Friday Offcuts – 28 August 2026
Click to Subscribe - It's FREE! Welcome to this week’s issue of Friday Offcuts.We start with lessons from the Top of the South Wood Council’s Learning Through the Storm report, which looks at how the forestry sector responded to the widespread windthrow caused by the severe storms of 2025. In Australia, Tree Breeding Australia has opened its new National Genetics Research Centre in Mt Gambier, giving tree improvement and climate resilience research a significant boost. The ETS is back under the spotlight in New Zealand, with a critical report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment drawing a strong response from the NZ Institute of Forestry. At the same time, harvesting in Gisborne has been halted over concerns that new consent conditions are simply unworkable. There’s also growing momentum around bioenergy and the use of forest and wood residues, with Australia’s new National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy providing a timely update ahead of our Residues2Revenues 2026 event in Brisbane next month. Plus, we look at changing log trade with India, workforce developments from FibreSkills Australia, and the latest NZ workplace dust standards. Read these stories and more below in this week’s Friday Offcuts.
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This week we have for you:
Learning Through the Storm: Report released [NZ]
The Top of the South Wood Council, with support from Te Uru
Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, has recently released
Learning Through the Storm, a report on the widespread
windthrow caused by the severe storm events of 2025. On July 11th 2025, following weeks of heavy rain, an estimated 7,500-8,000 hectares of radiata pine in Tasman District forests were windthrown by strong north-easterly and easterly winds. Standing trees left within wind-damaged blocks were estimated to account for 25% of all trees affected. Further windthrow occurred over subsequent months as destabilised trees in damaged areas continued to fall over. Damage caused by southerly winds in October was significant, with a further estimated 2,500-3,000 hectares of trees blown down. The Learning Through the Storm report was commissioned to understand the impact of the storm. The report is packed with learnings and practical information about the forestry sector’s response to, and recovery from, the widespread windthrow caused by the severe storm events of 2025. The report can be accessed here: Learning Through the Storm – Report – Top of the South Wood Council Source & image credit: Top of the South Wood Council National Genetics Research Centre opened [AU]
Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) congratulates Tree
Breeding Australia (TBA) on the official opening of its new National
Genetics Research Centre in Mount Gambier, South Australia,
opened today by South Australian Minister for Primary Industries and
Regional Development, the Hon. Clare Scriven MP.FWPA Acting Chief Executive Officer Craig Taylor said the opening of the new facility known as “The Shed” marks an important milestone for Australia's plantation forestry sector and the researchers, growers and industry organisations working to improve the productivity, value and resilience of Australia's plantation resource. "We recognise the vision and commitment of all those involved in bringing this important facility to life. FWPA has a focus on helping our plantation grower members increase their profitability by growing more fibre on every hectare of land they manage, while also increasing the value of that fibre through improvements in wood characteristics that better meet the needs of downstream manufacturers." "We are also helping plantation growers increase their resilience through the development of genetics that will be best suited to a changing climate. Increasing the volume, quality and resilience of Australia's plantations benefits participants right across the supply chain." FWPA has been a major investor in plantation genetics research and development delivered in partnership with TBA, focused on tree improvement, genomics, plantation productivity, disease resistance and climate adaptation. Since 2020, the $11.5 million investment, leveraged through Australian Government matched funding, significantly expands the impact of industry research funds. An independent assessment of one recent research project found that for every $1 invested the research is likely to deliver $6.70 of direct economic benefit, plus other environmental and public good benefits. FWPA Head of Forest Research Jodie Mason said sustained investment in genetics and breeding was critical to the long-term success of Australia's plantation estate. "Tree breeding and genetics underpin the future productivity, quality and resilience of Australia's plantation forests. The Shed provides an important platform to accelerate the research and collaboration needed to deliver benefits to growers and processors for decades to come." The projects supported by FWPA and its funding partners include research to increase and sustain productivity gains in national tree improvement programs, accelerate genetic gain through advanced genomics, optimise tree survival and resource quality, design genetically improved pine varieties, develop more productive trees adapted to changing environments, and future-proof plantations through disease-resistance screening. Craig Taylor said the opening of the Centre demonstrates the value of long-term collaboration between industry, government and researchers. "Facility investments such as this, combined with continued investment in research and development, help ensure Australia's plantation sector remains internationally competitive and capable of meeting future demand for sustainable, renewable forest products." Source & image credit: Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) Adrift: What future does the ETS have? [NZ]
This week, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
released a new report examining the future of New Zealand's Emissions
Trading Scheme (NZ ETS). The scheme has been a cornerstone
climate policy tool since 2008 – but how well is it doing its job?
Adrift: What future does the Emissions Trading Scheme have? finds that the NZ ETS will not achieve our climate goals, nor will it yield carbon prices high enough to significantly reduce emissions. Instead, it will continue to drive new forest planting to offset New Zealand’s emissions – leading to a significantly larger forestry estate over time. That forestry estate will need to be maintained by future generations in the face of increasing risks from fire, disease and extreme weather. The NZ ETS has reached a critical turning point, and major reform is needed. “It is a question of ‘when’, not ‘if’ reform happens. The role of forestry in particular needs a fundamental rethink if New Zealand is to have any hope of achieving its climate commitments and reducing the risks that the inclusion of forestry in the NZ ETS has created,” the Commissioner said. The question is not whether forestry has a role to play in New Zealand’s climate policy – it is whether that role should continue to be delivered through the NZ ETS. Adrift: What future does the Emissions Trading Scheme have? calls for a broad discussion about what the scheme is intended to achieve and what design changes are needed to ensure it is fit for purpose. The Commissioner recommends that the Government initiate a comprehensive review of the NZ ETS to address fundamental questions about the scheme's long-term purpose and design. He recommends:
He warns that time is not on our side. “Waiting longer to address the issues, especially around forestry, will only make them harder and more expensive to solve. Reform is, in my view, inevitable. We cannot let the problem get worse in the meantime.” More >> Source & image credit: NZ Government --- Read More: New Zealand Institute of Forestry rejects blanket forestry moratorium (NZIF) The New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) says that proposals to halt new forestry registrations or progressively remove forestry from the scheme are premature and risk further undermining investor confidence. NZIF President Adrian Loo says that the “Adrift: What future does the Emissions Trading Scheme have?” report released by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment raises legitimate questions about the balance between reducing gross emissions and removing carbon through forests. “New Zealand needs faster reductions in gross emissions, but this does not diminish the importance of carbon removals. We need both. The challenge is to design a system which recognises their different roles and provides credible incentives for each.” NZIF is concerned the report’s media release presents modelled scenarios as settled outcomes. The report itself acknowledges its results are projections rather than predictions and depend heavily on assumptions about future carbon prices, planting rates and forest owner behaviour. “A model looking ahead to 2075 can help us understand possible risks, but it cannot tell us with certainty how markets, technology, landowners or governments will behave over the next 50 years. Major policy decisions should not be based on one set of modelled scenarios,” NZIF also says an important distinction is being overlooked between Government auction units and forestry units. “Government auction units are permissions to emit. Forestry units recognise carbon which forests have actually removed from the atmosphere. Treating both forms of supply as though they have the same climate effect overlooks a fundamental difference.” NZIF agrees biological carbon storage carries risks from fire, pests, disease and extreme weather. However, it says these risks should be addressed through professional forest management, monitoring, enforceable standards and appropriate financial provision. Descriptions of “vast new plantations of highly flammable, storm prone pine” are unhelpfully emotive and do not reflect the diversity or reality of modern forestry. “Forestry is not a single land use. A managed production forest, a permanent exotic carbon forest, an indigenous forest and a planned transition forest have different purposes, benefits and risks. Sound policy must distinguish between them.” “Broad descriptions of pine forests as inherently dangerous show insufficient recognition of forest management, fire planning, engineering, harvesting controls and the regulatory improvements made across the sector. NZIF says a blanket moratorium on new forestry registrations would not simply pause the present system. It would be a significant policy intervention which could affect production forestry, farm forestry, indigenous regeneration and transition projects. It could also strand investments made in good faith under rules established by successive governments. “Foresters did not design the ETS. Landowners and investors have responded to the incentives created by government policy. They should not be blamed or retrospectively penalised for following those rules.” Forestry is a long term investment and unnecessary changes to ETS settings will seriously erode investor confidence and will result in significant reductions in planting rates across all forest types. New Zealand does not need to face a choice between reducing emissions and growing forests. We need faster reductions at source alongside the right trees, in the right places, managed for the right purposes. “Foresters must be part of the discussion and forestry part of the solution.” Source & image credit: NZ Government (NZIF) --(2022)2.jpg) Gisborne harvest halted - consent conditions 'unworkable' [NZ]
Gisborne forestry companies have halted harvesting as complex
consent conditions make it difficult to operate or convert land use,
industry leaders say.After severe weather events, including Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, Gisborne District Council introduced stricter consent rules to reduce the risk ofwoody debris reaching beaches and waterways. The forestry industry raised concerns that the conditions were unworkable, prompting an independent council review and Forestry Minister Todd McClay appointing a facilitator to assist with land use and consent discussions. Forestry Management NZ general manager harvesting Matt Doyle said they supported the moves. “The industry accepts that environmental risk is real, particularly in Gisborne, and we support proportionate regulation, but our concerns are that the current conditions that are coming through and the draft conditions are quite often conflicting or unachievable in the natural environment.” More >> Source: 1News National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy released [AU]
Bioenergy Australia today welcomes the release of
the National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy, marking another critical
step towards growing Australia’s feedstock and low-carbon
fuels industries and highlighting new opportunities for our farmers,
producers, forest sector and regional communities.Bioenergy Australia has been a strong advocate for this important work, hosting Australia’s first National Feedstock Roundtable in 2025 to help inform the Strategy and bring together industry and government to discuss the opportunities to grow Australia’s feedstock industry and the actions needed to unlock them. The Strategy identifies feedstocks as a critical enabler of a low-emissions fuel future and provides a shared national direction to unlock production, mobilisation and investment. It provides direction for building a feedstock industry that is competitive, scalable, sustainable and internationally connected, focusing on the enabling conditions and shared priorities needed to help align activity by governments, industry, producers and investors. By reducing uncertainty, improving coordination and clarifying opportunities for further activity, the Strategy lays the foundation for a feedstock industry that strengthens fuel security, supports emissions reduction and creates lasting opportunities for regional Australia. The Strategy focuses on 5 priority areas:
Source: Bioenergy Australia Image credit: Australian Government  SnapSTAT - Log export quantity to India [NZ] Log export quantity (m3) to India. Source: Overseas merchandise trade - Stats NZ  Source: Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service Forestry industry insights – Issue 7 - Page 13 ForestWorks now operates as a division of FibreSkills Australia [AU]
FibreSkills Australia has officially announced its new organisational name, reflecting the growth of its broader industry coverage while maintaining its dedicated support, services, and work within the forest and timber sectors.For more than 40 years, ForestWorks has championed Australia's forest and timber industries, supporting workforce development, industry capability, and regional employment. Today, these industries face increasing challenges. Competition is growing, not only from alternative materials such as steel, but also from rising imports and an increasingly uneven global trading environment. Importantly, ForestWorks will continue to operate under the ForestWorks brand as the dedicated voice for skills, workforce development, and industry capability across Australia's forest and timber industries. The organisation's mission remains unchanged: to build skilled, productive, and future-ready workforces for Australia's forest and timber industries. It will continue to support employers and workers, strengthen industry capability, and help secure better Australian jobs. To support this mission, the organisation has released the Forest and Timber Workforce Strategy, which outlines practical actions to address workforce challenges and build the capability needed for the future success of the sector. Further details and resources can be found on the newly launched websites: Source & image credit: FibreSkills Australia NZ retain existing softwood dust exposure levels [NZ]
The Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of New Zealand
(WPMA) has welcomed WorkSafe New Zealand's confirmation that the
Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) for softwood dust will remain at its
current level of 2 mg/m³.The decision follows a recent consultation on proposed WES values for softwood dust, hardwood dust, flour dust and welding fumes. As part of the outcome, WorkSafe has also confirmed that the WES for hardwood dust will increase from 0.5 mg/m³ to 1 mg/m³, and that it no longer intends to combine the softwood and hardwood dust exposure standards in the future. WPMA Chief Executive Mark Ross said the decision reflects a practical and evidence-based approach that considers the realities faced by New Zealand softwood (Radiata Pine) manufacturers and wood processors. Alongside confirming the revised WES values, WorkSafe has released a range of new plain-language resources to help businesses better understand workplace exposure standards and manage risks associated with harmful airborne substances. The resources include educational videos, practical case studies, and guidance on working with occupational hygienists. These resources are available on the WorkSafe website. Workplace Exposure Standards are guideline values used to help assess worker exposure to airborne substances such as dusts and fumes. They are not mandatory limits or regulatory targets. Businesses should continue to focus on eliminating exposure wherever possible, or minimising exposure so far as is reasonably practicable using effective controls. Ross said the outcome demonstrates the value of constructive engagement between industry and regulators. "We thank Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden and the WorkSafe team for listening to industry concerns and taking a common-sense approach to setting workplace exposure standards for softwood dust." "This outcome provides greater certainty for businesses while maintaining a strong focus on worker health and safety." Source: Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of New Zealand (WPMA) Image credit: WorkSafe New Zealand  Stronger action welcomed on Russian timber trade [AU]
A new Senate Committee report highlighting the need for stronger action and tougher reforms to prevent Russian timber products entering Australia has been welcomed by AFPA.The Senate report featured strong recommendations to combat conflict timber entering Australia, including urging the Federal Government to explore tighter sanctions against Russia and ensure penalties evolve with global developments to keep pace with circumvention efforts. AFPA Acting CEO Richard Hyett said sanctions had stopped direct imports from Russia but there has been increased timber imports from third countries known to be using Russian fibre. “Russia has the largest forest estate in the world, and timber is an important economic driver, so it beggars belief that a resource of this scale could simply be turned off and replaced by other sources,” Mr Hyett said. Mr Hyett said recent forensic testing by Source Certain continued to identify Russian fibre in timber products around the world, often with documentation that mislabelled or misrepresented the product’s origin. “Addressing this imports issue is vital for Australia’s $6 billion timber manufacturing industry, which supports around 80,000 direct and 100,000 indirect jobs and supplies essential materials for hundreds of thousands of Australian homes every day,” Mr Hyett said. Mr Hyett said stronger testing and enforcement was also needed to protect Australian jobs, manufacturers and consumers while ensuring sanctions against Russian timber were genuinely effective. “It’s time for the Government to act and implement a testing program that can tell Australians what is actually being imported, and not just rely on paperwork from high-risk importers,” Mr Hyett said. “We also need to introduce Country of Origin labelling. “As part of the Senate inquiry, we sincerely thank Senator Raff Ciccone for his support by encouraging producers to seek an Anti-Dumping Commission investigation into Russian timber entering Australian markets. We appreciate Senator Ross Cadell and Senator Susan McDonald for supporting industry and raising serious concerns about the lack of policing of timber imports. “Enforcing stronger sanctions will ultimately support Australian manufacturers, uphold our international commitments and ensure a level playing field for domestic producers.” More >> Source: Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) NZ August 2026 market update [NZ]
Opinion Piece: Marcus Musson, Forest360 / StandAugust, the peak of the ski season and last month in our winter. There is a lure that spring is only just around the bend as lambs start emerging in paddocks and daffodils pop up all over the place. Sometimes, however, this can be a false sense of security as September can prove to be one of the wettest and windiest months on the calendar which can, in turn, create a few issues for foresters with windthrow and infrastructure damage. NIWA expects an 80% chance that El Nino will reach or exceed strong intensity by the end of September which will likely result in unusually windy conditions. This is great for drying things out but not so great for keeping trees vertical. We have seen considerable wind damage over the past few years, starting with Gabrielle in 2023 and latterly with the 2025 events in the Nelson Tasman region and 2026 event in the Southern north island. This has resulted in an out-of-cycle increase in harvest volumes in these regions and pushed supply into markets when it was not necessarily needed. While these salvage operations have wound down in the North Island, the Nelson region still has some distance to go. Even though the market has not needed the extra slugs of volume resulting from the salvage operations, there has been a reasonable balance in terms of supply and demand which has kept prices on a relatively even keel for the past 12 months. While we saw a 7% drop in June; July and August have seen a rebound back above the 12-month average with A Grade 3.9m at around $125/JAS in North Island ports and around $115/JAS in South Island ports. Economic data out of China isn’t painting a rosy picture with the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) dropping to 49.2 from 50.3 in June indicating a softening in manufacturing activity. Probably nothing to see here as July and August are historically fizzers for PMI data. It is important to note, however, that the quarter 2 economic growth rate was the lowest in three years at 4.3% and, when combined with increased in tech exports and decreased construction activity, wood-based products are probably fearing worse than reported. On the bright side, in market log inventories have dropped slightly to around 2.47 million cubic metres with daily offtake a shade under 60,000 cubic metres per day. NZ supply has been somewhat subdued with weather issues and problems berthing vessels in Gisborne due to successive long wave events. These events are especially frequent during southerly conditions and result in vessels being held at anchor and unable to load. This creates a backlog as the port fills quickly and stock begins to build in the forest which takes time to clear. More >> Source & image credit: Forest360 / Stand  David Brand to headline The Precinct Investor Symposium [AU]
Influential forestry investment leader Dr David Brand will
headline an Investor Symposium hosted by The Precinct
in Melbourne this October as investors explore an initial $200 million-plus opportunity to establish large-scale engineered wood product
manufacturing in Victoria’s Green Triangle.Dr Brand, founder of global forestry investment manager New Forests, will deliver a keynote address on 14 October 2026, drawing on more than four decades of experience across forestry investment, forest management and natural capital. Russ Hughes, chair of The Precinct and former CEO of Australian Bluegum Plantations, will host the invite-only event as investors assess the commercial pathway, market opportunity and investment case for the world scale Precinct development, proposed for Portland in south-west Victoria. Just as carbon created a new way to value plantations, Dr Brand will explore the next evolution of the sector, transforming established plantation resources, traditionally exported as raw fibre, to be the feedstock for higher-value, domestically produced engineered wood products and prefabricated construction systems - markets experiencing strong domestic demand and constrained supply. The symposium follows the completion of the Hardwood Timber Manufacturing Hub feasibility study, which confirmed the technical and commercial pathway for the initial stage of The Precinct development. The proposed initial stage, earmarked close to port and transport infrastructure, represents more than $200 million in investment and would establish a large-scale Glue-Laminated Timber (GLT) manufacturing facility, supported by a state-of-the-art sawmill and major log merchandising facility. It will use locally grown plantation hardwood, creating an estimated 74 permanent jobs and anchoring future stages of engineered wood product manufacturing, including Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and prefabricated building component manufacturing. The market opportunity is significant, with Australia importing close to $1 billion of engineered wood products and wood panels each year, including significant volumes of LVL, GLT and plywood used extensively in housing construction. The Precinct Chair Russ Hughes said the symposium came at pivotal moment for investors and the region’s forestry sector. More >> Source: The Precinct Image: Dr David Brand Gottstein Trust grants round open for capacity building [AU]
Individuals working, or training to work, in
the forest products value chain are encouraged to apply for
these great Gottstein Trust opportunities to boost their skills and
knowledge, before the closing date on midnight 19th October 2026.
Gottstein Trust grants are open to anyone in the Australian sector. They could be a saw doctor, mill or machine operator, GIS analyst, forest ecologist, harvest planner, farm forester, tree geneticist, timber product engineer, marketer, tree nursery expert or a forest scientist, PhD researcher, TAFE student, architect. Each grant category has an online application & a competitive selection process. Then grant funds are provided to a small number of successful applicants. People can use those funds for agreed activities that will build their skills, knowledge & network. The employer of a grant recipient can also benefit from their staff member’s commitment to their own skill development. Funding helps an individual to pursue activities to match their ambition. Very significant career benefits can result. Several people have benefitted from being awarded a Gottstein Fellowship in recent years:
More >> Source & image credit: Gottstein Trust Image: Dr Maryam Shirmohammadi (2025) New future emerges for closed Karioi mill site [NZ]
An application has been lodged for the future use of one of
Winstone Pulp International’s Ruapehu mills, which closed two
years ago. Winstone Pulp International (WPI) lodged a
revised resource consent application with Horizons Regional Council for
a proposed wood processing operation incorporating torrefaction (a
thermal process) at the Karioi Pulpmill site.The application stated WPI had been “working tirelessly” to find a new operator for the site and was now working with a potential buyer. The application is to enable the discharge of condensate wastewater from the site to the Whangaehu River and land disturbance associated with construction of the wetland. As requested by iwi Ngāti Rangi, the condensate would pass through a constructed wetland before being discharged to the Whangaehu River via the existing discharge infrastructure. A 20-year consent is sought. WPI chief executive Mike Ryan said the driving force behind the application was to repurpose the site and bring jobs back to the region. “Hopefully the next time we talk, we’ve got some good news to say. I can’t say which way it will go but, fingers crossed, downhill with a tailwind.” More >> Source: NZ Herald Image: Winstone Pulp International  Jobs
Buy and Sell
And now for something completely different
What does Australia have that New Zealand doesn’t? Well apart from over 120,000 our brightest young people who emigrated there since 2023, they also have one of the biggest pumped hydro schemes under construction in the world. Big enough to fit the Sydney Opera House inside the new 7 turbine power station is really BIG on anyone’s terms. Winter one-liners A dad joke or few will either brighten your day or make you gringe, sorry not sorry!! What do snowmen call their kids? Chill-dren. What did the icy road say to the car? “Want to go for a spin?” What falls in the winter but never gets hurt? Snow. What does a gingerbread man put on his bed? A cookie sheet! Why did the girl keep her trumpet out in the snow? She liked playing cool jazz. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Icy. Icy who? Icy you! How do mountains stay warm? They put on their snowcaps. What do you call it when a snowman throws a temper tantrum? A meltdown. What is a snowman’s favorite snack? Ice krispies treats. What do you call it when a reindeer ignores you? The cold shoulder.  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.
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