in partnership with Growing High Value Timber Jon Lambert, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

in partnership with

Growing High Value Timber

Jon Lambert, Heartwood Plantations.

Our organisation - forestry

• Plantation size (10 - 250 ha);
• Each investment privately
• wned;
• Trees pruned and thinned;
• Total area of approximately

4,000 hectares;

• Predominantly located in

Gippsland;

• First plantings in 1998.

Our organisation - processing

• Eucalyptus logs currently sourced

predominantly from native forests;

• Processed at radial sawmill with

ideal size 40-50 cm;

• Annual cut of 5,000 m3 year-1

increasing to 15,000;

• New sawmill in Yarram to be
• perational by the end of 2016.

New Yarram Sawmill

Our organisation - Sales

• High demand for durable

appearance products;

• Our products are very stable

because of the species and sawing strategy;

• Strong Australian markets in

external appearance products;

• Treated softwood now has

health concerns.

Our Organisation - Structure

Key Innovations

• Radial sawing technology – the only
• ne of its type in the world; and
• Plantation grown, naturally durable

Australian hardwood timber.

Radial Sawing

Radial Sawing - Continued

Radial Sawing - Continued

Advantages:

• Much higher recovery of wood;
• Back sawing - Higher value products from young

trees;

• Timber more stable; and
• Capability to deal with young eucalypts.

Naturally Durable Australian Hardwood

• Primary species are spotted

gum and yellow stringybark;

• Silvertop ash and red

mahogany also grown;

• Class 1 or 2 durability (15-

40 years above ground without treatment);

• Appearance and colour

highly desirable;

• Strength, hardness, etc...

Naturally Durable Australian Hardwood - cont

• Approximately 1 million hectares
• f hardwood plantations in

Australia;

• Currently less than 5% are

durable species (class 1 or 2);

• Most of this timber comes from

native forest and imports;

• Unique in Southern Australia;

The Key Challenges!

• Industry fall out;
• Investment length;
• High up front cost;
• Trail blazing; and
• Lack of R&D.

Areas of Focus - Genetic Improvements

• Faster growth;
• Improved form;
• Insect &

disease resistance;

• Early age

heartwood formation; and

• Wood quality.

Areas of Focus – Land Utilisation

• Combine with

livestock;

• Cropping in

easements;

• Apiary
• pportunities; and
• Lifestyle.

Areas of Focus – Nutrition

• Understanding tree

nutrient levels;

• Differences between

species;

• Uptake in trees;
• Application methods; and
• Micro biology.

Areas of Focus – Drone Technology

• Assessment of tree health;
• Mapping;
• Monitoring; and
• Reporting.

Areas of Focus – Harvesting

• Equipment options;
• Timing and strategy;
• Optimisation; and
• Self-loading trucks

Areas of Focus – New Products

• Particular need

for products from thinning

• perations;
• Firewood and

pulpwood provide very low returns;

• Important to

bring returns earlier in the rotation.

Areas of Focus – BioEnergy

• There are heat and

power needs to run the sawmill;

• These would be met by a

fraction of our residues;

• Power back to the grid is

low return;

• The best outcome would

be a partnership.

Development work in Africa

• Our non-profit foundation is

called Beyond Subsistence

• It provides training and

support in agroforestry;

• Currently we are working in 5

African countries;

• Empowering subsistence

farmers;

The End!