International Forest Industries

Alberta fights the pine beetle

admin — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:40:26 +0000

In Canada, the Alberta government has directed C$55.2 million in funding to continue pro-active action against mountain pine beetle infestations in the province. “This funding gives us the resources we need to continue our fight against this threat to our forests,” Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) Minister Ted Morton said. “The time to attack the beetle is now, when we have the greatest potential for success in managing mountain pine beetle populations.” (more…)

Coal company wins forestry award

admin — Sat, 03 May 2008 05:14:39 +0000

CONSOL Energy’s, the largest producer of high-Btu bituminous coal in the USA, Fola Coal Co Surface Mine 6 in Bickmore, West Virginia, has been presented with the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative’s Excellence in Forestry Award for 2007. The award, presented by the US Office of Surface Mining (OSM), on behalf of the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI), recognises exemplary efforts in forestry reclamation. The ARRI, an OSM initiative, is a coalition of groups, including citizens, the coal industry, and government, dedicated to restoring forests on coal mined lands in the Eastern US. (more…)

More woes for BC forest industry

admin — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:09:42 +0000

The forestry industry in British Columbia has been hammered over the last 12 months from all sides. As Innovatek notes in this week’s Friday Offcuts, “mill closures, job layoffs (the West Coast’s largest forestry company, Western Forest Products, just announced that it’s shutting down most of it’s logging operations next week with 800 loggers affected by the move) and of course the mountain pine beetle has knocked the industry for a six. Selling lumber from infested forests into a market already hit hard by reduced demand because of the collapse of the US housing market has been tough.”

The mountain pine beetle has been the real killer though. According to new government statistics, about half of the marketable forest estate in BC (estimated to climb to a staggering 76% by 2015) has been ravaged by a nearly decade-long beetle infestation. The outbreak of mountain pine beetles has affected trees over an area of 13.5 Mha. As of last month, the insects had infested and killed about 710 million m³ of timber - up from 582 million m³ at the same time last year, according to a recent news release. (more…)

MaskinLeverantörerna’s Forestry Section and Skogsnolia strengthen collaboration

admin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:53:16 +0000

Skogsnolia - one of Sweden’s most important industry trade fairs - is strengthening its collaboration with the trade association, MaskinLeverantörerna Forestry Section, for the supply of mobile machines. (more…)

Supporting a new approach to tropical forestry

admin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:16:36 +0000

Australia’s CSIRO is providing technical expertise in support of what US science magazine, Discover, has described as one of ‘the six most important experiments in the world’ - the Planted Forests Project on the island of Borneo. “This Malaysian project is visionary,” says the leader of the CSIRO team, David Boden. “Around the world we’ve seen that conservation in developing countries will only succeed if there’s something in it for the local communities. The Sarawak State Government has allocated nearly half a million ha. One third of the land will be set aside for conservation of Sarawak’s rich biodiversity, one third for use by the traditional ethnic communities, and one third for the establishment of a sustainable and economically viable plantation forestry industry.” (more…)

Komatsu Forest invests heavily in 2008

admin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:24:04 +0000

This year is an important one for Komatsu Forest. “Having spent time mustering our strength, we’re now ready to launch our new harvesters, forwarders, control systems, harvesting heads, and fellers on a broad front,” the company reports. “This is actually the most extensive update to our product range for very many years. I’m very proud that we’re able to present so many new products and improvements this year,” says Toshio Miyake, CEO of Komatsu Forest. (more…)

Timber use growing in South Korea

admin — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 06:37:48 +0000

South Korea is becoming a significant user of wood and recent changes in government economic development plans indicate that the country could see significant growth in the construction of wood-frame single- and multi-family houses over the next 15 years. In contrast to Japan (a country with a long tradition of building wooden homes) and China, Korea is a relatively small wood products market (Japan’s population is more than twice Korea’s, and China has a huge wood market and a population 27 times larger than that of Korea). However, Korea remains an important wood market, importing some 85%-90% of the wood it consumes. This keeps the country highly dependent on offshore suppliers. (more…)

North American forest industry set to survive housing downturn

admin — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:10:31 +0000

Despite the slowing housing market and subsequent downturn afflicting lumber mills, forests in the Pacific Northwest remain a valuable resource with important products that are still in demand. The lumber industry is down 20% from normal production levels as many mills reduce shifts, take downtime or permanently shut down, said Gordon Culbertson, Pacific Northwest region manager for price information provider Forest2Market. But, loaded log trucks are still moving down the highway - delivering raw materials unique to the Pacific Northwest. (more…)

Paso Pacifico awarded Gold Rating for innovative reforestation in Nicaragua

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:47:16 +0000

Paso Pacifico, Carbonfund.org, the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) and the Rainforest Alliance have announced an innovative reforestation project, Return to Forest, aimed at combating climate change, conserving biodiversity and supporting local communities in Nicaragua. This project uses carbon finance to restore approximately 410 ha of tropical forest in Central America’s most critically endangered ecosystems. The project was awarded the highest standard ‘Gold’ rating of the Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards. Carbonfund.org, a Maryland-based nonprofit carbon offset and reductions provider, assisted with developing the project and is its primary source of funding. (more…)

Tembec shuts down its Senneterre, Quebec sawmill for three months

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:55:27 +0000

Tembec today announced a temporary shutdown for at least three months at its Senneterre sawmill located in Quebec, effective May 9. The shutdown decision was based on the lack of wood supply in the region. “The announced shutdown is a clear consequence of the volume reduction brought about by the latest Chief Forester’s evaluation of the allowable cut in the Paix des Braves territory. Compared to 2003, Tembec’s Senneterre mill is facing a 50% cut of its available log supply, which seriously impairs our ability to maintain year round operations at current levels. Tembec finds this disproportionate reduction unacceptable. Those recent announcements are particularly alarming considering the extra efforts exerted and the losses sustained by Tembec in meeting the Natural Resources and Wildlife Department’s request to salvage the fire killed timber and provide for accelerated reforestation,” said Michel Bastien, Vice President, Quebec Division of Tembec’s Forest Products Group. (more…)