Australasia's home for timber news and information

$14m forest training centre in Tasmania

An Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre has officially been launched in Tasmania, where researchers will work with industry to transform the Australian forest products sector. Sources: Timberbiz, ABC Rural The ARC Training Centre for Forest Value, based at the University
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Australian woodchip exports total 5.823m

IndustryEdge can report that analysis conducted recently demonstrates Australia exported 5,823,147 bone dry metric tonnes (bdmt) of woodchips in 2015, delivering a rise of 11.1% on the prior year’s strong exports. Source: Timberbiz The data released by the ABS shows that hardwoo
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Frame conference covers NCC code changes

Australia’s growing urban population is having a major impact on property development from increasing density of living in inner and middle suburbs within our cities, encouraging construction of mid-rise and high-rise multi-residential apartments to meet demand. Source: Timberbiz Comm
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National Construction Code opens up to timber

A new market for mid-rise timber residential developments will open up for domestic builders this year when the regulator lifts current heavy restrictions on wooden buildings. Source: Australian Financial Review From May 1, the National Construction Code will bring in a light-touch ap
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ICC code for tall buildings

The International Code Council (ICC) board of directors has established an ad hoc committee to explore the building science of tall wood buildings. Sources: Timberbiz, Forestry Expo Co NZ Tall wood is a term used in the industry to identify wood construction, which utilises Cross Lami
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Heading in the right direction

Maybe soon we can say goodbye to polystyrene, the petroleum-based material that is used to make Styrofoam. Source: Timberbiz In what looks like an ordinary bicycle helmet, Swedish designers have replaced Styrofoam with a new shock-absorbing material made with renewable and biodegradab
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France unveils new agroforestry plans

As part of the 2nd National Day of Agroforestry, France unveiled new plans for developing ecologically sustainable forestry practices throughout the country. Source: Agri eu The plan aims to reduce the environmental impact of forestry and to integrate forest management practices into
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China to increase future wood imports

China’s huge wood demand, in relation with its economic and social evolution, faced with the insufficient forestry development, will inevitably increase wood imports in the following years. Source: Forestry Expo Co NZ China will push forward its Natural Forest Protection Program
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China slows down forest products importing

The reduction in house construction in China has resulted in a substantial decline in the importation of forest products during 2015, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). Sources: Timberbiz, Forestry Expo Co NZ The total value of imported softwood logs and lumber has fallen 25%
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Tasmanian fires threaten world heritage forest

Fires burning across Tasmania are producing the worst crisis the world heritage forests there have faced in decades, says a long-term conservationist from the area. Source: The Guardian “In my opinion – and I’ve been working on these issues since 1981 – it’s the gravest crisis the wor
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