Friday Offcuts – 11 September 2026
Click to Subscribe - It's FREE! Welcome to this week’s issue of Friday Offcuts.We open with new NZIER research putting forestry’s contribution to the New Zealand economy at $5.4 billion, while highlighting the growing cost of regulatory compliance. In Australia, the Government has announced a further $150 million through the Forestry Growth Fund to support processing, supply chains and workforce development. There’s a closer look at the fallout from harvesting in Gisborne, where an Environment Court application highlights the expectations around post-harvest clean-up. Forestry Australia is also putting forward a different approach to native forest carbon, arguing that carbon investment can be used to improve forest health and resilience. We also cover bushfire preparations, China’s log inventory trends, workplace coaching and psychosocial hazards, along with important safety lessons from a fatal tree-felling prosecution. On the event front, Residues2Revenues 2026 is coming to Brisbane later this month, and the Super Early Bird offer for HarvestTECH & Wood Transport Logistics 2026 closes today. Read these stories and more below in this week’s Friday Offcuts.
Our Partners & SponsorsFriday Offcuts is made possible through the generous support of the following companies. 
This week we have for you:
Forestry worth $5.4b to economy, but there are risks [NZ]
Forestry is deeply embedded in the economies of several New
Zealand regions, with new NZIER research showing how strongly some
regional economies depend on the sector and how widely a drop in
activity can flow through jobs, wages, household spending and exports.
New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) chief executive Dr Elizabeth Heeg says the research shows how closely local jobs and businesses are tied to forestry in parts of the country. “Forestry contributes $5.4 billion to New Zealand’s GDP and in some regions it makes up a big part of the local economy,” Elizabeth says. “In Tairāwhiti, it accounts for 7.9 percent of GDP, the highest share anywhere in the country. “In some regions it is also one of the biggest contributors among land-based industries. Forestry contributes more to the regional economy than beef cattle in Tairāwhiti and Nelson-Marlborough and more than sheep farming in Northland and Nelson-Marlborough. “Forestry keeps crews, contractors, truck drivers and mills working, along with processors, manufacturers and the local businesses that supply and support them. Those wages are spent locally, so the impact reaches well beyond the forest.” NZIER modelling in Tairāwhiti shows how lower forestry activity can spread through a regional economy. “NZIER found that a 10 percent drop in forestry output in Tairāwhiti would cut household spending by 1.4 percent and exports by 4.4 percent, with jobs and wages also falling,” Elizabeth says. The research also shows that keeping forests operating has become more expensive. NZIER found regulatory costs have increased across most areas since national environmental standards came into force, with smaller growers carrying a greater share of the burden. “A small grower can pay almost as much to prepare a resource consent as an operator with a forest 100 times the size, and monitoring fees can add another 20 to 50 percent of the original consent cost in some regions,” Elizabeth says.“For a small business, that’s a massive hit. Growers expect to meet high environmental standards, but costs also have to reflect the size of the forest and the risk involved. Otherwise they start affecting decisions about whether people keep investing and replanting.” Those decisions also affect what environmental benefits forests provide. NZIER estimates production forests provide around $1.6 billion a year in carbon capture and $312 million in avoided soil erosion. The research also identifies benefits for water quality, biodiversity and recreation, including walking, mountain biking and hunting in production forests. “So when we make decisions about where forestry belongs and how it is managed, we’re talking about jobs and businesses, but we’re also talking about what that forest is doing on the land.” Elizabeth says forestry decisions made now will shape regional economies for decades. “A decision about whether a forest is planted or replanted affects future work for contractors, the wood available to processors, the businesses built around the sector and the investment that stays in a region. “We want forestry to keep providing long-term work and investment in regions where communities have built businesses around it, while continuing to improve how forests are managed and environmental risks are reduced.” Download the NZIER reports:
Image credit: NZIER $150m boost to help Australia's forestry industry grow [AU]
The Albanese Labor Government is continuing to back
Australia’s forestry sector and is announcing new grants and
initiatives that will be delivered through the Forestry Growth Fund.
The Government will be investing $150 million in five key streams to help modernise Australia’s forest industry. Streams include supporting more well-paid, secure jobs and rural communities, strengthen innovation and industry modernisation, secure a sustainable fibre supply, and increase our sovereign capability to produce high-value products to support housing and construction. Through this funding the Albanese Labor Government will deliver the following:
The design of these investments has been informed by consultation across the forestry industry, unions, communities and state and territory governments. This will ensure the Government’s investment reflects the sector's key priorities and supports a stronger forestry industry, more secure jobs, better pay and increased production of high-value products. It will also help ensure workers remain an important part in shaping the future of Australia’s forestry industry. Grant development is now underway, with first grant opportunities to open in the coming months. These new measures are part of the $300 million Forestry Growth Fund and support delivery of the Timber Fibre Strategy. The Fund also includes $150 million in concessional finance to support advanced manufacturing investments for wood-product processors, including mills and manufacturers. Applications for finance are open through the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation. These investments bring our Government’s total forestry funding to $600 million. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP, said "The investments we are announcing today demonstrates the Albanese Labor Government’s commitment to our world-leading forestry-sector, recognising the significant economic, environmental and social benefits it delivers for everyday Australians.” More >> Source: Australian Government - Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry  Iwi forestry companies in council’s crosshairs [NZ]
The chairman of two forest companies at the centre of legal
action related to slash on hillsides says they were meeting industry
standards as they understood them, but agrees that clean-ups are needed.
Ngāti Porou Forests Ltd (NPFL) harvested the Awatere Forest, owned by Summit Forest NZ Ltd, and is one of the parties named in an application for an enforcement order from Gisborne District Council. The enforcement order, if granted by the Environment Court, would require the company and its directors to clean up the mess the council says was left on the land. NPFL also managed and harvested Tokararangi Forest for the Ministry for Primary Industries. More >> Source: Stuff Image credit: Summit Forests A more holistic approach to forests & carbon needed [AU]
Forestry Australia has made clear that its proposed Enhancing
Native Forest Resilience carbon method is designed not to enable
additional native forest harvesting, but to support scientifically
demonstrated improvements in forest carbon, health and resilience.
Forestry Australia President Dr Michelle Freeman said this misrepresents both the organisation and the proposal. “Forestry Australia is the professional association for forest scientists, managers and other forestry professionals working across Australia’s forests and landscapes,” Dr Freeman said. “Our proposed method reflects that breadth. It is not about logging more forests. It is about using carbon investment to support genuine, additional and scientifically demonstrated improvements in forest carbon and forest health and resilience.” The proposed method is intended to apply across different forest tenures and management objectives, including potentially national parks and conservation reserves, Traditional Owner-managed forests, private forests and state forests. “Forest management is not a binary choice between harvesting a forest and leaving it alone,” Dr Freeman said. “Active and adaptive management in forests includes assisted regeneration, ecological restoration, cultural and prescribed burning, ecological thinning, pest and weed control, protecting habitat trees, post-fire recovery, or changing or deferring harvesting.” “The intervention should follow the science and the needs of the forest, not a predetermined land-use outcome.” Forestry Australia has identified practical examples where carbon investment could support better forest outcomes, including assisted regeneration of Alpine ash forests affected by repeated severe fires and management of heavily stocked cypress pine forests where growth has stagnated. At the centre of the proposal is a simple principle: carbon credits should reward demonstrated carbon outcomes, not particular land uses. “The critical question is whether an intervention delivers a genuine, additional and conservatively measured carbon benefit, supported by sound science and environmental safeguards,” Dr Freeman said. A high-integrity method should therefore include credible baselines, robust carbon accounting, transparent modelling, appropriate treatment of leakage and permanence, environmental safeguards and ongoing monitoring. Forestry Australia submitted the proposal through the Australian Government process for developing new methods under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme. The Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee assessed it as having “excellent alignment” with the Offsets Integrity Standards and suitable for further method development when resources permit. “Carbon markets can provide important investment in healthier, more resilient forests, but only where the carbon benefits being credited are real,” Dr Freeman said. “The same integrity test should apply to every project: does it deliver genuine, additional and defensible climate benefit?” Dr Freeman said Australia also needed a broader conversation about the future of its native forests. “Reducing this discussion to whether someone is ‘for’ or ‘against’ native forest harvesting does not help us address the complex challenges our forests face.” “We should instead ask how the best available science can help maintain healthy, resilient forests that store carbon, conserve biodiversity and provide the environmental, cultural, social and economic values Australians expect from them. The management should follow the science. The carbon accounting should follow the evidence.” More >>  Classroom to the forest: Scholars gain industry experience [NZ]
WIDE Trust scholarship recipients are getting a taste of life
beyond the lecture theatre, gaining practical experience across
forestry, harvesting, wood processing and research as they progress
through their studies.Recent scholar updates highlight the range of opportunities available through industry connections, from working on real forest sites and research projects to internships, field trips and student competitions. The experiences are giving students the chance to put their studies into practice and build a better understanding of the sector. Final-year Forestry Science student Cruz Dawson is working with Matariki Forests on a dissertation investigating alternative forest growth modelling systems, while James Garrill has been developing harvest plans for real forest sites and exploring engineered wood products alongside his research into radiata pine breeding and pulp fibre characteristics. For others, the experience has been more hands-on. Whanarua Edmonds and his team took out the top prize in the Advanced Wood Processing student competition, while Jasmine Hagan gained exposure to forest operations, processing facilities and research sites during a field trip through the southern North Island. Ruby Sumner has combined study with a management case study for MPI, a GIS internship and Honours research into the social impacts of forestry employment. Ethan Steele has gained experience across harvesting, forest monitoring and rural firefighting, as well as an internship covering quality control, silviculture and forest management. The stories show how industry connections are helping students apply what they learn in the classroom to the practical realities of forestry and wood processing. Read more scholar stories and see what the latest WIDE Trust scholars have been getting up to:
 FWPA's latest statistics & economics monthly insights [AU]
Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) regularly
releases the latest data and analysis to help you understand the
trends shaping Australia’s forest and wood products sector.
From market movements and trade flows to industry benchmarking and economic insights, this update is designed to turn numbers into knowledge - giving you the tools to make informed, confident decisions. 1) Australia’s Residential Pipeline: Why More Approvals No Longer Mean More Homes Australia’s residential construction pipeline flows through five key stages: approval, waiting-to-start, commencement, construction, and completion. Looking and observing across these stages (stock and flow) reveals an important transition in how the housing market is functioning. Compared with the 2016–2018 construction boom, the post-COVID period has generated a large pipeline of projects, but that pipeline is moving more slowly through to completion. The issue is therefore becoming less about the number of projects entering the system. It is more about the capacity of the industry to deliver them. More >> 2) Construction activity grows as forestry and timber manufacturing remain steady The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) National Accounts data shows an increasingly divergent picture across the forestry, manufacturing and construction sectors. While construction continues to expand, forestry and the downstream manufacturing sector remain relatively stagnant, highlighting the changing dynamics of Australia’s building-material supply chain. More >> 3) Prefabrication could create new growth opportunities for timber across Australia’s low & mid-rise housing market Australia’s housing challenge is increasingly becoming a question not only of how many homes are built, but how they are built. A new report in July 2026 of ‘Manufacturing Homes: A National Strategy for Solving Australia’s Housing Crisis’, argues that prefabrication and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) could provide a pathway to lift construction productivity, expand domestic manufacturing and increase the use of Australian building products. More >> 4) Australia’s main wood products imports increased in 2025-26 Whether measured by value or by volume, Australia’s main wood products imports increased significantly in 2025-26, a year when demand was unremarkable. The value of Australia’s wood product imports lifted 10.8% in 2025-26, with imports totalling $1.941 billion. The $189 million increase, measured free-on-board, was driven by increased import values for almost all products. More >> Source & image credit: FWPA SnapStat: Mapping them to help with zapping them [NZ] The National Wilding Conifer Control Programme team at Biosecurity NZ are busy updating the national picture for wildings ... or to use their catchphrase: "Mapping them to help with zapping them". Here's what the map looks like as of October 2025.  Who KNEW?: Wilding pines affect over 2 million hectares of land across New Zealand. Read more A warning from Europe: Australia braces for fire season [AU]
Fire crews across eastern Australia are keeping a close eye on
the weather as warmer temperatures roll in, fresh off the back of a
scorching, fire-heavy summer in the northern hemisphere.With El Niño conditions driving hotter and drier weather across the country, local authorities are warning that this season could prove far busier than recent years. Speaking to Reuters, NSW Rural Fire Service chief Trent Curtin pointed to Europe’s record heatwaves as a stark heads-up for what might be ahead down under. In response, state foresters are racing to get hazard reduction burns done before the heat peaks. Forestry Corporation of NSW's Alex Capararo put it simply: crews are “alert but not alarmed,” but are actively gearing up for a tough few months. More >> Source: Reuters The search is on for NZ's most valuable workplace coach [NZ]After 219 nominations uncovered some of New Zealand’s best workplace coaches last year, industry training organisation Competenz is kicking off another season of its Most Valuable Coach (MVC) competition - and 2025 national champion Sean Martin is ready to pass the whistle.From engineering workshops and manufacturing floors to forestry operations, refrigeration businesses, plastics plants and print and packaging workplaces, Competenz is calling on apprentices and trainees to nominate the people who make a difference to their learning every day. Competenz General Manager Employer and Learner Services Toni Christie says the competition celebrates the people whose contribution to workplace training can easily happen out of sight. Martin, Service Supervisor at Excel Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, earned the inaugural title for the time, patience and genuine commitment he gives to training the next generation - although he admits winning came with one particularly satisfying perk. “I’ve got bragging rights,” he says. “Behind every great apprentice or trainee there is usually someone who has taken the time to answer the questions, demonstrate something again, share their experience and back that person to succeed. They don’t necessarily think of themselves as coaches, but the impact they have on someone’s confidence, capability and career can be enormous.” Martin knows the difference that support can make. His own apprenticeship stretched across five employers and 13 years before he completed his Level 4 refrigeration qualification. By the time he arrived at Excel, he was burnt out and questioning his future in the industry. Today, he’s the one making time for others, with Excel giving him the scope to work alongside apprentices and properly teach rather than simply give instructions. “If someone’s willing to learn, I’ll always make time for them,” Martin says. MVC returns after attracting 219 nominations in its inaugural year, with apprentices and trainees again invited to tell Competenz why their coach is a workplace legend. The 2026 national winner will receive a $1,000 ToolShed voucher, Weber Baby Q gas BBQ and meat pack, trophy and MVC merchandise, as well as a regional billboard announcing their win. Two runners-up will each receive a $500 ToolShed voucher, Makita XGT Cordless Radio and MVC merchandise,while 20 $200 ToolShed vouchers will be up for grabs throughout the 10-week competition for people who share their nomination on social media or submit an outstanding entry. Every nominated coach receives a personalised certificate and MVC travel cup. Christie says while the prizes are fun, the recognition is what matters. “Great workplace coaches build skilled people, and skilled people build stronger businesses and industries. Last year showed us just how many incredible coaches are quietly doing that work around New Zealand. Now it’s time for apprentices and trainees to put their hands up and say, ‘This is the person who made the difference for me’.” Competenz apprentices and trainees can nominate their 2026 MVC at competenz.org.nz/mvc. Nominations open 7 September and close 15 November 2026, with the national winner announced in early December. Source: Competenz  FEA update: Chia softwood log inventories [Int]China’s Softwood Log Inventories at Ocean Ports – FEA industry sources in China report that softwood log inventories at the country’s main ocean ports totalled 2.59 million m³ on August 28, 2026, down 5.4% (-147,000 m³) from late July, as follows:
National log inventories declined overall in August, marked by a rapid decrease of 24% in Taicang but a slight decline of 1% in Lanshan. Given the overall low inventory and higher CIF prices offered by suppliers in late August versus late July, wholesale market prices for radiata pine logs (middle A, 3.9 meters) showed upward trends of RMB 30/m³ in Taicang and RMB 10/m³ in Lanshan. Conversely, over the same timeframe, wholesale market price for hemlock logs saw a decline of RMB 20/m³ in Taicang and growth of RMB 10/m³ in Lanshan. Based on current market conditions, the wholesale market price of radiata pine logs is projected to rise modestly over the next month.  In terms of overall sales, the average daily volume was estimated at 51,625 m³ in August; this is versus 55,200 m³ in August 2025 and 58,125 m³ in August 2024.  For more information on FEA’s Asia Bulletin where this data is reported monthly, please visit https://getfea.com/publication/asia-bulletin or contact Matt Robertson at mrobertson@getfea.com. Source & chart credit: Forest Economic Advisors Lessons for forestry after fatal tree-felling incident [NZ]
A fatal incident near Dannevirke is a reminder that forestry
businesses must verify worker competence, provide effective inductions
and supervision, and have robust systems for people working alone.
Trevor Beale was prosecuted by WorkSafe New Zealand after his
employee Tejay Alan Debenham died while felling trees at a rural
property on Weber Road on 17 November 2023.Mr Debenham was working alone and unsupervised when a tree limb struck him causing him to fall off a nearby cliff. The site contained multiple high-risk hazards, including large wind-affected trees, suspended and interlocked branches, restricted escape routes, and trees growing close to an eroded cliff edge. In the Dannevirke District Court on Monday 7 September Mr Beale was ordered to pay $254,740 in reparation to Mr Debenham’s family as well as legal costs of $1,000 and was fined $5,000. WorkSafe’s Central Region Manager, Nigel Formosa, says the lessons to be learned extend well beyond this case. “Tree felling is high-risk work. Before it begins, businesses must know who is competent to do it, what supervision is required, and how the site’s hazards will be controlled. Taking someone’s word for their training or experience is not enough. “An induction must be more than a conversation. It should be structured, documented and checked for understanding, with clear task limits and controls that are reinforced throughout the work. If a worker is inexperienced or not yet competent, they must receive training and close supervision. High-risk work must not proceed simply because the usual supervisor is unavailable. “Where people work alone or remotely, businesses need a reliable check-in and check-out system that reflects the level of risk, assigns responsibility for monitoring, and triggers action if contact is missed. Those arrangements must be confirmed—not assumed.” The prosecution identified four reasonably practicable steps that were not taken: confirming Mr Debenham’s experience, training and qualifications; completing an adequate induction; ensuring appropriate supervision; and putting an adequate check-in and check-out procedure in place. Forestry businesses should review whether their systems work in practice. This includes documenting worker competence, reassessing hazards when conditions or personnel change, using mechanised felling where reasonably practicable, ensuring a competent person is in charge, and stopping work when the required controls or supervision are not available. Read further information on forestry safety Source: WorkSafe New Zealand  Preventing Psychosocial Harm in Timber Processing guide [AU]
Regardless of the size of a business, employers must proactively
manage the risk of psychosocial hazards in the workplace, in the same
way they manage physical hazards, as part of their duty to provide a
safe and healthy work environment. Psychosocial hazards and their effects are not always obvious. AFPA has developed a new guidance document to help forestry businesses identify and manage these hazards. Why safety regulators are watching Recent enforcement actions—including prohibition notices issued to businesses undergoing downsizing—show that workplace regulators are taking mental health risks just as seriously as physical danger. Managing psychosocial risk isn't just about policy compliance; it requires real, ongoing consultation with workers at every step. What’s at stake for forestry Ignoring mental health hazards leads to clear physical and operational costs:
Source & image credit: Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) MOU to revitalise forestry hubs through clean energy [NZ]
Energy Estate, Kākāriki Renewables and NZ Bio Forestry sign MOU
to revitalise forestry hubs through clean energy and
bioindustry
The agreement brings together complementary expertise in clean energy, infrastructure development and bioindustrial technology. The parties will assess how these capabilities can support the revitalisation and repurposing of forestry hubs, advanced manufacturing and long-term regional economic development. Energy Estate Co-Founder Simon Currie said the collaboration reflects the company’s commitment to forestry regions and to giving established industrial locations a renewed economic purpose. “Forestry has helped shape communities and regional economies across New Zealand. This collaboration is about working with NZ Bio Forestry to explore how forestry hubs can be revitalised and repurposed, bringing together clean energy, infrastructure and new industries to breathe life into regions and strengtheneconomies affected by industrial change.” “NZ Bio Forestry’s goal of creating higher value uses for forestry resources is closely aligned with Energy Estate’s approach to integrated precinct development. By connecting energy, customers, supply chains, infrastructure and communities from the outset, we can investigate practical opportunities that create enduring regional value.” The parties will undertake site assessments, technical and commercial feasibility studies, master planning, stakeholder engagement and evaluation of delivery models for potential projects. The work will consider renewable energy supply, biomass utilisation, energy storage, waste heat recovery and other complementary industrial uses. NZ Bio Forestry CEO Wayne Mulligan said the partnership builds on the company’s work to create higher value uses for wood fibre, biomass and forestry residues while supporting regional employment, decarbonisation and advanced manufacturing. “Forestry communities have experienced the effects of restructuring and economic decline, even while remaining close to some of New Zealand’s most significant forestry resources. This partnership begins by acknowledging that history and then looking forward: building trust, creating value and restoring opportunity.” More >> Source & image credit: Kākāriki Renewables  Jobs
Buy and Sell
And one to end the week on... It's Friday
The Friday strategy
And finally, patient zero-ish   And on that note, enjoy your weekend. Cheers.  Brand PartnersOur Partners & Sponsors Friday Offcuts is made possible through the generous support of the following companies.
Copyright 2004-2026 © Innovatek Ltd. All rights reserved
|
