SWP Programme Update – August 2018

Summary

Now that we are 3 years into the programme we are starting to see some results across a range of projects.

Highlights included:

Opportunity to improve Douglas-fir and fastigata properties through breeding has been identified.
Testing of Douglas-fir CLT showed comparable properties with Radiata pine – these results will help enable Douglas-fir CLT to be specified for use in building.
nitens drying trials showed air-drying to lower degrade than kiln drying, however the prediction of drying degrade from log measures was unsuccessful.
Screening eucalypts for natural durability, at a relative young age, should be possible, based on variation in E globoidea extractive content and the relationship between the extractive content and levels of decay observed.
A new tool to non-destructively measure the size of sapwood and heartwood in standing trees is showing good preliminary results.

A series of demonstration plots will be established to help boost confidence to plant our species.