R&DWorks Newsletters
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Bend, don’t break
The load-carrying capacity of laminated veneer lumber hasn’t been its strongest selling point in the past, but research from Deakin University has shown interesting results. There are environ... Read More -
Improving export supply chain efficiency
An FWPA-funded project is analysing wood export supply chain management from various angles, including value and quality assessment, measurement and inventory assessment, phytosanitary testing... Read More -
Wood pellets need special handling
In Australia’s export market, wood pellets remain in the shadow of woodchips, but globally the demand is growing rapidly. Australia’s woodchip and wood pellet exports totalled 7.495 million b... Read More -
To prune or not to prune, that is the question
Heartwood rot (a fungal disease) has the potential to significantly reduce sandalwood oil production from Santalum album. As new sandalwood plantations are established in Australia, with the ... Read More -
Tree ranges shifting
It’s not exactly Macbeth’s dreaded Birnam Wood, but some forests appear to be on the move. As global temperatures increase, there is likely to be a pattern of migration by some tree species i... Read More -
Bees benefit from tidy forest floor
In the US, the removal of timber harvest residue during harvesting may be a benefit for wild bees. There’s always a buzz around bees. They aren’t the only insect pollinators, but they are the... Read More -
Wood density at risk in changing growing conditions
Global warming and changes in weather patterns are affecting tree growth and may have a significant economic impact on the forest and wood products industries worldwide. This will also affect ... Read More -
Gumnut babies thrive if mother well cared for
Flooded gum (Eucalyptus grandis) seedlings’ growth rates can be affected by the growing conditions the parent plants experienced. The ‘maternal environment effect’ has been known for more tha... Read More -
New technology to remotely assess individual trees
While foresters don’t necessarily have to abandon their diameter tapes and vertex hypsometers, there is no denying that rapidly-evolving remote sensing technologies are revolutionising forest ... Read More -
Five thousand per cent increase in native trees on rat-free Palmyra Atoll
Native trees benefitted from rat removal at Palmyra Atoll, a magnificent national wildlife refuge and natural research laboratory located about 1,000 miles south of Hawaii. For five native tr... Read More -
Wooden kitchen knife an award winner
Canadian design house Maison Milan has produced a multi-functional wooden kitchen knife. The implement consists of a solid walnut blade attached to a stumpy cast-iron handle that enables it t... Read More -
Precision forestry: a revolution in the woods
This report by Harsh Choudhry and Glen O’Kelly for McKinsey & Company looks at which advanced technologies for forest management are most promising, and how forestry companies can start th... Read More -
Eye in the sky helps fight deadly plant disease
Fast-spreading Xylella fastidiosa is one of the world’s most dangerous plant pathogens, devastating tree species from citrus to oak trees across the globe. Now, hyperspectral cameras mounted o... Read More -
Scientists capture wood formation images
Advances in microscope technology and molecular biology are allowing researchers to see exactly how xylem or wood is formed, in real-time, at the cellular level. Professor Staffan Persson, a ... Read More -
Wood formation model to fuel progress in bioenergy
A new systems biology model mimicking the process of wood formation allows the prediction of effects in switching on and off genes involved in producing lignin. The model speeds the process of... Read More -
Unwrapping lignin and starch alternative to plastic food packaging
Plastic and paper-based food packaging needs a coating to prevent water or oxygen from penetrating the cover and spoiling the foodstuff inside. This is usually manufactured from petroleum-base... Read More -
Lignin becomes mouldable plastic
The aptly named Professor Tim Bugg has used bacteria to turn lignin into a strong, mouldable plastic. Professor Bugg worked with a genetically modified bacteria called Rhodococcus jostii whic... Read More -
Printed wood to be “global turning point” for sustainable manufacturing
FWPA has an ongoing project which uses 3D printing to produce timber panels composed of forestry waste– and by- products. Interest in this technology is growing and cellulose has been found to... Read More -
Wood provides a sticky solution
Adhesive tape made from lignin, a common waste product of paper manufacturing, performs just as well as at least two commercially available products. Adhesives are often are made from petrole... Read More -
Wood nanofibre forms strongest biomaterial ever made
Spiderman and Superman move over… the world’s next superhero could well be The Woodsman – a fearless fighter who battles evil while clad in armour woven from a nanofibre biomaterial derived fr... Read More -
New podcast series WoodChat by FWPA showcases latest in home-grown industry innovation
FWPA is excited to announce the launch of its inaugural series of podcasts, WoodChat, with one of the first episodes focusing on a new climate model which predicts how climate will impact grow... Read More -
DNA technology research set to give forestry industry a big boost
An industry ‘game changer’ is how the Southern Tree Breeding Association has described the use of DNA technology in identifying the physical attributes of trees at the seedling stage. This tec... Read More -
New partnership tackles production challenges in manufactured timber products
A new pilot program has been launched by Weathertex and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to understand the chemical changes that take place during the production of external timber cl... Read More -
Robots enable increasingly complex wooden constructions
A new construction method developed by Swiss engineers is using robotic arms to fabricate and assemble the wooden parts of buildings so geometrically complex they would previously have been im... Read More -
“Magic” mushrooms could hold the key to boosting the sapling survival
A new project is experimenting with a special mix of mushroom spores to help saplings better survive in hostile conditions. A UK group is planting 20,000 saplings in Scotland with special roo... Read More -
Cosmetics industry receives a boost from birch
New research out of Finland has successfully showcased how plant cell culture technology can be used to develop natural compounds with attributes that could potentially revolutionise the cosme... Read More -
Innovative new material “nanowood” offers improved insulation
Meet nanowood: a new material with insulation properties capable of blocking at least 10 degrees more heat than Styrofoam that’s also stronger and more environmentally friendly. Developed by ... Read More -
Mixed multi-species forests boast higher yields
A team of researchers have found that trees grown in an environment surrounded by different species produce more wood than those surrounded by trees of the same species. At a 50-hectare... Read More -
Scientists transform balsa into ‘wood carbon sponge’
A new ‘wood carbon sponge’ that can endure extreme conditions could be used in products including strain sensors found in wearable health-monitoring electronics, water-purification devices and... Read More -
Alcohol made from wood looks set to become a reality
Alcoholic beverages with flavours reminiscent of whisky aged in wooden barrels have been produced by fermenting cedar, white birch and cherry trees. Four kilograms of wood yielded 3.8 litres ... Read More -
Distinguished international expert appointed to the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life
Professor Jeff Morrell of Oregon State University has been appointed as Director of the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life for a term of five years. The Centre is a strateg... Read More -
FWPA seeks industry feedback on the value of suggested future projects
Industry members are invited to deliver their verdicts on a number of proposed projects relating to data analysis and forecasting, as outlined in a newly-released industry consultation documen... Read More -
Climate case study – Mount Gambier, SA, in 2050
See how the new Forest Climate Risk Tool enables us to ascertain likely changes to temperature, rainfall, days of extreme heat and high fire danger. With this information, further modelling su... Read More -
Predict forestry climate change with the click of a mouse thanks to new tool
Forest managers will be able to gauge the likely effect of climate change on growing conditions in their specific areas with a new interactive online tool developed by the CSIRO with funding f... Read More -
New surface treatment to boost hardwood building components’ spanning capability
A new mystery surface treatment developed by the CSIRO is set to enhance the viability and desirability of hardwood components in construction, by improving bond strength when adhesives and co... Read More -
Lignin and softwood tannins a renewable replacement for phenol
Lignin A leading provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wood and paper has found use for a component of wood traditionally discarded as waste. Despite making up between ... Read More -
Glowing trees could one day replace electric lighting
MIT engineers have successfully induced a watercress plant to give off dim light for nearly four hours, by embedding specialised nanoparticles into its leaves. “The vision is to make a plant ... Read More -
Gene-silencing technology to increase tree resilience
The agricultural industry is likely to benefit from an ability to protect plants from diseases and develop new plant varieties with favourable attributes, thanks to a technology that has long ... Read More -
Graphene ‘tattoo’ could make drought-resistant plants a reality
Plant breeders could soon have access to an innovative new tool that will measure the water intake of individual plants, allowing them to choose parent stock which can better survive in condit... Read More -
Fungi enzyme could prompt further use of wood as biofuel
To date, the expensive and time-consuming pre-treatment process required for the degradation of wood has inhibited its viability as a widely-used biofuel source. This is due to carbohyd... Read More -
New age identified thanks to world’s ‘loneliest tree’
A Sitka Spruce nicknamed 'the loneliest tree in the world' due to its location 200km away from its nearest neighbouring tree has found itself the unlikely bearer of evidence that the planet ve... Read More -
Using wood to generate human body parts
RISE PFI, part of the Swedish Research Institute, is researching how to utilise the nanocellulose in wood fibres for sustainable biomedical applications such as the regeneration of injured bod... Read More -
Tree breeding: Australian DNA research breakthrough to deliver strong ROI
With research funding FWPA and industry to validate the technology, this breakthrough could enable foresters to dramatically reduce the breeding cycle of Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum) and Euc... Read More -
Wood a key plank in business case for bringing nature into the office
Based on a survey of 1000 indoor Australian workers, the research has the potential to substantially boost demand for timber in office fit-outs. It also provides fresh evidence to underpin th... Read More -
Director needed for National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life
The centre The National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life was created to ensure Australian design guides and standards remain world class in light of climate change, new engineered... Read More -
Remote sensing win-win for wildlife and forest managers
For 25 years many forests in the western United States have been managed to protect habitat for endangered and threatened spotted owls. Central to this has been ensuring that these fore... Read More -
‘Hidden in plain sight’ : new tree genus discovered in South America
Named Incadendron esseri (literally "Esser's tree of the Inca"), the tree is a newly-identified genus and species commonly found along an ancient Inca path in Peru, the Trocha Unión. It belon... Read More -
Harvesting timber – and carbon credits
When people draw trees, they usually show a trunk, branches and leaves – leaving the roots out of the picture. Similarly, when estimating forest carbon storage, the roots are often not counte... Read More -
Fingerprinting paper
Scientists from Newcastle University have learned how to ‘fingerprint’ paper and inexpensively authenticate items such as bank notes, passports and legal documents just by taking a picture of ... Read More -
Wooden nails from compressed beech
Traditional nails are wonderful things: a cheap mass produced commodity that contributed to the development of the housing industry and, well, hold a lot of things together. But they ar... Read More -
Glulam timber bridges viable for country roads
The next generation of bridges in country roads could be made of glulam – structural timber made of layers of wood strips bonded with glue. Researchers from the J. Lohr Structures Lab in the ... Read More -
From pee to tree fertiliser
Pee is mostly water, with the rest of it wastes expelled from the body. One of those wastes is excess phosphorus and another is excess nitrogen, which exists mostly in the form of a chemical k... Read More -
Solar powered wood could clean water in poor countries
Picture a bowl of unpurified water sitting in a sunny spot. On top of it floats a small block of wood about five centimetres by five centimetres. The side of the block facing up is darkened, t... Read More -
Making boxed-heart posts from hardwood eucalyptus
Growers of spotted gum and yellow stringybark could potentially increase income from small-diameter plantation thinnings by creating “boxed-heart” posts, according to a trial supported by FWPA... Read More -
Project looking at Virtual Reality (VR) for forestry yield estimates draws international attention
What if forestry yield estimates could be calculated sitting in front of a computer using Virtual Reality (VR) technology, rather than going out into the field? A FWPA funded project looking i... Read More -
Researchers potentially solve e-waste problems by turning wood into graphene
While wood is not generally renowned for its electrical superconductor qualities, that could all be about to change if Rice University has anything to do with it. Research being carried out by... Read More -
Wood and wool unite to oust harmful Styrofoam cooler boxes
A start-up company is fusing wood with wool to create an environmentally-friendly container for transporting fresh food (or temperature controlled logistics). We’re all familiar with Styrofoa... Read More -
Teen scientist wins big thanks to wooden aircraft ... with a difference
A teenage scientist from Germany has been given a top award thanks to an innovative drone design that uses a different wing lift pattern to traditional planes. It’s based on an historic German... Read More -
Probiotics – a key to help trees clean polluted sites
A research project has tested the ability of probiotics to boost the speed and effectiveness with which trees capture, remove and degrade pollutants from the soil. Researchers from the Univer... Read More -
Creating fish feed from sawdust
Finnish researchers are testing a process that could result in high quality single-cell protein being made out of sawdust, which can later be developed into fish feed. Finnish sawmills produc... Read More -
Leader in Australian forestry R&D recognised with prestigious Jolly Medal
A widely recognised expert in the areas of forest health and the application of remote sensing technologies, Dr Christine Stone, has been awarded the N.W. Jolly Medal, in recognition of her lo... Read More -
Push to boost use of prefabricated timber in Australia
An industry-led movement is underway to increase the acceptance and use of prefabricated timber building (PTB) systems for large scale projects in Australia. As part of a FWPA-funded project,... Read More -
Exotic pest risk real and rising in Australia
A recently completed analysis of Australia’s national forest industry biosecurity programs has revealed exotic pests are a real and rising risk to Australian plantations and native forests – a... Read More -
New smartphone app to model log drying and reduce transport costs
A new smartphone app has been developed to predict the moisture content of log piles undergoing infield drying. Inputs in the preliminary version of the app include log type, tree species, loc... Read More -
Satellites put plantation water use into catchment context
Plantation managers can better understand water use and the potential impact of different forest management approaches by integrating satellite based water consumption estimates, according to ... Read More -
Estimating forest carbon stocks in Australia
Researchers have overcome data and estimation challenges associated with estimating carbon stocks through using simple design-based estimators and a robust ground plot system to protect estima... Read More -
Enviva launches new wood supply tracking system
The world’s largest producer of wood pellets, Enviva Holdings, has released the first data from its ground-breaking Track & Trace (T&T) program. T&T is a proprietary system... Read More -
Detecting wildings using Lidar and aerial imagery
Scientists in Scion’s Geomatics team have found wilding conifers can be detected in grasslands using a combination of Lidar and multi-spectral values obtained from aerial imagery. Self-... Read More -
Reducing the CO2 footprint of EWP
Finnish researchers have developed a process that can produce reactive lignin from pulp industry side streams. Lignin's CO2 footprint is only 20% of the footprint of phenol, and it can be used... Read More -
Solar power harnessed to produce clean hydrogen
A team of scientists at the University of Cambridge has developed a way of using solar power to generate a fuel that is both sustainable and inexpensive to produce. Lignocellulose is th... Read More -
Plant cell ‘glue’ could hold key to wooden skyscrapers
Molecules 10,000 times narrower than a human hair could hold the key to the construction of wooden skyscrapers and more energy-efficient paper production, according to research published in th... Read More -
Paper-based bacteria-powered battery
Researchers at Binghamton University in New York have developed paper-based, bacteria-powered fuel cells, essentially creating low-cost, portable, disposable batteries for use in remote areas.... Read More -
Nippon Paper invents new material
Nippon Paper Industries (NPI) has created new paper-based materials by combining wood pulp and mineral particles. Materials created through the process have all the characteristics and advanta... Read More -
Laser system used to recognise tree species
Researchers have developed a new method to automatically recognise tree species based on laser scanning measurements. The study, a joint research project between Tampere University of T... Read More -
Plastic made from pine needles
Pinene – the natural chemical behind the ‘Christmas smell’ of pine trees – has been used by researchers to develop a renewable plastic. Traditionally a waste product from the paper indust... Read More -
World’s best ‘paper planes’ for military
Researchers are developing the world’s most advanced industrial paper airplanes – cheap cardboard gliders that can be used by military to deliver supplies to remote areas, before being discard... Read More -
3D printing with plants
Engineers have developed a way to use plant cellulose as a feedstock for 3D printers – a solution researchers say is not only environmentally friendly but could also be cheaper and stronger th... Read More -
Wood fibre bag may replace plastic bags
Finland-based entrepreneurs have come up with a wood-based bag in response to the continued environmental impact from plastic bags. Paptic has looked to combine the best aspects of plastic and... Read More -
Using nature's own solvents for the preparation of pure lignin
Lignin can now be efficiently and cost-effectively separated from sawdust, by using eutectic solvents. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed solvents using which 50% of the li... Read More -
Wooden glass for windows and solar panels
Researchers from Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology earlier this year announced the development of an “optically transparent wood”. Now, in a new study, engineers at the US-based Universit... Read More -
Designing mobile anchors to yield
Cable logging systems require either fixed or mobile anchor support(s) to maintain safe and effective yarding of materials in steep terrain. A new Oregon State University study has outlined an... Read More -
Putting bark to better use
In the future bark could be used as a raw material for a bio-based wood preservative. A new collaboration between the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) and the Universities of Eastern... Read More -
New EWP to challenge CLT
An innovative new wood product, Mass Plywood Panel (MPP), is hitting the market thanks to Freres Lumber. MPP is currently being tested and refined through a partnership with Oregon State Unive... Read More -
Unmanned helicopters on a data collection mission
In many forests, the collection of information pertaining to the wood remains neglected, due to a shortage of specially trained personnel, specific expertise, funding, or appropriate technolog... Read More -
Tree planting robot - next generation
The team behind a prototype automatic tree planting robot, from Canada’s University of Victoria, have developed a second generation of their TreeRover device. Better digging ability for tough ... Read More -
Australia: State of the Climate 2016
Australia is experiencing more extremely hot days and severe fire seasons according to the findings of a new climate report. The biennial CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology State of the Climate r... Read More -
New biomass harvesting techniques to minimise impact
A set of newly published studies evaluated nearly 40 years of data on the impacts of biomass utilization on soil, tree, and plant recovery and found minimal impact using certain forest harvest... Read More -
High speed gene mapping can improve Teratosphaeria disease resistance in Blue gum.
This FWPA-funded research used newly developed genome sequencing techniques to find trees in large populations of plantation Blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) in Tasmania and Western Australia th... Read More -
Researchers say trees could help strengthen auto parts
Trees that are removed during forest restoration projects could find their way into car bumpers and fenders as part of a study led by Srikanth Pilla of Clemson University. Pilla is converting... Read More -
Forest residues to biojet fuels: Challenges and opportunities
If the aviation sector was a country, it would be the 8th largest emitter of human-induced greenhouse gases in the world. Many airlines, aircraft manufacturers and industry associations have c... Read More -
Wood pulp waste converted to stable, blendable biocrude
Scientists with the Australian start-up Licella have devised a way to use biomass waste from the papermaking process to make a new petroleum substitute – biocrude oil – that has attracted the ... Read More -
New teleoperation forest harvesting technology targets safety
New forest harvesting technology revealed in Nelson, New Zealand, sets its sights on further increasing safety in steep land harvesting operations. The new teleoperation technology provides ou... Read More -
Harvest forwarder productivity based on automated data collection
Recent developments in on-board technology have enabled automatic collection of follow-up data on forwarder work. The objective of this study was to obtain highly representative information on... Read More -
Automatic GNSS-enabled harvester data to evaluate productivity
Most modern cut-to-length (CTL) machines used in forest harvesting have on-board computers that capture individual tree data and can also be coupled with global navigation satellite systems (G... Read More -
Robotic features could make trucking more efficient
While we hear a lot about self-driving cars, a future with autonomous trucks could be a reality a lot sooner than we thought - and lead to a major shake up of the transportation industry. ... Read More -
3D printer uses paper to create furniture
Eco Concrete Ideas, an architectural concrete manufacturer, has used paper 3D printing technology to develop Morpheus, a two-meter concrete bench cast in a mold made from 4,000 layers of recyc... Read More -
Watching a forest breathe
For the first time, scientists have been successful in measuring the processes by which an entire forest "breathes". A team led by Richard Wehr and Scott Saleska at the University of Arizona o... Read More -
Using NASA satellite data to help forecast forest fires
Imagine being able to accurately predict where forest fires might strike — even in the most remote locations — using freely accessible data from a NASA satellite. This is the work of Quazi Has... Read More -
Consumer research puts wood as a firm favourite
The latest wave of Australian consumer tracking research shows an increase in the number of respondents who prefer wood – and also confirms the forest and wood products industry’s reliability ... Read More -
Symposium Invitation - Forest industry preparedness for climate change: opportunities from genetics and genomics
CSIRO, ANU and Western Sydney University invite you and your colleagues to a symposium about Forest industry preparedness for climate change: opportunities from genetics and genomics. Th... Read More -
Researchers shine a light through transparent wood
Researchers at the University of Maryland have made a block of linden wood transparent, which they say will be useful in fancy building materials and in light-based electronics systems. Mater... Read More -
High-speed 'trees' generate electricity from wind
Small electromechanical structures that look like trees shaking in a storm could prove to be the next big thing in energy generation. Research announced by the Ohio State University points to ... Read More -
RFID technology gives rise to cheap paper sensors
Touching a piece of paper could one day turn off the lights, send survey results digitally and so much more, thanks to RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology that goes into creating ... Read More -
The impact of weighing methods on logging trucks in Australia
A project was carried out to investigate the impact of four different weighing methods on over/under loading of forestry trucks operating in New South Wales. Researchers from the Univer... Read More -
Estimating the position of the harvester head
Modern harvesters are technologically sophisticated and, since the 1990s, have been able to automatically measure stem diameters and lengths in real time to improve cutting optimisation and wo... Read More -
A first for remote operated logging machines
Caterpillar has developed forestry machines that are controlled remotely. This research should ultimately pave the way for wider applications of the technology in the logging industry in order... Read More -
New satellite data tools to manage natural resources
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Google has announced plans to work together to make high-resolution satellite data a common tool in managing the world’s natural ... Read More -
Multi-sensor modelling of a forest productivity
An understanding of how plantation productivity varies spatially is important for forest planning, management and projection of future plantation yields and returns. The 300 Index is a volume ... Read More -
The effects of genetic improvement on radiata pine wood density
Density is a key wood quality trait and has been the focus of selective breeding efforts in radiata pine. The aim of this Scion study was to quantify realised genetic gain in radiata pine wood... Read More -
New tool for Prefab building
In what is potentially a world first, a New Zealand company has developed the UniPod, an open-source prefabricated bathroom and kitchen ‘pod’. The UniPod is like a giant piece of Lego and has ... Read More -
Virgin Australia and Air NZ to fly on biofuel
Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand will seeking to reduce emissions from their jet fuel by moving towards locally-produced biofuel. The two aviation companies have teamed up and issued to th... Read More -
Weighing the Earth's forests
A new satellite built in the UK is designed to weigh the world's trees. The Biomass mission's novel space radar will make 3D maps of forests, improving our understanding of how carbon is cycle... Read More -
Wood-based glass developed in Sweden
Swedish researchers have developed a transparent wood-based material that could be used in future to make biodegradable windows and photovoltaic panels. To make the wood-based glass a reality... Read More -
Round corners lower fuel consumption
Emissions from the transport sector can be drastically reduced with more streamlined trucks. Linköping University researchers have used advanced computer calculations at the National Supercom... Read More -
Optimised harvesting for Mallee plantations in Western Australia
A new study of Mallee plantations in Western Australia has highlighted key factors in optimising harvest for supply of biomass. These types of plantations could be a considerable source of bio... Read More -
Forest energy for a sustainable future
A new report by the Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk) has been released summarising their research on efficient forest fuel supply chains. Skogforsk has devoted much res... Read More -
Log trials with 3D laser scanners
For decades True Shape 3D laser scanners have been used for scaling logs in sawmills around Europe, and this application has finally found a home on North American soil. FPInnovations is work... Read More -
Taking bioadhesive technology to the industry
New Zealand-based Scion have developed a new bioadhesive which they are now making commercially available. After seven years of learning to mix and match assorted ingredients from fores... Read More -
New innovation to reduce energy use in paper recycling
Computers and tablets have not succeeded in creating the paperless office we expected. Businesses still like to print, a lot. So Epson, the printer manufacturer, has stepped up its game to hel... Read More -
New sampling design to improve cost efficiency for forest management planning
To enable better forest management decisions it is important that the sample data used in calculations is as accurate as possible. A new Swedish study combines the local pivotal method (LPM) w... Read More -
New approach to assessment of carbon cycle in native forest
Australian climate change policy to date has largely overlooked the potential role of forestry in mitigating climate change. When determining the climate impacts of any industry sector, it is ... Read More -
Hemp at the heart of WA's first eco-village
The project manager of Western Australia's first eco-village, partly built with hemp, believes the finished product will add weight to the growing push for it to be widely used in the construc... Read More -
New study predicts increases in water demand and price in the southern Murray-Darling Basin
A new study into the future state of play for irrigated industries in the southern Murray-Darling Basin has found that there is likely to be a substantial increase in water demand and price ov... Read More -
Satellite sensors would deliver global fire coverage
Wildfires can wreak havoc on human health, property and communities, so it's imperative to detect them as early as possible. That's why NASA is working on a concept for a network of space-base... Read More -
Recognising biomass derived industrial heat in the reduction of global warming
Industrial heat credits and the Renewable Energy Target PROJECT NUMBER: PRA399-1516 As a result of the Paris Agreement in December 2015 to limit global warming to 2°C, Australia has committe... Read More -
New bio-based lightweight material unveiled
The research institutes Innventia and Swerea SICOMP have worked together to develop the first carbon-fibre composite demonstrator based on 100% wood lignin. The lightweight, fuel-efficient car... Read More -
Storing electricity in paper
Researchers at Linköping University’s Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Sweden, have developed power paper – a new material with an outstanding ability to store energy. The material co... Read More -
Report highlights critical areas in pellet making process
FutureMetrics released a new report highlighting several critical areas in the process of making wood pellets. Although the process appears simple and straightforward, author and senior consul... Read More -
Paper poised to fill new gaps as insulation
Wood has long been the material of choice for framing, walls, and floors, but designers often fall back on conventional foam insulation to keep the heat in and the elements out. New research f... Read More -
All trees break at a fixed speed
During storms, there is a critical wind speed, of around 42 m/s (90 mph), at which almost all tree trunks break – irrespective of their size or species – according to a new study done by resea... Read More -
Expanding ground-based harvesting onto steep terrain
Timber harvesting on steep terrain has always been, and will remain, a challenge in terms of economic viability, safety and environmental performance. However new technologies, innovations and... Read More -
World first self-driving truck on public highway
Daimler Trucks has shifted gears in its ongoing effort to develop autonomous vehicles. By fitting its Highway Pilot self-driving system to a Mercedes-Benz Actros truck and steering it down a s... Read More -
Will RFID tags remain on logs during handling and storage?
Using RFID tags on logs greatly improves the efficiency of their traceability – but will they remain on the logs in the harsh logging environment? The logging industry has been considering var... Read More -
New natural disaster research to improve timber building design
New research involving the University of Canterbury, and funded by the Earthquake Commission, will improve understanding of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, seismic building design, and enh... Read More -
Swedish university project to 3D-print houses
Researchers from Umeå University in Sweden are working with external partners to develop a technology to make full-scale 3D prints of cellulose-based material. It is not a matter of small prin... Read More -
Swedish university project to 3D-print houses
Researchers from Umeå University in Sweden are working with external partners to develop a technology to make full-scale 3D prints of cellulose-based material. It is not a matter of small prin... Read More -
Low-cost bioactive paper detects blood types in under a minute
Determining a blood type to ensure compatibility ahead of a transfusion isn't straightforward at the best of times, but in regions of the world where proper medical equipment is unavailable it... Read More -
Use of remotely piloted aircraft systems for forestry operations and research
Small remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), are expected to provide important contributions to wildland fire operations and research. Actual ... Read More -
FWPA call for project funding proposals to close 15 March.
FWPA invites the submission of detailed research proposals for projects commencing from 1 May 2016 addressing published FWPA industry research priorities. Details of current research prioritie... Read More -
FWPA call for project funding proposals to close 15 March.
FWPA invites the submission of detailed research proposals for projects commencing from 1 May 2016 addressing published FWPA industry research priorities. Details of current research prioritie... Read More -
First formaldehyde-free, bio-based adhesive for manufacturing particleboard
A Corvallis startup is making strides to be the first to introduce a formaldehyde-free adhesive used to manufacture particleboard and medium density fiberboard. If successful, the innovation ... Read More -
ForestHWP – a new approach to the assessment of the carbon cycle in native forests managed for multiple use
Australian climate change policy has largely overlooked the potential role of forestry in mitigating climate change. When determining the climate impacts of any industry sector, it is importan... Read More -
FWPA call for project funding proposals February 2016
FWPA invites the submission of detailed research proposals for projects commencing from 1 May 2016 addressing published FWPA industry research priorities. Details of current research prioritie... Read More -
Turning wood into car parts
The molecules of plant fibers are being transformed into a light-weight material five times stronger than steel. Cellulose nanofiber has the potential to be used to make everything from auto p... Read More -
New bio-based lightweight material unveiled
The research institutes Innventia and Swerea SICOMP have worked together to develop the first carbon-fibre composite ‘demonstrator’ from softwood lignin. The lightweight, fuel-efficient car of... Read More -
Designing safer buildings in earthquake-prone cities
The combination of two proven construction methods could lead to safer wood-frame buildings in earthquake-prone cities. University of Alabama and Colorado State University professors are comb... Read More -
Satellite sensors would deliver global fire coverage
NASA are developing a network of space-based sensors to quickly locate wildfires around the globe. The system, called FireSat, is made up of 200 thermal infrared imaging sensors on satellites ... Read More -
New online tool illustrates future forest change
An innovative new tool has been developed in the US to show detailed views of current forests and generate high-resolution images of what these forests are likely to look like in the future.&n... Read More -
World first self-driving truck on public highway
Daimler Trucks has shifted gears in its ongoing effort to develop autonomous vehicles. By fitting its Highway Pilot self-driving system to a Mercedes-Benz Actros truck and steering it down a s... Read More -
Time study of Australian forwarders using GPS and vibration sensors
Time and motion studies of forest harvesting machines are an important component of forest operations research. The trouble is that traditional manual methods require a skilled observer, are t... Read More -
New sensors for rapid evaluation of high-yield pulp attributes
Most high yield pulp mills produce various grades of pulp and experience frequent grade changes on their production lines. In order to maximise production yields and maintain quality, characte... Read More -
Will RFID tags remain on logs during handling and storage?
Using RFID tags on logs greatly improves the efficiency of their traceability – but will they remain on the logs in the harsh logging environment? The logging industry has been considering var... Read More -
A novel approach to predicting the impact of wildfires
When wildfires blaze, the smoke matters. It threatens everyone, from the firefighters and helicopters battling the flames, to the public at large. The U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Wildland F... Read More -
NZ forest research to apply for drone beyond-line-of-sight flying
Scion, the forestry Crown research institute, will become the first organisation in New Zealand to fly drones beyond line of sight when it seeks approval under new Civil Aviation Authority rul... Read More -
Paper tubes make stiff origami structures
From shipping and construction to outer space, origami could put a folded twist on structural engineering. Researchers from the University of Illinois, the Georgia Institute of Technology and... Read More -
Forest-mapping instrument for space station passes major milestone
A laser-based instrument for mapping the 3D structure of Earth's forests has passed a major milestone toward deployment on the International Space Station in 2018. The Global Ecosystem Dynamic... Read More -
Robots can build your house in just two days
A West Australian company has a robot they say can lay 1,000 bricks per hour and build the frame of an average house in under two days. The robot is still in prototype stage, but Fastbrick Rob... Read More -
Reconstructing biomass by 3D printing
An investment in 3D printing technologies enables Scion to develop a range of new bioplastics for use in these technologies, such as filaments (thin strands of material), powders and fibre rei... Read More -
New process for creating ultra-low density composites with wood
Ultra-low density composites (ULDC) are made from composite materials that have a very low weight per unit volume. This is a significant advantage in a range of applications, including the the... Read More -
Robotic tree feller to improve operational safety
The forestry industry in New Zealand has unveiled a robotic tree logger to improve operational safety, reduce injuries and boost production. Future Forests Research (FFR) chief executive Russe... Read More -
Improving accuracy of kinematic positioning under forest canopies
Harvester heads now enable detailed roundwood data to be collected during harvesting operations. This data can be used to improve the efficiency of wood procurement and also replace a number o... Read More -
Using remotely sensed auxiliary data for forest inventories
Over the past decades it has been shown that remotely sensed auxiliary data have a potential to increase the precision of key estimators in sample-based forest surveys. A new University of Hel... Read More -
Carbon accounting in the Eucalyptus forests of South-Eastern Australia
The aboveground carbon (AGC) storage of open Eucalyptus forests is currently unknown, yet they are estimated to account for almost 25% of all Australian forests and about 60% of forests in Vic... Read More -
Drones to help improve forest conservation
Drones could be about to transform forest conservation by monitoring forest regeneration projects in the tropics. Drone-based monitoring was tested recently as part of a study by the Universit... Read More -
Novel scanning technology to assess wood qualities
Developed and built in-house, Scion’s new ‘DiscBot’ is a novel scanning technology designed to assess a range of wood properties that affect the quality of sawn timber and other end products. ... Read More -
UAVs and improving cost effectiveness of current forest fire fighting
While there is increasing concern about the danger posed by flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) near forest fire fighting activities, the use of the technology by the firefighters themselve... Read More -
Project launched to 3D print houses with cellulose
While the construction industry today depends a great deal on the use of wood and wood products, researchers in Sweden may be able to change the entire landscape of construction via a unique 3... Read More -
FWPA call for R&D project funding proposals closed 30 October
In September FWPA invited the submission of detailed research proposals for projects commencing from 1 March 2016 addressing published FWPA industry research priorities. The round close... Read More -
The drinkable book – pages that purify water
Human consumption of bacterially contaminated water causes millions of deaths each year throughout the world—primarily among children. A new innovation which uses paper to purify drinking wate... Read More -
Engineers invent a way for cars to harvest energy from bumps in the road
Can we harvest energy from the suspension of vehicles? New research says it can. Lei Zuo, a professor in Virginia Tech's College of Engineering, has been developing the potential of ha... Read More -
Reducing vibration by matching the right seat for forestry applications
Lower-back injury is a major health issue among heavy machinery operators and exposure to heavy vibrations during work is a contributing factor. A new model has been developed that could help ... Read More -
Autonomous trucks gain momentum in the USA
The future for autonomous vehicle technology is approaching and it is predicted to reduce accidents, improve fuel consumption, reduce highway congestion, and safeguard the environment. The fi... Read More -
Prototype of hybrid technology chipper
Comminuting ,the size reduction of wood biomass from its initial form into fine particles, is an important element of forest fuel supply procurement, improves transport economy and is essentia... Read More -
Waste paper could be a new source of "green" lighter fluid
Lighter fluid may be useful for getting barbecue briquettes or campfires lit, but it's not the most eco-friendly stuff in the world. A team of scientists from Hong Kong and Hungary are develop... Read More -
Can fungus and wood pulp replace plastic?
Plastic’s resilience is one of its greatest attributes, but it’s also one of its biggest drawbacks: it’s hard to break, but it’s virtually impossible to breakdown. But what if we could have it... Read More -
Timber buildings: evidence of lower costs emerge
Timber buildings really can be potentially more cost effective to build. New Australian research supports the case and the timber development sector is educating the rest of the industry. &nbs... Read More -
The effect of land use on slope failure and sediment generation
The Coromandel region in New Zealand was subjected to a severe storm in 1995. Analysis of the relevant data by Land Care Research has provided a valuable opportunity to assess the type, extent... Read More -
New drone system for tree monitoring
Singapore-based Asia Plantation Capital has applied for a patent on a new system of computerised aerial drones, linked to a central control system and programmed to monitor their plantations.&... Read More -
Students develop tree planting robot
Planting trees is back-breaking, repetitive work — but if two students from the Canadian University of Victoria have their way, robots will assist tree planters in the future. Third-year elec... Read More -
New FWPA guides for thermal timber design
The role of thermal mass in residential design is apparently simple, yet in practice it is frequently poorly understood and applied, especially in timber design and construction. While it is o... Read More -
FWPA call for project funding proposals ending 30th October 2015
FWPA invites the submission of detailed research proposals for projects commencing from 1 March 2016 addressing published FWPA industry research priorities. Details of current research priorit... Read More -
Timber helps multi-storey residential buildings reduce environmental impacts
Life Cycle Assessment of a 5 Storey Residential Building in Parkville A study was recently undertaken comparing the life cycle environmental impacts of two multilevel residential buildings bu... Read More -
New low odour LOSP treatment world first
Timberlink Australia is the first in the world to offer a new Low Odour LOSP (Light Organic Solvent Preservative) treatment that has up to 30 times less odour than traditional LOSP formulation... Read More -
Real-time production planning tools for sawmills
Modern day sawmill machine centres collect vast amounts of information about logs, lumber, breakdown solutions, downtime, productivity and more. This has not made life any simpler for mill man... Read More -
Autonomous vehicles for the truck driver of the future
As part of the European DESERVE project, VTT, Iveco Finland and TTS-Kehitys Oy are also developing a new software platform which will bring autonomous driving features to trucks. The truck of ... Read More -
Intelligent paper packaging solutions
Stora Enso and NXP Semiconductors are now developing intelligent packaging solutions. The focus is on integrating RFID (Radio frequency identification) into packages for consumer engagement an... Read More -
Advanced technologies expand knowledge of spray deposition
The widely used AGDISP™ spray drift model uses broad assumptions when calculating spray drift and deposition of pesticides aerially released for forest protection and pest eradication purposes... Read More -
Bio-waste key ingredient for growing profits
New research at Lincoln University in New Zealand suggests bio-waste can be utilised on former pine plantations to generate big economic returns. Four years of research in a greenhouse enviro... Read More -
LiDAR data to maximise the efficiency of inventory plots
Forestry managers and inventory surveys need accurate plantation attributes in order to extract the most precise information using the smallest number of plots. New Australian research, funded... Read More -
Origami battery made from paper
Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, has inspired the creation of an innovative new low cost battery made of paper. Seokheun “Sean” Choi, an engineer at Binghamton University, developed... Read More -
University project to make harvesting easier for forestry industry
University of Waikato graduate student, Ben McGuinness, has developed a system that automates the lifting and grading process of seedlings for forestry planting by using a robotic machine. "L... Read More -
3D-printed objects created entirely from wood cellulose
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have managed to print and dry three-dimensional objects made entirely by cellulose for the first time with the help of a 3D-bioprinter. They al... Read More -
New coating increases paperboard packaging life
Ensuring products reach the consumer in the best possible shape is an ongoing challenge for the chilled goods supply chain, where paperboard packaging is constantly exposed to fluctuating humi... Read More -
New coating increases paperboard packaging life
Ensuring products reach the consumer in the best possible shape is an ongoing challenge for the chilled goods supply chain, where paperboard packaging is constantly exposed to fluctuating humi... Read More -
Green Stars for Australian timber
For the Australian forest and timber industry, producing products that can be used by builders of Green Star sustainably rated buildings makes good economic and environmental sense. A range of... Read More -
Paper based device can detect ricin, other biological threats
As researchers around the world develop cheap paper devices to detect health threats including the Ebola virus and malaria, biological threats appear to be the next target. U.S. researchers ar... Read More -
Smart packaging to the rescue
What if technology could guarantee that the package of cold cuts you just bought were free from Listeria and other harmful bacteria? What if technology could ensure that the antimicrobials in ... Read More -
Audi claims first synthetic gasoline made from plants
Just weeks after producing its first batch of synthetic diesel fuel made from carbon dioxide and water, Audi has laid claim to another synthetic, clean-burning and petroleum-free fuel called "... Read More -
A new kind of wood chip: biodegradable computer chips
Portable electronics — typically made of non-renewable, non-biodegradable and potentially toxic materials — are discarded at an alarming rate in consumers' pursuit of the next best electronic ... Read More -
Trees are source for high-capacity, soft batteries
A method for making elastic high-capacity batteries from wood pulp was unveiled by researchers in Sweden and the US. Using nanocellulose broken down from tree fibres, a team from KTH Royal Ins... Read More -
Rice husks alternative to particleboard
A team of students from the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering recently won two awards at an international design competition for a material composed of rice h... Read More -
Transforming the properties of lignin in softwoods
Radiata pine that is easier to process into pulp and bio-fuel is one step closer thanks to a team of Scion biotechnologists working in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.&n... Read More -
Portable tools for assessing the bearing capacity of forest roads compared
Forest roads provide access to logging sites and enable transportation of timber from forest to mills. Efficient forest management and forest industry are impossible without a proper forest ro... Read More -
How terrain slope affects the machine slope when harvesting
Steep terrain harvesting can be expensive and have high safety risks. Mechanised ground-based machines are increasingly being used on steeper slopes to decrease harvesting costs and improve sa... Read More -
Assessing the impact of climate change on wildfire regimes in forests
Fire is an intrinsic element of many forest ecosystems; it shapes their ecological processes, determines species composition and influences landscape structure. However wildfires also release ... Read More -
Wood as a restorative material in healthcare environments
While the study of wood and health is relatively new in the field of environmental psychology, a clear relationship between the presence of other natural elements has been established in built... Read More -
Emergency services fired up over new prediction software
A new software tool that can predict the severity and spread of destructive bushfires has been released by CSIRO. The software, known as 'Spark' will give fire-fighting agencies a more accurat... Read More -
The extent and causes of decline in productivity from first to second rotation blue gum plantations (PNC288-1112)
This CSIRO led research project measured and assessed changes in productivity of blue gum plantations between the first and second rotation, particularly in Western Australia. The rese... Read More -
Predictive software to identify indicators of deforestation risk from satellites imagery
Monitoring global deforestation can be a tedious process of analysing individual satellite images from a handful of government spacecraft and trying to infer trends from relatively blurry pixe... Read More -
Laser-printed polysilicon transistors on paper
Printed electronics have opened up applications—flexible circuits and rollable displays, to name two—that were impossible with conventional electronics. Usually printed electronics are created... Read More -
Improving truck transportation of wood chips
British Columba (BC) is currently experiencing major issues in the pulp and paper sector, such as the shortage of experienced drivers, inefficient transportation planning and the high transpor... Read More -
Effects of stand density & seedlot on young radiata pine
Manipulation of stand density and choice of genetic material are two key mechanisms through which forest managers can influence tree growth and wood properties. Past silvicultural practices in... Read More -
New design guidelines for guided circular saws
Optimisation of saw thickness and feed speeds can be determined by trial and error, but the results are most often specific to the particular conditions in that sawmill, and not generally appl... Read More -
Artificial photosynthesis breakthrough turns CO2 emissions into plastics and biofuel
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley have created a hybrid system of bacteria and semiconducting nanowires that mimics photosynthe... Read More -
Gene manipulation boosts tree growth rate and size
Trees may be a renewable resource, but the rate of this renewal may not meet the increasing demand for plant biomass. But now researchers at the University of Manchester have potentially found... Read More -
The effect of the number of log sorts on log processing productivity
New Zealand’s forestry supply chain handles a wide range of log products to meet domestic and export market demands and to maximise returns to the forest grower. A typical harvesting operation... Read More -
Modular bio-battery plant turns biomass into energy
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Energy and Safety Technology have developed a “biobattery”, in the form of a highly efficient biogas plant. This plant can turn raw m... Read More -
Eucalyptus trees the future for Tiwi Islands forestry
As the Traditional Owners of the Tiwi Islands gear up for their first woodchip harvest of Acacia mangium trees, there are nearby trials showing what the future of Tiwi forestry will look like.... Read More -
Intensive farming alters soils in forest remnants
Failure to consider the effects of agriculture spillover into areas adjacent to intensely farmed zones will likely have severe consequences for soil variables. A new CIFOR study, conduc... Read More -
Speeding up tree growth is a reality
Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered that manipulation of a specific gene in a hardwood tree species not only makes it easier to break down the wood into fuel, but also sig... Read More -
Commercial Building Costing Cases Studies – Traditional Design versus Timber
Project PN308-1213 For building professionals in the non-residential sector, constructing multi-storey buildings in timber has been an opportunity seldom taken advantage of. As a consequence,... Read More -
The X-Carve creates 3D pieces from wood, metal & plastic
3D printing promises to be the gateway to a world where a person's ideas are literally made manifest. However, 3D printing isn't suitable for everything and, with materials issues and finish q... Read More -
Researchers develop new paper-based portable lab
A team of University of Rhode Island engineers led by Professor Mohammad Faghri has created a new paper-based platform for conducting a wide range of complex medical diagnostics. The ke... Read More -
A new generation of lightweight composite panels
Canadian manufacturer, Corruven, recently launched a new patented technology of a corrugated wooden core for the manufacture of lightweight panels, marketed by numerous industrial partners. Th... Read More -
Aerial robotics add new dynamic to forestry
Aerial imagery, near infrared detection and aerial robotics sound like they belong in a military operation, however these advanced technologies are set to change the dynamics of forest managem... Read More -
Satellite study finds global forest loss reversing
Analysis of 20 years of satellite data has revealed the total amount of vegetation globally has increased by almost the equivalent of 4 billion tonnes of carbon since 2003. This is despite ong... Read More -
Natural nanocrystals shown to strengthen concrete
Cellulose nanocrystals derived from industrial byproducts have been shown to increase the strength of concrete, representing a potential renewable additive to improve the construction material... Read More -
New bio-based packaging film
Finland based VTT has developed a new packaging film that is fully bio-based and transparent. This product won the “New Tree award”, a competition launched to find the best solutions for explo... Read More -
New titan brick is environmentally friendly
A new exterior building material has emerged from the U.S.A that manufacturers say is stronger than concrete blocks, cheaper than timber in almost every way and is better for the environment t... Read More -
Researchers create fast-growing trees for fuel
Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered that manipulation of a specific gene in a hardwood tree species not only makes it easier to break down the wood into fuel, but also sig... Read More -
Research says wood products are better for health
Surrounding yourself with wood products is good for your health, according to a study commissioned by environmental organisation Planet Ark. The findings, based on meta-analysis of dozens of ... Read More -
Optimising continuous cover management of boreal forest
Decisions on forest management are made under risk and uncertainty because the stand development cannot be predicted exactly and future timber prices are unknown. Deterministic calculations ma... Read More -
Cost benefits for Laser scanned softwood plantations
Operational deployment of LiDAR derived information into softwood resource systems PNC305-1213 Assessing and measuring the growth of plantations is vital if growers are to get the best from ... Read More -
Scientist uses fungus to destroy bark beetles
As Arizona and other US states face ongoing drought conditions, the region's pine forests are becoming more vulnerable to bark beetles, which attack and kill stressed trees, increasing wildfir... Read More -
Prefab building makes for sustainable homes of all sizes
Prefab building techniques are being used to develop sustainable dwelling places at both ends of the size scale. As the market becomes increasingly mindful of environmental issues, prefabricat... Read More -
VTT's energy-harvesting "tree" generates electricity from multiple sources
Scientists at the VTT Technical Centre of Finland (VTT) have developed a prototype of a tree that harvests solar energy from its surroundings, whether indoors or outdoors. The prototype ... Read More -
Beer in biodegradable wood-fibre bottle
All safety issues aside, it appears timber and beer goes together in ways a thirsty tree cutter on a hot day never envisioned. In the context of its participation in a panel on Waste-less Sup... Read More -
Exploring construction using whole trees
Researchers at the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) are testing trusses, which provide structural support for buildings, made from whole trees. One such truss had a clear span of 16.7 metres a... Read More -
Modular biobattery plant turns a wide range of biomass into energy
A new high-efficiency biogas plant developed at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany could accelerate renewable energy production around the globe. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for ... Read More -
Nutrient pollution damages streams in ways previously unknown
An important food resource has been disappearing from streams without anyone noticing until now. In a new study, a team of researchers led by University of Georgia (UGA) ecologists reports th... Read More -
Adhesives and insulating foams from softwood bark tannins
In collaboration with its European partners, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland developed tannin extraction from softwood bark. This process creates at least 130kg of crude tannin powder... Read More -
High tech monitoring of old growth forests
Drones, laser scanners, planes and sharp shooters have been put to work in the Tasmanian forest to better understand the environmental effects of forest management regimes. Researchers from T... Read More -
Smart packaging to the rescue
Packaging is the front-line warrior in today’s efforts to improve food safety with effective, environmentally sound products. What if technology could guarantee that the package of cold... Read More -
Durability testing of African mahogany
African mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) is being grown in Northern Territory plantations to produce timber for high value decorative panels, furniture, and flooring. In its home environment of w... Read More -
Australian wasp to safeguard SA’s commercial forests
One small Australian wasp is killing another tiny Australian wasp in South Africa’s commercial forests – and it is a good thing. Leptocybe invasa was first spotted in Eucalyptus trees outside ... Read More -
Time of day impacting central processing yard productivity
Effective use of the high capital cost equipment in a central processing yard requires a good understanding of the human component of the system. The aim of this New Zealand study was to deter... Read More -
Building with wood is healthier
Recent studies indicate that buildings with a high level of wood content have a positive physiological impact on the human nervous system. David Fell, research leader for market research at F... Read More -
Engineers build & test earthquake-resistant house
Stanford engineers have built and tested an earthquake-resistant house that stayed staunchly upright even as it shook at three times the intensity of the destructive 1989 Loma Prieta temblor 2... Read More -
A sustainable flame retardant for timber buildings
Scientists have developed an eco-friendly process for increasing the fire resistance of timber that also dramatically increases its strength. While methods for fire-proofing timber materials a... Read More -
The use of smartphones as low-cost forestry hypsometers
Various applications are currently available for Android that allows the estimation of tree heights by using the 3D accelerometer on smartphones. Some make the estimation using the image on th... Read More -
New production technique could boost the use of nanocellulose
While we hear a lot about the wonders of materials like graphene and carbon nanotubes, nanofibrillated cellulose also shows a lot of promise. Nanofibrillated cellulose (Cellulose NanoFibrils, ... Read More -
An accurate and fast method for moisture content determination
Moisture content is an important quality parameter of wood chips, strongly influencing the net calorific value as received, and consequently the price of fuel chips. The oven-drying met... Read More -
Mobile scanner game changer for forestry management
A small, lightweight mobile laser scanning device is proving a boon for forestry resource management. Successful trials of the ZEB1 hand held scanner by Scion’s Forest Systems staff has demon... Read More -
Self-healing wood coatings
Scratch resistance is an important attribute with regard to service life and aesthetics of coatings used on appearance wood products. In its quest for developing better performing coatings, FP... Read More -
Estimation of forest structure using RapidEye satellite data
Climate change is creating an increasingly dynamic forest structure and there is a need to collect data more frequently in order to maintain up-to-date information for forest management. ... Read More -
Calculating forest biomass with lidar & radar
Research activities combining lidar and radar remote sensing have increased in recent years. The main focus in combining lidar-radar forest remote sensing has been on the retrieval of the abov... Read More -
Manufacturing building materials from plants & waste
With a bit of processing, common materials can be made into high-performance building materials, such as pollution-eating roofing and concrete. In some applications, fiberglass insulation, foa... Read More -
Smart, ecofriendly new battery to solve problems
Present-day lithium batteries are efficient but involve a range of resource and environmental problems. Using materials from alfalfa (lucerne seed), pine resin and a clever recycling strategy,... Read More -
Vancouver start-up's wearable particle monitor aims to save lives
Vancouver startup Nanozen is a creating real-time, wearable particle sensor for use in mines, sawmills and other industrial locations where dust and other particles can lead to dangerous explo... Read More -
Scientists 3d-print self-assembling wood & carbon fibre
For the most part, our wood and carbon fibre objects are solid, inert and boring lumps. They don’t bend or curl — or at least, they aren’t supposed to. But Massachusetts Institute of Te... Read More -
Impact of slope on productivity of a self levelling processor
Slope is a major factor affecting forest harvesting machine productivity. As ground-based harvesting methods are generally cheaper than the alternatives, forest managers need to know when grou... Read More -
Scientists developing a robotic tree
The animal kingdom contains many examples of efficient forms of locomotion, so it's no wonder that we've been seeing a lot of animal-inspired robots. Plants, however, just sit there ... don't ... Read More -
Structural panels could to transform home building
A panel-based structural building system developed in South Australia promises to transform the building industry by dramatically reducing the time and cost required to produce a finished home... Read More -
Engineered bamboo: the green evolution
Bamboo is an appealing green building option but there are limitations to the product. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers are looking for ways to engineer the grass to cre... Read More -
New nonwoven products for market pulp
A recent pilot plant trial has demonstrated the possibility of using market pulps for the manufacture of different types of nonwoven products. In research by Canadian based FPInnovation... Read More -
New analysis links tree height to climate
What limits the height of trees? Is it the fraction of their photosynthetic energy they devote to productive new leaves? Or is it their ability to hoist water hundreds of feet into the air, su... Read More -
Webinars feature scientists and research benefits
Every fortnight FWPA hosts an on-line webinar detailing the findings and outcomes of one of its recent research projects or topics of interest to industry. The research webinars are presented ... Read More -
Demonstrating legal timber – Industry benchmarking and due diligence tools: PNA252-1112
On 30th November 2014 the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment Regulation comes into force. The Regulation and its associated Act prohibits the import into Australia of illegally harvested ti... Read More -
Wood preservatives report explores directions and possibilities
Efforts to protect wood from biological degradation by fungi and insects has been ongoing since industry research began. Over this time wood protection has undergone some dynamic changes. This... Read More -
Wood fibre replacing plastic and mineral wool in insulation
New wood fibre-based insulation materials and sprayable insulation foams will replace products made of non-renewable or poorly recyclable raw materials. These mass producible materials lower e... Read More -
Robots ResQu rainforest from purple plague
Australia's rare and precious rainforests, like the iconic Daintree region of Australia, could have an unexpected aerial ally in the battle against weeds - autonomous helicopters. Two P... Read More -
New study confirms CO2 advantages with wood
A new study published in the Journal of Sustainable Forestry, confirms that building with wood really does reduce carbon dioxide emissions. And while we talk about how wood sequesters carbon f... Read More -
New NASA probe will study earth's forests in 3D
A laser-based instrument being developed for the International Space Station will provide a unique 3D view of Earth’s forests, helping to fill in missing information about their role in the ca... Read More -
Insect infestations halved with adoption of international standard
International science collaboration shows insect infestations of trees are halved with the adoption of an international invasive species standard, preventing billions of dollars in future dama... Read More -
Comprehensive guide for the design of tall wood buildings
FPInnovations has released the first edition of the ‘Technical Guide for the Design and Construction of Tall Wood Buildings in Canada’. The purpose of this guide is to support the design and c... Read More -
Researchers uncover structure of enzyme that makes cellulose
Purdue researchers have discovered the structure of the enzyme that makes cellulose, a finding that could lead to easier ways of breaking down plant materials to make biofuels and other produc... Read More -
Print innovation could lead to high-tech paper packaging
One day our print newspapers might contain a live ticker feed for breaking news and our cereal boxes might provide a screen to entertain us while we’re eating breakfast—if an electronic compan... Read More -
Time of day study on machine productivity
With human capital being a large part of most forestry operations, it is important to better understand how employees work and design schedules to better maximise overall productivity. The aim... Read More -
Building community awareness of fire risks
Scion’s Rural Fire Research Team has recently developed a range of new tools and technologies, including the Guide to New Zealand’s Fuels, smartphone apps for fire behaviour, mapping the risk ... Read More -
Shellfish proteins inspire waterproof wonderglue
Clingy barnacles might be something of a nuisance for seafarers, but these stubborn shellfish and their relatives could hold the key to a new breed of sticky materials. Engineers from the Mass... Read More -
Accounting for biodiversity in Life Cycle Assessments of forestry and agricultural production systems
PNC301-1213 Up until recently incorporating measures of forest biodiversity within a life cycle assessment (LCA) have not been feasible due to a lack of a method that captures key biodi... Read More -
New guide for control of pine foliage diseases in NZ
For those interested in pine diseases and control, a team from Scion has developed a useful guide for foresters to identify common foliage diseases of pines and list available methods of contr... Read More -
Terrestrial laser scanning: estimation of Scots pine timber quality
Preharvest information on the quality of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) timber is required by the forest industry in Nordic countries, due to the strong association between the technical qualit... Read More -
Impacts of frequent burning on live trees in post-harvest regrowth forest
The management of forest ecosystems to increase carbon storage is a global concern. Fire frequency has the potential to shift considerably in the future. These shifts may alter demographic pro... Read More -
New analysis links tree height to climate
New joint research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Australian National University, looks at what factors affect maximum tree height and how their relative importance varies in... Read More -
Using untreated wood ash as stabilising material in forest roads
While forest biomass can be utilised for creating green energy, what is the best use of its wood ash by-product? In Austria, at least, most of this goes straight to landfill. This study looked... Read More -
Remote controlled tree felling trial shows promise
A successful trial in remote controlled tree felling could lead to significant advances in the safety of forestry harvesting operations. The trial was completed by the Steepland Harvesting pro... Read More -
A new app that counts and measures wood
An idea that saves time and machines, and then money in the end as well, is always welcome. That’s why a new idea spawned by the German HAWK founder team is currently attracting a lot of atten... Read More -
New world first university-designed flooring system
A building soon to be constructed in Nelson will be the first in the world using a new timber flooring system designed by University of Canterbury structural engineering experts with huge pote... Read More -
Sustainable alternative to plastic unveiled
A British paper and technical fibres company and a Swedish forestry giant have unveiled a sustainable alternative to plastic which they claim is strong enough to carry the weight of an adult a... Read More -
HARVESTNAV app released to the forest industry
The Future Forests Research Limited (FFR) Harvesting programme has now released the HARVESTNAV on-board navigation app and has made it available to the whole industry free of charge. HARVESTNA... Read More -
Devising the best strategies for E. globulus and P. radiata plantations under climate change.
Predicted changes to Australia’s climate over the next one to three decades will affect management strategies for Australia’s Eucalyptus globulus and Pinus radiata plantations. Forecast change... Read More -
Enhancing biofuel yields from biomass with novel new method
A team of researchers, led by Professor Charles E. Wyman, at the University of California, Riverside's Bourns College of Engineering have developed a versatile, relatively non-toxic, and effic... Read More -
Fuel treatments and landform modify landscape patterns of burn severity in an extreme fire event
Under a rapidly warming climate, a critical management issue in semiarid forests of western North America is how to increase forest resilience to wildfire. Researchers from the Universi... Read More -
New Method to Treat Ash Firewood
The emerald ash borer has destroyed tens of millions of ash trees in the U.S. since the beetle’s discovery in 2002 in Detroit. Current treatment standards require ash firewood to be hea... Read More -
Trees reduce air pollution, respiratory problems
Trees are nature's answer to diminishing air pollution, as well as reducing respiratory problems for the human population, according to US Forest Service scientists and collaborators behi... Read More -
'Sustainable' alternative to plastic
A British paper and technical fibres company and a Swedish forestry giant have unveiled a sustainable alternative to plastic which they claim is strong enough to carry the weight of an adult a... Read More -
Carbon-fibre epoxy honeycombs mimic performance of balsa wood
Wood has a part to play in wind energy too. In wind farms across North America and Europe, sleek turbines equipped with state-of-the-art technology convert wind energy into electric power. But... Read More -
DPI study shows biocontrol for pine aphid is taking hold
Pine aphid - a devastating pest that causes more than $20 million in lost wood production to the softwood industry each year - is coming under welcome pressure from a biological control that i... Read More -
Layered paper 3D printers: full colour, low cost
While most 3D printers use plastic or metal based materials, Irish company Mcor's unique paper-based 3D printers make some very compelling arguments. For starters, instead of expensive plastic... Read More -
Lignin-derived chemicals to hit market in 2021
Lignin, a component of lignocellulosic biomass and a common byproduct stream from cellulosic conversion processes, has a potential market worth of $242 billion. However according to Lux Resear... Read More -
Stronger than steel fibre spun from wood
Researchers at Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) have developed a way to make biodegradable cellulose fibres that are stronger than steel or aluminium when weight is taken into acco... Read More -
Understanding fertiliser use to prevent 2nd rotation decline in hardwood plantations
Predictive relationships to assist fertiliser use decision-making in eucalypt plantations” (PNC304-1213) Many hardwood plantations in southern Australia are ready for harvesting and subsequen... Read More -
What drives forest innovations in North America?
policy makers and academics. The forest industry has produced a strong level of research in recent years and it is important to better understand the market characteristics driving these innov... Read More -
New system to propagate pine hybrids able to tolerate water stress
The Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Neiker-Tecnalia, and SCION -- the New Zealand Forest Research Institute-- have developed a system of somatic embryogenesis in th... Read More -
Remote sensing and UAVs used to assess forest fire impacts
Fire is a regular occurrence throughout the world’s forested landscapes and affects millions of hectares annually. A variety of remote sensing applications have been developed to quantify wild... Read More -
New report: wood’s the healthy choice
A growing range of scientific and anecdotal evidence is pointing to a range of benefits wooden buildings bring to the occupants. The cause of this effect is thought to be biophilia which can b... Read More -
Investment in bioplastics research pays off
Bioplastics are a small but rapidly growing niche that currently represents about 1% of the global plastics market. Their use is expected to grow by over 10% per year, with the estimated globa... Read More -
Eucalyptus genome successfully sequenced
With a result that offers major potential for the forest industry, an international team of researchers has successfully sequenced and analysed the genome of Eucalyptus grandis. “Now that we ... Read More -
The effect of storage conditions on the natural drying of radiata for energy use
National energy policies increasingly support the use of forest biomass for energy supply due to its contribution to climate change mitigation, community welfare and local development. To help... Read More -
Robots help create ultra-thin wooden exhibition hall
The Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall in Stuttgart, Germany, is claimed to be the first building to have its core structure made entirely from interlocking timber sections created by robots. M... Read More -
Nanocellulose - next gen material in development
next-generation material. It is one-fifth the weight of steel but about five times stronger. The group aim to utilise the new material for manufacturing auto parts, construction materials, art... Read More -
Application of an UAV for 3D modelling
Skid trails constructed for timber extraction in steep terrain can constitute an environmental concern if not well planned and executed. Carrying out post-harvest surveys in monitoring constru... Read More -
3D-printed composite is lighter than wood and stiffer than concrete
Researchers at Harvard University have developed a way to 3D-print a cellular composite with record lightness and stiffness using an epoxy resin. This marks the first time that epoxy is used f... Read More -
Help for businesses to comply with Australian illegal logging laws
On 30th November 2014 the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment Regulation comes into force. The Regulation and its associated Act prohibits the import into Australia of illegally harvested ti... Read More -
Wood-waste bio-fuel could transform shipping industry
Aston University scientists are involved in the ReShip project, which will use low quality wood waste, chippings and un-merchantable wood to produce new bio-fuels. Sustainable bio-fuel made fr... Read More -
Termite genome lays roadmap for 'greener' control measures
A team of international researchers has sequenced the genome of the Nevada dampwood termite, providing an inside look into the biology of the social insect and uncovering new genetic targets f... Read More -
Plastics to dust: easy-to-compost plastic bags move closer to mainstream
US based cycleWood Solutions have developed biodegradable plastic bags using lignin, a natural polymer that helps form the cell walls of plants. The bags can be composted just like any other p... Read More -
Pine bark substance could be potent melanoma drug
A substance that comes from pine bark is a potential source for a new treatment of melanoma, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. Current melanoma drugs targeting single p... Read More -
Study shows mallee based jet fuel has firm roots
New research suggests biofuel made from oil mallee trees could be a viable source of jet fuel, offering a glimmer of hope for growers in Western Australia who planted the trees in large number... Read More -
Aussie honey good for gut health: new research uncovers prebiotic qualities
A world-first study has discovered that Australian eucalypt honey has prebiotic qualities, meaning that regular consumption could improve gut health. Prebiotic foods stimulate the growth of g... Read More -
Stronger than steel: scientists spin ultra-strong cellulose fibres
A Swedish-German research team has successfully tested a new method for the production of ultra-strong cellulose fibres at DESY's research light source PETRA III. The novel procedure spins ext... Read More -
Greenhouse gas benefits of wood pellet trade
Power utility companies in the United Kingdom are using imported wood pellets from the southern region of the United States for electricity generation to meet the legally binding mandate of so... Read More -
New sugar extracting demo plant
Canadian based Port Hawkesbury Paper hopes to move ahead with a demonstration sugar extracting operation within a year. The mill has commissioned an engineering study that is nearly complete f... Read More -
Transforming offcuts into a biodegradable packaging material
Scientists have discovered a way to transform offcuts of wool and wood into biodegradable packaging material, which could help reduce the world's plastic consumption. The unlikely marriage is... Read More -
Commercialisation of cellulosic nanomaterial
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities has announced a Request for Proposals to advance the commercialisation of cellulosic nanomaterial through P3Nano a public-privat... Read More
