Zimbabwe Timber sales grow
ZIMBABWE’S national timber sales volumes surged 44,5% to 267 888 cubic metres for the year ended December 2012 due to increased demand in both local and export sales, latest industry statistics show.
According to the Timber Producers’ Federation’s recently published annual report, timber export sales increased by 89% to $21,4 million from $11,3 million prior year while local sales increased by 50,8% to $36,1 million from $23,9 million on the same period last year.
Saw and processed timber for local sales increased to $28,311 million from $19,7 million while export sales increased to $17,3 million from $9 million in 2011.
African Countries Agree to Curb Illegal Timber Trade in the Congo Basin
Governments from Africa's main timber producing countries, together with timber industry representatives and civil society organizations agreed to jointly combat illegal timber trade in the Congo Basin, FAO said today following an international wood industry meeting in Brazzaville.
Covering an area of 300 million hectares, the Congo Basin harbours the world's second largest tropical forest. It is also a major supplier of illegal timber, part of a global trade that cost governments some US $10 billion per year in lost tax revenues worldwide.
Creative Timber Application in Tasmania
The project was one of the winners of the 2013 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards, which recognise and celebrate the valuable role timber plays in Australian architecture and interior design.
The Shearer’s Quarters won the Best Residential Interior award. The project, located on North Bruny Island in Tasmania, makes creative use of local and recycled timber, including timber from old rural windbreaks and recycled apple box crates.
The building is located next to a historic cottage on a Tasmanian sheep farm, on the grounds of an old shearing shed which was destroyed by a fire. The house currently provides accommodation for shearers and rural contractors and is also used as a guests house for family and friends.
Timber projects in Congo Basin pose huge challenges
COUNTRIES of Africa’s Congo Basin would like to grow richer by making and selling products from their abundant supply of timber, but experts see a path strewn with obstacles.
A first difficulty is that electrical power for sawmills and factories "is not available, because its production is problematic", Emmanuel Ze Meka of the International Tropical Timber Organisation says.
"There is also a lack of transport infrastructure" and "taxation is too high", he says, adding that an unqualified workforce needs much training.
