The human eye could be replaced by automatic image analysis. At present grading of sawlogs in a sawmill relies on visual inspection wherein a human expert grades a log every few seconds as it passes on a conveyor belt. Wood features are measured both in the forest industry and in the field of dendrochronology. Image analysis can be a helpful tool in such measurements, since manual inspection is often tedious and difficult, and requires experts to perform it. With automatic image analysis methods, the results can be more consistent than for manual measurements, especially if these are performed by different persons. Kristin Norell write in her thesis at the Agricultural University about automated analysis of photographs of log ends and she has tested the image analysis method at Nyby Sawmill outside Uppsala.
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Sveaskog has been trusted as commodity supplier at the sawmill and furniture manufacturer Norrfog Hedlunda Industri AB . This investment will annually provide 100 000 m3 of pine timber and creates 100 new jobs in Västerbotten inland. The final product, pine furniture, will be sold in Ikea stores worldwide.
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Stora Enso Forest raised the prices of both sawlogs and pulpwood this Tuesday. The new prices on sawnwood will increase by approximately 80-150 SEK per cubic meter depending on location and tree species. There is also a price increase in pulpwood by 30 SEK per cubic meter for pine and spruce pulpwood and 25 SEK per cubic meter for hardwood pulpwood. The new price is 305 SEK per cubic meter for softwood pulpwood and 320 SEK per cubic meter for spruce pulpwood and 300 SEK per cubic meter for hardwood pulpwood. Read more
EU is working hard to get to a control system that will block imports of illegally logged timber. The Swedish Forest Agency has, on behalf of the Swedish Government, presented a proposal for how the control unit should look like in Sweden, the so-called 'FLEGT licensing scheme. The system has been created to prevent illegal logging and trade in forest. Licenses are intended to prevent imports of illegally logging and trade in forest. Read more
Holmen awarded for environmental work
On Monday, Holmen Paper’s mill in Madrid received an award from the Autonomous Community of Madrid for its extensive environmental work. The paper mill’s management of water, recovered paper, waste products and energy resulted in Madrid’s Environment Award for 2009. Read more
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The 500 largest Finnish companies were hit hard by the economic downturn last year. According to a statement frrom finish newspaper Talouselämä turnover declined more than during the depression in 1991. Among large companies that suffered heavy losses were several from the forest sector including Stora Enso and Metsäliitto. Read more
Sweden provides SEK 500 million for action against deforestation, 100 million SEK goes to the Global Environment Facility, GEF (Global Environmental Facility) and applications for sustainable forest management and in addition bilateral assistance for at least 400 million.
In beginning of May Germany announced that they would spend at least Euro 350 million (~USD 450m) of their “fast-start” climate finance on REDD+. The Oslo Climate and Forest Conference aim to launch the Interim REDD+ Partnership through the adoption of a voluntary non-legally binding partnership document. REDD + is the result of negotiations within the UNFCCC. Read more
The world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: biodiversity. The UN has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. In October 2010 the tenth Meeting under the UN Convention will be held on Biological Diversity this time in Nagoya, Japan; where the world's nations will try to decide on a new global vision and objectives for biodiversity. Meantime there are several Bidiversity events running around the globe.
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Fighting against illegal timber exports: the European Union and the Republic of Congo sign partnership agreement. The European Union and the Republic of Congo have signed the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement. The agreement foresees that, starting in July 2011, all wood products entering the European Union from the Republic of Congo will be required to carry a licence showing that they contain wood and wood products from a legal origin. European consumers will be ensured that wood and wood products imported from the Republic of Congo are of legal origin. Read more
Growth rising faster than expected but risks increasing too, says OECD Economic Outlook. Economic activity in OECD countries is picking up faster than expected but volatile sovereign debt markets and overheating in emerging-market economies are presenting increasing risks to the recovery, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Outlook. Gross domestic product (GDP) across OECD countries is projected to rise by 2.7% this year and by 2.8% in 2011.
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