Reports by date
- Prediction of Extractive Content of Eucalyptus globoidea Heartwood Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy
SWP-T040
November 2017
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Forestry Science BForSc (Hons) Abstract Natural durability of wood is highly sought for a number of wood…
- Performance of naturally durable eucalypt posts in Marlborough vineyards
SWP-T039
October 2017
The area of vineyards in New Zealand is up from that reported in 2015, which was 35,463 ha. Posts in a vineyard average 500-600 per hectare so there are approximately…
- Scion’s core funded experiments on thermal modification of Eucalyptus nitens.
SWP-T021
August 2017
The objective of this work was to replicate successful lab scale thermal modifications of Eucalyptus nitens at a larger scale. Lab scale thermal modification has been shown to improve dimensional stability and…
- Quantifying compounds in heartwood extractives of durable eucalypts
SWP-T037
August 2017
It is known that the relative amounts of heartwood compounds differ between trees of the same species (Fries et al., 2000; Haupt et al., 2003; Partanen et al., 2011). This…
- Development of the Douglas-fir Productivity Spatial Surface using the Process-based model 3-PG
SWP-T038
August 2017
The objective of this report was to provide a New Zealand-wide productivity surface for Douglas-fir. This output addresses limitations of an earlier study of Douglas-fir spatial productivity that was based…
- Expert Advisory Panel review of the SWP programme - 2017
SWP-T035
July 2017
The project has many strengths and a few weaknesses (detailed in the body of the report). The main strengths include active industry/research collaborations, strong science, and a large team with…
- Potential for Growing and Processing Durable Eucalypts in New Zealand
SWP-T036
July 2017
In NZ there is considerable commercial interest in finding alternative forest species to radiata pine which (1) are naturally durable and do not require chemical preservative treatment for either in…
- Pest management for durable eucalypts
SWP-T029
June 2017
One of the more unexpected and important results from the phenology study summarised here, was that only one generation of P. charybdis was observed in each of the two years monitored. This…
- Modelling growth of Eucalyptus spp. on New Zealand dryland micro-sites
SWP-T027
June 2017
New Zealand’s planted forests are mainly established on low value land, especially land that is not useful for pastoral agriculture. Much of the low value land is found in hill country, which…
- Predicting Strain Levels in Air-dried Wood using near Infrared Spectroscopy
SWP-T020
June 2017
To investigate the possibility of measuring strain using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, spectra of air-dried radiata wood samples were collected while under different levels of tension stress. The spectral changes…
- Drying Eucalyptus nitens: Screening for checking and collapse
SWP-T022
June 2017
Eucalyptus nitens frequently develops within-ring checks and collapse (washboarding) during drying, making the wood unsuitable for use as sawn timber. Numerous studies have tried altering drying conditions to reduce levels…
- Early Heartwood Screening by Wounding
SWP-T024
June 2017
Trees can be screened at age (1-2 years) for wood properties such as growth stress, collapse, density or stiffness (Chauhan and Entwistle, 2010; Chauhan et al., 2013). Early selection reduces…
- Improving Heartwood of Durable Eucalypts - Manuscript
SWP-T024
June 2017
The New Zealand Drylands Forests Initiative (NZDFI) aims to establish a new hardwood forest industry based on naturally durable eucalypts. As key a product NZDFI has identified sustainably-grown naturally durable…
- Measuring Strain in Wet Eucalyptus Wood by NIR
SWP-T026
June 2017
These experiments investigated whether band shifts in the NIR caused by strain can be observed in fully water saturated eucalyptus wood samples. Air-dry samples with minor changes in moisture content…
- Heartwood in Eucalyptus bosistoana (2010 plantings)
SWP-T028
June 2017
The objective of this work is to screen the 2010 E. bosistoana breeding population for heartwood quantity (diameter) and quality (extractive content) CONCLUSION Variation in heartwood diameter between the families was observed,…
Headlines
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- Import substitution - Report
January, 2024
In order to supplement New Zealand’s native timber supply, exotic species were introduced throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, to support both domestic structural and specialty purpose applications. Despite attempts to supply…
- Mac Black Whanganui field day, April 2023
April, 2023
The weather might not have been ideal, but the enthusiasm was palpable as more than 50 people gathered at Richard Thompson and Laurel Stowell’s Papaiti forest, Whanganui. Particularly impressive was…
- Natural durability, accelerated framing tests and relative durability
August, 2021
The New Zealand Building Code offers three pathways for proving durability performance of materials under section B2/VM1 Durability Evaluation. These are History of Use, Similar Materials Tests and Laboratory Tests. Laboratory Tests can…
- Proposed Legislation to implement a National Wood Legality Assurance System
August, 2020
In July 2020 the Ministry for Primary Industries released a proposal to implement a National Wood Legality Assurance system. Farm Forestry Timbers welcome this proposal and fully support strengthening of New…
- Building System Legislative Reform Programme, public consultation
April, 2019
The Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment (MBIE) administer the building code and are proposing major changes to NZ's building laws to: increase the quality of information about building products;…
- Member profile - MacDirect
May, 2018
For the last 25 years I have been developing the local market for Lusitanica and Macrocarpa timber. Our sawmill sources trees from predominantly plantations. Coming from Dairying then owning a…
- Determinations, specialty timbers and the building code
July, 2017
What do you know about "Determinations"? Well... Determinations are best described as judgements made by MBIE where disputes arise between the Building Consent Authority (BCA) and those undertaking building work. BCA's must…
- Harvesting & Milling Indigenous Timber on Private Land
June, 2017
Owners of land with indigenous forests have several options if they wish to harvest and mill indigenous timber. The milling of native timber is regulated by the Forests Act which…
- Optimised Engineered Lumber (OEL), timber framing for the future?
February, 2017
The Specialty Wood Products Partnership is a seven year partnership between central government and the forest industry. It aims to investigate the development of new wood products from locally grown…
- Report on Farm-totara sapwood and resistance to common household borer
January, 2017
Examples of Totara Sapwood Resisting Attack by the Common Household Wood Borer (Anobium punctatum) A Report Prepared by Paul Quinlan for Tane’s Tree Trust, January 2017 Download the report here >>
- Tawa timber An updated perspective on opportunities and issues
November, 2016
Rob Allen and Brenda Tahi From Indigena, November 2016 In his 1994 book titled New Zealand Timbers Norm Clifton concluded that the ‘writing is on the wall’ for tawa timber.…
- Totara and the Building code
June, 2016
Potential markets for farm-totara timber would be significantly improved by complying with New Zealand’s performance-based Building Code. A range of products and applications hold the promise of market demand but…
- Sustainable management or tropical rainforest destruction?
August, 2015
A New Zealand delegation made up of members of the NZ Imported Tropical Timber Group, representing buyers of tropical rainforest timber, recently visited the Solomon Islands to check out supplies…
- Timber Imports mean export of environmental impacts
May, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015 Roger May This article highlights trends in timber and timber product imports. It also addresses the implications for farmers and foresters growing special-purpose timber species and…
- Structural properties of specialty timbers and the Building Code
March, 2015
Farm Forestry Timbers media release, March 2015. Farm Forestry Timbers Society and NZFFA with support from AGMARDT have tested the characteristic stresses of five specialty timber species to meet the…
- Fire Ratings and timber
November, 2014
Amendments to the fire protection provisions of the New Zealand Building Code has received publicity around the effects these changes will have in reducing opportunities to use timber in buildings.…
- Prosperity from Forestry and Wood Products
November, 2013
Wood council of NZ Inc. Media Release, November 2013. The forest and wood products industry has the ability to deliver renewable and resilient growth. There are a number of areas…
- Vital investment tool developed for wood processors
June, 2013
WOOD COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND Media release: WoodScape Study, 4 June 2013. A major study report released by the Wood Council highlights the need for by-products from established industries like…
- Australian Government Illegal Logging Prohibition Act
November, 2012
Illegal logging has significant environmental, economic and social costs. Legislation designed to promote the trade in legally logged timber and timber products is now law in Australia. If you are…
- INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE FARM FORESTRY TIMBERS SOCIETY
November, 2012
Farm Forestry Timbers held their inaugural meeting on 17th November 2012. It was agreed to constitute the Society by resolution. The Rules of the Farm Forestry Timbers Society can be…