European Parliament wants illegal timber banned

The international dice are now cast against the trade in illegally logged wood, with last week’s overwhelming vote by the European Parliament in favour of legislation banning imports.

The parliament voted 644 to 25 (with 16 abstentions) in favour of legislation that will impose ‘due diligence’ requirements on timber imports from 2012.

The draft regulation now goes to the European Council of Ministers, but final approval is expected to be a formality after the council indicated in June that it would support the legislation.

The new rules will close a loophole that has allowed European firms to import and sell timber logged illegally in countries such as Brazil and Indonesia.

According to WWF, the trade is worth up to £700m a year, with up to a fifth of timber imported into the EU alleged to come from illegal sources. (Read more)

Talking ‘up’ timber construction

An impressive line-up of international and local engineering and architecture experts will address the increasing use of structural wood in contemporary designs at forums across Australia in September.

The inaugural WoodSolutions 2010 one-day forums are modeled on a successful Canadian formula and will be held in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. (Read more)

Eucalypts cleared in Tasmania

A television-sparked scare linking Eucalyptus nitens with water quality issues and fears of a cancer cluster in the George River area of Tasmania has been scotched.

The George River Water Quality Panel has found that river foam samples referred to in the ‘Australian Story’ report broadcast by the ABC in February this year were not representative of the naturally occurring water in the Georges River.

(Read more)

Huge growth in US hardwood sales

China is now the world’s biggest importer of American hardwoods products ahead of Europe, and general demand is rebounding after a severe beating at home and abroad over the past two years.

First-quarter 2010 statistics show strong growth for US hardwood exports in several major Asian markets, with sales in China up 145% on the same time last year, and worth US$77.34 million. “With China's steady economic growth and rising standard of living, more consumers have access to a sophisticated lifestyle and are exploring new furniture styles,” says American Hardwood Export Council chairman Orn Gudmundsson (pictured). (Read more)

Indonesia leads way on REDD earnings

Up to 70% of revenues from forest carbon projects could go to local forest communities under new groundbreaking rules announced this week by the Indonesian Government.

Indonesia has become the first country to release rules governing revenue sharing for forest carbon projects under the UN-led Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) mechanism.

Between 20 and 70% of the revenues would go to local forest communities, with the ratio split between the government and local communities dependent on the type of forest. This follows REDD-governing regulations enacted in May this year. (Read more)

Steam diversion on award short list

A major engineering project at the Winstone Pulp International (WPI) plant at Karioi (central North Island, NZ) is among finalists in the INNOVATE NZ Awards of Excellence 2010.

Aurecon is a finalist for the design and construction management of the system that diverts steam, previously vented into the atmosphere, to preheat air used to dry wood pulp. (Read more)

LETTER: How to save the forest industry

I read your latest In-Wood magazine editorial (issue #92, July). The real problem with your tale of [pine] furniture [imported from China] is the export of employment that went with it.

The gnomes of Treasury have for decades been convinced that forestry was a ‘sunset’ industry (dirty, nasty business and maybe frightened by a tree when they were babies), so no support would be forthcoming. [They] sold off the Government forests, so balance was lost – resulting in over-cutting during the ‘93 log price spike. And now processors face the uncertainty of ETS and are unlikely to invest if they have no certainty on log supply (post 1990 plantings), caused by swings in carbon prices and changing harvest intentions, e.g. no harvest to avoid liabilities. (Read more)