Southem Online 229

SOUTHEM ONLINE Southern Hemisphere Forest Industry Journal Online news briefs SOUTHEM Online - Issue 229 – 8 October 2009 Hi and Hola - Welcome to Southem Online Issue 229. Global events are moving along at a fast clip. The World Forestry Congress is due to start this month in Argentina; Copenhagen is gearing up for v. important climate change talks; and, of course, we all holding our combined breath in the hope the economic improves and the “R” word is banished, for the time being. The latest edition of the Southern Hemisphere Journal features developments in bioenergy forestry plantations. We highlight the psychological impact of bushfires on younger members of our communities; and delve into management and communications messages coming out of the interim report of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission of Inquiry. See the web site for details and preview: http://tinyurl.com/shfijournal Cheers and Saludas Mike Smith Editor and Director Email: [email protected] URL: www.southem.com

REGISTRATION FOR SOUTHEM ONLINE SOUTHEM Online is sent out to 14,000 recipients worldwide, including those involved in forestry and forest industries as well associated services and agencies. You can register for this free e-news headlines service. Send an email to [email protected] or go to Subscribe. Want to send this edition to a friend? Just click Forward to a Friend. If you would prefer not to receive further issues of this service, please reply to me at email [email protected] with the word ‘Remove’ in the subject. If you have any queries or suggestions, please feel free to contact me. SPONSORS’ MESSAGES Help keep this publication free – please visit our sponsors today! Contact [email protected] for sponsorship details. FORSIGHT RESOURCES, LLC FORSight Resources, LLC, is a private consulting firm that specializes in forest management planning and related services to the forestry and natural resources sectors. Our staff brings together decades of combined forestry and GIS/GPS experience to provide a full suite of decision support offerings for natural resource management. The company’s offerings include forest planning, inventory, acquisition due diligence, wood and fiber supply studies, growth and yield modeling, GIS analysis and custom programming, as well as other decision support services geared specifically towards natural resource management. FORSight Resources is an authorized Business Partner for Trimble and ESRI, offering sales and support for their respective products. With 3 offices located in South Carolina, Wisconsin and Washington, FORSight Resources is well-positioned to serve clients throughout North America and abroad. For more information, please contact Bruce Carroll (SC) +1-843.552.0717, Chuck Stiff (WI) +1-608.868.2799, or Karl Walters (WA) +1-360.882.9030, email us at [email protected] or visit our web site http://www.FORSightResources.com for more information. CONTINUING EDUCATION IN FOREST FINANCE AND ECONOMICS COURSE The Department of Forest and Wood Science, Stellenbosch University, South Africa is

presenting a Precision Forestry Symposium in Stellenbosch from 1 to 3 March 2010. For detail refer to www.sun.ac.za/forestry or contact Pierre Ackerman at [email protected] FOREST BUSINESS MASTERS DEGREE ASSISTANTSHIP The University of Georgia Center for Forest Business announces the availability of a Master of Forest Resources Graduate Assistantship in Forest Business beginning January 2010. For details please contact: Bob Izlar, + 1.706.542.6819, [email protected] For more information about MFR, MS or PhD degree programs in Forest Business see: http://www.forestry.uga.edu/h/centers/cfb For University of Georgia Graduate School admission requirements, please see: http://www.gradsch.uga.edu HELI HARVEST LTD PROVIDING AERIAL HEAVY LIFTING SERVICES Heli Harvest is New Zealand’s leading heavy helicopter operator. The company has vast experience in heavy lifting tasks, including timber harvesting, firefighting, disaster relief, construction, vineyard frost protection and cellphone tower installation. Heli Harvest operates two Mi-8 helicopters. For more information, go to: http://www.heliharvest.co.nz/index.cfm/ **************************************** COPYRIGHT NOTICE Items headlined in SOUTHEM Online are drawn from a number of sources. The source of the item is quoted, either by publication or organisations in line with the practice of fair reporting. Items originally published in Spanish are translated by TMS Ltd. Every effort is made to ensure use of paid wire service material is avoided at all times. Should users wish to utilise SOUTHEM Online on their own web sites, we request that this is done to accurately reflect the current layout to ensure attribution is appropriate. ************************************************ ARGENTINA PROPOSES JOINT APPROACH WITH BRAZIL ON LUMBER The Argentine lumber industry is proposing a joint approach to added value product manufacturing with neighbouring Brazil. Pedro Reyna, the President of the Argentine Lumber and Added Value Products Federation (FAIMA in Spanish) recently met the National Production Minister Débora Giorgi to propose integration with Brazilian manufacturers involved in furniture and added value production. FAIMA reported that the international economic crisis highlighted concerns about the local market but a medium and long-term view of the sector required new measures, such as the rational and efficient use of resources for the production and commercial of Argentina and Brazil. ************************************************ CHILE WOOD SECTOR GROUP RE-BOOTS AS RECESSION LIFTS Meanwhile, Chile’s Wood Products Trade Association (Asimad) has announced it is to restart its activities at the start of 2010 as sales in the sector start to pick up. In March this year, Asimad, which provides various support programmes for the sector, suspended its work for a year due to the economic crisis. A statement published in Lignum quoted Asimad general manager Tomás Harrison as saying that there was greater activity in the sector, led by pulp, with better prices and a sense of industry reactivation was being experienced, along with increased sales. ************************************************ BRAZIL LAUNCHES STRATEGIC AGENDA OF PLANTED FORESTRY

The Brazilian Government has launched a Strategy Agency for the Planted Forestry Sector. Launched by the Forestry Agency of the Agriculture Ministry (ABRAF in Portuguese), the Minister Reinhold Stephanes highlighted the place of plantation forestry in overall agriculture production. With growth expected to rise more than 20% through to 2014, the activities of plantation forestry were expected to reach values of around 13 billion Reals, involving as much as 1.4 million hectares of new land throughout the country. ************************************************ UGANDA CLAIMS FIRST IN AFRICA TO COUNT TREES AS CO2 EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS Pines and a mix of native African trees will soon cover what is now grassland within Uganda's Rwoho Central Forest Reserve, an upper watershed of Lake Victoria, the Environment News Service has reported. The report said that Uganda would become the first country in Africa to undertake a reforestation project that will count towards emissions reductions under the Kyoto Protocol. Called the Nile Basin Reforestation Project, the tree planting was being implemented by Uganda's National Forestry Authority in association with local community organizations, using funds provided by the World Bank's BioCarbon Fund, the report said. ************************************************ A3P BACKS GLOBAL FOREST PARTNERS AS TIMBERCORP FORESTS’ OWNER The Australian agency, A3P, has backed the purchase by US-based Global Forest Partners (GFP) of the forest assets formerly managed by failed agribusiness MIS company, Timbercorp. GFP, trading under the name of Australian Bluegum Plantations, signed a contract to purchase the 93,000 hectare estate of mixed-age bluegums for A$345 million. A3P, which represents plantation forests and paper industry sectors, said GFP was well established as a timberland manager in Australia, with more than 40,000 hectares of pine plantations in NSW and the Green Triangle under management. Third party holders of leased land had already received their backlogged land lease fees, and GFP had announced its intention to retain many existing plantation management staff, helping to restore confidence and stability following Timbercorp’s collapse earlier this year. The purchase, via an experienced forest investment manager such as GFP, was an acknowledgement of the value of this plantation resource as a source of wood for the export and perhaps domestic pulp and paper industry, the A3P statement said. ************************************************ TIMBERCORP FORESTS’ SALE TO GLOBAL FOREST PARTNERS HOPES AND FEARS Meanwhile, it’s reported that communities in the western region of the Australian state of Victoria are relieved to learn that Timbercorp’s forestry asset has been sold, although there is some uncertainty over the direction the plantations will take n under ownership of the North American TIMO, Global Forest Partners. The Weekly Times reported that many in the community remained resentful towards federal Managed Investment Scheme rules that had enabled such large parcels of land to be gathered with tax breaks, and now sold, to international companies. It said that Timbercorp's demise led to several contractors and suppliers losing money, downsizing or going broke. Businesses reliant on the bluegum industry now hope harvest will proceed, with all of its promised jobs. One group with the most at stake in the short term is landlords owed rent. Timbercorp Landlords Forestry group chairman and Hamilton farmer Ian Ellis said most were delighted they would be paid overdue rent. ************************************************ PROTAVIA PULP MILL IN EARLY TALKS WITH GLOBAL FOREST PARTNERS OVER EX-TIMBERCORP SUPPLIES Meanwhile, The Border Watch newspaper has reported that the new owner of Timbercorp's

bluegum estate has entered discussions with Protavia to supply woodchips for the A$1.5b Penola Pulp Mill. It’s reported there had been widespread speculation that the Timbercorp collapse would mark the end of the major infrastructure project, which was left without the resource agreement needed to secure development of the approved project. The report noted that Protavia had led a consortium to the bidding table to try to gain ownership of the resource and when this was unsuccessful it appeared all hope for the mill would be lost. Pulp mill project director John Roche has not returned calls this week, however the successful bidder for Timbercorp answered questions from The Border Watch. Phil Stelling, the director of Global Forest Partners Australian investments, which is the parent company of Australian Bluegum Plantations - the body that will take over ownership of the bluegum estate after the November settlement - said he would talk to any company interested in securing fibre supply. Preliminary contact had been made with Protavia and Australian Bluegum Plantations expects these discussions would continue, he said. ************************************************ BRAZIL WANTS REPORT TO VALUE BIODIVERSITY Brazil is considering undertaking a study to assess the value of biodiversity in the country. SBS reported that a study on the economy of ecosystems and biodiversity by the European Union and Germany found that the cost of worldwide deforestation was between US$2 and US$5 trillion annually. Study leader, the German bank economist Pavan Sukhdev recommended Brazil carry out a country specific study, in order to put a value on its biodiversity. The secretary of Biodiversity and Forests Maria Cecília Wey de Brito said the Federal Government planned to carry out such a study, aiming to explain that economic activities promoting Brazil’s growth were based on the biodiversity attributes the country possessed. ************************************************ VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE INQUIRY FOCUSES ON MARYSVILLE BACKBURN A backburn carried out near Marysville put the lives of firefighters in peril, the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission of Inquiry heard recently, The Age newspaper reported. The report said the backburn was conducted just 15 minutes before a wind change pushed a separate, massive fire through the town. The crews were forced to retreat to Gallipoli Park in Marysville, where they were lucky to survive, counsel assisting the commission, Melinda Richards was quoted as telling the inquiry hearing. The fire that started at the Murrindindi saw mill about 3pm on February 7 claimed 38 lives - 34 in Marysville alone. The bushfire royal commission began examining the Murrindindi blaze on Tuesday 6 October. Over the following six days questions were expected to be raised about the wisdom of conducting a backburn south of Marysville minutes before the devastating wind change, Ms Richards said.

************************************************ CMPC MOV ES TO BUY BRAZIL ASSETS IN US$1.4B DEAL WITH FIBRIA Chile’s CMPC has started negotiations for a US$1.4 billion acquisition in Brazil of the Guaiba unit operations, lands and forests of the former Aracruz from the recently formed Fibria. Fibria, in a statement, said that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Santiago headquartered CMPC for the unit known as Unidade Guaíba (RS). The memorandum of understanding provides for CMPC exclusivity for 90 days, or until the parties firm up the agreement, whichever occurs first. The Guaíba Unit comprises a pulp plant with a production capacity of 450,000 tons annually, a 60,000 t/y paper plant, lands of about 212,000 hectares (of which 32,000 hectares consist of leasehold areas, partnership or other), as well as licenses and authorizations for the execution of a project to expand the pulp plant to increase raise the capacity to about 1.750 a thousand tons. The price of the transaction is US$1,430 million, subject to adjustments.

************************************************ NEW EUCALYPT CLONES WILL ‘DOUBLE GROWTH RATES – FIBRIA CEO Meanwhile, the head of Fibria, the Brazilian company said to be world's largest producer of bleached pulp from eucalyptus trees, said new clones are on the horizon that will more than double the growth rate on the same acreage, The Post-Crescent of Appleton has reported via greenbaypressgazette.com. Carlos Augusto Lira Aguiar, chief executive of Brazil’s Fibria, was the keynote speaker at a recent Paper Industry International Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony. He said the newly formed company Fibria is working on droughtresistant strains matched to soil type for intense plantation plantings. "These trees can be harvested now in 5½ years," he told the audience of about 220 who attended the 15th annual induction ceremony at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel. Aguiar is chief executive officer of Fibria, a merger formed by the acquisition of Aracruz Celulose S.A. by Votorantim Celulose e Papel. Together, the combined Brazilian firm can produce out 5.8 million tons of pulp a year, making it not only the world's largest producer of bleached eucalyptus pulp but also the lowest cost producer. ************************************************ INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE PONDERS URUGUAY MILL DECISION The International Court of Justice in The Hague has adjourned to consider a decision in the latest round of hearings into the dispute between Argentina and Uruguay about the latter’s authorisation of a pulp mill on their shared river, the Rio Uruguay. Argentina opposes the mill on the grounds that effluent flows threaten the river’s health in violation of a 1975 bilateral agreement with Uruguay governing the Rio Uruguay’s management. Uruguay has taken the latest action in The Hague in a bid to get the court to require Argentina to take “all reasonable steps” to halt protests from environmentalists which have disrupted trade between the two countries. It’s not expected that a decision on the case will be released until next year. ************************************************ YORK TIMBERS LOOKS TO 2010 FOR FINANCIAL BENEFITS FROM COST CUTTING The listed South African solid wood products group York Timbers says expects to start seeing the financial benefits of its restructuring and cost-cutting exercise in the 2010 financial year, after recording a net loss of R232 million for the year ended June 30, 2009, Engineering News reported. Reduced sales volumes as a result of the global economic slowdown had led to the loss, which was a sharp drop from a net profit of R538,7-million in the 2008 financial year. The group, which is now led by chief executive officer Piet van Zyl, said in a statement that the slowdown in the South African timber and construction sectors, which had started late in 2008, had continued in the second half of the group's financial year. ************************************************ SCION ‘POSITIVE’ AS STRATEGY HOLDS FIRM AGAINST GLOBAL MELTDOWN The New Zealand forest-based Crown Research Institute Scion has announced a positive financial result for the company of NZ$2.3 million net profit in line with the shareholding Minister’s expectations. Scion Chairman Dr Russ Ballard said in a statement the year had seen improved results for Scion, in terms of scientific achievements, financial performance, and reinforcement of the company’s strategic direction. The result was particularly gratifying when viewed against the background of uncertainty and change that has dominated the global and national economy,” Dr Ballard said. “Throughout this challenging period, the drivers for Scion’s strategy have held firm, enabling us to perform well and deliver positive outcomes for the benefit of New Zealand. ************************************************ FORESTRY SECTOR APPLAUDS SCION RESULT Meanwhile, members of the New Zealand forest industry have applauded Scion’s strong performance, as reflected in the research agency’s annual report. Future Forests Research

Chair Phil Taylor said in a statement that Scion’s success as an organisation is extremely positive, because a strong, vibrant and well-focused forestry CRI is critically important to the industry. “Forest growers in New Zealand are well served by Scion as our key research provider, and we should not forget that their success is our success,” he said. “Research and development is critical to ensure we can stay ahead of our competitors.” ************************************************ ‘WORLD FIRST’ SOIL MICRO-ORGANISM DISCOVERY AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY Research into the microbiological mechanism by which the nitrification inhibitor DCD (dicyandiamide) reduces nitrate and nitrous oxide production from soils with nitrogen levels elevated by animal urine and other sources, has led to a world-first discovery by a Lincoln University-led team of scientists. A statement said the scientists, led by Professor Hong Di and Professor Keith Cameron, had discovered that the nitrate and nitrous oxide reductions are due largely to DCD’s inhibiting effect on ammonia-oxidising bacteria. This was in contrast to a recent hypothesis that archaea (single cell microorganisms akin to bacteria but with a separate evolutionary history) were the main oxidising agents at work in nitrogen-rich grassland soils. ************************************************ TIMBER DESIGN AWARD 2009 ENTRIES ON-LINE This year’s entries in the New Zealand Wood Timber Design Awards are available for viewing on-line. Votes can also be cast for the People’s Choice Award. Forty-eight entries have been received in the categories of: Residential Architectural Excellence, Residential Engineering Excellence, Commercial Architectural Excellence, Commercial Engineering Excellence, Sustainability, Outdoor Infrastructure, Cladding Building Envelope, and Interior Fit-out. The awards are announced on Tuesday 27 October. http://nzwood.co.nz/wood-news/2009/10/05/timber-design-award-2009-entries-online/ ************************************************ OUR WORLD ON VIDEO ARGENTINA MOURNS FOLK SINGER MERCEDES SOLA, THE “VOICE OF LATINAMERICA” Argentine folk singer Mercedes Sosa, the ‘voice of Latinamerica’ whose music inspired opponents of South America’s brutal military regimes and led to her forced exile in Europe, died recently. Sosa, 74,best known for signature tunes such as "Gracias a la Vida" ("Thanks to Life") and "Si se Calla el Cantor" ("If the Singer is Silenced"). MercoPress reported that she had been in the hospital for more than two weeks with liver problems and had since been suffering from progressive kidney failure and cardiac arrest. See a performance of her “Gracias a la Vida” (Thanks to Life) at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyOJ-A5iv5I&feature=related LADY OF WOOD WINS WORLD OF WEABLE ARTS An Alaskan carpenter has won the top prize at the Montana World of Wearable Arts (WOW) in Wellington, New Zealand. An 18th-century-style ballgown, by Alaskan carpenter David Walker and made entirely of all-American timbers, was the first international entry to win the competition, which began 21 years ago. http://tvnz.co.nz/entertainment-news/wooden-gown-wins-wow-award-3021089/video **************************************** ARTICLES OF INTEREST

EVALUATION OF QUALITY EUCALYPT FOREST SITE J.E. Baridón, J.W. Lanfranco, R.M. Marlats, M. Vázquez. Evaluation of the quality forest site for Eucalyptus camaldulensis check for this species in other resources through edaphic indexes in Argiudolls and Argiacuolls, Argentina. Agricultura Técnica, Vol. 61, No. 2, 2001, pp. 192-201 http://www.bioline.org.br/abstract?id=at01022&lang=en GEOPROCESSING IN BRAZIL LANDUSE CONFLICT IDENTIFICATION Nascimento, Melchior Carlos; Soares, Vicente Paulo; Ribeiro, Carlos Antônio Álvares Soares. & Silva, Elias. Use Of Geoprocessing In Landuse Conflict Indentification In Permanent Preservation Areas, Alegre River Watershed, State Of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Ciência Florestal, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2005, pp. 207-220. http://www.bioline.org.br/abstract?id=cf05020&lang=en ************************************************ SOUTHEM EMPLOYMENT NOTICES AGRICULTURE/RURAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS UN JOB VACANCY: Location: South-Africa/USA/UK. Advise senior WHO and host government officials on agriculture and rural development projects. They identify problems and propose solutions, participate in project design and development, and manage and evaluate programs. Duties include coordinating the flow of resources for projects, analyzing the effects of proposed policies, legislation, and programs and advising on interdisciplinary rural development programs. Salary: $175,000.00 USD. For more info, contact Dr. David Cameron [email protected] MANAGING DIRECTOR, CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL Conservation International (CI) is seeking a Managing Director for its Singapore Office, which serves as CI’s Global Outreach hub, coordinating business development, policy and communications in support of the regional conservation priorities of CI’s field offices in the Asia-Pacific region. S/he will tie together conservation activities throughout Asia, and build partnerships with Singapore-based organizations. Essential qualifications include 10+ years experience in high-level corporate and/or government partnership, development and management, and demonstrated fundraising experience at the 6-8 figure level. View the full job announcement. http://www.mailprosx.com/mp/link.php?M=115574&N=951&L=3681&F=H FORESTRY DOCUMENTATION OFFICER, FAO FAO is seeking a Forestry Documentation Officer for its Forest Economics and Policy Division. S/he will assist officers in Forestry Department units and other offices with developing and improving the content of FAO websites, as well as participate in the preparation, production, and distribution of FAO forestry-related information products. Essential qualifications include a university degree in forestry, information management, communication, or related field; three years of relevant experience, and working knowledge of English, French, or Spanish. Location: Rome, Italy. Closing Date: 25 October 2009. http://www.mailprosx.com/mp/link.php?M=115574&N=951&L=3725&F=H PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, ICRAF The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) seeks a Programme Development Officer to work in the Director General’s Office in developing, implementing and facilitating the institution’s participation and collaboration in global and regional initiatives. S/he will possess an advanced degree in international development or related field, and at least five years experience in successful program development, fundraising, and project marketing efforts. Location: Nairobi, Kenya. Closing Date: 23 October 2009

http://www.mailprosx.com/mp/link.php?M=115574&N=951&L=3683&F=H **************************************** MEETINGS XIII WORLD FORESTRY CONGRESS 18-23 October 2009 - The XIII World Forestry Congress, Buenos Aires, Argentina. http://www.wfc2009.org/version2/presentacion_ingles.asp FORESTS, HUMAN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 19 October 2009 - Forests, human health and well-being: findings of IUFRO's recent science initiatives. Buenos Aires, Argentina. Side Event organized by IUFRO Task Forces "Forests and Human Health", "Traditional Forest Knowledge" and "Improving the Lives of People in Forests" at the XIII World Forestry Congress. Contact: Eeva Karjalainen, eeva.karjalainen(at)metla.fi, John Parrotta, jparrotta(at)fs.fed.us, Peter Cronkleton, p.cronkleton(at)cgiar.org http://www.iufro.org/science/task-forces/forests-trees-humans/activities-and-events/ CLIMATE CHANGE FORUM 12 October 2009 – Special Event on Climate Change at XIII World Forestry Congress. Forum on Forests and Climate Change: To Copenhagen and Beyond. Buenos Aires. http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/wfc/15e.pdf CARBON EXPO AUSTRALASIA 26-28 October 2009 – Carbon Expo Australasia. Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Queensland, Australia. The 2009 event will feature a high level conference hosting leading international and Australian practitioners of the emerging carbon market, a major trade fair and in-depth technical workshops that draw on the skills and knowledge of experts actively participating in global carbon markets. For more info, go to www.carbonexpo.com.au CARBON FOOTPRINT MISTAKES AND LOST OPPORTUNITIES 2-3 November 2009 - Carbon Foot print mistakes and lost opportunities – getting it right. Carbon Accounting Systems and Strategies - 2 day course Perth 19-20 October (closing soon) Brisbane. Email [email protected] CARTOGRAPHY CONFERENCE November 2009 - Santiago will host Latin America’s first International Cartography Conference in 2009 Santiago is hosting the 24th International Cartography Conference (ICC) in November 2009. Organised by the International Cartography Association (ICA), the ICC is an important event for the cartography community. For more info, go to: www.icc2009.cl SHORT ROTATION CROPS AND BIOENERGY 2-4 December 2009 – Short Rotation Crops: Linking Technology and Biomass. Taupo, New Zealand. Organised by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Task 30, supported by Scion and Pure Power Global. For more info, go to: www.shortrotationcrops.org/events.htm DUBAI WOOD AND WOOD PRODUCTS SHOW . 13-15 April 2010. Dubai International Wood & Wood Products Show. Dubai Airport Expo. The WoodShow is the leading specialized show in the Middle East covering the entire wood industry supply chain including top manufacturers, suppliers, contractors and traders involved in the wood industry. http://www.dubaiwoodshow.com/home.php PARANÁ UNIVERSITY TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF FORESTRY COURSE 30 May 2010 – The Forest Engineering Course at Universidad Federal do Paraná in Brazil will celebrate 50 years in existence. For more info, go to:

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