Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 1issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau

6935

issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE 1

Cont Page 2

MicroProreg

Copper Quat

Visit wwwosmosecomau or phone 1800 088 809Osmosereg and MicroProreg are registered trademarks of Osmose Inc or its subsidiaries Treated Wood Just Got Greener sm are slogan marks of Osmose Inc and its subsidiaries MicroPro timber products are produced by independently

owned and operated wood preserving facilities See MicroPro fastener and hardware information sheet copy 2012 Osmose Inc

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providing improved painting and staining qualities

Cont Page 3

Road map for the future Rod McInnes chairman of the Forest and Timber Industry Plan Working Group (second from left) hands over the industryrsquos plan to Queensland Forestry Minister John McVeigh watched by Chris Hay Timber Queensland chairman and Skene Finlayson managing director Finlaysonrsquos Timber amp Hardware which hosted the presentation

bull Prohibition elements of logging Act now in force

bull Contractors ratify forest agreement

Glimmer of hope on the horizonbull FSC awards for

excellencebull Is this the best

sustainable dealbull Grafton sawmiller

80 starts next working decade

This issuEYes minister itrsquos a sound plan

THE Queensland government was presented with a plan last Thursday that aims to secure and cultivate the future of the statersquos $27 billion forest and timber industryDeveloped by the Forest and Timber Industry Plan Working Group the plan was handed

over to the Minister for Forestry John McVeigh by the grouprsquos chairman Rod McInnes at a special ceremony at Finlaysonrsquos Timber amp Hardware in East BrisbaneThe presentation was originally planned to take place at the Carter Holt Harvey sawmill at

Caboolture but the mill has closed following a fire last Tuesday evening that caused damages estimated at more than $1 million (see story Page 4)The plan points to new timber

Industry presents its case for the future

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 1012122

Supported by

VAFI congratulates the winners of

the 2012 Sustainability

Awards

Arbuthnot SArbuthnot SawmillsInnovation Award

Australian PaperOccupational Health and

Safety Award Community Engagement

Award

MoMontana Timber Environmental

Sustainability Award

Ryan amp McNulty SawmillersCommunity Engagement

Award Skills and Training Award

South South East Fibre ExportsEnvironmental

Sustainability Award

wwwvafiorgau

iNDusTRY NEWs

ForestWorks performsa range of industry

wide functions acting as the channel

between industry Government and the Australian Vocational

Education and Training (VET) system

VICTORIAPO Box 612 North Melbourne 3051Tel (03) 9321 3500Email forestworksforestworkscomau

NEW SOUTH WALESPO Box 486 Parramatta 2124Tel (02) 8898 6990Email smukherjeeforestworkscomau

TASMANIAPO Box 2146 Launceston 7250Tel (03) 6331 6077Email edownforestworkscomau

SOUTH AUSTRALIALevel 2 32 South Terrace Adelaide SA 5000Tel (08) 8219 9028Email michelleforestworkscomau

LearningSkills

ResearchAdvice

Innovation

Cont Page 11

Importers and processors should check the legality of the products they are receiving

Prohibition elementsof illegal logging Actcan now be enforced

it is now a criminal offence to import

illegally logged timber and timber products

into Australia

THE Illegal Logging Prohibition (ILP) Act 2012 received royal assent on November 28 bringing into force the prohibition elements of the ActRegulations are expected to be tabled by May or June next yearThe regulations due to take effect in November 2014 will outline steps that importers and processors should take to check the legality of the product they are receiving Obligations for importers and processors to undertake due diligence do not commence until that timeThe Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry will release discussion draft regulations shortly so that businesses have time to develop due diligence systems to support the product they are importing or processingThe Bill was passed by federal parliament on November 19The legislation supports Australiarsquos commitment to promote the trade of legally

harvested timber and will be applied consistently regardless of where the timber or timber product originatesThe Bill aims to reduce the harmful environmental social and economic impacts of illegal logging and is consistent with Australiarsquos international trade obligations It supports Australiarsquos commitment to promote the trade of legally harvested timber and will be applied consistently regardless of where the timber or timber product originatesDAFF says key provisions of the Act are now in effect most notably the immediate prohibitions for importing timber and timber products that contain illegally logged timber and processing domestic raw logs that have been illegally loggedldquoIt is now a criminal offence to import illegally logged timber and timber products into Australia or to process Australian raw logs that have been harvested illegallyrdquo Ben Mitchell director of international forest policy DAFF advised stakeholders in a circularldquoAustralian importers and processors must not knowingly

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 3issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

manufacturing technologies and advanced building systems as opportunities to deliver significant economic social and environmental benefits to QueenslandJohn McVeigh welcomed the draft plan which he will present and explain to Cabinet in the New Year and which is expected to have a speedy acceptanceldquoItrsquos a milestone for our timber industryrdquo Mr McVeigh saidldquoIrsquom determined to revitalise the industry which was demonised for years by LaborrdquoRod McInnes who is chief executive of Timber Queensland said timber was the pre-eminent building

materialldquoIf it was discovered today it would be considered a miracle product ndash almost too good to believerdquo he saidldquoSourced from nature it is strong practical cost-effective renewable recyclable and has one of the lowest carbon footprints of any building materialrdquo he saidMr McInnes said the LNP government recognised the

existing contribution the forest and timber industry made to Queenslandrsquos economy and its potential to deliver even greater returnsldquoThe Premier identified the development of a Forest and Timber Industry Plan as one of the initiatives in the governmentrsquos Six-month Action Plan JulyndashDecember 2012rdquo he saidldquoIn response representatives from Timber Queensland key

industry stakeholders and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry established the plan working group to develop a strategy that meets industryrsquos needs and could be considered for adoption by government and industryrdquoMr McInnes said a critical part of the plan was to pursue policy settings that supported further investmentldquoQueensland currently meets around 70 of its own timber needs with local product However imports are set to rise significantly unless action is taken to increase the capacity of local forest resource to meet forecast demandrdquo he saidldquoThe processing sector also needs to expand to include a broad range of processors that can make best use of the available resource from high-value pruned log material to low-value sawmill and forest residuesrdquoThe plan recommends the state government continues its mission of cutting red tape working closely with industry

Cont Page 4

iNDusTRY NEWs

From Page 1

Supporting the plan Michael Finlayson director Finlaysonrsquos Timber amp Hardware (right) welcomes DAFF representatives Bill Gordon manager sales and marketing (forest products) Geoff Kent director of forestry and Dr Beth Woods deputy director-general

Plan shows Queensland industryoffers opportunity for investment

Plan recommends the government

continues its mission of cutting red tape and works closely

with industry to ensure RampD

investment is focused on

industryrsquos needs

Conferring on the timber industry plan are Geoff Kent director of forestry DAFF Jim Burgess timber industry consultant and Brian Farmer chief executive HQPlantations

Clarissa Brandt communications manager Timber Queensland welcomes Warwick Temby executive director Housing Industry Association and Scott Mills and Chris Hayes Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts to the release of the Forest and Timber Industry Plan

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 1012124

iNDusTRY NEWs

From Page 3

Plan seeks to drive new demand for timberto ensure RampD investment is focused on industryrsquos needs and supporting investment in innovative processing facilities within a highly competitive market for investment fundingldquoFor its part the industry needs to adopt best practice technologies and business and environmental management practices Mr McInnes saidThe plan seeks tobull Sustain existing markets and drive new demand for timber and wood products by promoting application and use and removing any unreasonable barriers to that usebull Forecast Queensland demand for timber and wood products along the plan path 2012-2040bull Facilitate commercial access to and availability of sufficient wood fibre to meet forecast Queensland demand for timber productsbull Encourage investment in primary and secondary processing facilities in both metropolitan and regional areas to provide long-term employment and career opportunitiesThe plan as presented to

government was applauded by industry leaders in southern statesAlmost 12 months ago on December 13 the Victorian Timber Industry Action Plan was released by the state governmentThe plan was written to ensure a sustainable future for productive forestry in Victoria by providing the forest and wood products industry with better regulation and greater levels of resource securityLonger-term wood supply

contracts more flexible sales arrangements and mechanisms to compensate VicForestsrsquo customers for impacts on their contracts from changes in state government policy provided a basis for improved business confidence investment and innovationChief executive of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries Lisa Marty said a clear and effective regulatory framework for responsible forest management and wood supply was essential to ensuring the industry could continue

to provide economically and environmentally sustainable jobs in rural and regional areasMs Marty said the action plan was essential if Australia ndash the seventh most forested nation in the world ndash were to reduce its $19 billion trade deficit in wood and paper productsldquoThe plan provides the right environment for the industry to invest in our businesses markets and people to develop market opportunities improve productivity and sustainability and innovate in ways that will benefit the industry and the communities it supportsrdquo she saidThe Victorian forest and wood products industry includes a vibrant manufacturing sector in the suburbs of Melbourne and many regional communities It directly employs about 24000 people and produces products made from wood mdash a natural renewable material that stores carbon and uses less energy to produce than many alternatives mdash that serve an integral part of our built environment as furniture flooring and structural building materials

CHH Caboolture mill damaged by fireA MAJOR fire that severely damaged the Carter Holt Harvey sawmill at Caboolture 50 km north of Brisbane is still being investigatedThe company was happy to report there were no injuries from the fire last Tuesday night which swept through roofing and the dry mill causing up to $1 million damage The fire started in a large planing shed igniting sawdust timber and hydraulic fuelSeveral mill workers say the machinery had been off for nearly two hours and they are not sure how and why it caught alightSenior fire officers say access

was difficult and the blaze spread from that building to a three-storey silo filled with sawdustThe fire was eventually brought under control and several crews spent the night damping down hot spots Investigators say both buildings have been extensively damaged and it could be months before the mill opens againFire officers say the hot dry conditions may have been a factorMeanwhile New Zealand workers at Carter Holt Harvey-owned Rotorua Profiles are celebrating after being told they will no longer be made

redundant as the company has found a buyer for the businessCHH announced two weeks ago it would be closing Rotorua Profiles at a cost of around 50 jobs for employees and contractorsThe sale to Profiles Woodproducts Ltd means all workers will now keep their jobs on full pay and conditionsEPMU timber industry organiser Ron Angel says the news is a huge relief for workers and their familiesldquoItrsquos devastating to be told yoursquoll lose your job at any time particularly just before Christmas so our members are just over the moon that their

jobs have been savedldquoCarter Holt Harvey is to be congratulated for its efforts to keep people in employment and for making such a smooth transition to the new employer This is great news for everyonerdquoThe EPMU is continuing to consult with Carter Holt Harvey over the 18 redundancies announced recently at its Tokoroa plywood plant So far six jobs have been saved and the union is hopeful the remaining twelve redundancies will be voluntary

Timber plan recognises the contribution the forest and timber industry make to Queenslandrsquos economy

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 5issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

EVENTs

WHATrsquoS ONAustraliarsquos forest wood pulp and paper products industry now has a stronger voice in dealings with government the community and in key negotiations on the industryrsquos future as two peak associations have merged to form a single national association

The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has been formed through the merger of the Australian Plantations Products and Paper Industry Council (A3P) and the National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI)

AFPA was established to cover all aspects of Australiarsquos forest industry

- Forest growing - Harvest and haulage - Sawmilling and other

wood processing - Pulp and paper processing and

- Forest product exporting

For more information on the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) or to enquire about membership please call (02) 6285 3833

APRiL 20137-10 6th international Woodfibre Resources and Trade Conference Istanbul Turkey lsquoWoodchips and Biomass for Global and Regional MarketsrsquoHilton Istanbul Hotel Included in the program is a pre- and post-conference field trip two days of conference and the opportunity to visit GallipoliVisit wwwwoodfibreconferencecom to registerResidues-to-Revenues 2013 Conference and CleanTECH Expo Wood energy and lsquoclean-techrsquo industry developments Crowne Plaza Hotel Auckland April 10-11 2013 Bayview Eden Hotel Melbourne April 15-16 2013 Event website wwwwoodresidueseventscom7-11 Institute of Foresters of Australia conference ndash Canberra Rex Hotel Canberra lsquoManaging Our Forests into the 21st Centuryrsquo Inquires to Alison Carmichael chief executive IFA PO Box 7002 Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel (02) 6281 3992 Mob 0414 287 079 Email alisoncarmichaelforestryorgau Web wwwforestryorgauApril 28-May 12 EuroWOOD 2013 study tour to LigNA

Hannover (May 6-10) Study tour and visits to Austria and Germany starting in Vienna and finishing at LIGNA Hannover Germany Add-on tour options to Finland and UK and European destinations The 16-day tour is supported by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) in collaboration with other industry bodies and companies Participants will have the option to attend the full LIGNA program in Hannover and join selected visits to surrounding wood manufacturing factories and a university outside LIGNA for one or two days allowing three full days at LIGNA Internet site for registrations available soon Costs $7550 (+gst) pp or $9370 (+gst) single with an option for single participants to twin share Price includes all airfares ground travel and most meals including entry to the famous LIGNAHannover Fair from May 6-10 The study tour will inspect the latest technologies of factory-built prefabricated housing and cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction methods revolutionary MDF processes wood panel processing structural timber frame housing construction and all the

machinery that puts it together Generous time has been allotted to rest relax and enjoy Austrian and German tourist locations along the way while travelling by luxury coach and staying at top hotels Tour limited to 32 participants including professional industry tour guides Travel consultant Harvey World Travel Shop 18 Fountain Plaza The Entrance Rd Erina NSW 2250Tel 02 4365 2337 For a full itinerary and registration details contact the EuroWOOD 2013 Secretariat PO Box 330 Hamilton Central Q 4007 or email eurowood13 bigpondcom Tax deductible industry tourMAY8 global softwood Log amp Lumber Conference Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel Vancouver BC Sponsor opportunities available Contact infowoodmarketscom or call 1-604-801-5996DECEMbER 4-5 Focus on improving transport and logistics in the forestry sectorIt will build on the excellent program designed by the ForestIndustry Engineering Association Visit wwwforesttecheventscom

EDITORIAL INQuIRIESTEL +61 3266 1429

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 1012126

MEMBERS of the Tasmanian Forest Contractors Association have voted to ratify the Tasmanian Forest Agreement by an overwhelming majorityChief executive Ed Vincent said members had taken all factors into account and made a decision which provided for a surer future than they were facingThe voting result endorsed the work of the association over the last three years aiming to represent the best interests of its members in the changing forest industry and the negotiations leading to the agreementldquoWhile there are concerns about the translation of the agreement to legislation the agreement does provide a clear opportunity to restructure our industry albeit at a lower activity level in public native forest than the levels of over four years agordquo Mr Vincent saidldquoContractors now want to see an end to this divisive and demoralising conflict in their lives and in the lives of Tasmanians This agreement properly implemented provides that opportunityrdquoIndustry lobby group Give It Back is travelling across

the state to give people an opportunity to hammer a nail into the coffin and sign their nameldquoWe are giving the people of Tasmania an opportunity to nail the lid on a dead forestry deal that has caused Tasmania so much grief over the last couple of yearsrdquo Give It Back member Michael Kelly saidThe group is halfway through its two- week campaign and already the coffin is covered in nailsldquoWersquore very concerned for the future of Tasmania and the people We have six more days and wersquore going to be delivering [the coffin] to Parliament Houserdquo Mr Kelly said last FridayldquoThe state government wants to lock up another 500000 ha which is locking up our kidsrsquo ability to generate an income The sad part is that one day it will go up in smoke if not managedrdquo Mr Kelly saidGive It Back is calling for an early election to deal with this issue once and for all and put the decision in the hands of the publicldquoIf this government believes itrsquos doing the right thing then they need to take this to election

and have a mandate from the people to do itrdquo Mr Kelly saidMeanwhile it is predicted the federal government could see a $7 billion windfall from Tasmaniarsquos forestry peace dealThe chance for the windfall comes after the commonwealth committed $300 million to the deal which reduces native forest loggingClimate law expert Andrew MacIntosh from the Australian National University believes the deal could raise billions for the commonwealth through international carbon creditsHe has told Radio National that new rules come into effect when Australia signs the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol

ldquoThe one thatrsquos relevant here is that any reduction in native forest harvesting below the levels in the 2000rsquos results in the government getting creditsrdquo he saidHe says the credits can then be auctioned for more carbon units in the emissions trading schemeUnder the deal to end forestry conflict 500000 ha is flagged for reserveMr MacIntosh says the Tasmanian government is likely to miss out on any moneyldquoIn this case Irsquom concerned that so much has been focused on what does the industry want and so much has been focused in what the green groups want in terms of lines on the maps in order to preserve areas that the state government has not paid sufficient attention to what is the main game here and that is the carbon creditsrdquoTasmaniarsquos Climate Change Minister is uncertain about the exact benefits that will flow from any carbon credits earned from the peace dealCassy OrsquoConnor says Mr MacIntosh is wrong but conceded there was no guarantee money would flow to the state government

Contractor group votes for forestdeal lsquoin best interests of membersrsquo

iNDusTRY NEWs

Ed Vincent clear opportunity to restructure the industry

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 7issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

iNDusTRY NEWs

Anti-dumping body to increase penaltiesin Canberra crack-down on illegal trading

Stephen Jones making it easier for businesses to take anti-dumping action

THE federal government has announced it will set up an anti-dumping commission to crack down on foreign companies who import products into Australia below the cost of manufactureItrsquos a move that has widely been welcomed by the timber industry as well as unionsThe Anti Dumping Commission will investigate complaints and Customs will receive a $24 million funding boost over four years to speed up its inquiriesThe plan would increase penalties for overseas producers found in breach of the anti-dumping ActHowever some industry watchers fear the commission could be a lsquotoothless tigerrsquo without legislation to support itldquoThe dumping of wood products has been proved in cases in the past but because the courts have ruled lsquothere were no material damagesrsquo there were no penalties imposed on such dumpingrdquo and industry analyst claimedNational secretary of the AWU Paul Howes says the establishment of the new trade authority will save thousands of jobsldquoFinally wersquoll have a tough cop on the beat when it comes to dealing with those who cheat free trade Wersquove seen in recent years a massive increase in the amount of illegal dumping occurringrdquo he saidBuilding paper and furniture products have all been dumped on the market in recent years from countries such as Asia where labour costs are lowLabor MP Stephen Jones has been watching the issues closely for several months and says this move from the government is essential ldquoIt makes a big difference to local manufacturersrdquo he saidldquo[Manufacturers] estimate that over the last 12 months illegal

dumping of cut-price below-value steel has cost their business around about 100 million dollarsrdquoApart from timber Mr Jones says an oversupply of steel in China is a large factor contributing to the ongoing issue of dumpingldquoThat excess supply is looking for a home and wersquore concerned it will be flooded into the Australian market at below cost and that cuts jobsrdquo Mr Jones saidldquoIt is hoped the commission will better protect local

manufacturers and allow for them to take action on dumping as it occursldquoWersquore increasing penalties and wersquore making it easier for businesses to take anti-dumping actionrdquo Mr Jones saidIn the past government commissions have been criticised for failing to take any real action following their establishmentMr Jones says special and expert staff will be appointed to the commission to ensure action will be taken

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 1012128

TO quote Her Majesty when the marriages of her two sons Charles and Andrew broke down and Windsor Castle caught fire in 1992 she described the year as an annus horribilis for the royal householdSeems the Queenrsquos quote could well apply to the Australian forest industry as the year 2012 draws to a closeIt has been tough times for log processing companies and indeed the entire forestry and timber products supply chainAs the year dwindles away some larger softwood sawmills are on state government-sponsored life support forest contractors ndash and not just in Tassie ndash and their suppliers are in survival mode and I sense industry morale is at an extremely low ebbIn addition the year has been pretty much a tree planting free zone and other forms of industry investment and innovation has all but dried upSome long-established iconic forestry companies led by Gunns have gone to the wall and many others appear to be just holding onThe generally bleak mood and despondency is starkly demonstrated by the lack of any enthusiasm to entertain even modest levy increases to support the current level of research and generic marketing undertaken by Forest and Wood Products Australia when this effort has by any measure been outstanding Clearly such a position will do nothing other than serve to dampen the domestic appetite for wood as the building material of choice and further entrench the domestic wood processing industryrsquos lack of international competitivenessSo the sooner 2012 is behind us the better

But is there a glimmer of hope on the horizon Amid the declining commercial position and black mood a positive initiative launched late in the year ndash too late perhaps ndash has been the preparation and advocacy of an eight-point industry rescue plan by the

Australian Forest Products Association Perhaps itrsquos the last throw of the dice but AFPA is starting to talk tough and to promote the industry Chief executive David Pollard has fired the opening salvo in what he says is aimed at being a lsquogame changerrsquoHe says that after decades of being the whipping boy for the Greens and almost persona non grata with the nationrsquos decision-makers the industry has finally had enough Well put DavidHe says a visionary approach

is needed to reposition the industry at the forefront of the new low-carbon economy and that AFPA has developed an eight-point plan to promote the industry and to put it to the decision-makersldquoAustralia should capitalise on the strengths of its renewable forest-based industries The forest wood and paper products industries are well placed to help the Australian economy transition to a sustainable lower emissions futurerdquo Dr Pollard saysldquoWith a growing population and higher demand for a range of building paper and energy products the sector can help satisfy this demand with a renewable resource It can also provide significant economic development and regional jobsldquoThe forest wood and paper products industries presently turn over $22 billion supporting around 120000 direct jobs nationallyldquoThis is an environmentally-friendly industry making products that are renewable natural and carbon positive with significant opportunities to provide jobs and economic benefitsrdquoDavid says that the potential benefits of his plan are huge ldquoThe AFPA eight-point plan is part of its policy roadmap for development of the industry over the next five yearsrdquo he assertsSo while I think I can speak for most in the industry in bidding farewell to our annus horribilis of a year we do have something of a positive note to end on ndash more strength to your elbow next year David

Glimmer of hope on horizon

David Pollard industry has finally had enough

FORESTRY AND FOREST MACHINERY

Deep in the Woodswith

Cheryle Forrester

A saw point many will be happy to cut away from 2012

This section is supported by the Australian Forest Contractors Association

2012 annus horribillis for timber industry

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 9issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

dennisindustrye-newscom

FOREST RESEARCH

lsquoRetiredrsquo scientists haveunmasked bush graffitiartists on scribbly gums

IN a remarkable piece of detective work a team of lsquoretiredrsquo CSIRO scientists has revealed the group of artists responsible for the iconic scribbles found on smooth-barked eucalyptus trees in south-eastern AustraliaPreviously thought to be the work of a single species called the Australian scribbly gum moth the scientists have uncovered at least 11 new species of moths responsible for the iconic bush graffitildquoAlthough many Australians will be familiar with the distinctive scribbles on gum trees very little was known until now about the artists that create themrdquo said Dr Marianne Horak a retired moth expert working in an honorary capacity at CSIROrsquos Australian National Insect CollectionldquoDiscovering that there are at least 12 species of moths behind the scribbles was certainly an exciting find We also found these moths have a link with the ancient supercontinent GondwanardquoThe scientists revealed that the relationship between the scribbly gum moths and their eucalypt hosts is a unique ecological interaction The moths bore a tunnel through an under layer of the eucalypt bark in their larval stage looping and moving back and forth along their tracks at different stages of their caterpillar life cycle to create the distinctive scribblesldquoIn an attempt to replace the missing tissue the trees refill the tunnels with highly nutritious thin-walled cellsrdquo Dr Horak saidldquoThis is ideal food for the caterpillars so they turn around and eat their way back along the way the came growing rapidly to maturity before they leave the tree to spin a cocoon and turn into a moth Not long after the caterpillars leave

the tree the bark cracks off revealing the scribbles belowrdquoThe formidable collaboration of scientific heavy-hitters Marianne Horak Ted Edwards AM and 96-year-old Dr Max Day AO teamed up with botanist Celia Barlow ndash all honorary fellows at the CSIRO ndash in conducting detailed field and laboratory studies to determine the biology and life cycle of the mothsOther collaborators performed DNA analysis and microscopic studies to help confirm their findings and pinpoint these enigmatic moth speciesrsquo place within the insect worldldquoThis is a wonderful example of the passion our scientists have for their work whether retired or notrdquo says Dr Joanne Daly CSIRO strategic advisor working with CSIROrsquos collectionsldquoThis research highlights that we still have so much to learn about Australian fauna and flora even those species we see every dayrdquo

Detective work different moths responsible for artwork on scribbly gums

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 10121210

CELEbRATION

Yamas Spiros as Grafton sawmillerstarts his next working decade at 80

Powering on at 80 Spiros Notaras

Birthday celebrations Spiros Notaras (centre) with sons Paul and John daughter Sue and their mother Libby Notaras

Old friends Dawn Lembke and Patsy Evans

Joining in the celebrations Patsy Evan from Caboolture Steve and Sue McKimm Grafton real estate identities and Jim Schaefer son-in-law of Brinos Notaras

IT was quite a celebration ndash and a touching one ndash as balloons flags and table mats in the blue and white colours of Greece and the sounds of a bouzouki set the scene for the 80th birthday celebration of a colourful Northern NSW sawmiller ndash Spiros NotarasMore than 120 family members friends in industry and mill workers gathered in Grafton on December 1 to salute a life ndash a working life ndash that is far from over for this son of Kythira who has never forgotten his Greek heritageThey came from Melbourne Sydney and Brisbane and many points in between to raise glasses and shout ldquoyamasrdquoldquoIt was just wonderful to have them all here ndash but it was sad Brinos and Con couldnrsquot be with merdquo Mr Notaras told us from GraftonHe was referring to his brother Brinos Notaras who died tragically at the aged of 75 in a motor accident in 2005 and long-time friend timber journalist Conrad Lembke OAM who passed away aged 78 in 2008ldquoGod I miss themrdquo Spiros saidBut Conrsquos wife Dawn and the family of Brinos were in Grafton to toast the iconic hardwood

sawmillerldquoRetire Yoursquove got to be jokingrdquo Mr Notaras said ldquoI have a plan ndash a 10-year plan for continued hard work with hardwoodsrdquoTypical of the people skills Mr Notaras has learned in his working life in the widely divergent fields of sawmilling and cinema ownership he chose to also celebrate his 60th and toughest year in businessThe year did not start well for the mill with staff numbers down to 36 and everyone working a four-day week amid concerns about the supply of logs to the millBut by the end of the year due to a mixture of good fortune [the businesses downturn affected a competitor which opened up the log supply] and business acumen in keeping abreast of what the market wants things are looking up for J Notaras and Sons Pty Ltd at Heber

Street South Grafton which began operations in 1952The sawmill currently utilises 24000 cub m of logs producing about 8000 cub m of sawn timber a year which adds about $25 million annually to the economy of the Clarence Valley regionMr Notaras noted he was born in the same year the Grafton and Sydney Harbour bridges opened and the ABC began broadcastingldquoA lot of good things started in 1932rdquo he saidMr Notaras and his brother Brinos started in the timber industry almost by accident He and his older brother had

just returned after school at Newington College in Sydney and father Jack Notaras was looking to buy a business for his boysldquoLocal real estate agent Trevor McKimm mentioned this mill at Lawrence was for salerdquo recalled SpirosMr Notaras spent two weeks at the mill learning some of the basics and he was hookedHe convinced his brother who was considering a career in the menswear industry this was the way to go and the rest is historyItrsquos a history Mr Notaras is keen to put to paper hersquos working on a book to tell the remarkable story of his familyThe celebrations finished with a visit by some of the birthday party guests to the Notaras familyrsquos Saraton cinema a heritage building in Prince Street Grafton built in 1926 and renovated at considerable costThey watched the new James Bond thriller Skyfall adapted from stories written by Bond creator Ian Fleming who was penning his first spy novel in 1952 ndash the year the Notaras sawmill started up in Grafton- JIM BOWDEN

lsquoRetire Yoursquove got to be jokingrdquo

Mr Notaras said lsquoI have a plan

ndash a 10-year plan for continued hard work

with hardwoodsrsquo

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 11issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

ThE TAsMANiAN sAgA

Key provisions inillegal logging Actare now in force

EWPs that tickALL the boxes

Consistent QUALITY

LOWEST emissions

Structurally SOUND and SAFE

Wood from 100 LEGAL CERTIFIED forests

GUARANTEED to Australasian Standards

JOBS security

Engineered wood products manufactured by EWPAA member companies top the list

Independently tested to the highest standard guaranteed to comply with Australian standards certified under JAS-ANZ accredited product certification scheme guaranteed to be safe and to carry the designated design load complies with the Building Code of Australia meets safety and quality requirements accepted by unions meets all Workplace Health amp Safety requirements

Engineered Wood Products Association of AustralasiaPlywood House 3 Dunlop Street Newstead 4006 Queensland Australia

Tel 61 7 3250 3700 Fax 61 7 3252 4769 Email inboxewpasnauWeb wwwewpasnau

EWPAAg u A r A n t E E d

intentionally or recklessly import or process illegally logged timberldquoIf you receive information that the timber you are sourcing is illegally logged believe the timber is illegally logged or are made aware that there is a substantial risk that the timber was illegally logged be aware that penalties may apply if the timber or timber product is in fact illegally loggedrdquoDAFF added ldquoIf you suspect that the timber or timber product you are processing is from an illegal source you should ask your supplier to confirm its legalityldquoIf you are still in doubt or

you have further inquiries about how the new laws may apply to you then contact the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry on 1800 657 313rdquoVisit daffgovauillegal logging or email IllegalLoggingdaffgovauEditorrsquos note Advice on the DAFF website about steps to take in response to the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012 - that people could report someone who was suspected of doing the wrong thing by telephoning or emailing the department - has been removed since it was reported in TimberampForestry enews on November 26

From Page 2

New plywood mill likelyafter forest agreement

A NEW plywood mill based in northern Tasmania is likely if the statersquos forestry agreement legislation is supportedTa Ann Tasmania group managing director KH Wong said the agreement would bring confidence to statersquos forest industry and to domestic and international markets ldquoAs a result of reduced contract log supply from Forestry Tasmania Ta Ann will be seeking certified log supplies from private forest growersrdquo Mr Wong said

ldquoShould the legislation be passed the company would have the confidence to commit to building a new plywood mill to be based in northern TasmaniardquoIt is expected construction could begin within six months subject to the support of local authorities for the necessary statutory approvalsMr Wong has appealed to the Legislative Council to support the forest agreement legislation to support industry to move forward in a sustainable way

EDITORIALINQuIRIES

TEL +61 32661429

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 10121212

THE signatories to the Tasmanian Forests Agreement have spent more than two years trying to square the circle of forest conflict in Tasmania The deal they brokered deserves prima facie respect it is the closest to sustainability the state will probably ever getWhile many have been critical of elements of the process me included and while many are critical of elements of the content me included the key question now is ldquoCould you or I ever have delivered a better packagerdquoIf you think you could have then it is incumbent on you to explain not just what that package is but how it could have been acceptable to the other interests with whom it would have to be negotiatedIf you arenrsquot interested in negotiating then you are not promoting sustainability you are simply advocating for a single interestMost people today accept the Brundtland definition of sustainability as development that ldquomeets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needsrdquoOperationalising the definition in a specific policy context however requires political institutions to determine whose lsquoneedsrsquo are met today and how much protection to give ecological systems to provide for future generationsrsquo needsSuch institutions cannot be dominated by a single economic social or environmental constituencyIf the process is controlled by industry then longer-term ecosystem conservation

lsquoneedsrsquo will be sacrificed to more immediate short-term demands for profits and jobsSustainability canrsquot be just one thing or anotherBut equally if the process is captured by environmentalists an overly cautious approach to ecosystem protection may result in forgone developmentSustainability then is about achieving an acceptable balance between economic social and environmental interests and values It requires properly constituted multi-stakeholder forums that engage in deep deliberation to broker an appropriate compromiseSince at least the late 1970s forests and forestry have been lightning rods for conflict over the meaning of sustainabilityAustralia has been a latecomer to new governance arrangements in general and to forestry in particular The Forest Stewardship Council Australia was founded only in 2006 long

after the organisation was well established elsewhereToday the Forest Stewardship Council mdash long the becircte noire of mainstream forestry mdash explicitly embraces this new governance sustainability principle ldquoResponsible forestryrdquo emerges from the deliberations of the councilrsquos

separate but equal ldquochambersrdquo representing economic social and environmental interestsTasmania has had virtually no new governance arrangements in the past two decades ever since the failed lsquoSalamanca Agreementrsquo process It was only in 2010 that a lsquoroundtablersquo on forestry finally brought economic social and environmental interests togetherAfter over two years of on-again off-again negotiations this not-too-unbalanced mainly consensus-driven multi-stakeholder negotiating group has mdash almost in spite of itself mdash produced a compromise deal aimed at achieving the required balanceKnown as the Tasmanian Forests Agreement (TFA) the deal provides the following tradeoffsbull Environmental interests get 395000 ha of high conservation value forests protected immediately Another 109000 ha will be protected later providing the deal is ldquodurablerdquo mdash meaning that large-scale protests against the industry ceasebull Environmental interests give up their long-standing campaign against native forest logging and their opposition to the utilisation of forest residues for a range of commercial usesbull Economic interests get a lower but guaranteed minimum wood supply consisting of 137000 cub m of high quality sawlogs They also get yet-to-be-determine volumes of peeler billets and specialty timbers that are secured in

issuEs

Is this the best sustainabledeal Tasmania will ever get

If the process is captured by environmentalists an overly cautious

approach to ecosystem protection may result in forgone development

Since at least the late 1970s forests and forestry have been lightning rods for conflict over the meaning of sustainability

Cont Page 13

by

DR FRED GALE

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 13issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

issuEs

Visit the World of Engineered Wood join the EuroWOOD 2013 study tour

APRIL 26 ndash MAY 10 2013This fact-fi nding fully-escorted 16-day tour of Austria and Germany starts in Vienna and concludes at LIGNA Hannover$7550 (+gst) pp or $9370 (+gst) single includes all airfares groundtravel and most meals including entry to the famous LIG NAHannoverFair from May 6-1

For a full itinerary and payment details contact the EuroWOOD 2013 SecretariatPO Box 330 Hamilton Central Q 4007 or email eurowood13bigpondcom

Tax

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uctib

le in

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ry to

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EuroWOOD2013 is supported by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) in collaboration with other industry bodies and companiesThe study tour will inspect the latest technologies of factory-builtprefabricated housing and cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction methods revolutionary MDF processes wood panel processing structural timberframe housing construction and all the machinery that puts it togetherGenerous time has been allotted to rest relax and enjoy Austrian and Germantourist locations along the way while travelling by luxury coach and staying at

top hotels Tax deductible industry tour

Tour limited to 32 participants including professional industry tour guidesTravel consultant Harvey World Travel

Shop 18 Fountain Plaza The Entrance Rd Erina NSW 2250Tel 02 4365 2337

Spurning the current agreement will returnus to war in the woods and everyone loses

From Page 12

lsquoPermanent Timber Production Zonesrsquo and lsquoSpecialty Craft and Timber Zonesrsquobull Economic interests give up their long-standing campaign to prevent most of Tasmaniarsquos remaining public high conservation value forests from being lsquolocked uprsquo in national parks They must drop their opposition to Forest Stewardship Council certificationbull Social interests get compensation for affected firms and workers to transition to a smaller but more secure timber industry It will be aided by enhanced regional development funds to promote among other options value-added forest productsbull Social interests give up the

same things economic interests must give upbull Environmental interests get 395000 ha of high conservation value forests protected immediatelyWinston Churchill famously remarked that ldquodemocracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to timerdquoThe aphorism might aptly be applied to the current TFA It is undoubtedly not perfect from a process and content perspectiveBut all past efforts to achieve a compromise have failed Spurning the current agreement will return business workers and environmentalists to the war in the woods from which everyone losesProfits jobs and the

environment will all be trashedThis deal may stink but probably not as badly as any other deal that could have been negotiatedThere is simply no realistic Plan B The Tasmanian Liberal Partyrsquos 13-Point Plan simply returns the state to the forest wars of the past Point 1 of the plan is that ldquoJobs and regional communities come firstrdquo illustrating its lack of balanceLikewise the Tasmanian Conservation Trustrsquos Plan which seeks to overturn the establishment of ldquoPermanent Timber Production Zonesrdquo among other things offers no solution It cannot generate the durability that industry requiresIt is this realitymdashthat there is no realistic Plan Bmdashthat deal supporters must ensure is understood by the statersquos

15-member Legislative CouncilThe Legislative Council must also give careful consideration to the effect of any amendments it proposes The deal is a delicate balance between economic social and environmental interests and will disintegrate if it privileges one sector over othersThe Legislative Council as it is affectionately known will debate the TGA legislation commencing next Tuesday (December 11)I for one hope they hold their nose and vote ldquoYesrdquobull Dr Fred Gale is senior lecturer School of Government University of Tasmania His research interests are national and global environmental governance focusing on the political economy of forestry

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 10121214

FSC AuSTRALIA EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Awards reflect environmental andsocial benefits of FSC in AustraliaForest management auditing design applauded at gala dinner

FSC chairman Jim Adams (left) presents the Forest Manager of the Year Award to Tony Price of Australian Bluegum Plantations

Kim Carstensen FSC International Director-General (right) presents the FCS Supplier of the Year Award to Richard Clunie of Adshel Town amp Park

MORE than 200 representatives of the forest industry government and community groups applauded winners of the 6th annual FSC Australia excellence awards at a gala dinner at the Hilton on the Park Hotel in Melbourne on November 26Awards were presented for forest management supply certification auditing innovation in design using FSC certified wood products print services retail and marketing and promotion campaignsA well-sponsored lsquosilent auctionrsquo was a feature of the event Proceeds will help further develop the FSC Australian national forestry standard which the association says is a project that endorsed by all stakeholders is crucial for present and future social economic and environmental values of Australian forestsFSC Australia chief executive Natalie Reynolds said the awards presentations and dinner event set a new high standardMs Reynolds praised and thanked the members of the organising committee ndash Jennifer Bracken Kimberly-Clark Chris Philpot Plant Ark Eileen Newbury Leading Edge Events International Aleisha Cheesman The Printing Office Catherine Doggett KWDoggett Tammy Price SFM Environmental Solutions Anita Neville Rainforest Alliance and Nick Capobianco SCS Global ServicesNew chairman of FSC Australia Jim Adams set the scene when he presented the FSC Forest Manager of the Year Award to Australian Bluegum Plantations which was accepted by managing director Tony PriceABP manages blue gum plantations in the Green

Triangle region in south-west Victoria south-east South Australia and the south west of Western AustraliaThe plantation estate comprises 94000 ha of trees established between 1997 and 2010 managed on a 10-15 year rotation with a number of plantations already into their scecond rotationABPrsquos parent company Global Forest Partners LP is one

of the worldrsquos oldest and largest timber investment management organisations and currently manages a globally diverse $US27 billion portfolio of closed-end commingled timberfundsThe FSC Supplier Award ndash for current chain of custody certificate holders who supply FSC certified products ndash was won by Adshel Town amp Park St Leonards NSW

Urban furniture specialist Adshel Town and Park supplies sophisticated Australian- made furniture for urban and landscape projects The company was the first FSC-certified timber provider in the street furniture market as well as supplying Greenpeace Greenwood and other sustainable materialsSCS Global Services Australia based in Perth was the winner of the FSC Certification Auditor Award The international company is a global leader in third-party certification auditing and testing services with 30 yearsrsquo experienceThe Print Services Award for large-scale paper users including printers print brokers and publishers using FSC certified paper and printers went to Brisbane-based commercial printer The Printing Office This year the company became Queenslandrsquos first privately-owned commercial printer to be certified with ISO 14001 Environment adding to its ISO 90001 quality assurance certificationThe Innovation in Design Award went to ISIS presented for builders developers architects designers and clients committed to using FSC certified wood in projectsWinner of two awards ndash retailer of the year and responsible procurement ndash was national on-line office products supplier OfficeMaxBest marketing and promotional campaign promoting FSC was awarded Kimberly-Clark Australia and its Kleenex Cottonelle brand for the successful Pin to Make a Difference campaignKleenex Cottonelle is made from imported pulp at the Millicent mill

FSC national standard is crucial for present and future social economic and

environmental values of Australian forests

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 15issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

FSC AuSTRALIA EXCELLENCE AWARDS

FSC standard changing poor forestpractices in south-east Asia region

Jennifer Bracken of Kimberly-Clark presents Nick Capobianco of SCS Global Services with the FSC Certification BodyAuditor Award

Paul Kylmenko of Planet Ark (left) presents the Innovation in Design Award to Joshua Bruce of ISIS Projects

Brigette Pikington of SGS and Natalie Reynolds FSC Australia CEO during the presentation of the Print Services Award won by The Printing Office

Gerald DeLacey of Office Max receives the Retailer of the Year Award from Nick Capobianco of SCS Global Services

FSC Australia board member Tony Price of Australian Bluegum Plantations presents the Campaign of the Year Award to Michelle Rossier of Kimberly-Clark

Sponsor Thomas Tuszynski of Treasury Wine Estates (right) presents the Responsible Procurement Award to Gerald DeLacey of Office Max

FSC Australia is making big advances with more than 500000 ha of native forests and tree plantations certified to Australian standardsWidely recognised as a credible label for responsible forest management the FSC has certified 1486 million ha in 80 countries and established national initiatives (or bodies) in 65 countriesTo balance the interests of different stakeholders FSC ndash which sets international standards for sustainable forest management ndash is governed by three chambers representing environmental economic and social interests with equal vote and power that make decisions cooperativelyAs of February this year FSC had 825 members in 85 countries The Asia Pacific region has 77 million ha of

FSC-certified forest and more than 5140 chain of custody certificates issued for the tracking of wood and paper products from the certified forest through processing to the point of saleChina has the largest area under FSC certified forests ndash 27 million ha accounting for 35 of the certified area in the regionSpeaking at the FSC Australian annual general meeting in Melbourne FSC Asia-Pacific director Alistair Monument noted the importance of the FSC system in changing poor forestry practices in southeast and east AsiaHe highlighted the significant work FSC is doing in the region particularly in China to inform consumers and business about the FSC system In China alone FSC chain of custody

certificates now number almost 2500 in 2007 there were less than 500ldquoWith rapid regional growth and wealth generation Asian markets have access to both emergent domestic demand for FSC certified products as well as greater access to international FSC marketsrdquo he saidMr Monument said FSC was also piloting its new online traceability platform in Asia ldquoThis will allow FSC to more quickly and efficiently validate FSC claims protect the integrity of the FSC system and lower the risk of falsely-labelled products ending up in the hands of consumersldquoThe platform will also allow FSC to trace FSC-certified products more efficiently in line with emerging international legislationrdquo

Mr Monument says that working with partners such as TetraPak SIG and Kimberly Clark in the Asia Pacific and huge consumer markets such as India and Indonesia will be important for FSC as it develops over the next decadeldquoPerhaps encouraging home-grown companies in this region to source FSC-certified products for national and regional markets could be the next step in addition to working with multinational corporationsrdquo he saidFSC Australia has passed the milestone of 100 certificates in the FSC chain of custody Certificate holders are active in the markets for sawn wood joinery furniture flooring MDF pulp paper and printing

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 10121216

VETERAN truss and frame estimator Alf Chapple 79 has finally called it a day ndash but says he leaves the trade excited about the capabilities of a new generation of designers who are entering the industry at its most significant stage of developmentMr Chapple has been part of the timber industry for 46 years either as an employee or as a business partner in Nerang Frames and Trusses starting out in 1966 with Wilkinsonrsquos Timber Industries in BrisbaneldquoIt was all trigonometry back then working with calculators and set squares but with the arrival of computers the design criteria changed dramaticallyrdquo Mr Chapple saidldquoToday the industry is at its most challenging phase and the future looks exciting Recovery in these troubled times may be a little ways off but the design technologies and advantages of timber place the industry at the forefront of remarkable changes in building systemsrdquoMr Chapple believes new high-tech truss and frame design will play a massive role in the trend to multiple storey dwellingsBut with all his passion for wood a big chunk of Alf Chapplersquos heart still remains

with the people who inhabit the Queensland outback ndash those who helped him when he arrived from England ldquoas a poor Pommie bastardrdquo in 1949He worked as a jackaroo on Tambo Station was a barrier fence boundary rider on Yeppara Station and a station bookkeeper for the Australian Pastoral CompanyAfter completing his national service with the RAAF at Archerfield in 1952-53 he took off for the bush ndash to many parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory for what Mr Chapple described as a rich and varied working lifeThis took him to the Warrego

the Paroo the Barcoo the Nebine Rivers and Cooper Creek He has shot kangaroos and pigs dined on plains turkey and top knot pigeons run with wild horses and fought bushfiresHe has crossed flooded creeks and once walked over gibber plains in one full night to reach the nearest homestead at Yeppara Station midway between Eromanga and Windorah after his car broke downldquoI have known many wonderful blokes and characters and Irsquoll never forget themrdquo Mr Chapple saidThis hearty sinewy timberman

and former lsquobushiersquo along with his wife Beverley enjoyed a retirement lunch on Mount Tamborine recently with some close friends who came to wish both of them wellMr Chapple will retain his many connections in the timber industry through his long association with Brisbane Hoo-Hoo Timber Industry Club 218 A committee member for many years and former club president he is the clubrsquos lsquowatchdogrsquo on industry mattersWith his knowledge of timber and station cattle dogs Alfrsquos well equipped for the job - JIM BOWDEN

CELEbRATION

Mountain farewell for retiring lsquobushiersquoand long-serving timber personality

Loggo products have undergone comprehensive testing at the engineering faculty of the university of Technology Sydney

Loggo products have undergone comprehensive testing at the engineering faculty of the university of Technology Sydney

Engineered Timber Products

Opportunity new engineered productProject seeks access to on-going timber resource

ThIs engineered product is manufactured from small diameter treated true round plantation logs that would normally be chipped or destroyed Resource cost is minimalThe production system is low capital cost and can be set up in a minimum of time and at a minimum of cost Compared with current systems such as LVL sawn timber etc this product has unrivalled versatility fi re resistance projected longevity and sustainabilityThis product has the ability to lower the costs of fl oor and wall framing in mod-ern homes as well as being ideal for low-cost housing The entire buildings can be erected on site using unskilled labourThe product has undergone comprehensive testing at the engineering faculty of the University of Technology Sydney under the guidance of internationally renowned timber engineer Prof Keith CrewsThe project is keen to establish a plant near a guaranteed resource

Contact (02) 4256 4767 or email patloggocomauwwwloggocomau

Gathering at Mount Tamborine to wish Alf Chapple well in his retirement are from left Joanne and Ron Bell Beverley and Alf Lorraine and John Muller Pieter Verlinden Terry and Tom Donohue and Margaret and David McIntyre

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 17issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

VORACIOUS demand for wood to feed factories for exports and satisfy wealthier consumers at home has turned China into a magnet for the illegal timber trade causing other countries to strip their forests as Beijing does little to discourage the practices according to an environmental groupCountries as far away as Mozambique in Africa and the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific as well as Myanmar Laos and other Chinese neighbours are felling rare hardwoods and other trees at unsustainable rates to fulfil Chinese demand says the report from the Environmental Investigation Agency a London-based activist groupIn some countries the EIA found that Chinese buyers were undermining international agreements to stop illegal logging and the exports of rare species by making payoffs and using smuggling networksldquoThese investigations reveal how Chinese traders thrive on crime corruption the purchase of political patronage and poor forest governance in the producer countries from which they sourcerdquo said the report It later said ldquoChinarsquos government has done virtually nothing to curb illegal imports while putting in place policies to ensure supply from some of the worst illegal logging hotspots in the worldrdquoChinese government agencies declined initial comment saying they had not seen the report and asking for questions

be submitted in writing In the past the government has responded to criticisms that China is preying on developing nationsrsquo raw materials by saying the trade is mutually beneficial generating income and jobs for the suppliersThe report which relied on undercover investigations and on analysing data from UN and Chinese agencies adds wood to the list of indicators of how Chinese demand is reshaping the worldChina already consumes most of the worldrsquos iron ore mined annually to make the steel to build its cities Its factories cars and coal-burning power plants have turned it into the largest

emitter of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate changeLikewise Chinese demand for wood has been driven by the countryrsquos fast-rising prosperity and its emergence as the worldrsquos workshop over the past 15 years At the same time to rescue Chinarsquos degraded environment Beijing has imposed tight controls on logging and a massive tree-planting programThe overall effect the report said is that Beijing is ldquoexporting deforestationrdquo At risk are some of the worldrsquos last reserves of hardwoods as well as biodiversity as land cleared of forests is often

given over to farming of more common trees or worse leads to environmental despoliationChina is now the biggest importer consumer and exporter of timber and wood products the report said With less wood supplied domestically China is turning to other countries to meet the shortfall In 2011 the report estimates that of all the wood products China imported illegally logged timber accounted for about 10 ndash or 185 million cub m ndash a volume worth $37 billion and enough to fill Beijingrsquos Olympic Stadium six timesA glaring example of Chinarsquos role the report said is Myanmar also known as Burma While forests on the mountainous hillsides on the Chinese side of the border appear lsquorelatively intactrsquo EIArsquos investigators found those across the border on the Myanmar side are devastatedA 2006 agreement to stop the illegal trade by requiring that Myanmar logs and timber be exported by sea to China instead of overland was being widely breached the report saidIn the city of Kunming 700 km east of the Myanmar border the investigators posing as buyers talked with a wood trader who described rapid deforestation in Myanmar The trader told them that Chinese authorities did not care if imported timber was felled illegally as long as import duties were paidndash Associated Press

Report claims China remainscentre of illegal logging tradeBeijing is lsquoexporting deforestationrsquo as wood demand soars

Feeding factories labourers work at a timber plant in Baokang in central Chinarsquos Hubei Province

Chinese demand for wood has been driven by the countryrsquos fast-rising prosperity and its emergence as the worldrsquos workshop over the

past 15 years

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 10121218

INTERNATIONAL FOCuS

Worth itrsquos weight in gold workers load Chinese-style furniture made of African rosewood outside a Beijing furniture shop China is making tentative efforts to import rosewood and other species from legal sources having established several bodies to regulate the trade

COPYRIGHT NOTICE Items provided in this section of Timber amp Forestry E news are drawn from a number of sources The source of the item is quoted either by publication or organizations in line with the practice of fair reporting

Rosewood ndash a species to die forChinese furniture trade on Asian treasure huntA THAI force dubbed the lsquoRambo Armyrsquo couldnrsquot stop the gangs armed with battlefield weaponry as they scoured the forests Neither could a brave activist gunned down when he came to investigate Nor apparently can governments across southeast AsiaThe root of the conflicts and bloodshed RosewoodThe richly hued brownish hardwood is being illegally ripped from southeast Asian forests then smuggled by sea and air to be turned into Chinese furniture that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars Some of it also ends up in the finest American guitars or as billiard cuesThe felling almost all of it illegal has increased dramatically in recent years and driven the regionrsquos rosewood to the brink of extinctionldquoThis is not just an environmental issue It drives corruption and criminal networks There is a lot of violence and blood spilled before the rosewood ends up

in someonersquos living roomrdquo says Faith Doherty of the London-based Environmental Investigation AgencyldquoItrsquos one of the most expensive woods in the world Thatrsquos why there is a war for itrdquoIn Koh Kong a jungle region of southwest Cambodia where most villagers earn less than $2 a day finding a rosewood

tree is better than winning the lottery A cubic meter of top-grade rosewood last year could be sold for up to $2700 to middlemen who hover around forests and construction sites of dams and roads in Thailand Laos Myanmar and VietnamVarious species grow in southeast Asia and countries including India Brazil and

Madagascar Nearly all source nations have banned felling and export of unprocessed rosewood allowing harvesting only in special cases such as clearing forests for dam constructionThe volume of rosewood consumed by China alone suggests that most was obtained illegally China imported $600 million worth in 2011 according to official Chinese documents made available by James Hewitt an expert on the illegal timber trade at the London think tank Chatham House About half came from southeast Asian countriesThe documents also show that Chinarsquos appetite is soaring ndash from just 66000 cub m in 2005 to 500000 cub m last year Rosewood has long been prized in China and the dramatic growth of its wealthy class is cited as the main reason for the surge in exploitationndash Today Online

Canada struggling to find tree plantersINCREASED global lumber demand and fallout from the pine-beetle crisis is creating silviculture job boom but decades-old pay rates are turning off labourersReforestation companies in Canadarsquos timber-rich province of British Columbia are struggling to find enough tree planters leaving the industry ill-prepared to plan for future demandldquoWhat some companies began to notice [this season] was that they were about 20 short of what they would have liked to have had for a full complement

crewrdquo the president of the Western Silviculture Contractors Association John Betts saidThe crisis has been building over the past few years It has come as a shock to the contractors who in the past could always rely on a steady supply of university students and experienced planters who came back annually to work the brief four- to six-month planting seasonIndustry insiders say demand for silviculture work will continue to grow which will exacerbate the current labour

shortage As the US housing market slowly recovers demand for British Columbia wood is growing In addition more reforestation work will likely be needed to combat the impact of the mountain pine beetle infestationDespite the availability of work tree planters ldquoare working harder to earn the same or less moneyrdquo says John Betts noting that according to a survey conducted last year by his association about half the tree planters reported making around $20 an hour Factor in inflation and Betts said the

wages planters are paid has actually declined about 30 since 2000With the skyrocketing cost of university tuition it no longer makes as much sense for young people to spend the spring and summer doing hard physical labour for 10 hours a dayTree planters are paid for each tree they plant a price that varies depending on how challenging the terrain is That price hasnrsquot gone up in the past 20 or 30 years says Chris Akehurst who started out as a tree planter in 1975

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 19issuE 251 | 101212 | PAgE

HOPPER FOR SALE

- Filt Air unit ndash 62 cubic metresfull length hydraulically operated

- Clam shell doors 50 HP exhaust fan16000 CFM 13 inches

- 11032 fi lter bagsAlso comes with all switch gear

Price $25000 (+gst)Ex Heidelberg West Victoria

Taswon Timbers(a division of Grawend Nominees Pty Ltd)

(ABN 39 005 104 021)

3-7 Northern Road Heidelberg West 3081 VicTel (03) 9457 4546 Fax (03) 9459 4994

Email taswonbigpondcom

EDITORIALINQuIRIES

TEL +61 32661429

CLASSIFIEDS

Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau PAgE | issuE 251 | 10121220Advertising Tel +61 7 3266 1429 Email canconbigpondnetau 15ISSUE 203 | 121211 | PAGE

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