Friday Offcuts – 20 February 2026
Click to Subscribe - It's FREE! Welcome to this week’s issue of Friday Offcuts.In this week’s issue, policy and market dynamics take centre stage. A national survey highlights overwhelming Australian demand for improved Country of Origin timber labelling, while the Forestry Training Committee prepares for NZ-wide consultations on vocational reform. Meanwhile, the 2025 National Exotic Forest Description confirms a maturing NZ estate, and we report on a stable February log market alongside rising sawn timber exports to China. Innovation continues to drive the sector, featuring low- carbon prefabricated housing in NSW, autonomous weed- control technology , and new vineyard post reuse initiatives. Finally, we examine critical sustainability and risk issues, from global tungsten supply pressures to essential new research into forest health and wildfire behavior. With support from the WIDE Trust, we are once again offering a limited number of complimentary places for forestry and wood processing professionals aged under 35 at our 2026 New Zealand events - including Environmental Forestry, WoodTECH, Carbon Forestry, WoodWorks, and HarvestTECH & Wood Transport Logistics. For details, contact gordon.thomson@innovatek.co.nz. Read these stories and more in this week’s packed issue of Friday Offcuts.
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This week we have for you:
Timber labelling supported by vast majority of Australians
More than nine out of 10 Australians want improved Country of
Origin labelling on timber products, according to a new national survey,
conducted by Choice.The Choice survey found nearly all of the 7,200 people surveyed said labelling information would sway their buying behaviour, reinforcing AFPA’s calls to introduce Country of Origin Labelling to ensure consumers can easily identify and purchase Australian-grown timber. AFPA Chief Executive Officer Diana Hallam said: “We welcome and applaud the latest Choice findings on timber labelling, as this compelling evidence supports and endorses what we hear every day from the building and construction sector, as well as everyday Australians. “Country of Origin labelling is an important reform that allows consumers to choose to buy Australian timber and better understand the potential environmental and sourcing implications of imported wood. With a growing amount of dubious, imported timber products flooding the Australian marketplace, including from China, it’s critical consumers can compare and consider the origins of timber products.” As part of AFPA’s Federal election platform last year, AFPA called on the Federal Government to introduce Country of Origin Labelling to allow consumers to choose locally-grown timber. “By providing easy-to-understand Country of Origin labelling, consumers can choose climate-friendly, sustainably produced and Australian-grown timber,” Ms Hallam said. “Importantly, a number of Australia’s softwood manufacturers are voluntarily labelling their products to show it is Australian, meets Australian Standards and has been manufactured in Australia. “This is vital, as a 2025 report from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), showed while examples of Australian-grown timber were correctly labelled, 63 per cent of import samples carried private certifications.” Around 50 per cent of Australia’s imported timber also failed traceability testing, according to the Source Certain report, produced for DAFF. Other statistics show Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) imports totalled 205,343 cubic metres for the year-ended October 2025, up 63% on the prior year. Source: Australian Forest Products Association Have your say - the future of NZ forestry vocational training
The Forestry Training Committee invites you take part in a round
of regional consultation sessions in March and April regarding proposed
changes to forestry vocational training, in response to the
Government’s reforms of vocational education.The Forestry Training Council is made up of representatives from the Forest Industry Contractors Association and Forest Owners Association, supported by Competenz. The Tertiary Education Commission requires industry to demonstrate consultation and engagement with the forestry sector before a preferred training delivery option can be confirmed. Your input is important and will directly inform the advice provided to Government later in April. Over the past 12 months, the Forestry Training Committee has been undertaking due diligence on the best future home for forestry vocational training. It is now seeking feedback on the committee’s proposed direction. The Committee's goal is to be able to do a better job of supporting learners and employers with suitable training and assessment. The session will be presented by committee Chair Kevin Ihaka, along with Rowan Struthers (FICA) and Joseph Brolly (FOA), with support from Competenz. Each session will run for approximately 60 minutes and will consist of a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A and industry discussion. You are encouraged to attend one of the following regional consultation sessions:
More than 85 percent of forestry vocational training occurs on the job and plays a critical role in supporting health and safety, productivity, and workforce capability. Please RSVP for the session that suits you. Prebooking would be appreciated to assist with catering and planning. Source: Forestry Training Committee (via Safetree) NEFD 2025: What it means for forest ownersThe Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) National Exotic Forest Description 2025 (NEFD) provides the latest snapshot of New Zealand’s plantation forest estate and confirms that the resource continues to expand and mature. Net stocked area increased to 1.82 million hectares, up 1.4% from 2024, while standing timber volume rose to 572 million cubic metres, a 2.0% increase over the year. The average age of the radiata pine estate also increased, from 17.7 to 18.2 years, indicating a gradually older and more heavily stocked forest estate. The age-class structure remains uneven, reflecting planting trends over past decades. A large concentration of forests sits in the 22–31 year age range, driven by the major planting boom of the 1990s. Although some of these forests have already been harvested, the bulge is still evident. In contrast, younger mid-rotation forests are under-represented because planting slowed significantly after the 1990s, which continues to influence future wood supply projections. The area of harvest-ready radiata pine aged 26–40 years increased by 8.3% to 466,000 hectares, now accounting for 28% of the national plantation estate. Regional differences are substantial. The Southern North Island and Canterbury have the highest proportions of mature forests at around 48% and 47%, respectively, while Hawke’s Bay and the Central North Island sit at the lower end, with 17% and 22% in this age class Normally, rising harvest-ready area would translate into larger harvest volumes. However, weak export markets in recent years have constrained harvesting activity, resulting in a build-up of mature forests. Earlier MPI wood availability projections suggested harvest volumes could decline from the late 2020s through to around 2040 due to a shortage of mid-rotation forests. Given current maturity levels and subdued harvesting, this scenario now looks less likely nationally, although some regions — particularly Hawke’s Bay — may still face longer-term supply constraints. More >> Source & image credit: Alphametrik  NSW Government funds local jobs and green housing
The Minns Government is funding the production of over 1,000 green
homes a year, with a A$4.8 million dollars grant awarded to Green Timber
Tech. The company, based in Orange, builds sustainable and
affordable flat pack housing that can take only two days to build.More than 50 new local jobs will be created in Green Timber Tech. Already, 8 new full time employees have been brought on, including two apprentices to focus on carpentry with technology. 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, this model could be deployed for regional housing, community housing, disaster relief, school infrastructure and private dwellings. The new homes will cut the carbon foot footprint of a house by more than 60%. All the wood used is regenerative plantation wood and high-tech manufacturing means minimum waste is generated. The buildings are airtight, which means it takes less energy to heat and cool your home lower the cost to electricity bills. Funding for this grant comes from the NSW Government’s A$480 million Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative. “This is a real win for Regional NSW with over 50 direct jobs created, and a real boost to adjacent workforces like transport, timber and trades," said the Minister for Energy, Penny 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.” Green Timber Tech CEO, Pete Morrison, said, "This investment is 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." More >> Source: NSW Government Image credit: Green Timber Tech NZ Market Update - February 2026
February, the shortest month of the year and the last and generally hottest month of summer. It’s also the month the Chinese celebrate their New Year with the longest holiday in the manufacturing and construction calendar. Although the official public holiday runs from the 16th to the 22nd of February, many sawmills have already shut their doors and won’t likely reopen until late in the month as staff take time to travel from the cities to their hometowns in the provinces and back again.This holiday, although great for the Chinese, generally triggers cold sweats from NZ foresters as sawmills shut up in China and production carries on with a full summer head of steam in NZ. Historically there is an in-market inventory build over this period to the tune of around a million cubic metres which swings the supply and demand dynamic well in favour of the buyers. This season is slightly different in that at the end of 2025, we had the lowest inventory in 24 months and although this has been building with buyers anticipating the closures, the current level is only 2.7 million. In addition, there is lower than usual vessel arrivals into China as weather delays have impacted vessel timing and it is expected that post holidays, the inventory position will only build to around 3.1 million cubic metres. Probably not the best news for buyers. Current buyer sentiment has started to swing towards the optimistic side of the pendulum, and while not quite at the fizzy stage, it is building. Exporters are expecting some sales price increases coming out of the holiday period although now is not the time to shoot for the moon. Shipping remains under $US30/cubic metre, however, any wins there have been offset by the weaker US dollar.  In terms of at wharf gate prices for February, it’s like Nana’s pavlova – flat. In fact, this 7-month run of flatness is the most stable period of pricing in over a decade, to the point that it’s almost predictable. Current A grade short prices are around the $123/JAS mark for SNI ports with fluctuations up and down a few dollars between exporters. While this level isn’t anything to write home about, it keeps the doors open and stability provides certainty. Meanwhile, back home things are starting to look rosier in the NZ construction sector. Certified Builder Chief Executive, Malcolm Fleming stated that employment contracts in the construction industry in January are up 20% from the same time on 2025. The 2025 National Construction Pipeline Report commissioned by MBIE has forecasted steady growth for the sector increasing turnover from $55.7bn in 2025 to $65.4bn in 2030. The number of new building consents grew 9% from December 2024 to December 2025 with a reasonable number of those not turning soil until 2026. As many forest owners took a hit in mid-2025 with reductions in both sawlog and pruned log prices due to poor demand, it is hoped that this increased activity will result in stronger log prices into the second quarter. More >> Source & image credit: Forest360  The global tungsten supply chain crisis
As global industrial sectors face unprecedented shortages, the
2025 tungsten supply chain crisis highlights a critical vulnerability,
caused by extreme production concentration and shifting
geopolitical policies. This issue was recently highlighted
by Stewart Martin, CEO of Checkmate, who said, "Everyone within our
specific industry is currently navigating a 'perfect storm' in the raw
materials market." "For the past 12 months, our primary goal at Checkmate has been to insulate our customers from these escalating costs. We have absorbed significant impacts to maintain price stability for the sawmills and manufacturers who depend on us," said Stewart. Tungsten prices have skyrocketed by over 200%, due to tightening export controls and reduced mining quotas from major global suppliers. Simultaneously, the Cobalt market has transitioned from a surplus to a sharp deficit following significant supply-side interventions. "However, over the last four months, the situation has elevated beyond any level that could have been predicted by historical market cycles," said Stwart. The following article explores how recent export restrictions and skyrocketing prices are forcing Western nations to rapidly diversify their sourcing and invest in domestic mining to secure this irreplaceable metal. A strategic overview Ttungsten, the metal of extremes, is essential for everything, from aerospace applications to precision manufacturing. The supply crisis has become a geopolitical flashpoint that exposes fundamental vulnerabilities in Western industrial supply chains. Defining the current market disruption The tungsten market entered unprecedented territory in 2024-2025, characterised by dramatic price volatility and supply discontinuity. This price escalation reflects not merely market dynamics, but structural changes in global supply allocation mechanisms. The magnitude of disruption becomes clear when examining licensing data. U.S. importers received zero tungsten export licenses from China throughout 2025, according to critical industry analysis. This represents a complete severance of the primary supply channel that historically provided the majority of tungsten imports to American manufacturers. Critical infrastructure dependencies on tungsten Modern industrial civilisation relies on tungsten across multiple mission-critical sectors that cannot easily substitute alternative materials. Defense contractors require tungsten for armour-piercing ammunition and aerospace components. Semiconductor manufacturers depend on tungsten interconnects for advanced chip architectures. Precision manufacturing relies on tungsten carbide tooling for automated production systems. More >> Key source: Discovery Alert, with additional commentary from Checkmate. Image credit: Checkmate 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 >> Source & image credit: FWPA  New Sourth Australian timber promotion campaign
The South Australian Forest Products Association (SAFPA)
, in partnership with the South Australian Government, has
launched a new Timber Promotion Campaign designed to celebrate
and showcase the everyday role timber plays in South Australian
homes, workplaces and across the broader economy.Supported by the South Australian Government and the Minister for Forest Industries, Clare Scriven, the campaign will highlight the beauty, versatility and sustainability of locally grown and manufactured timber — from the frames that hold up our houses to the cabinetry in our kitchens, the floors beneath our feet and the walls around us. SAFPA Chief Executive Officer Nathan Paine said the campaign is about helping South Australians recognise just how present timber already is in their daily lives. “Timber is all around us – in our homes, our offices, our schools and the places we gather,” Mr Paine said. “It forms the structural frames of our houses, the cupboards in our kitchens, the flooring in our living rooms and the wall linings that shape our spaces. In workplaces, it’s found in desks, shelving and fit-outs, and behind the scenes it is pallets and packaging that keep goods moving through our economy every single day.” Mr Paine said the campaign deliberately shifts the focus from technical industry language to tangible, relatable examples that people see and touch every day. “This is about celebrating timber as something familiar, reliable and proudly South Australian,” he said. “It is renewable, it stores carbon, it supports thousands of regional jobs – but most importantly, it is part of how we live.” The campaign will feature digital storytelling, pop-up showcases, professional education sessions and community engagement activities that visually demonstrate how timber is used across homes, commercial spaces and logistics networks. The Timber Promotion Campaign aims to:
“This campaign is about pride in what we grow, what we make and what we build here in South Australia. More importantly, it is about reminding South Australians that we are the birthplace of Australia’s plantation forestry industry, and that maintaining the capability to grow and manufacture our own timber products underpins our ability to build homes, support economic growth and sustain our way of life.” “We hope this campaign will engage both consumers and business decision-makers, encouraging them to choose South Australian timber products and support an industry that is fundamental to our communities and our economy.” SAFPA recognised and thanked the South Australian Government and Minister Scriven for their support in elevating timber as a material that is not only sustainable and renewable, but deeply embedded in the way South Australians live and work and foundational to the State’s future prosperity. Source & image credit: SAFPA  Report: 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 report 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 report Source & image credit: John O'Donnell Tropical Timber Market Report - February insights
Rise in sawn softwood imports from New Zealand.
China’s sawn softwood imports from New Zealand, alone
among the top suppliers, rose 17% to 280,000 cubic meters in 2025. The
volume of sawnwood imported by China from New Zealand increased in 2025.
The main reasons can be summarised as follows.Changes in the domestic timber supply structure in China. The country has continuously implemented a ban on commercial logging of domestic natural forests resulting in a significant reduction in large diameter log resources. Sawmills have increased their reliance on imported raw materials, especially for a stable supply of sawn softwood. The market competitiveness of New Zealand timber. New Zealand's timber is mainly composed of radiata pine. It is stable and of uniform specifications. Moreover, due to the upgrade of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, China has abolished tariffs on 12 related tax items of wood and paper products imported from New Zealand. Approximately 99% of the wood and paper enjoy tax-free treatment, thereby reducing the import cost of sawn softwood. Substitution effect and supply chain diversification. Due to the impact of international circumstances the import volume of timber from traditional supply countries such as the United States and Germany has significantly decreased. Chinese enterprises have accelerated the diversification of their supply chains. As a stable and reliable supply country New Zealand's exports of sawnwood to China have increased. In conclusion, the increase in China's imports of sawnwood from New Zealand in 2025 was the result of the combined effects of domestic resource constraints, policy benefits, supply chain adjustments and changes in the international situation. More >> Source: ITTO Tropical Timber Market (TTM) Report Wildfire research focuses on beech forests
New research is putting the litter bed flammability of New
Zealand’s beech forests under the microscope. The
Bioeconomy Science Institute Maiangi Taiao’s extreme wildfire
research team and Lincoln University academic staff are jointly
supervising student Georgia Stevenson, who is conducting ignition
experiments in Canterbury beech forests between now and April as part of
her PhD.These experiments – the first to examine litter flammability and conduct field-based ignition tests in any native forest type in NZ – are taking place at two locations near Craigieburn. The tests are small in scale, with flames only allowed to spread for 30cm before being extinguished. Through these experiments, Georgia will evaluate the thresholds at which beech forests can ignite and spread. Her main aim is to identify the conditions under which litter beds will ignite and develop into self-sustained wildfires in mountain or black beech forests in the region. “It’s essential to understand litter flammability for effective fire management,” Georgia says. “Results from this research aim to help the prediction and management of wildfires in these forests.” The timing of the experiments is weather-dependent but they will run on up to 15 days throughout the planned timeframe. Georgia has Department of Conservation authorisation to do the research. Seven attempts at ignition have been made so far, over two burn days. “Most of these haven’t succeeded,” Georgia says. “The litter has been too damp, and we’re hoping for drier and warmer conditions so we can conduct tests until we get a self-sustaining ignition. Bioeconomy Science Institute fire ecologist Shana Gross says wildfires in these forests present a significant challenge for conservation and the management of landscape fire risk. “Several significant wildfires have impacted native beech rainforests in NZ over the past decade. “New Zealand forests are not considered very flammable because they’re often too wet to burn. However, everything can burn when conditions align, as we saw in the 2024 Bridge Hill fire that burned a significant amount of beech forest in the Craigieburn area. Georgia’s research is helping identify the conditions under which a native forest no longer acts as a fire break – and where we would lose these important ecosystems. “In NZ, the fuel moisture conditions we use as part of the fire weather warning system were developed for pine forests,” Shana says. “Georgia’s research is an important step in helping us understand how these fuel moisture conditions relate to the fire hazard in NZ’s beech forests.” Georgia’s experiments are part of and funded by a larger Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment project aimed at better understanding when native forests will ignite and when fires will escalate into extreme wildfires. The Brian Mason Scientific and Technical Trust has also contributed funding to Georgia’s project. Strict safety protocols will be in place for all experiments. These include keeping the ignition tests at a small scale and always having a team of firefighters and their equipment on hand. Source & image credit: NZ Institute for Bioeconomy Science  A$1.5m AFWI funding to advance autonomous forestry machinery
The Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) Centre for
Sustainable Futures, housed at the University of the Sunshine
Coast (UniSC), has awarded A$1.5 million in funding to support a new
research project that will accelerate automation in Australia’s
plantation forestry sector.The project, titled SilvaNaut: Incorporating Autonomous Operation into Australian Forest Machinery – Robotic Weed Control Conditions, directly supports AFWI’s theme of making the most of our available wood fibre by enabling safer, more efficient and higher-yield forest operations. SilvaNaut will develop and field-test ‘The Autonomous Forest Navigator,’ a bolt-on autonomous navigation module that retrofits existing forestry machinery to operate hands-free between plantation rows. Designed initially for young (0-3 years old), open-canopy plantations, the system will replace manual joystick control with precise autonomous navigation capable of operating in rough, real-world forest terrain. Project Lead Daryl Killin said the core challenge the project addresses is safe, reliable navigation in environments that are far more complex than agricultural settings. The project will be delivered through Daryl’s company, Native Conifers Carbon Sink, who registered the first tree planting project for carbon credits in Australia under the Carbon Farming Initiative in December 2012. The company has been exploring remote-controlled weed control for a decade. “There’s a real need for an autonomous vehicle that can do weed control in place of humans or human-driven machinery... but unlike driverless cars or broad-acre agriculture, we’re talking about remote locations, uneven ground, harvest residue, and a very high need for precision, because if you spray the wrong chemical in the wrong place, you can kill the tree,” Daryl said. The technology integrates high-resolution Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), LiDAR, inertial sensors (IMU), and AI-based obstacle detection, building on proven control technology developed by project partners. This geospatial backbone will enable not only robotic weed control, but also future applications such as inventory assessment, fire management, and forest monitoring. Australia’s forestry sector is under growing pressure from labour shortages, rising operational costs, safety risks, and increasingly stringent environmental expectations. Daryl said manual weed control is labour-intensive and often undertaken in hazardous conditions, particularly in the early years of plantation establishment. “Not many people want to put on a knapsack and work in remote areas with snakes, spiders and rough terrain anymore," he says, "And even when people are available, you’re limited by human constraints; you can’t work at night, reliability varies, and safety risks are always present.” The Autonomous Forest Navigator removes operators from high-risk terrain while improving consistency and efficiency. Importantly, it enables round-the-clock operation, allowing growers to target optimal spraying windows that are often missed under current manual systems. “Weeds in the first two years are critical,” Daryl said. “If you lose 200 trees out of 1,000 per hectare early on, you’ve lost future options for wood volume, and you can’t put those trees back later. That loss shows up 25 or 30 years down the track, right when the return on investment really matters.” While automation is well advanced in agriculture, Daryl said many existing solutions are over-engineered, too costly, or poorly suited to forestry conditions. More >> Source & image credit: University of the Sunshine Coast NZ Green Building Council celebrates 20 years
The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) has this
week marked its 20th anniversary, celebrating two decades of progress as
a trusted advisor and influential driver of change for Aotearoa
New Zealand’s built environment.Since being founded by 31 members in 2006, NZGBC has grown into a community of more than 700 member organisations and associates, united by a shared commitment to healthier, more resilient and lower-impact buildings and homes. Over the past 20 years, NZGBC’s impact includes:
Thousands of architects, designers, builders and suppliers to the sector have taken up training, education and events as part of the NZGBC’s mission to support the delivery of better-performing buildings, fit for New Zealand. Membership includes people and organisations from across the sector – building owners, banks and investors along with designers, consultants and architects. “This milestone is a moment to pause and reflect on what’s been achieved together,” says NZGBC chief executive Andrew Eagles. “Over the past two decades, our impact has been shaped by the people, partnerships and mahi that have driven meaningful change — from homes and workplaces to the communities they support.” Demonstrating commitment “We continue to put people and the planet at the centre of design, construction, and operations. The strength of interest in green buildings is reflected in the continued growth and commitment of our members. As we begin our 20th anniversary year, we want to acknowledge everyone who has contributed to this collective journey. Your leadership and collaboration continue to move us toward a more sustainable future.” To mark the anniversary, commemorative decals are being displayed on hundreds of buildings across the motu to proudly display the achievement of green certifications for the benefit of their tenants, employees, and communities. More >> Source & image credit: NZGBC  Jobs
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And one to end on... Ain't no rule says a dog can't compete in the Olympics
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A local dog made a bid for Olympic glory Wednesday morning, breaking out of his doghouse and onto the homestretch of the cross-country ski course in the middle of a race.