The new National Institute of Forest Products Innovation has kicked into gear in South Australia, with an inaugural meeting of its industry-driven advisory committee electing Tammy Auld as Chair and planning a workshop to discuss the research priorities and strategy with all interested industry professionals on 10 May. Source: Timberbiz The Institute has been established to investigate innovation in areas such as forest management, timber processing, wood fibre recovery, advanced manufacturing and the bioeconomy. Ms Auld said the Institute hub would strengthen ties between research and the industry’s strategic needs. “South Australia not only has a long history in forestry, but a bright and innovative future with the potential for a range of new bio-materials and other opportunities to value-add,” she said. Ms Auld, Woodflow Manager at Timberlands Pacific, is joined on the committee by Glen Rivers of OneFortyOne Plantations, Phillip Dohnt of LV Dohnt & Co, David Oliver of Timberlink, and industry consultant Charlma Phillips as well as Professor Christopher Saint of the University of South Australia who has been appointed as a non-voting observer to the committee. The Institute’s Mount Gambier hub is also expecting to utilise and draw upon many of the resources made available through the University of South Australia’s Mount Gambier campus, which is also home to a separate initiative, Forestry at Mount Gambier Hub or “ForMT”, a collaboration with ForestrySA and Primary Industries and Regions SA. IFPI’s South Australian hub has received a $4 million funding commitment from the Australian and South Australian Governments, and it is anticipated it will also attract industry support. The Institution also has a further hub in Launceston, Tasmania. Anyone who is interested in attending the regional briefing session can contact info.sa@nifpi.org.au