Australasia's home for timber news and information

Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council forum in Japan

More than 150 delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region met at the 2019 SGEC (Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council)/PEFC International Forest Certification Forum in Japan which was held in Tokyo on 24 June 2019. Source: Timberbiz The forum commemorated the 20th anniversary of PEFC
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CollectiveCrunch a solution for the forestry sector

Finland forestry covers up to 75% of the country and so is a major industry but resources are hard to measure. Helsinki-based forestry tech start-up CollectiveCrunch is bringing new solutions to the sector, and it has just raised a €600k funding. Source: EU Start-Ups CollectiveCrunch
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Stora Enso to close Kitee sawmill

Stora Enso plans to consolidate the Finnish spruce (whitewood) production to its Varkaus sawmill which means a permanent closure of the Kitee sawmill and a production increase for Varkaus. Source: Timberbiz The objective is to improve profitability and competitiveness by creating a fu
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Asia-Pacific Forestry Week – certification leads to empowerment

Empowering communities, managing landscapes and lifting millions from poverty are among key benefits underpinning PEFC forest certification. Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Forestry Week (APFW2019) in South Korea, PEFC International CEO, Ben Gunneberg challenged participants to celebrate
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Laos and EU closer to agreement on forest law enforcement

The EU and Laos concluded the third formal negotiation towards an agreement on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT). The talks took place in Brussels, Belgium from 17-21 June 2019. Source: Timberbiz The Agreement aims to estab
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Grant for 12 research projects with forestry

The Södra Research Foundation will grant an additional SEK 8.8 million to 12 research projects linked to forestry and the forest industry. The funding was awarded to projects including process development in the pulp industry, recycling textiles and controlling pulpwood flows.  Source
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Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards announced

Young people in Scotland understand the value of trees and the huge role they can play in tackling climate change to safeguard the future of our planet, according to Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who was presenting the schools prizes at the 2019 Scotland’s Finest Woo
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Uptick for lumber demand

The uptick in demand for lumber continued in early 2019, with most of the major­ lumber exporting countries increasing their shipments as compared with early 2018, reported Wood Resources International in its Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). Sources: Lesprom, Timberbiz Out of the top 10
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Off the shelf prepainted timber cladding makes building easier

Demand is increasing for processed wood products, such as­ painted exterior cladding,  which has led to Södra releasing a new product, pre-painted exterior­ cladding a system that allows you to skip the painting­ step. The panels save work and time, and can be fitted all­ year-round.
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Asia-Pacific Forestry Week in Korea

Representatives from tropical timber­ exporting and importing countries­ discussed responsible trade in timber at a­ session during the Asia-Pacific Forestry­ Week in Korea on 19 June. According to INTERPOL the illegal timber trade is the­ number one environmental crime in terms of va
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