Jamax Forest Solutions

25/02/2026

The 1st year's results from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Forest Science Unit's analysis of the occupancy for 48 individual fauna species or taxa are looking good.

"DPIRD researchers identified species from surveys across native state forests in the northern, central and southern regions of the Coastal IFOA. They modelled occupancy for 48 individual species/taxa, estimating their probability of detection and occurrence at survey sites and showing their responses to different environmental and disturbance variables.

"This is the first time this level of monitoring and analysis has been achieved for so many species in NSW. The overall early results indicate high fauna species occupancy across the landscape and suggest that harvesting exclusions and protection of key habitat features overall contribute to maintaining the presence of fauna across the landscape."

https://www.nrc.nsw.gov.au/ifoa-mer-biodiversity

25/02/2026

Green Triangle glulam takes centre stage on national television

A new building product developed in the Green Triangle will take centre stage on national television in early April, showcasing the region’s growing role in Australia’s advanced manufacturing market. Source: Timberbiz

The GL24 blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) glulam product, produced by WTIBeam will feature in the new television series Epic Builds: The 90 Day Challenge, hosted by science communicator Adam Spencer.

Premiering on 28 February on Channel 9 and 9Now, the new docuseries follows Australian-based prefab and modular construction teams as they race against the clock to deliver complex, high-performance builds in just 90 days.

Navigating remote locations and tight deadlines, each episode captures the rapid rise of modular and prefabricated construction in Australia.

WTIBeam owner Edwina Vulcz appears in the series, sharing the story behind the development of the new GL24 blue gum product – the strongest engineered timber beam currently available in the domestic market, utilised across commercial, residential and prefabricated construction applications.

The product was developed through federally and Victorian Government–funded research coordinated by the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, with support from the Victorian Forest Products Association. A feasibility study is now underway to assess the commercialisation of the product at scale, alongside other building components such as LVL, as part of The Precinct project in Portland, funded by Australian Forest & Wood Innovations (AFWI) – a $200 million research and innovation fund supported by $100 million in Commonwealth funding – and the Victorian Government.

Development lead for The Precinct project Tim Woods, of IndustryEdge, said the series demonstrates how locally produced engineered timber can contribute to Australia’s housing demand, reducing reliance on imported materials.

“Viewers will see that the wood fibre, skills and technology already exist here locally. The Precinct project in Portland provides a pathway to bring that capability together in one place and keep more value, jobs and expertise in regional Australia. It’s great to see a national broadcaster shine a light on this specialised capability,” Mr Woods said.

Ms Vulcz said the series would challenge outdated perceptions about how Australia builds its homes and commercial buildings.

“We’re incredibly proud to see this new GL-24 product showcased on national television,” Ms Vulcz said.

“The glulam product represents years of hard work, research and belief in what locally grown plantation timber can achieve. To be able to demonstrate its performance and versatility, on a national platform, is both exciting and deeply rewarding for our whole team.”

24/02/2026

Popular activist academics that promote a “no burn” policy, claiming wet schlerophyll forests should be left to their own devices and fire excluded, would do well to follow the scientific method by actually observing forests rather than just modelling results.

“Researchers have returned to Peachester State Forest to continue Queensland’s longest-running fire regime study, which began in 1969. 🔥

(The research shows that) burns conducted every four years have been shown to support healthy wet sclerophyll forests by enriching the soil with key nutrients such as phosphorus, calcium, and potassium.”

Researchers have returned to Peachester State Forest to continue Queensland’s longest-running fire regime study, which began in 1969. 🔥 The landmark research has provided 55 years of valuable data, demonstrating how planned burns, when conducted at ecosystem-specific intervals, can positively impact environmental health. 🔍

Following a planned burn in December, researchers are now collecting soil, leaf litter, and insect samples to assess the chemical and biological changes caused by fire. 🔬The study has revealed that different frequencies of low-intensity planned burns influence carbon storage, nutrient cycles, and biodiversity. For example, burns conducted every four years have been shown to support healthy wet sclerophyll forests by enriching the soil with key nutrients such as phosphorus, calcium, and potassium.

The research, led by Griffith University Professor Chengrong Chen and Dr Bruce Lan, in collaboration with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), highlights the importance of planned burns in mitigating bushfire risks while enhancing ecosystem health. This practice continues the legacy of Australia’s First Nations peoples, who have used fire to manage landscapes for thousands of years.

To learn more about the study, visit:
https://news.griffith.edu.au/2026/02/12/queenslands-longest-running-planned-burn-study-informs-effective-landscape-fire-management/

23/02/2026

“A wildfire burning over five days would do more damage to vegetation and biodiversity in the northern jarrah forest than five decades of climate change has done;

In 2011, crown scorch and some tree deaths on a few sites with shallow soil led to alarmist claims that the jarrah forest was on the verge of collapse. These claims were wrong. In December 2025 the northern jarrah forest was very healthy.”

Two articles regarding the jarrah forest in the south-west of Western Australia by Frank Batini, professional forester and environmental consultant, have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

20/02/2026

Could Aussie Bluegums destined for woodchips hold the key to addressing Australia’s shortage of structural timbers - and even create steel replacement products?

https://woodcentral.com.au/from-pulpwood-to-glulam-the-aussie-bluegum-as-strong-as-steel/

20/02/2026

Across Australia, Eucalypt forests are declining

Across Australia, Eucalypt forests are declining in ways that cannot be fully explained by drought, pests, pathogens, or climate change. A major cause of this decline lies in the long‑term exclusion of regular, low intensity fire, an ecological process that shaped these forests for thousands of years. The absence of regular mild fire has altered soil chemistry, soil physics, root function, mycorrhizal communities, understorey structure, and ultimately crown health.

A major challenge is that modern research often begins with hypothesis testing rather than observation. Jurskis (2015) emphasised that observation and thinking must precede hypothesis formation, yet many studies start by testing preconceived ideas. This has led to decades of research focused on symptoms rather than causes, leaving the primary driver of decline overlooked.

This document aims to assist researchers and land managers by firstly highlighting well designed Eucalypt decline studies. And secondly by highlighting observation and research evidence to guide new research and land management into Eucalypt decline. And finally by assisting researchers and land managers to avoid overlooking the root cause/ causes of Eucalypt decline.

Click here to view full reporthttps://fridayoffcuts.com/pix/2026_02,_John_ODonnell,_Consideration_for_researchers+managers_JOD_issued.pdf

Historical, indigenous and overseas knowledge

Historical observers recognised the link between fire and forest health. In 1890, Howitt described Eucalypt decline following reductions in burning. Traditional Aboriginal fire practitioners, including Victor Steffensen, have long described “upside‑down country, thin on top and thick underneath” and “sick trees with lazy roots on damp soils.” These descriptions align closely with the soil and root dysfunction now documented in a number of scientific studies, some outlined in this review.

Globally, similar patterns have emerged wherever fire‑adapted forests have been deprived of regular burning. Fire suppression in North America, Europe, and Asia has produced mesic understorey thickening, nutrient accumulation, mycorrhizal shifts, and widespread decline in fire dependent species. Australia’s experience is part of this broader global phenomenon.

Evidence from well-designed decline studies

A number of high‑quality studies provide strong evidence that long periods without mild fire fundamentally alter forest soils and tree physiology. Turner et al. (2008) showed that exclusion of fire for up to 39 years leads to increased nitrogen, increased soil carbon, lower pH, and greater aluminium availability. These changes disrupt nutrient balances and impair root function.

Restoring forest health

The conclusion is clear: chronic Eucalypt decline is fundamentally a soil–root–crown problem driven by long periods without regular mild fire. Restoring forest health requires re‑establishing the ecological processes that sustained these systems for millennia. This means returning to regular, mild, frequent burning at landscape scale, integrating Indigenous fire knowledge, and implementing operational trials that monitor soil, roots, mycorrhizae and crown health.

Re‑establishing healthy soil–root–crown function is essential for reversing decline and ensuring the long‑term health of Australia’s fire adapted forests.

Read the full reporthttps://fridayoffcuts.com/pix/2026_02,_John_ODonnell,_Consideration_for_researchers+managers_JOD_issued.pdf

Source & image credit: John O'Donnell

Image: Fence line contrast: grazed/burnt on left, ‘protected’ on right). Further detail is provided in Jurskis (2008). (Extracted Figure 3. Fence line contrast: grazed/burnt on left, state forests on right).

20/02/2026

Vineyard Post Reuse Pilot launch - towards timber circularity

A groundbreaking pilot project to reuse vineyard trellis posts has been launched in South Australia, marking a significant step towards advancing a circular economy for treated timber.

Together with Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) and Wine Australia, the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life (NCTDDL) launched its Vineyard Post Reuse Pilot as part of the Timber Circularity Project in McLaren Vale on Monday 17 February.

The pilot is a practical trial testing how end-of-life treated vineyard posts can be recovered, processed and reused in a commercially and environmentally viable way.

The launch marks an important milestone in the ongoing collaboration between key partners Wine Australia, Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA), the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), and the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Professor Tripti Singh, Director of the NCTDDL, emphasised the importance of collaboration. “Together with our partners in both the forestry and viticulture sectors, we are developing practical pathways for the reuse of treated posts and other end-of-life timber products, demonstrating what collaboration across sectors, in research, industry and government can achieve,” Professor Singh said.

“There will not be one single recovery solution for posts. A diverse range of options from small mobile solutions to large scale technologies will be required to ensure a shift towards a net positive future,” Professor Singh added.

The pilot builds on extensive groundwork undertaken through the Timber Circularity Project, including mapping the volume and condition of unused wood resources, assessing national regulations and logistics challenges, and evaluating potential recovery solutions.

Seeking solutions for problematic waste

With additional funding from the SA Department of Primary Industries and Regions, as part of the South Australian Wine Recovery Program, the FABAL Group will undertake the pilot which features a mobile processing unit that removes fasteners such as clips, staples, and nails, then cuts the posts to size using a guillotine. This process avoids hazardous sawdust and prepares the posts for reuse as agricultural fencing or landscape timber.

Ashley Keegan, CEO of the FABAL Group, highlighted the practical benefits of the pilot. “Our goal is to convert a problematic vineyard waste stream into a product that others are willing to confidently use,” Mr. Keegan said.

The bigger picture

Preservative-treated timber and engineered wood products play a critical role in storing carbon and supporting a renewable construction future. Ensuring these products have clear and viable end-of-life pathways is essential to strengthening timber circularity. The re-use of CCA treated vineyard posts also has the potential to save the wine industry up to $3000 per hectare in disposal costs.

Professor Singh highlighted the extensive groundwork that has enabled the pilot to move forward and the importance of testing practical solutions. The pilot is one of several being planned to test other options in locations around Australia.

More https://www.unisc.edu.au/research/forest-research-institute/national-centre-for-timber-durability-and-design-life/timber-circularity-project

Source & image credit: FWPA

18/02/2026

Data-driven science delivers good news for Tasmanian forests

Dr Marie Yee’s research shows regrowth forests with similar biodiversity to old growth.

DR Marie Yee, senior conservation planner for Sustainable Timber Tasmania, is the guest on Episode 40 of Tasmanian Timber’s Original Thinkers podcast.

Discussing biodiversity in managed forests, Yee told the podcast team that she originally came to Tasmania from Sydney after graduating in science ecology and then working her way south.

“A project popped up to look at the impacts of clear-felling within Tasmania. As a Uni student, I was quite passionate about the environment: protesting against big corporations and old-growth logging in Tasmania. And so, when the opportunity came to do a project here, to actually do some science and get some facts about what is the impact of this practice on biodiversity…” suffice to say the results were revelatory and Yee has made her home and career in Tasmania ever since.

She described her attitude at the start of the project that brought her to the state as zealous, but as she was writing up her thesis and analysing the data, she found that comparing areas that had been clear-felled in the 1960s and 70s (20-30-year-old forest at the time of the study) with old-growth forest gave similar results for species richness (number of species).

“The diversity is still there,” Yee said. “There’s some slight differences in the species… because there are some species that like old forest, some that like young forest, and some that don’t care.

“…I realised they were actually very progressive already in the early 2000s and the people who put those practices in place were people who worked within the industry.”

“There’s so much biodiversity out there, even in areas that have been harvested by clear-felling back in the 60s and 70s,” she said, while also noting that practices had very much improved since those times.

“Not necessarily the same as an old growth forest, which is why it’s really important to leave older patches and leave large logs and have mechanisms in place at the landscape scale, but we’ve still got so much biodiversity and habitat.”

Yee chose Tasmanian forests as the location for her PhD on beetles in various types of forest logs. The local practice of leaving deadwood in situ and a patchwork of age classes in the managed forests led to an abundance of specimens, unlike northern European forests where many beetles are on the red list.

Her career now emphasises a landscape-scale view with a mosaic of age classes and corridors of reserves to help species that prefer older species to move across the landscape, by both latitude and longitude. Rather than focusing on specific coupes, Yee encourages a view of the whole landscape, dividing it into natural needs and harvestable areas.

She spoke about the various types of harvesting and balancing habitat, worker safety and regrowth at the stand scale as well as at a macro level, describing it as an evolving field and sharing some of the complexities in the planning process.

Far from seeing the swift parrots and other threatened species in managed Tasmanian forests as problems, Yee described their appearance in these forests as a sign that biodiversity had returned to harvested areas and discussed management strategies for ensuring their safety within the forest estate.

Yee was asked about whether she thought native forestry should continue and replied that to her mind, there wasn’t an alternative for either supplying some timber classes with the tight restrictions of Australian forestry rather than more lax ones overseas, nor for large landscape fire management.

“The business model that we have with native forestry and our firefighting team and all the resources of road access and being out there looking after the forest, maintaining its health – it works. And that includes native forestry as part of that business model.”

A major theme of the interview is how the data dispels the activist positions that pit forest ‘defenders’ against ‘plunderers’. Instead, Yee articulates a data-based position that steps away from politics and looks at the way well-managed forestry can result in sustainable habitats for humans as well as wildlife.

Click here for the full podcast https://tasmaniantimber.com.au/podcast/dr-marie-yee/

18/02/2026

As one door closes for Pentarch, another one opens, with the NSW Government committing to fund the company's joint venture, Green Timber Tech, to build 32 "green homes".

The NSW Government has committed to funding the annual production of more than 1,000 green homes, awarding a $4.8 million grant to Orange-based flat pack housing company, Green Timber Tech to build the first 32. Source: Timberbiz

The funding, announced by the NSW Government, is expected to create more than 50 local manufacturing jobs, with eight full-time employees already hired, including two apprentices specialising in carpentry and technology. The investment comes from the state’s $480 million Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative.

Green Timber Tech builds sustainable and affordable flat pack housing that can take just two days to construct.

The flat pack housing involves pre-building the walls, floor and roof of a house, ready to be transported and assembled onsite. Designed to support housing at scale, the Government says the model could be deployed for regional housing, community housing, disaster relief, school infrastructure and private dwellings.

According to the company, homes can be assembled in as little as two days, with the model designed to support housing delivery at scale across regional housing, community and social housing, disaster relief, schools and private developments.

Minister for Energy, Penny Sharpe said the new homes will cut the carbon foot footprint of a house by more than 60%, with wood used from regenerative plantations and high-tech manufacturing meaning minimum waste is generated.

“These homes are airtight, which means it’s going to be cheaper to heat and cool your home all year round,” said Minister Sharpe.

“We’re not just funding sustainable homes, we’re funding sustainable homes that you could build in a weekend. In the middle of a housing crisis, this is an opportunity we couldn’t miss.”

Funding for the grant comes from the NSW Government’s $480 million Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Green Timber Tech to build 32 new, sustainable social homes for people who need it most,” said Minister for Housing, Rose Jackson.

“This is another example of how innovation in modern manufacturing is supporting the delivery more homes, more qu**ky, right across NSW.

“By building homes in a factory environment, we can reduce the risk of weather delays and speed up delivery – that means more people into safe housing sooner.”

Green Timber Tech CEO, Pete Morrison, said the investment was a major vote of confidence in regional manufacturing and modern construction.

“With the support of the NSW Government, we’re scaling a low-carbon manufacturing hub in Orange that’s designed to deliver the structural systems for more than 1,000 homes a year so we can create NSW homes faster, with greater certainty and using renewable timber,” said Mr Morrison.

“This funding allows us to move housing construction into a controlled factory environment, creating skilled regional jobs while helping NSW deliver homes at the speed and scale the state needs.”

18/02/2026

Academic offering to tackle UK and global forest health crisis

Forests are vital for nature recovery, climate mitigation, and sustainable resource production. Maintaining healthy forests for the future requires a skilled workforce however, relevant academic training provision is currently limited. Source: Timberbiz

Hence, in the UK Bangor University and the Centre for Forest Protection, a Defra-funded collaboration, led by Forest Research and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are working together to tackle the UK and global forest health crises through a specialised academic offering: the ENS-4311 Forest Protection Module.

This postgraduate level module is designed to equip the current and next generation of forestry specialists with the knowledge and skills necessary to combat escalating threats to UK and global forest ecosystems.

It is a critical addition to the postgraduate curriculum, targeting students enrolled in MSc Forestry, Tropical Forestry, and Environmental Forestry programs. The module content focuses on the crucial discipline of forest protection, which is essential given the mounting challenges posed by climate change, pests, diseases, and invasive species facing forests across the UK and further afield.

Students will get the chance to learn from world leading experts at the Centre for Forest Protection, and benefit from strong connections with key UK forestry agencies, including the Forestry Commission, Forestry England, and Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru/Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

They will also study at the UK’s top ranked university for agriculture and forestry subjects. The program is underpinned by extensive practical experience, including a specialist field trip delivered by experts from Forest Research and NRW and training in the use of relevant software and.

Together, these opportunities provide students with the knowledge, skills, and sector insight needed to meet the future challenges of forest protection and management.

An innovative approach to participation has been taken, with the ability for students to study this module as a stand-alone course, on a part-time, distance learning basis or as part of a full-time residential MSc degree. This flexibility enables both full-time forestry professionals and aspiring future foresters and researchers, to study alongside their ongoing professional commitments.

Developed jointly by experts from the University’s School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, and the Centre for Forest Protection, the module delivers in-depth learning on:

* Local and Global Context of Forest Protection: Examining the social, economic, and ecological impacts of forest damage across various ecosystems.

* Essentials of Forest Protection: key insect pests and pathogens and their impacts on trees and forests; new and emerging pests and diseases, climate change and other abiotic drivers of disease; health of urban trees, wildlife impacts, societal aspects of forest protection.

* Integrated Pest and Disease Management: Strategies for monitoring, diagnosis, and sustainable control of organisms threatening forest health.

* Biosecurity and Risk Assessment: Understanding pathways of introduction and spread of invasive threats and developing preventative measures.

“This partnership builds on the unique strengths of Bangor University as a leading centre for forestry education, and the Defra funded Centre for Forest Protection, with its mission to enhance the resilience of the UK’s forests, woodlands and trees,” said John Healey, Professor of Forest Sciences.

“This module represents our joint commitment to providing cutting-edge education that addresses real-world environmental crises. By training specialists in forest protection, we are directly investing in the future health and resilience of the world’s forests and providing essential skills and knowledge for future forestry leaders and researchers.”

Dr Suzanne Sancisi-Frey, Centre for Forest Protection Education and Training Officer said that this is an exciting partnership that brings together expertise and passion for tree health.

“Following the strong results and positive feedback from our pilot year, the Centre for Forest Protection is delighted to share its knowledge and experience through this innovative master’s module,” she said.

“Combining lectures, practical laboratory sessions, and a field trip, the module is delivered by enthusiastic and inspirational scientists, researchers, and professionals working across forest science and tree health. Their breadth of skills and insight makes this a truly unique offering within the forestry higher education landscape.”

Following delivery of the module in its pilot year (2024-25), students were asked to feed back on their experience.

For the module as a whole, one student commented: “The variety of topics, the specialists from each field coming in to talk about their field was wonderful. The collaboration between different organisations involved in putting this module together was very evident and it was very well run”.

Focusing on the field trip, another student wrote: “I thought the field trip was excellent and well-run. It was an invaluable opportunity to meet and question experts in their field in a beautiful location. I thought it would be worth making the effort to go despite my distance from the site, and I was not disappointed. Would go again!”

Following a successful pilot year, the module is now running for a second time, providing a brand-new cohort of students with the skills and experience to become future forestry leaders.

Applications for postgraduate study in forestry at Bangor University for the 2026/27 academic year are currently open, with a deadline of 31 July. The module will run again in 2027 and can be studied either as part of a degree program, or as an individual course.

16/02/2026

"More than 90% of Australians want clearer Country of Origin labelling on timber products, according to a major national survey by consumer group Choice. The survey of 7,200 people found that almost all respondents said clearer labelling would influence their purchasing decisions, signalling strong public demand for transparency in the timber market."

https://woodcentral.com.au/90-of-australians-demand-country-of-origin-labels-on-timber/

12/02/2026

An unusual timber story - more than 100 kilograms of co***ne — with an estimated street value of $14 million — has been found impregnated in four tonnes of timber smuggled across the NSW–Queensland border, according to details published in the Daily Telegraph today.

https://woodcentral.com.au/police-seize-100kg-of-co***ne-hidden-in-timber-crossing-the-nsw-qld-border/