Welcome to ForestTECH News!
It’s been a busy month for the forestry sector, with more than 230 delegates gathering in Rotorua for Carbon Forestry 2026. The event sparked strong discussion, with Climate Change Minister Hon Simon Watts reaffirming forestry’s role in New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and the Government’s commitment to the sector.
Our next event, Residues2Revenues 2026, heads to Brisbane for the first time, exploring the growing opportunities for forest harvest residues as demand for renewable feedstocks increases.
In this issue, we look at a new forestry training partnership with Competenz, the latest public perception research, FPInnovations’ drone seeding trials, 3D digital twins, firefighter safety, and a 30-year-old forest experiment rediscovered in Victoria.
Plenty to catch up on this month – so grab a coffee and dive into the latest in forest innovation.
11 Aug 2026
Forestry confirms new training partnership with Competenz
New Zealand’s forestry sector has confirmed it will align its workplace vocational training with the new Engineering and Manufacturing Private Training Establishment (PTE), operating under Competenz. The decision follows extensive consultation with employers, contractors and training providers, led by the ...
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11 Aug 2026
FPInnovations launch new forest seeding by drone trial
In the wake of wildfires, bringing affected areas back into production poses a major challenge, particularly in remote or hard-to-reach areas. In Canada, wildfires affect an average of 2.8 million hectares of forest each year, underscoring the importance of exploring innovative ...
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11 Aug 2026
Extracting knowledge from a forest 3d digital twin using TreeTools SilvaCloud
Modern LiDAR technology is transforming the way we understand forests. With the introduction of sensors such as the DJI Zenmuse L3, collecting detailed three-dimensional information about forest structure, terrain, and vegetation has become more accessible than ever before. At Interpine, ...
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11 Aug 2026
Opportunities for improved firefighter safety in Australia
John O’Donnell Opinion Piece Firefighter safety in Australia requires urgent attention as forest structure, fuel loads and fire behaviour shift toward more dangerous conditions. Past crown fires have created dense shrub dominated understoreys, abundant dead wood, reduced height stratification and ...
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11 Aug 2026
Annual reputation survey provides insight into public perceptions of forestry
The results of the Forest Growers Levy Trust’s 7th annual Social Licence to Operate (SLO) survey have been published, continuing to build one of the sector’s most valuable long-term evidence bases for understanding how New Zealanders view forestry. After 7 years ...
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11 Aug 2026
Revisiting a forest experiment that lay forgotten for 30 years
What’s the best way to manage a forest? Australians have argued about this for decades. The debate is often framed as binary: do we protect forests entirely, or harvest trees to support local economies and communities? The reality is more ...
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Upcoming Events
Residues2Revenues 2026
23-24 September 2026, Brisbane, Australia
New technologies in biofuels, bioenergy and renewable bioproducts for wood processors.
WoodWorks 2026 Conference
28-29 October 2026, Hastings, New Zealand
Growing the capability & use of wood in commercial and multi-residential buildings
HarvestTECH & Wood Transport Logistics 2026
10-11 November 2026, Rotorua, New Zealand
Smarter Technologies to Improve our Industry
ForestTECH 2027
9-10 March 2027, Brisbane, Australia
16-17 March 2027, Rotorua, New Zealand
For 20 years, ForestTECH has been the 'must-attend' technology event for forest resource managers, remote sensing, GIS and mapping specialists, inventory foresters, and tree crop and forest establishment managers from across Australasia.
Environmental Forestry 2027
25-26 May 2027, Rotorua, New Zealand
This series is dedicated to advancing sustainable forestry practices and environmental stewardship within the sector.
Woodflow & Logistics 2027
3-4 August 2027, Brisbane, Australia
Our Woodflow & Logistics conferences have served as a key forum for professionals in the forestry and wood harvesting and log transport sectors across Australasia
Carbon Forestry 2027
17-18 August 2027, Rotorua, New Zealand
This event covers key issues of interest to local and international forest managers and investors. Industry leaders and government will discuss government policy, ETS regulation, markets, certification, voluntary carbon markets - including biodiversity and nature-based credits.
Bioeconomy Innovations 2027
14-15 September 2027, Rotorua, New Zealand
Join industry leaders, researchers, and innovators, where the latest advancements in sustainable bioproducts and forest-based materials come to life. Be part of shaping a $30 billion bioeconomy.
Residues2Revenues 2027
14-15 September 2027, Rotorua, New Zealand
We have the potential to transform the forestry sector into a provider of biofuels, bioenergy and a range of renewable bioproducts. This event highlights the real value of wood residues.
WoodWorks 2027 Conference
19-20 October 2027, Hastings, New Zealand
Growing the capability & use of wood in commercial and multi-residential buildings