PNG WOODS MATTER FOR CREATIVE ARRANGEMENT
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Cover Page: Selection of PNG Wood Species Cross Sections
1 Table 1 (left to right)
Cover Amberoi Pterocymbium beccari Water Gum Syzygium spp.
Hopea Hopea spp.
Red Brown Terminalia Terminalia spp.
Kapiak Artocarpus spp.
PNG Walnut Dracontomelon dao
Malas Homalium foetidum
Kamarere Eucalyptus deglupta
High Mt Podocarp Dacrycarpus imbricatus
PNG Rosewood Pterocarpus indicus
Calophyllum Calophyllum spp.
Yellow Terminalia Terminalia spp.
PNG Oak Lithocarpus spp.
White cheesewood Alstonia scholaris
Erima Octomeles sumatrana
Mersawa Anisoptera thurifera
PNG walnut Dracontomelon mangiferum
PNG Quandong Elaeocarpus spp.
White Tulip oak Pterygota horsfildi
Beech Nothofagus spp.
Taun Pometia pinnata
PNG Vitex Vitex cofassus
PNG beech Nothofagus perryi
Taun (red brown)
Pometia pinnata Kwila Instia spp.
2 Table 2 (left to right)
Kauri Agathis spp.
Hoop Pine Araucaria cunninghamii
Aglaia Aglaia spp.
White cheesewood Alstonia scholaris
Amoora Amoora cucullata
Anisoptera Anisoptera polyandra
Labula Anthocephalus cadamba
Calophyllum Calophyllum spp
Campnosperma Campnosperma brevipetiolata
3 Table 3 (left to right)
Table 3
Malas Homalium foetidum
Beech Nothofagus spp.
White & red Planchonella Planchonella spp.
Oak Castanopsis accuminatissima
Walnut Dracontomelum mangiferum
Wau Beech Elmerrillia papuana
Basswood Endospermum spp
Kamarere Eucalyptus deglupta
Water Gum Eugenia spp
Amberoi Pterocymbium beccarii
Terminalia Terminalia spp
Hopea Hopea spp.
Erima Octomeles sumatrana
Pencil cedar Palaquium spp
Taun Pometia spp
Rosewood Pterocarpus indicus
Spondias Spondias dulcis
Brown terminalia
Red Cedar Toona sureni Kwila Instia spp
Terminalia brassii
Vitex Vitex cofassus
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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“FORWOOD” page 5 PNG Wood page 5 Wood Scientists page 16 References page 18 Acronyms page 19
FORWOOD
To most people throughout the world, PNG’s woods are still virtually unknown. Those with some knowledge of this vast untamed land would describe it as one of the last remaining frontiers. It is indeed a unique country. With a landmass of 45 million hectares 40 million hectares of which are still covered with forest harbouring a wealth of timber species. There is an incredible variety of timber species with hues from white, yellow to golden brown and black that are used for furniture manufacture, flooring, boat building, chopsticks, turnery and for other structural engineering tasks. The timbers’ subtle colours, textures and feel are qualities that make one species attractive to some consumers, while the uniqueness of some may make another species virtually as valuable as gold.
The flora is somewhat similar in composition to that of the tropical rainforests of North Queensland in Australia.
This similarity however does not extend into Malaysia where the species composition differs remarkably in that the flora there is dominated by the family Dipterocarpaceae. The Papua New Guinea forests should not be thought of as an extension of the forest types of South East Asia. PNG lies to the southeast of the Wallace Line, which roughly separates the Dipterocarpaceae forest type of South East Asia from the mixed tropical hardwood forests of the Pacific, including PNG.
Within the PNG complex associations of forest types, exist many valuable timbers with premium characteristics that are unique to PNG, such as Wau beech (like magnolia), labula (like ramin), pencil cedar, pink birch, rosewood etc. There is a multitude of timber species, many of which are not well known on world markets. There is a wide variety of hardwood species. The main hardwood species range in colour from cream coloured amberoi to reddish brown. Amongst the commercial hardwood species (over 60), species as ash, maple, red cedar, exist. PNG’s forests even contain camphor wood found in the Central Province of PNG, which is a pink to light brown wood that emits an aromatic odour. PNG boasts several native conifers in the Highland regions of PNG. Amongst these are the famed klinki and hoop pines found in the Bulolo Wau region, which are processed into plywood and sawn timber. Kauri pine and other podocarps are also found, especially in the Highland areas of PNG.
PNG Wood
PNG woods are part of the language of wood where one describes their qualities with a natural beauty without the need for additional surface decorations or market speaks.
Worldwide, wood is one of the most widely understood materials, everyone can name at least a few types. The various species of wood around the world and their physical properties are dictated by diverse climatic conditions. PNG is no different.
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Different cultures have found incredibly diverse uses for every part of the tree. Until more recent times, wood has long reigned supreme as the material from which tools, weapons and vehicles were made.
Photos L to R. Digging stick, burl platter, serving utensils, serving utensils, bowl, bowl. Photo credit Dick McCarthy.
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PNGFA PNG woods display. Albury 2004. Photo credit Dick McCarthy.
It must be one of the most used (and abused) material available to us
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Photo 1 Jim Belford PNG pen wood case. Photo 2 Acacia book cover. 3 A 120-year-old wooden pencil case. Source Dick McCarthy.
Wood has an ability to bring out the designer in everyone. It is accessible, easy to manipulate, can be shaped, carved, scratched, sanded, and nailed.
PNG Carvings. Source Dick McCarthy.
Wood has an ability to bring out the material expert in everyone. It is strong and flexible, dimensional stability, straight grain, even texture, extraordinary lengths, dense, ability to be stacked flat, pre cut flexibility, toughness, excellent sealing properties, thermal and acoustic insulation properties.
Grandfather Clock made from PNG rosewood. Australian timber flooring.
Cloudy Bay 9-mile Wood Processing Centre Port Moresby. Rosewood order.
Photo Credits Dick McCarthy.
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Wood has an ability in its immediacy to be worked and formed with relatively basic tools
Canoes Source Colourful Papua New Guinea Crawford Publishing.
1887 detailing a Lakatoi used for trade between Port Moresby and the Gulf of Papua which was dependent on trade winds. Source PNG Archives, Airlines PNG flight magazine.
Launching sea canoe, Vanimo.
Photo Credit Mary Jenkin 1962.
Construction of Lakatoi Papa Lea Lea north of Port Moresby double hulled sailing watercraft Hiri Trade.
Photo Credit Dick McCarthy 2009.
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Wood has an ability to change its colouring on exposure to light.
Wood has an ability with its natural weatherability. E.g., teak wood with its natural oils that clog the wood pores, eliminate the need for preservatives and making it maintenance free, e.g., boat building, garden furniture.
Teak Garden furniture. Source Golden Square Port Moresby.
Teak boat decking and use of marine plywood. Source PNG Forest Products.
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Source PNG Forest Products
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Wood has an ability to convey status as a demonstration of luxury from coverings (e.g., veneers) to house interiors to fine cabinet furniture.
Conference table Port Moresby.
Source Greg Rudani Peddle Thorp Architects PNG.
Bird of Paradise wooden emblem. National Forest Service Headquarters Port Moresby.
Source Greg Rudani Peddle Thorp Architects PNG.
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Baby Kawai Grand Piano. Fine furnishing. Photo credit Dick McCarthy.
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South Pacific Brewery Reception Rooms Port Moresby based on a Bavarian Beer Hall concept outfitted with PNG timbers.
Source Greg Rudani Peddle Thorp Architects PNG.
Bulolo Hotel Motel 1963
Main hotel building with reception, dining room, lounges, and bars.
Source John Davidson.
Motel style, comprising pairs of units with under cover car parking in the middle of each pair.
Source John Davidson.
Haus Wine Bar and Lounge. A feature of the Hotel was the extensive use of decorative plywood and timber flooring of several local tree species. Here the wall behind the bar was New Guinea Walnut (Dracontomelun mangiferum). Source John Davidson.
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Wood has an ability to be a low maintenance and hygienic material, e.g., Tooth picks bacteria killing organisms in wood allow use in oral medicine health
Wood has an ability to be converted to a cooked wood state e.g., charcoal
PNG Mu Mu by Bulolo Forestry Students at Busu. Photo credit Mike Jones. Wood has an ability to respond to finishes to seal the surface of the wood against moisture, to make cleansing easier, and to provide surface colour and texture designed for the end use. Burls as floor parquetry. Source Golden Square Port Moresby.
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Wood offers an inspiring overview of many types of wood and their derivatives. Different wood species have a huge range of natural characteristics that make them especially suitable for specific uses. E.g., some are strong, other fine grain, some very durable, some decorative, some in large quantities, various colours
Coffee tables. Source Cloudy Bay 9-mile Wood Processing Centre Port Moresby.
Wood Scientists study the physical, chemical, and biological properties of wood to find ways of processing the raw material into different products such as pulp, paper, construction timber and into products such as chipboard, fibre board and laminated beams. They describe and categorise different wood species by chemical and physical attributes as durability, treatability, density, moisture movement, workability, availability, typical uses, and production methods.
One of PNG’s leading wood scientists was Peter Eddowes. Peter was PNG’s wood technologist who passed away on the 18th of July 2021. A wealth of PNG scientific wood technology has now gone.
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Peter Eddowes joined TPNG Forests in June 1961 as a Forest Ranger. Peter then moved to TPNG Forests Forest Products Research Centre Hohola. He became the Department of Forests chief wood technologist rising to Officer in Charge of the Timber Utilization and Marketing Section. He authored the book, “Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea.”
In 1981, Peter left the PNG Department of Forests. He went into private practice in PNG and worked with the Forest Industries Council till 1993.
After 1993, Peter returned to Australia where he was actively involved in private consulting and timber importation activities from PNG.
Photo credit Gabbie Eddowes.
For some years, Wood Technologist Peter Eddowes had been working on his forthcoming publication titled “The Forest Resources of Papuasia” covering the major and minor commercial timber species of Papua New Guinea and including species from Irian Jaya and the Solomon Islands. With the nature of the forest resource continually changing especially in terms of strength, shrinkage, and durability, Peter’s publication will be invaluable to the future forest industry to continue to develop the region’s future timber markets. It captures and records for all timber users, his expertise and lifetime experience in wood technology in the region. This publication of modern timber technology research allows the range of uses of wood from this region to be continually extended. At the same time, in terms of the global timber market, this book continues attempts to standardise names for commercial woods.
Within the publications, each wood description of individual timbers is described against the international basis for scientific names of the tree species (i.e., the botanical system of nomenclature). This is invaluable when marketing timbers on the global market. Ordering and buying wood can be incredibly daunting, especially in this region. This publication will greatly assist the buyer with its specific and detailed information on woods including their colouring and grading
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REFERENCES
Airlines PNG Issue 12, May 2009 The Canoe Builders p 44 48
Anon. 1992 Colourful Papua New Guinea. Crawford Publishing 1992 ISBN 1863330364
Commonwealth New Guinea Timbers Ltd. Klinkii the World’s finest plywood. Pamphlet Pp. 1 6.
Commonwealth New Guinea Timbers Ltd. (1955 1956?). The Home of Klinkii. Pamphlet. Pp. 1 4.
Department of External Territories, Australia. 1961. Forestry: Papua and New Guinea. Australian Govt. Publishing Service, Canberra Pp. 1 9. (1)
Department of External Territories, Australia. 1965. Timbers of New Guinea. (In English, French, German, Japanese). Australian Govt., Publishing Service, Canberra Pp. 1 10.
Department of External Territories, Australia. 1971a. Timber: Papua New Guinea. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra Pp. 1 5
Dept. of Forests Forest Products Research Centre 1970 Properties and Uses of Papua and New Guinea Timbers Revision 1970, Port Moresby.
Dept of Forests 1973 NEW HORIZONS Forestry in Papua New Guinea Brisbane ISBN 0 701681845 Jacaranda Press., Brisbane Pp. 1 70, plus six maps. # (1) # An updated account of forestry in Papua New Guinea with particular reference to resources, commercial timbers, and marketing.
Dept of Forests 1978 Timbers of Papua New Guinea Promotional Pamphlet.
Department of Territories Commonwealth of Australia 1965 Timbers of Papua New Guinea brochure.
Eddowes P 1977 Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea Their Properties and Uses First published in 1961 Forest Products Research Centre Director Office of Forests Papua New Guinea.
FPRC 1970. Properties and Uses of Papua and New Guinea Timbers Second trade note Department of Forests, Division of Utilization, FPRC, Hohola Pp. 1 44 (1)
Pine Lodge Hotel www.pinelodgebulolo.com
PNG Forest Products PLYWOOD, ideal for the professional and home handyman. Pamphlet
Ryan P Editor Encyclopedia of Papua and New Guinea 1972.
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ACRONYMS
AAD Australian Antarctic Division
ACT Australian Capital Territory
ACIAR Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
ACLMP AusAid funded World Bank Land Mobilisation program.
ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific States
ADB Asian Development Bank
AEC Administrators Executive Committee
AFAP Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia & the Pacific Ltd.
ADB African Development Bank
AFLEGT African Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade
AFPNG Association of Foresters of PNG
AFS Australian Forestry School
AFTA Asean Free Trade Area
AIF Australian Infantry Forces
AMF Australian Military Forces
ANBG Australian National Botanical Gardens
ANGAU Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit
ANU Australian National University
APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
APMF Australian Paper Manufacturers Forestry Pty Ltd
APPM Australia Paper and Pulp Manufacturers
ARD Afforestation, Reforestation and avoided Deforestation
ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations
ASIO Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
ASOPA Australian School of Pacific Administration
ATIBT Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux
ATL Accelerated Tariff Liberalization
ATO African Timber Organization
AusAID Australian Aid Agency
BA basal area
BCOF British Commonwealth Occupational Force 1945 52
BDV Brussels Definition of Value
“Beer Time” Any time.
BFC Bulolo Forestry College
BGD Bulolo Gold Dredging Company
BNGD British New Guinea Development (Company Limited)
BUC Bulolo University College
C Commonwealth cm centimetre
CALM Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management
CBD Convention on Biological Diversity
CDM Clean Development Mechanism
CEFACT United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business
CEPT Common Effective Preferential Tariff
CERFLOR Certificate of Origin of Forest Raw Material, Brazil
CFA Commonwealth Forestry Association
CFE Community forestry enterprise
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CGTM Cintra for Global Trade Model
CIF cost, insurance, freight
CIFOR Centre for International Forestry Research
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
C & I Criteria and indicators
CNGT Commonwealth New Guinea Timbers Bulolo
CO2 carbon dioxide
COC chain of custody
COP Conference of Parties
CPF Collaborative Partnership on Forests
CRE Commander Royal Engineers
CRE CRE is a term inherited by RAE from RE and is the term for the Commanding Officer of a RAE unit which is headed by a Lt Col. Although the officer is called the CRE the name is also used for the name of his unit.
E.g., CRE Aust Forestry Group or 1(NG Forests).
CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation
CHAH Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria
C&I Criteria and Indicators
C&L Certification and Labelling
CSD Commission on Sustainable Development (United Nations)
CTE Committee on Trade and Environment
DASF Dept of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries
DBH/ dbh Diameter at breast height
DEPT Department
DESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
DIES Department of Information and Extension Services
DIY Do-it-yourself
DPI Department of Primary Industry
DOF Department of Forests
DSB Dispute Settlement Body
EC European Commission ECA Export credit agency
ECE Economic Commission for Europe
ECOSOC Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
EEA European Economic Area
EFI European Forest Institute
EIA Environmental Investigation Agency
EMAS Eco Management and Audit Scheme of European Union
EMS Environmental Management System
ENB East New Britain Province. e.g. For example
ENGO Environmental Non governmental Organisation
Etc et cetera (more of the same)
EU European Union
EVSL Early Voluntary Liberalisation
FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation
F &TB Forest and Timber Bureau Canberra
FIM Forest Information System
FMA Forest Management Agreement
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FPRC Forest Products Research Centre Hohola
FRA Forest Resource Assessment
FRG Forest Red Gum
FRI Forest Research Institute Lae
Forkol Bulolo Forestry College
FSP/PNG Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific
FCCC See UNFCCC
FD Forest department
FDI Foreign direct investment
FIELD The Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development
FLEGT Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade
FLEG Forest Law Enforcement and Governance
FLONAS National Forest logging concessions, Brazil
FOB free on board
FPRC Forest Products Research centre Hohola Dept of Forests PNG
FSC Forest Stewardship Council
FTAA Free Trade Area of the Americas
GAB Girth above buttress
Gbhob Girth breast height over bark
Gubab Girth under bark above buttress
GIS Geographic Information Systems
G8 Group of Eight (leading economies)
GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GEF Global Environment Facility
GFTN Global Forest and Trade Network
GFPM Global Forest Products Model
GHG greenhouse gas
GIS Geographical information system
GMO genetically modified organism
GNP Gross National Product
GPA Plurilateral Government Procurement Agreement
GSP Generalized System of Preferences
GTZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit ha hectare
IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
IEA International Energy Agency
IFA Institute of Foresters of Australia
IFY International Year of the Forest
IADB Inter American Development Bank
IBAMA Amazon Environmental Institute, Brazil
ICA International Commodity Agreement
ICCI International Conference on C&I for Sustainable Forest Management
IDB Inter American Development Bank
IEA International Environmental Agreement
IEC International Electrical Commission
IFC International Finance Corporation
IFF Intergovernmental Forum on Forests
IHPA International Hardwood Products Association
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IIED International Institute for Environment and Development
IMF International Monetary Fund
INGO International Non Governmental Organisations
IPC Integrated Programme for Commodities
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IPF Intergovernmental Panel on Forests
ISO International Organization for Standardisation
ITC International Trade Centre
ITTA International Tropical Timber Agreement
ITTC International Tropical Timber Council
ITTO International Tropical Timber Organization
IUCN The World Conservation Union
IWPA International Wood Products Association
JICA Japanese International Cooperation Agency
L of N League of Nations
LRRS Land Resource Soils Survey (branch of CSIRO)
LCA Life Cycle Analysis
LEEC London Economic and Environmental Centre
LEI Indonesian Ecolabelling Institute
LULUCF Land Use, Land Use Change and Forests m3 cubic metre
MCCAF McCarthy & Associates (Forestry) Pty. Ltd.
MHA Member of House of Assembly PNG MM Military Medal
MUS Malayan Uniform System
MEA Multilateral Environmental Agreement
MFN Most Favoured Nation
MIGA Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MTTC Malaysian Timber Certification Council n.a. not available
NAA National Archives Australia
NARI National Agriculture Research Institute
NB New Britain NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement
NGO Non Governmental Organisation
NHLA National Hardwood Lumber Association
NRRP Natural Resources and Rights Program
NT National Treatment
NTB non tariff barrier
NTCC National Timber Certification Council
NTFP non timber forest product
NTM non tariff measures
NWFP non wood forest product
NDS Northern District Sawmills
NFCAP PNG National Forestry and Conservation Action Plan
NGM New Guinea Mainland no. number
NG New Guinea
NGF New Guinea Forces (relates to plant collection of Lae Herbarium)
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NGIB New Guinea Infantry Battalion
NGI New Guinea Islands
NGO Non Government Organisation
NGVR New Guinea Volunteer Rifles
NZ New Zealand
NSW New South Wales
NTSC National Tree Seed Centre PNG Bulolo
OECD Organization for Economic Co operation and Development
OTO Office of Trade and Investment Ombudsman
OIC Officer in Charge
OISCA Organisation for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement International Japan.
OTML Ok Tedi Mining Ltd
P or p page
PEFC Pan European Forest Certification Scheme
PIB Papuan Infantry Battalion
PIR Pacific Islands Regiment
PNG Papua New Guinea
PNGAA Papua New Guinea Australia Association
PNGAF Papua New Guinea Australian Foresters Magazine Series
PNGFA Papua New Guinea Forest Authority
PNGFIA PNG Forest Industries Association
PNGRIS Papua New Guinea Resource Information System
PNGUT PNG University of Technology
POM Port Moresby
P&C Principles and Criteria
PEFC Pan European Forest Certification Framework
PGA Plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement
PPM production and processing method
PPP Polluter Pays Principle (other meaning Purchasing Power Parity)
QLD Queensland
QF Queensland Forestry
RAE Royal Australian Engineers/Australian Army
RPC Royal Papuan Constabulary
RRA Rapid Resource Appraisal
RIIA Royal Institute of International Affairs
RIL reduced impact logging
RFE Russia Far East
RTA Regional Trade Agreement
RWE roundwood equivalent
SAP structural adjustment programme
SPS Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
SFM Sustainable Forest Management
SGS Société General de Surveillance
SMS Selective Management System Malaysia
SP South Pacific
SPWP Secondary Processed Wood Products sq m square metres
TAG Trade Advisory Group of ITTO
TSS Tropical Shelterwood System
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TBT Technical Barriers to Trade
TFF Tropical Forest Foundation
TFRK traditional forest related knowledge
TNC Transnational corporation
TRAINS Trade Basic Indicators of UNCTAD
TREM trade related environmental measures
TRIM Trade Related Investment Measures
TRIP Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
UK United Kingdom
UN United Nations
Unasylva Journal of FAO of UN
UNCCD United Nations Programme to Combat Desertification
UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
UNCSD United Nations Committee on Sustainable Development
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
UNESCO United Nations Economic and Social Council
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
UNFCCC Framework Convention on Climate Change of United Nations
UNFF United Nations Forum on Forests US,
USTR Office of the US Trade Representative
UNE University of New England Armidale NSW
UNEP United Nations Environment Program
UNI University
UNITECH University of Technology Lae PNG
UNRE University of Natural Resources and Environment
UPNG University of Papua New Guinea
UQ University of Queensland US United States
USA United States of America
USD United States dollar
TPNG Territory of Papua and New Guinea
TUBL Territory United Brewery Ltd
TA Timber Area
TA Timber Authority TRP Timber Rights Purchase Vol volume
VSF Victorian School of Forestry
WA Western Australia
WB World Bank
WCMC World Conservation Monitoring Centre
WCO World Customs Organisation
WSSD World Summit for Sustainable Development
WTO World Trade Organization
WWF World Wide Fund for Nature
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