you are attending in person be quick to register your interest for the practical workshops running pre- and post-conference. These are available at no additional cost for ForestTECH 2020 paying delegates. Workshops places are limited. Even better news for people on the forest floor is that the Safetree Toroawhi pilot is being extended for workers. The health, safety and wellbeing pilot, Toroawhi, has been given a six month extension following COVID-19 restrictions. In Australia, the Victorian Government has earmarked AU$10 million to establish a Victorian Forest Nursery in East Gippsland, with a focus on eucalypts. The creation of the new state-owned nursery in East Gippsland, will help the region’s industry and forests to recover from the devastating 2019- 20 Victorian bushfires. Finally, A Swedish road and infrastructure operator is collaborating with Stora Enso testing lignin in asphalt. Through this collaboration, Svevia aims to replace part of the oil- based binder with nature’s own binder – lignin, Lineo ™ by Stora Enso. The lignin containing asphalt is currently being tested out on Swedish roads.
This week we have for you:
FOA message for new Government Forest owners wary of new administration
Our forest industry is more apprehensive about a Labour-led government this
time, than it was last time.
That’s not because we doubt our future. We are confident in our markets,
products and prospects for
innovation, particularly in the emerging bioeconomy. We know we contribute
massively to environmental
and societal wellbeing. No, it’s because we wonder why parliamentarians, not just Labour, have lost their enthusiasm for forestry. They are listening to demands to banish our $7 billion-plus industry to land so poor that no farmer would graze their animals there. That is mystifying. The government’s Fit for a Better World vision envisages forestry being very much part of a primary industry-led economic recovery, nationally and regionally, post- covid-19. We are as important to the economy as the meat and horticulture industries. Last year, a record 36 million cubic metres of timber was harvested from our 1.7 million hectares of forests. This gave much needed income to farmers and iwi with forests on their land, and employment for the harvest crews. Incomes - As a recent PwC report made clear, incomes per hectare from forests are higher than running sheep and beef. Forests are productive. Forestry is an important option for farmers. The PwC report also concluded the employment rate in a forest is above that of farming that same land. Forestry is good for remote rural communities and their businesses. FOA is working with officials on an industry transformation plan to provide for more timber processing in New Zealand to generate more income and jobs. NZ timber processing has been static for 20 years, largely due to the legislative hurdle to building processing plants. We want to work with government so the promised reforms of the Resource Management Act address this major hurdle. Plantation forests deliver reduced erosion and improve water quality and biodiversity. It’s an ideal Fit for a Better World. Radiata pine and eucalypts rapidly sequester carbon from the atmosphere on a massive scale. We are essential to NZ meeting its climate change commitments. Failure to meet them, with the first target only nine years away in 2030, will mean a massive cost to our economy. More >> Source: BusinessDesk ForestTECH - Register now to secure your placeRegistrations continue to pour in for this year’s ForestTECH 2020 event running on 18-19 November in Rotorua. We are also seeing strong demand for our virtual event featuring on-line coverage for the first time this year.For those of you planning to be in Rotorua, remember, to be quick to register your interest for one or more of the three practical workshops running pre- and post-conference. These are available at no additional cost for ForestTECH 2020 paying delegates. For two of the workshops, spaces are limited and are being filled on a first-in- first-served basis. To register online click here. _(002).jpg)
SafeTree scheme praised and extended
Toroawhi pilot extended for workers - Forestry health, safety and
wellbeing pilot, Toroawhi,
has been given a six month extension following COVID-19 restrictions. The joint pilot between WorkSafe and the Forest Industry Safety Council saw the appointment of two “roving reps” in the forestry sector to help increase worker representation in health and safety with an aim of ultimately reducing harm occurring in the sector. The extension takes the pilot phase for the programme from one year to 18 months. WorkSafe engagement lead for forestry Grant Duffy said the Toroawhi have proven success in the industry. “But when forestry workers were stood down in the early months of the pandemic and throughout lockdown this meant our two Toroawhi weren’t able to get out on site and have the biggest impact. COVID-19 has resulted in many cancellations across the country – but for us it’s created an opportunity to continue this successful pilot.” “The Toroawhi are inspiring real change and from their work we are seeing a shift in health and safety attitudes in the sector, as well as a real focus on worker’s well-being.” Duffy said throughout lockdown the Toroawhi continued to provide invaluable support through maintaining connections they’d established and supporting return to work planning. Since the programme’s inception the Toroawhi have engaged with 525 forestry workers in the central North Island and Gisborne/Tairawhiti regions. Toroawhi Richard Stringfellow has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry. Covering the Central North Island region, one of Richard’s focuses is engaging with workers around their mental health and wellbeing. “I am stoked the pilot has been extended, not for me, but for the workers. Being a Toroawhi means I can get out there, get to the ground, and talk to these workers about their health, safety and well-being. “Over the last few months we have set up workers with counselling services, encouraged them to get fit and even helped link some with budgeting services. This is really rewarding work an extension shows this pilot has real value.” RDO celebrates with Austimber Harvesting
RDO Equipment delivers its 50th forestry machine since launching in Australia - RDO
Equipment celebrated a big milestone in September, delivering its 50th John Deere forestry
machine to loyal customer Austimber in Gippsland, Victoria.After what has been an unpredictable and extraordinary year, RDO and John Deere are both celebrating the success of achieving 50 sales in just over 12 months since RDO Equipment took over the John Deere Construction and Forestry contract in all states except WA. “No doubt this past year will be one to remember for all sorts of reasons, but we’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone with the support of John Deere and continue our success in the Australian forestry sector,” said Nathan Psaila, National Sales Manager for RDO Equipment. “Our teams in both forestry and construction have worked incredibly hard over the past 12 months to cement our position in both markets, so this sale is a testament to their dedication and performance, and I know our customers would say the same thing.” Simon Shackleton, John Deere’s General Manager of Sales and Marketing – Forestry Equipment, agrees that RDO has made its mark over the past year. “There has been a great response from customers and industry towards RDO, so it’s no surprise they’ve hit their 50th machine delivery in not much more than 50 weeks.” Ian Reid from Austimber was the lucky recipient of the 50th machine, which also happened to be the business’s 25th John Deere machine purchase, a 1270G Wheeled Harvester. “We’ve been really impressed with how RDO has started its operation in Australia. Their support staff in particular have been great. Anytime I have had any dealings with them I’ve been met with a ‘can do’ attitude. They work really hard to make sure we’re never left waiting,” Ian says. “We’ve had a couple of occasions where we needed parts which were overseas, and they organised prompt freight for us, so we had minimal machine downtime. Particularly during the last few months with the added pressure of coronavirus restrictions, there has been minimal impact in our dealings with RDO. Machine deliveries have been trouble-free and on-time, and parts supply and our regular maintenance schedules haven’t been impacted either,” Ian says. “We’re looking forward to continuing to work with the RDO and John Deere teams and know we’re in safe hands with any future machine purchases.” Victoria: State plans new nursery
New nursery to grow trees and Gippsland jobs - The Victorian Government has announced it
will commit AU$10 million to establish a Victorian Forest Nursery in East Gippsland, with a focus on
eucalypts. Victoria’s forestry transition will be supported with the creation of the new state-owned nursery in East Gippsland, which will also help local forests and economies recover from the devastating 2019- 20 Victorian bushfires. Establishment of the $10 million Victorian Forest Nursery will increase the eucalypt seedling supply chain and create up to 30 new jobs, most of which will be ongoing. The project is part the Victorian Forestry Plan and is intended to meet the Government’s timeline for transition from harvesting native forests to a plantation-based sector by 2030. More >> Source: Victoria State Government 2020 Forestry Workforce Roadshow runningThe Forestry Workforce Roadshow is running again in New Zealand in November and December 2020. For the first time, Roadshow events will be available online as well as regionally. The Roadshow is designed to help forestry contractors or employers of seasonal forestry workers with their recruitment activities for 2021.It’s a chance to meet up with government agencies and other key forestry organisations to access information and tools to support successful recruitment and create a better working environment. It’s also a way to connect with peers and hear what’s working well when it comes to recruiting and retaining good employees. The Roadshow will include information on: • products and services available through Work and Income • working with regional work brokers to find employees • creating a safe work environment • how to access funding for training and apprenticeships. Events will be held in Marlborough, Friday 13 November, Wellington (in conjunction with the SafeTree Conference, Thursday 19 November, Rotorua, Friday 27 November and Whangarei, Friday 4 December. Presentations will be live-streamed and recorded at the Wellington Roadshow event and videos will be posted online later. If you cannot attend a regional Roadshow event, you can attend online session on Friday 20 November to hear from the Roadshow presenters and participate in the interactive Q&A. For more information on the Roadshow and how to RSVP, please visit Forestry Workforce Roadshow The Roadshow is hosted by Te Uru Rākau with the support of: Ministry of Social Development, Immigration New Zealand, Department of Corrections, Forest Industry Safety Council, Forest Industry Contractors Association, New Zealand Forest Owners Association, Tertiary Education Commission, Forestry and Wood Processing Workforce Council. Source: Te Uru Rākau Eastland Wood Council's unexpected boon
An Eastland Wood Council forestry training programme aimed at keeping pace with the demand
for forestry workers has had an unexpected boon — boosting diversity in a traditionally male-
dominated industry. The Gisborne Herald took a deeper look at the benefits of the EWC
Generation programme with programme manager Siobhain Fyall and some of the women who
have successfully graduated.“When we started the Generation Programme two years ago, we knew there was a demand in the forest industry for trained, work ready, and reliable workers,” EWC Generation Programme manager Siobhain Fyall said. “Our first Generation back in October 2018 was highly successful, with 11 trainees gaining full- time sustainable employment, eight in forestry. “What did surprise us was the interest in the programme from females. “We had four keen young women enrolled on the programme with three gaining full-time employment on completion of the six-week base camp. Their commitment, participation and engagement was on par with the males on the programme. So far we have placed seven females into full-time sustainable employment in the forest industry. From our six programme intakes, we have had 17 females completing the course.” Katelynn Hauiti was one of those. “She has always wanted to work in the industry and started her training when she was at Tolaga Bay Area School, travelling to Gisborne at 5am twice weekly to do the Gateway Programme at the Turanga Ararau Forestry Campus,” Siobhain said. “On leaving school, she signed up on the first Generation Programme, and has been working as a QC (Quality Control). Late in 2019 she went back to her old school to give a talk to the students about her experience and what it was like to work in the industry. “Katelynn, our poster girl for our 2019/2020 Generation Programme brochure, has now completed the National Certificate in Forest Operations with strands in Quality Control Level 3.” More >> Source: Gisborne Herald John Deere: Technology extended to Waratah
John Deere expands job site visualisation to include Waratah H-16 production data - John
Deere
will now offer TimberMatic™ Maps and TimberManager™ as a standard offering for
tracked harvesters or forestry swing machines with a factory-installed Waratah H-16 Measuring
System. The move will enable the onboard TimberMatic™ Maps and cloud-based TimberManager™ programs to incorporate production data from the Waratah H-16 Measuring System. The expanded software collects timber processing data from the H-16 system, providing a real-time look at job site progress. With the new capability, the TimberMatic Maps system collects production data from harvesting heads equipped with the Waratah H-16 system, providing real-time production data of processed timber linked to location through the in-cab monitor and synched to the cloud-based TimberManager. Job site progress data is then accessible to off-site managers or employees through a phone, tablet or computer using the TimberManager software. The software pairing is available for John Deere tracked harvesters or forestry swing machines equipped with harvesting heads using the Waratah H-16 Measuring System. Additionally, the TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager are included in-base on new machines ordered with a factory H-16 Measuring System. A retrofit option can be downloaded and installed at no additional charge on existing machines utilizing the H-16 system. Machines must be equipped with 4G MTG and an active JDLink™ Telematics subscription. “With this action, we are bringing together the powerful data collection capabilities of TimberMatic Maps and the Waratah H-16 Measuring System to offer more value to our customers,” said Matt Flood, product manager, John Deere. “Many of the challenges our customers face can be improved through increased visualization of job site workflow and productivity, and communication — seeing what is actually going on. With this expanding offering, we are providing more ways for our customers to collect data and analyze their business, helping them increase outputs and boost profitability.” Launched in 2018, TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager enhance machine connectivity and communication. The TimberMatic Maps solution features mapping software for use in the field, leveraging a mobile network to share real-time production data between operators and office managers in the office. Data is collected through sensors on the equipment, while production location is gathered through GPS technology. This data is then shared to the cloud, where managers can access TimberManager from a PC, tablet or phone, allowing them to track job site progress remotely. To learn more about the TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager software, as well as the full line of John Deere forestry equipment, visit your local John Deere dealer. Sweden rolling out lignin for roads
Swedish road and infrastructure operator Svevia has decided to collaborate with Stora Enso in
testing lignin in asphalt. Through this collaboration, Svevia aims to replace part of the oil-based
binder with nature’s own binder – lignin, Lineo ™ by Stora Enso. The lignin containing asphalt is
currently being tested out on Swedish roads.Svevia is carrying out road paving work on road 224 between the towns of Sandbrink and Gnesta on behalf of the Swedish Transport Administration. Of the total 15-kilometre stretch, Svevia has chosen to test Lineo™ on a couple of hundred meters, where lignin will replace bitumen. Lignin was chosen as it is a bio-based natural binder found in trees with the potential of reducing the negative climate impact of asphalt. “Asphalt consists of stone and bitumen, which is a product made from crude oil. If we can find something that can replace bitumen as a binder in the asphalt mass, our negative climate impact could be reduced dramatically, “explains Mattias Andersson, asphalt product specialist at Svevia. He continues explaining that Svevia has reviewed the lifecycle of the process from raw material to the paved road. In their production, the asphalt plants have switched to bio-based oil and use renewable electricity instead of fossil-based resources. Simultaneously, switching to renewable electricity is also underway in the quarries. The industry still has developments to make in fully replacing bitumen. “In the Netherlands, lignin has been mixed into asphalt since 2015, and is used in production. But even there, they have only succeeded in replacing bitumen in a limited amount.” Lignin is a complex plant-derived polymer found in the cell walls of almost all dry-land plants. It binds cellulose and hemicellulose together, giving wood its stiffness, strength and resistance to rotting. Mattias Andersson believes that these are the properties that make it interesting for asphalt production. “All players in the road industry need to take responsibility in the transition to sustainable development. We are constantly trying to find solutions that allow us to reduce our negative climate impact. At Svevia's laboratory, we have tested different variants of, among other things, lignin, and when we presented an alternative that we believed in, the Swedish Transport Administration did not hesitate to let us test it on a stretch.” Svevia’s first lignin-based asphalt experiment was carried out in September 2020, already providing promising results. “The surface looks good and homogeneous, it will be exciting to see what happens to the asphalt during winter, after snow removal and thawing brought on by spring. I think it will withstand these stresses and that we have something really good on the track,” concludes Mattias Andersson. Stora Enso’s lignin has also been tested in other asphalt projects with good results. As a company, we actively work with our Lineo™ offering to discover further advantages in asphalt- making and replacing fossil-based materials with a bio-based solution. More >> Source: Stora Enso Sheep in forest blocks for bigger wool clip?
Gisborne sheep shorn after five years producing record-breaking fleece (or Gissy's grizzly sheep
delivers impressive fleece) - Gizzy Shrek was shorn at the Poverty
Bay A & P show this morning, producing a 13kg fleece, said its owner Rob Faulkner. "It's a hell of
a lot of wool to carry around." It broke the record for the world's longest fleece, measuring in at
58 centimetres."The previous record was 57," Faulkner said. The long-haired monster was found living in a forestry block and was finally caught last month. Faulkner said his prize-winning Gizzy Shrek will now live out the rest of his days on his farm. "He's certainly not going to be made into sausages anyway." More >> Source: RNZ Editor: In a way, while the above anecdote is possibly a statistical anomaly, it does suggest that a new model of mixed use economically-feasible "low-maintenance" land use could be on the horizon. You could combine production forestry with carbon tree farming while letting the sheep run loose on said estate, shearing them just twice a decade! Traffic advisory: Logging in Hawkes BayLogging notice for Hawkes Bay Logging Around Tangoio And Tūtira - Drivers and locals can expect to see logging works and some traffic disruption around Tangoio and Tūtira from November until April.Pan Pac Forest Products will be logging in Hawke’s Bay Regional Council managed forest on the Tangoio Soil Conservation Reserve. They will also be building roads and skid sites for next year’s logging in the Tūtira Regional Park says Forest Management Advisor Ben Douglas. “We’re logging some land around Tangoio that’s close to the road. This means traffic will be affected and there will be some delays for motorists between November and April. Please keep an eye on the Transport Agency website for updates,” says Mr Douglas. “To manage the health and safety risk for walkers, Tangoio Walkway, including access to Te Ana waterfall, will be closed from November until May. Access to and camping at Lake Tūtira will be as normal, but most of the Tūtira Walkway will also be closed over the same period. We ask campers and walkers to follow our signage to keep everyone safe.” “There are lots of other tramping and walking options in the Tūtira District and we recommend people check the Department of Conservation website for options.” Hawke’s Bay Regional Council owns 640 hectares of forest across six properties and manages all 550 hectares of the Tangoio Soil Conservation Reserve for the Crown. Revenue from the Tūtira logging will be used to offset Regional Council rates, while the Tangoio logging revenue will be used to fund the management costs of the reserve and to implement environmental projects in the surrounding catchments in partnership with tangata whenua. Buy and Sell
... and finally ... you never can tell
Sitting by the window of her convent, Sister Barbara opened a letter from home one evening. Inside the
letter
was a $100 bill her parents had sent. Sister Barbara smiled at the gesture. As she read the letter by the
window, she noticed a shabbily dressed stranger leaning against the lamp post below. Quickly, she wrote,
"Don't despair. - Sister Barbara," on a piece of paper, wrapped the $100 bill in it, got the man's attention,
and
tossed it out the window to him. Wide-eyed, his daughter said, "Wow, how big was the mouse?"  That's all for this week's wood news. We welcome comments and contributions on WoodWeek. For details on advertising for positions within the forest products industry or for products and services, either within the weekly newsletter or on this web page, please contact us.
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