Lumber prices are rising in the US because of greater demand in Asia, which is a sign of recovery in the international real estate market. The exchange traded fund for lumber, Claymore Beacon Global Timber Index has climbed more than 5.22% in market action for the month. Source: Nasda

West Australia’s draft Forest Management Plan has been released for public consultation. The Plan covers an area of 2.5 million hectares in the south west of the state stretching from Lancelin to Denmark. Sources: ABC New, Perth Now

Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH), the company that bought the former Gunns sawmill at Heyfield, is gearing up to expand its presence in Victoria's residential and commercial construction market. ASH is owned by three private investors and aims to buy the latest technology to in

South Australia’s Opposition said that 1000 jobs are at risk after a warning by New Zealand timber company Carter Holt Harvey that its Mount Gambier mill facilities cannot continue incurring losses. The company said it would close its four operations in Mt Gambier and Nangwarry if a n

Federal taxpayers will immediately begin funding at least $15 million to buy out Tasmanian sawmillers in a final attempt to secure a lasting forest peace deal in the state. The move was backed in an "interim agreement" between forest industry and green groups. Source: The Australian

An interim forest peace deal was announced in Tasmania but there is still no agreement on wood supply or forest reserves. Industry and environmental groups have been negotiating for two years and have twice extended the talks beyond their initial deadlines. Sources: The Tasmanian Merc

Whereas Belize, located in South America, has upheld forest preservation efforts, its immediate western neighbor Guatemala is grappling with one of the highest deforestation rates in Central America. The deforestation problem now appears to be extending into Belizean forests. Source:

Vietnam's forests, depleted by illegal logging, encroachment, mining and hydropower projects as well as bad management, have been struggling with another threat – the agriculture sector. Source: VietNamNet