This sounds exciting!
As usual the New Zealand forest industry is generations ahead of anything happening here in Australia.
This new proposal to establish a NZ Specialty Timbers Association is just brilliant.
Unlike specialty timbers in Tasmania, the industry in NZ has nothing to do with plundering public native forests, or endless, repetitive political games.
New Zealand’s specialty timbers are farm-grown, and include plantations and managed native forest.
A discussion paper about the proposal is available from the above website. It is only 5 pages and well worth reading.
One of the interesting aspects of the proposal is the key role which portable sawmillers will play in the Association; providing the vital link between the marketplace and the thousands of specialty timbers growers in New Zealand.
The current focus of the discussion paper is on the NZ domestic markets which is fine. There are plenty of opportunities locally. But there are a few specialty species (incl. Blackwood) for which available volumes are already in excess of domestic demand, so that export markets must be developed immediately.
Two aspects that I believe are vital for the new Association to consider:
- An Industry Plan is needed, with objective, measurable goals and regular reviews. Having thousands of farmers randomly planting thousands of different timber species with no vision or coordination, will not build a viable future. The marketplace needs to develop a select list of preferred species, so that viable marketable quantities of quality wood from these species are available to the market.
- Lots of marketplace support and feedback, from builders, architects, craftspeople, etc., needs to be generated so that farmers can have a sense of what they are doing and why. Currently the marketplace completely avoids thinking 10, 20, 30 years into the future when it comes to timber supply. This must change!!
I will follow this story as it develops over the coming months and years.
Congratulations New Zealand!
You have done it again!!
Tasmanian Blackwood Growers Cooperative 
Market failure & responsibility
One of the major realisations I have made over the past 10 years is the complete failure of forestry and timber markets to take any responsibility for their own future.
Here is just one recent example:
Good Day Dr. Gordon Bradbury,
Hope you can introduce some seller or loggers milling Tasmania Blackwood Logs or lumber etc,
Sir we are Hong Kong based company and looking for looking for Tasmanian Blackwood logs 40cm plus in diameter to import if possible, 1-2×40′ containers, CIF Incheon, South Korea.
Will appreciate if you could send us your complete offer with certificate (FSC/PEFC),, provide some photos for checking the quality and shape on logs, lumbers and veneers, MOq, terms of payment, terms of inspection, estimated delivery time, yard location etc.
Thank you so very much for your kind help
Kind Regards
I get regular emails and SMS messages from people wanting to get their hands on cheap blackwood.
When I try to engage these people in my quest, which is to get the market to take responsibility and support, encourage and reward Tasmanian farmers to grow quality wood for the future, I get excuses of why they cannot help!
Here is one of my standard questions I ask these people:
Q: Do you care about the future of YOUR industry/business?
A: Moan, complain, apologise, blame others, too busy, etc., etc., etc…
Is the forestry/timber market so short-sighted, corrupt and stupid that it is willing to destroy its own future?
It would appear so!!
Log traders, furniture makers, craftspeople, luthiers, cabinet makers, architects, builders, retailers, festival organisers,etc.
Every one of these professions/trades seems to have no interest in their own future.
I don’t know of any other primary industry in Australia that has such a fatalistic attitude. Every other primary industry, beef, sheep, poultry, dairy, vegetables, fruit, grain, etc. all keep their growers uptodate, supported and informed with all the relevant information they need to keep these industries running smoothly and efficiently.
Not the forestry/timber market!
Yes forestry has long investment periods and some other unique characteristics, but this means that the market has to work that much harder to ensure its future.
Having plundered the worlds forests the forestry/timber market seems determined to do a “Thelma and Louise” and accelerate over the cliff to extinction.
And for those log merchants wanting cheap blackwood, all the existing resource in Tasmania is committed. Most of it comes for public native forest for the domestic welfare forestry sector. A small amount is salvaged from private property.
Here’s another way of looking at the issue. How many companies are there in Australia and around the world that use Tasmanian blackwood timber or would like too? Dozens? Hundreds? How many of these companies actively support and encourage the growing of Tasmanian blackwood? My guess! None!! Ziltch!!
I’m happy to be proven wrong.
Very few Tasmanians are planting blackwood for the future and the major reason is the careless attitude of the marketplace. The marketplace has a death wish!!
People I speak to who are interested in planting blackwood I tell them the truth – no one wants you to grow quality blackwood timber for the future. Nobody! No one will support or encourage you. In fact many people are actively working against you!
Why commit to a 30+ year investment growing quality timber when the marketplace couldn’t care less?
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Posted in Commentary, Markets, Plantations, Support