Follow us on timberandforestryenews.com ISSUE 544 | January 31, 2018 Timber frames a building preference across all ages Subscribe COVER STORY P6 here. FIRST FOR FORESTRY CONSULTING www.margulesgroome.com For all your Timber Preservation needs... PH: 07 3293 2651 24hrs: 0417 749 481 www.timtechchem.com The mark of safety, reliability and trust. www.ewp.asn.au +61 7 3250 3700 The NATIONAL voice for Timber Merchants • Suppliers • Manufacturers Contact us on 1800 TABMA1 Foresters celebrate Jolly presentation to colleague Government set to launch industry plan in September NEWS ILLEGAL LOGGING LEGISLATION Competition for forest thinkers announced soon WINNERS of the thinking and and other factors that writing competition for smart were adversely impacting on young minds in the forest domestic wood and industry will be announced in bre supply. two weeks. Mr Halkett said that Co-publisher of Timber & following the announcement Forestry enews John Halkett of winners, the entries from The competition, held Wood, asked for suggestions says that with the deadline the rst and second place- in collaboration with about how to ll Australia’s for entries extended until getters would be published December 15 last year, Queensland’s HQPlantations, wood bre basket given the in an abridged form in additional inquiries and entries Forest and Wood Products extended period of minimal subsequent editions of Timber needing to be reviewed. Australia and Responsible new plantation establishment & Forestry enews. Compliance: be aware ... very aware Roma penalty a warning ‘shot across the bows’ A PENALTY notice for regulation is $12,600. $12,600 served to a That is, for breaches that Queensland-based timber are black and white. The importer is a warning ‘shot ultimate criminal penalty for across the bows’ to all negligence when importing importers of timber and illegally logged wood is up wood-based products. to ve years in jail and there This penalty is the are a whole series of civil rst since the ‘soft start- penalties that could prove compliance period’ ended in costly to any importing January last year. business – not to mention damage to reputation if you Details are scant, but are named, which can be far Timber&Forestry enews costlier. is aware the Department Nabbed… of cials measure and seize illegal logs at a Southeast Asia Many volume timber of Agriculture and Water export facility. importers who have been Resources has now audited complying with the regulation consignments of more than Regulation. More compliance audits are say that penalties have been 600 Australian businesses scheduled for 2019. The businesses audited slow in coming. for compliance with the include many timber, plywood The minimum penalty for Illegal Logging Prohibition and veneer importers. ‘technical breaches’ of the Cont P 3 ® Customers SEE a difference in MicroPro Sienna. Long Lasting Colour and Latest Find us at kopperspc.com.au or call 1800 088 809 Generation MicroPro Preservative. MicroPro® and MicroPro Sienna® are registered trademarks of Koppers Inc. or its subsidiaries. MicroPro, and MicroPro Sienna timber products are produced by independently owned and operated wood preserving facilities. © 2017 Koppers Performance Chemicals Australia Pty Ltd. 2 TIMBER & FORESTRY E-NEWS | ISSUE 544 | January 31, 2018 A show of women’s strength NEWS ILLEGAL LOGGING LEGISLATION From P 2 Sydney-based Stephen Mitchell, a specialist in due diligence for illegally logged wood, has been helping importers understand and deal with the risks for some 14 years. “I have helped a good number of importers of FOLS timber, ply and veneer get Skills Verification Program their due diligence right,” he said. 1 “Many of them are 1/ The good stuff… a good complying with the number of importers of timber, ply and veneers are getting their due regulations and have been diligence right. asked by government ofcials 2/ Stephen Mitchell… helping for information about the due companies to review their systems. diligence on specic imports. None of my clients has had a around 385 containers of non-compliance notice, which illegally-logged merbau wood is pleasing, but it is not the harvested in the Papua time to be complacent.” 2 province and valued at more Mr Mitchell is now helping than $A10 million. straightforward. However, companies with a review of It will be interesting to given the prevalence of illegal their systems. see if any of that timber logging in these countries, But he says he still hears was destined for Australian 20% you have to have systems from clients about other importers or if the Indonesian in place to ensure you and Off importers who have little government has tracked your staff are monitoring or no understanding of the previous exports from the that each and every requirements and are doing same supply chains. consignment complies with Discount nothing about them. the regulations.” These compliance actions * “Considering that the and constantly evolving trade available In other illegal logging regulation has been in place conditions – US-China tariff news, Indonesian media has since 2012, it boggles the battles for example – highlight for AFCA reported that, over the last mind the risk they are taking the need for Australian timber two months in Surabaya and Members! as compliance is really not importers to keep on top of Makassar, the Indonesian that difcult once you get into their due diligence for illegally government has seized logged wood. it,” Mr Mitchell said. ✔ Evidence of employees’ Why run the risk? Get on “For example, if you MANY VOLUME current skills and training are importing timber from the road to compliance. ✔ IMPORTERS ARE Supports WHS Malaysia or Indonesia, Contact Stephen Mitchell’s risk management the available Country COMPLYING WITH on (02) 8006 8850 or mobile ✔ Supports professionalism Specic Guidance can THE REGULATION 0432 860 100. Email steve@ and safety of industry make compliance quite smassociates.com.au www.fols.forestworks.com.aufols.forestworks.com.au 1800 177 001 Linda Sewell to speak at AFPA members’ dinner *Australian Forest Contractors THE CEO of Melbourne- of gender balance – and why timber operations in Australia Association (AFCA) based Onefortyone quotas and child care centres and owns the harvesting Plantations Linda Sewell will won’t shift the dial’. rights of the Green Triangle be special guest speaker at The event will be in the plantation estate from the the Australian Forest Products Bradman Room, Manuka South Australian government. Association members’ dinner Oval, Manuka, starting at Dinner ticket inquires to in Canberra on March 7. 6 pm. AFPA on (02) 6285 3833 An industry-led program managed by ForestWorks Ms Sewell will address the OneFortyOne is an investor or email to dinner on ‘tackling the issue in forest plantations and [email protected] TIMBER & FORESTRY E-NEWS | ISSUE 544 | January 31, 2018 3 Sustainability earns security FIRE WATCH TASMANIA Close watch on forests as res rage over wide area of Tasmania JIM BOWDEN WITH worsening water area.The Southwood (Huon) shortages, hot weather and wood processing site at not a drop of rain, Tasmania Judbury in southern Tasmania, is suffering one of its worst operated by Sustainable re seasons as scores of Timbers Tasmania subsidiary blazes burn through forests, Netwood, was damaged by farms and townships across re, although Tasmania Fire southern and central regions. Service and STT crews were Caused by a bombardment able to put out spot res in of lightning strikes in recent log heaps, sawdust piles and weeks, the Tasmanian Fire wood waste. However, a fuel Service is battling major storage shed and chemical bush res on three fronts – 1 storage areas were damaged the Huon Valley on the Central 1/ Surveying the damage… and sawdust in a sawdust Plateau, Gell River in the Tasmanian re ghters in hopper caught on re. southwest and at Zeehan on Tasmania’s Central Highlands. 2/ Rob de Fégely… at Nature’s The site is designed the west coast. mercy. to improve ef ciencies, About 500 personnel are utilisation and value of will be bolstered by about 60 working on the res, including harvested plantation and new arrivals today (Thursday). those from interstate and native forest logs by co- New Zealand, and their ranks Closely monitoring the locating a range of wood processing businesses close 2 to the forest. movement of the res that A sawmill and a rotary threaten large areas of peeled veneer mill operate APPRENTICES & TRAINEES plantation forests and re- on the site and planning growth areas, the chairman of approvals are current for a Sustainable Timbers Tasmania potential bio-fuel power plant Rob de Fégely said 140,000 to utilise residues. ha of forest had been burnt with a re line of 1300 km. FIRE FIGHTERS “With 500 re ghters working across the state ARRIVE that’s 3 km of re line per FROM NZ person, which any forester will tell you is more than one The Bureau of Meteorology person can handle in a heavy is predicting temperatures on forest re,” he said. Friday will peak at mid to high Mr de Fégely said res 20s across most of the state, were entering the Mount with inland areas in the south Field national park, 65 km reaching the low 30s. northwest of Hobart, which The bureau is warning was putting a lot pressure and that strong and gusty north- grief on parks staff. westerly winds combined “You’re at Nature’s mercy with hot temperatures will when winds constantly create very high to severe change from northerly to ongoing re danger across southerly scattering embers the central, eastern and in all directions over a wide southern regions. 4 TIMBER & FORESTRY E-NEWS | ISSUE 544 | January 31, 2018 INDUSTRY NEWS Strong approval for IFA-AFG merger THE Institute of Foresters of Australia has voted overwhelmingly to merge with Australian Forest Growers, creating a body with potentially more punch in the forest industry.