FWPA is excited to announce the launch of its inaugural podcast series, WoodChat. Each episode in the series will include an in-depth conversation with experts on a different industry-related news story, discovery or innovation.
During the first episode of the series the hosts spoke to Associate Professor Jacki Schirmer, of the University of Canberra, about biophilia — the principle that exposure to nature increases human wellbeing — and the positive effects of wood indoors.
The second episode features CSIRO Research Scientist Dr Patrick Mitchell explaining the potential of the Forest Climate Risk Tool — a free, interactive online tool developed by the CSIRO with funding from FWPA.
The tool will allow forest managers to gauge the likely impact of the climate on growing conditions in their specific areas. It provides information on factors such as the likely periods of drought, predicted rainfall, number of heatwave days, temperatures and fire risk in detail down to a 5km x 5km grid of almost all forested and plantation areas in Australia.
Users can see both the ‘most likely’ result and a range of other possible results for 2030, 2050 and 2070, as compared with the current situation.
In the latest episode, the hosts meet with distinguished international academic and leading industry figure Professor Jeff Morrell of Oregon State University. They discuss, among other things, his recent appointment as Director of Australia’s National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life, and what he hopes the Centre will achieve for the industry both in Australia and internationally.
You can listen to WoodChat episodes on SoundCloud and watch a video presentation and tutorials demonstrating the free Forest Climate Risk Tool by Dr Mitchell on Vimeo.
