Confor has welcomed strengthened measures on the import of oak into England that are to be introduced to protect trees from the threat of Oak Processionary Moth (OPM).

Caroline Ayre, National Manager for England, said Confor had worked closely with the UK Government and its agencies to introduce the tighter controls. She added: “We had already produced a paper calling for an immediate ban of high risk trees. We hope that these restrictions are not ‘too little too late’ and ask that industry remains vigilant. The constant message is ‘inspect, inspect and inspect again.”

The new measures will only permit imports of certain oak trees, including those from OPM-free countries and those from designated pest-free areas including Protected Zones (PZs), an area of the EU declared free of OPM.

A Statutory Instrument (SI) – due to be introduced in Parliament shortly – builds on measures introduced in August 2018 and applies to all oak trees, except cork oak, over a certain size. This is because these trees represent the greatest likelihood of introducing OPM into the UK PZ, as they are more susceptible to pest populations and more difficult to inspect.

The restrictions will cover both imports from overseas and the movement of trees from areas of the country where OPM is already present – in London and surrounding counties.

Woodland managers, land owners, the forest industry and tree nurserieshave bneen reminded to remain vigilant  and to check recently planted large oak trees as a priority. The alert was csounded after the Plant Health Service identified OPM caterpillars on trees recently imported from the Netherlands.

OPM caterpillars feed on oak leaves and can increase trees’ vulnerability to attack by other pests and diseases making them less able to withstand adverse weather conditions, such as drought and floods.

Biosecurity Minister Lord Gardner said: “Biosecurity is absolutely key to everything we do and we must do more to stop pests and diseases crossing continents and borders. That is why as a country we have more Protected Zones than anywhere else in the EU. It is essential that we further strengthen our import controls on oak trees. These new measures will ensure robust protection for our oak trees from pests such as the Oak Processionary Moth.”

Nicola Spence, Defra Chief Plant Health Officer said: “We will continue to wortk with local authorities and land managers to tackle OPM in areas where it is present with a control programme of treatment and surveillancce. The strengthened measures will help protect against further arrivals of the pest on our shores.”

“The Plant Health Service has received reports of an exceptional expansion of the OPM population in parts of Europe due to the hot weather experienced last year.”

OPM caterpillars feed on oak leaves and can increase trees’ vulnerability to attack by other pests and diseases making them less able to withstand adverse weather conditions, such as drought and floods.

Dr Anna Brown, Head of Tree Health & Contingency Planning, Forestry Commission, said: “Those of us involved in importing or trading plants must maintain our vigilance against exotic pests and diseases such as OPM. There is a lot we can do such as buying British, only buying stock from reputable, responsible suppliers and inspecting imported plants.

“These stronger requirements will increase our protection but my message remains the same: inspect, inspect and inspect again. We can’t check imported plants too often for signs of trouble. Don’t presume that because your supplier found no evidence of a pest or disease that you won’t either. You might spot something that they have missed.

If you suspect OPM, you should not attempt to destroy or move infected material as the nests and caterpillars can pose a risk to human health. To report sightings of pests and diseases, use the Tree Alert Online Portal.

More than 10,000 hectares of new woodland have been planted in Scotland for the first time in almost 20 years, it was recently announced.

Confor has welcomed the figures – 11,200 hectares of new planting, up from 7,100 the previous year – and called on the forestry industry to maintain the momentum and drive on to meet the next landmark Scottish Government target of 15,000 hectares by 2025.

Stuart Goodall, Confor’s CEO, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve met and gone well beyond our planting target in Scotland.

“This is great news for the sector, but also for all Scotland now that the First Minister has announced a climate emergency.

“Planting trees locks up carbon and by harvesting and replanting them sustainably, we can produce an infinitely renewable supply of wood with which to build homes and to manufacture an array of everyday products – while also reducing carbon in the atmosphere.

“Scotland is leading the way in the UK, with 84 per cent of all new planting happening in Scotland.

“Confor has worked long and hard with the Scottish Government to get to this point and I truly hope the momentum will be maintained in the coming years. We now need the rest of the UK to move beyond ramped-up rhetoric on a climate emergency and begin to take the positive action that we see in Scotland.”

Confor has set a target of 18,000 hectares of new planting annually in Scotland by 2030 as part of its ambitious but achievable targets to drive up UK-wide planting to help mitigate climate change – part of Confor’s campaign #ThinkGlobalPlantLocal.

“Fergus Ewing supported the 18,000 hectare target when it was announced, although it went beyond existing Scottish Government targets, which is very positive,” said Mr Goodall. “We look forward to continued constructive partnership with Scottish Government, Scottish Forestry and all stakeholders to keep driving up planting to deliver multiple benefits, including creating jobs, supporting wildlife and tackling climate change.”

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “This is fantastic news that we’ve smashed the targets. It is testament to the Scottish Government making forestry a priority and investing and helping growing the industry.

“The whole tree planting effort has truly been a national endeavour with all forestry interests, both large and small, pulling together.”

The statistics were released the day after the UK Government signed up to deliver net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Successive reports by the Committee on Climate Change have highlighted planting new forests as crucial in removing atmospheric carbon and reaching the net zero position.

Mr Goodall added: “It is also encouraging that the conifer percentage of the new planting is higher than in the last decade, as they will be the lifeblood for the Scottish timber processing industry of the future and help both Scotland (and the rest of the UK) attain future new housing targets – and deliver many of the wood products we all use.”

Andrew Heald, Confor’s Technical Director, said: “What is particularly good to see is that so much of this new woodland has been created at relatively small scale by farmers and estate owners, indicating that the message of integrated land use is better understood. There is much greater understanding that planting trees can provide excellent shelter-belts for livestock, helping with animal health and welfare and a diversified income in the long term.

“We also welcome the investment by others to buy land and create larger new forests and woodlands. We need that mix of large and small areas of planting to deliver on our wide-ranging economic, environmental and social ambitions.”

Stuart Goodall, Confor’s CEO

UPM will construct a 2.1 million tonne greenfield eucalyptus pulp mill near Paso de los Toros in central Uruguay, company announced. The mill investment of $2.7 billion will grow UPM’s current pulp capacity by more than 50%, resulting in a step change in the scale of UPM’s pulp business as well as in UPM’s future earnings. Additionally, UPMwill invest $350 million in port operations in Montevideo and local facilities in Paso de los Toros. The mill is scheduled to start up in the second half of 2022.

With a combination of competitive wood supply, scale, best available techniques and efficient logistics the mill is expected to reach a highly competitive cash cost level, approximately $280 per delivered tonne of pulp. This figure includes the variable and fixed costs of plantation operations, wood sourcing, mill operations and logistics delivered to the main markets. This would position the mill as one of the most competitive mills in the world and enable attractive returns for the investment in various market scenarios. Furthermore, the safety and sustainability performance of the value chain from plantations to customer delivery is expected to be on an industry leading level.

The prerequisites for the investment have been carefully prepared in cooperation with the state of Uruguay. For UPM, it has been important to ensure sustainable, competitive operations long-term and to minimize risks both in the project phase and during continuous operations. For Uruguay, the project and the infrastructure development offer significant opportunities for economic and social development.

“During the past decade UPM has developed additional plantation areas in Uruguay and created a market driven pulp business with wide customer base in growing end uses. At the same time, we have consistently improved our financial performance and achieved a truly industry leading balance sheet. We are now in an excellent position to take this transformative step and capture the opportunities of attractive, growing markets in a sustainable and highly competitive way,” says Jussi Pesonen, President and CEO of UPM.

In June 2019, exports of logs and wood led the rise in New Zealand’s exports, up 16% or $43.5 million (NZ$65 million) from June 2018 to $316.1 million (NZ$472 million) in June 2019. These commodities are the third-largest goods export group, behind milk powder, butter, and cheese (NZ$1.1 billion) and meat and edible offal (NZ$678 million).

The rise in logs and wood was led by untreated logs, up 20% or $36.8 million (NZ$55 million) on a year earlier. The quantity rose 26% and unit values fell 4.6%.

“The average value of untreated log exports fell to $109 (NZ$163) per m3 in June, down from a recent high of $119 (NZ$177) in February,” international statistics manager Geraldine Duoba said.

New Zealand exports of untreated logs to China were worth about $2 billion (NZ$3.0 billion) in the past year, or 80% of the $2.54 billion (NZ$3.8 billion) in total untreated log exports.

Chart: Stats NZ

The Government of Canada is investing in Canada’s resources to boost economic competitiveness while protecting the environment. By promoting innovative wood products from sustainably managed forests, Canada is supporting its forestry sector by expanding market access and creating jobs and economic opportunities for Canadians, Natural Resources Canada announced.

The multi-year investment will amount to over $24 million in six wood product associations based in British Columbia to help strengthen international demand for Canadian wood products. The federal government’s partnership with industry and the province of British Columbia in promoting this work is critical to its long-term success.

This investment includes:
$16,786,200 for Canada Wood Group in Vancouver — which brings together Canadian wood product associations — to help diversify and expand Canadian forest product exports to traditional and emerging offshore markets. Support will enable market research; assist in the transfer of technology; advance standards that will increase the use of wood in construction; and deliver training in wood design and construction in China, Japan, South Korea, India and Europe.

$3,394,709 for Forestry Innovation Investment in Vancouver — British Columbia’s market development agency for forest products — to advance training, education and wood use overseas, specifically in Asian markets such as India, Vietnam and China.

$1,925,378 for the Council of Forest Industries in Vancouver — an association that represents British Columbia’s forest industry — to help create business leads to increase the use of wood-frame construction in China, Japan and South Korea, and to reinforce the Canada Wood brand as a “go-to” source for wood construction and manufacturing technology.

$944,028 for BC Wood Specialties Group in Langley — a non-profit trade association that represents British Columbia’s value-added wood products manufacturers — to support small and medium-sized companies in their efforts to become export-ready and facilitate business-to-business opportunities for their membership through trade shows and missions.

$926,360 for the Wood Pellet Association of Canada in Revelstoke — a member-driven organization for wood pellet producers — to advance the interests of domestic wood pellet producers, to help members grow through promoting the uses of wood pellets in Canadian and global markets, and to support market and technical research and encourage fair and open energy trade.

$33,000 for Western Red Cedar Lumber Association in Vancouver — a non-profit association representing producers of cedar products — to maintain and grow the demand for western red cedar by helping increase its online presence in a number of key international markets.

Government of Canada funding is provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Expanding Market Opportunities (EMO) program, which supports market development for Canada’s forest products industry. Through Budget 2019, the government committed an additional $64 million over three years, starting in 2020–21, for EMO. This investment will help Canada’s forest sector continue to grow demand for Canadian wood products around the world in both traditional and emerging markets.

“We are proud to partner with these Canadian associations who are opening doors for our wood products in international markets. This is a great example of how we are working with industry partners to create jobs and build a more prosperous future for the many Canadian communities that depend on forestry,” said Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.

“Forestry remains B.C.’s largest manufacturing industry and a cornerstone of regional economies across the province. The federal government’s partnership with the province and industry is instrumental in diversifying markets for B.C.’s forest products and helps ensure the sector continues to be a leading contributor to our economy,” said Bruce Ralston, BC Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology.

“The partnership between the Government of Canada and Canada Wood and our funding partners has resulted in significant positive results leading to the growth of global markets for Canadian forest products. Canada Woodreflects the strength and diversity of the Canadian forest sector through a Team Canada approach that brings together industry in Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and B.C. An example of our success is the 27-fold increase in lumber shipments to China, making it Canada’s largest market after the U.S. in less than 15 years. The Government of Canada’s $8.5-million commitment to Canada Wood gives certainty to build on past successes and continue to diversify Canadian forest products and energy-efficient building systems to new markets,” said Bruce St.John, President, Canada Wood Group.

“This partnership between industry and government has been extremely successful as we work together to expand and diversify overseas markets for the high-quality, carbon-friendly wood products manufactured in B.C. The long-term federal funding enables us to cultivate strong relationships with overseas customers while supporting 140,000 forestry-reliant jobs in communities across British Columbia. We look forward to this continued partnership between industry and the governments of Canada and British Columbia,” said Paul Newman, Executive Director, Market and Trade, Council of Forest Industries.

“The federal government’s announcement of funding support for BC Wood’s 2019–20 market development activities is welcome news, indeed. Natural Resources Canada’s Expanding Market Opportunities program will greatly benefit the many small and medium-sized manufacturers in B.C. as they work to promote high-value products, develop new export markets, grow their businesses and generate new economic benefits and employment opportunities for the province,” said Greg Stewart, Chairman, Board of the Directors, BC Wood Specialties Group Association.

“The wood pellet industry has grown from almost nothing to 35 million tons a year globally in 25 years. Canadian pellet producers have been part of that astonishing growth from the beginning, exporting our first ship-load of pellets to Sweden in 1998. Today, Canadian pellet companies export around 3 million tons a year, contributing to Canada’s economy, jobs growth at home, forest health and the global roll-out of renewable, on-demand electricity, all while optimizing the beneficial use of waste residuals from the forestry sector. This success story has been strongly supported by the Government of Canada’s Expanding Market Opportunities (EMO) program. EMO has enabled us to be fully engaged in seeking out new customers in our export markets, carrying out market research, developing international quality standards, solving market access issues, demonstrating Canadian forest and wood pellet sustainability and many other areas of export market development. We see ongoing funding as crucial to the future growth of Canada’s share of business in key export markets, particularly those in Asia and Europe,” said Vaughan Bassett, President, Wood Pellet Association of Canada.

“Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (WRCLA) participation in the Canada Wood Group through the support of Expanding Market Opportunities program has allowed the high-value western red cedar (WRC) products to maintain visibility amongst a myriad of non-wood substitute products. The collective effort enables the WRCLA to utilize an extensive resource base with the use of advanced technology to reach target audiences and protect share in key offshore markets (as a result, offshore WRC shipments account for 15% of WRC exports by volume but, more importantly, 25% of total shipment value). This value factor is essential, given that the total annual Canadian softwood lumber exports are $10 billion and WRC, while representing less than 4% of volume, accounts for an impressive 12%, or $1.2 billion, of the value shipped in 2016 and 2017. As a result, WRC provides the primary justification to harvest,” said Jack Draper, Managing Director, Western Red Cedar Lumber Association.

With more competitive sawlog costs in Germany, the lumber industry has expanded its export sales in 2019, reports the WRQ

Large volumes of storm and insect damaged trees in Germany have resulted in an oversupply of logs and declining sawlog prices in 2018 and 2019, reports the WRQ. Sawmills have ramped up production, and export sales in the 1Q/19 reached their highest level in almost two years.

Historically, Germany was a net exporter of softwood logs, but since 2009 the country has almost doubled import volumes, while exports have only grown modestly.

In 2018, softwood log imports were slightly higher than they were in 2017, reaching 8.3 million m3 (a new record high). Just two countries, Poland and the Czech Republic, together accounted for almost two-thirds of the import volume to Germany.

Log imports from Norway and Estonia fell substantially in 2018 from 2017, while Poland and the Czech Republic increased their shipments, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly.

The average import price dropped slightly during 2018 in US dollar terms, while it has remained practically unchanged in Euro terms. Polish prices have trended upward, whereas prices of logs from the Czech Republic have moved downward during the past year. Many central European nations, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, France and Slovakia are hampered by large volumes of storm-damaged trees and beetle-infested forests. As a result, it is very likely that Germany will reverse its pattern and become a net log exporter again in 2019. During the first four months of 2019, export volumes were up 61% as compared to the same period of 2018.

The oversupply of logs in Germany is most likely to result in a continuation of the downward trend for log prices in the country. Prices for spruce sawlogs have declined by about 13% from the 1Q/18 to the 1Q/19, according to the WRQ.

In Euro terms, current price levels are at their lowest since 2009. In US dollar terms, log prices have declined to a level last seen 14 years ago. With plentiful wood raw-material and more competitive costs for logs, German sawmills have increased production levels, and expanded export sales. In the 1Q/19, Germany exported 10% more lumber than in the 1Q/18, reaching the highest quarterly export volume in two years.

With the expected reduction in log costs for the sawmill sector, there will continue to be opportunities for the industry to further increase lumber exports in the coming year.

Contact  Hakan Ekstrom, Seattle, USA info@WoodPrices.com
www.WoodPrices.com

John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, announced an investment of almost $5 million in Element5’s new CLT plant, which will create over 60 jobs in St. Thomas. The $32 million manufacturing facility will help support the forestry sector’s 150,000 direct and indirect jobs in Ontario. Element5’s facility will be one of North America’s first fully automated cross laminated timber plants. It will provide an environmentally friendly product that will be used to construct buildings and other infrastructure projects in Canada and the U.S.

“Our government is working hard to make Ontario open for business and open for jobs by creating an environment where job creators can grow, invest and thrive,” said minister Yakabuski. “Element5’s new facility will showcase the kind of innovation we want to see more of in Ontario.”

“We’re grateful for the support of the Government of Ontario. This is a significant investment in the Ontario forestry industry, job creation, housing, innovation and technology, and the environment in the form of green building practices,” said Frank Dottori, Industry Leadership at Element5. “Through their generous support, Ontario and specifically St. Thomas are well poised to become the centre of the mass timber industry in North America.”

The government committed to increasing the use of timber in the home building industry through the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan and the Housing Supply Action Plan. This includes increasing the use of Ontario timber in buildings, and for construction and renovation to reduce emissions and encouraging mass timber demonstration projects.

“I’m pleased to support Element5’s work to create cost-effective and environmentally friendly building materials from sustainable renewable resources,” says Jeff Yurek, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London. “This investment will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and create jobs right here in Ontario and in St. Thomas, contributing to our goal of balancing a healthy environment and healthy economy.”

“Mass timber construction will be an important innovation that can help bring housing to market faster, while still meeting the high standards in the Ontario Building Code to protect public health and safety,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This is all part of our plan to give the people of Ontario more housing and more choice.”

The investment is being made through Ontario’s Forestry Growth Fund, which provides funding for forestry sector projects that improve productivity and innovation, enhance competitiveness, support new market access, and strengthen supply chains and regional economies.

“Our government’s open for business and open for jobs approach is restoring Ontario’s competitiveness as a place for businesses to invest, innovate and create jobs,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Element5’s new facility will create opportunities for local families, new markets for the forestry sector and reinforce Ontario’s reputation for manufacturing innovation. It’s a project we are proud to support.”

Photo:  John Yakabuski, Ontairio Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

John Deere now offers Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) on the 1470G Harvester – the largest harvester model available in the John Deere line-up. The IBC technology, first introduced to the harvester category by John Deere in 2018, increases precision and accuracy during operation, boosting operator productivity.

Available exclusively on the CH9 boom, with IBC the operator no longer controls each independent boom joint movement separately. Instead, the operator maneuvers the harvester head and the IBC technology automatically guides the boom accordingly. Designed to suit the work cycle of the harvester, the movement and operation of the boom adjusts as the boom is taken to a tree, and when the tree is in the grapple. With IBC, work is more precise, efficient and enjoyable, and new operators are able to quickly learn how to operate machines.

Another key benefit of the IBC system is the improvement to the durability of the boom. The IBC system features electrical end damping for all the main boom movement directions, stopping strong blow-like loads in the end positions. As a result, work is more fluent and the boom structures and hydraulic cylinders last longer. Additionally, IBC increases the quality of harvested timber, as there are no wounds to the remaining trees.

“John Deere pioneered the IBC technology for harvesters, and we are excited to evolve that offering to include our large 1470G machine,” said Sakari Suuriniemi, product marketing manager for John Deere. “After using an IBC-equipped machine, the boosts to productivity and efficiency are undeniable, making IBC a must-have feature for any logging operation. Understanding the demands of the logging industry and the labor challenges, IBC allows operators – new or seasoned – to work faster, even in difficult conditions.”

Designed to handle difficult terrain and powered by a John Deere 9.0-liter Final Tier 4 engine, the 1470G Harvester is equipped to handle large timber. The stable design of the machine allows for the boom to work efficiently when fully extended. The standard Processing Power Control system optimizes fuel efficiency by coordinating the accurate processing level with the current work conditions and tree size. Another feature, Adaptive Driveline Control, improves the machine drivability and productivity by automatically adjusting engine RPMs to correspond with the engine load. Additionally, the cab on the 1470G automatically adjusts to the boom movements, while the leveling functions absorb any terrain conditions. This decreases machine vibration by as much as 50 percent during operation, increasing operator comfort.

To learn more about IBC and the John Deere 1470G Harvester, as well as the full line of John Deere Forestry Equipment, visit your local John Deere Forestry dealer or www.JohnDeere.com

Finland is a land of forests, covering up to 75% of the country. Naturally, forestry is a major industry – but resources are hard to measure. Helsinki-based forestry tech startup CollectiveCrunch is bringing new solutions to the sector, and has just raised a €600k funding round led by Thominvest. Existing and new angel investors also participated in the round. CollectiveCrunch will use the funds to finalize and launch the first commercial version of its Linda Forest platform in the second half of 2019.

Thominvest has a solid background in forestry, and so intimately understands the value CollectiveCrunch brings to the market. The startup uses AI to assess data from multiple sources – such as optical satellite images, Lidar, and wood processing – to predict forest inventory more accurately than existing conventional methods. This helps landowners to more accurately assess and manage their forestry inventory, and buyers of wood resources to target the wood they actually need.

CollectiveCrunch’s Linda Forest AI platform utilizes climate, geo, and customer process data to arrive at better predictions of wood mass and forest inventory. The solution lets foresters know the volumes and species of wood they have on their land without having to drive out for inspection.

The closure of this latest €600k round brings the company’s total funding to €1 million. The round follows a recently announced multi-year partnership with Finland’s Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd. that aims to improve harvesting and forest development planning. The company has offices in Helsinki, Berlin, and Munich, and forestry customers in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and Brazil.

Source: eu-startups.com

Key points:

• The woodchip price in Australia has reached a record $US182/bdmt (AU$260)
• Demand from China now exceeds Japan
• The woodchip price is up, but export demand for logs is on the slide

  Australia’s largest processor and exporter of woodfibre, Midway Limited, which has recently acquired a logging and haul business in Western Australia, expects demand will continue to grow and has been steadily investing in forestry projects around the nation, including in the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory.
  Midway’s managing director Tony Price said it was a good time to be in woodchips. “Over the last couple of years we’ve enjoyed a couple of significant price increases, with the current price for Tasmanian blue gum (woodchip) in the order of US$182 (AU$260) per bone-dry tonne and that’s the highest it’s ever been,” Mr Price said.
  “Not so long ago we were down around US$150 (per bone-dry tonne) when there was a glut of blue gum on the market, which largely came about due to the MIS (Managed Investment Scheme) era. There was lower demand and a glut in the market which drove the price down, but in the last two years we’ve seen some significant price increases.”
  Mr Price said demand from China had now exceeded Japan, and some mills in Indonesia were emerging as valued customers as well. Mr Price said Tasmanian blue gum remained the premium woodchip in the market, but lesser-quality timber chips such as acacia mangium had all increased in price this year.
  He expected the woodchip price would experience some “short-term softening” in the coming months, but overall the industry expected ongoing “modest price increases” over the next few years.
  “There’s been plenty of ups and downs over the years, and post the global financial crisis for about five years it was pretty tough,” he said. “So we have enjoyed a resurgence in the last few years and I’m very positive about the industry as it currently sits and where it’s heading in the future.”
  Source: ABC News