Following the success of the initial pilot phase, Timbeter, a global leader in AI-powered digital timber measurement, and Polish State Forests (PGL LP) have advanced to the second stage of implementing photo-optical timber measurement across the country. The large-scale rollout, backed by the Director General’s Order No. 92/2024, is reshaping how timber resources are measured, verified, and managed in Poland’s public forests. The first phase, launched in 2024, introduced Timbeter’s digital technology in 14 forest districts across the Piła and Poznań Regional Directorates, where it enabled accurate and efficient measurement of over 250,000 cubic meters of timber. Building on these results, the second phase now extends implementation to over 700 forest units nationwide, marking a major step toward full digitalization of forestry operations under Lasy Państwowe.

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A nationally rare fungus has been found in the New Forest, in the southern UK. The Candelabra Coral fungus, also known as Artomyces pyxidatus, was previously thought extinct in the UK, with no records of the fungus during the 20th century. It was rediscovered in Suffolk in 2012 and has since been recorded in at least 10 English counties over the past five years. This autumn marks the first time it has been seen in the New Forest, with sightings at at least six sites in recent weeks. …The fungus is named for its crown-tipped, creamy white branches that resemble a candelabra. It typically grows on decaying wood, particularly beech and silver birch logs, in damp woodland environments. The fungus can reach up to 10cm in height. The New Forest is known for its rich fungal diversity, hosting nearly 3,000 species—about a quarter of the UK’s total.

Informed decisions to reduce deforestation, protect biodiversity, and curb carbon emissions require not just knowing where forests are, but understanding their composition. Identifying natural forests, which serve as critical biodiversity hotspots and major carbon sinks, is particularly valuable. We developed a novel global natural forest map for 2020 at 10 m resolution. This map can support initiatives like the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and other forest monitoring or conservation efforts that require a comprehensive baseline for monitoring deforestation and degradation. The globally consistent map represents the probability of natural forest presence, enabling nuanced analysis and regional adaptation for decision-making. Evaluation using a global independent validation dataset demonstrated an overall accuracy of about 92%.

The controversial law was supposed to come into force in December last year but the latest proposal would see its implementation delayed for a second time to late 2026. European lawmakers backed on Thursday a proposal to slash due diligence requirements for business operators under the European Union’s anti-deforestation law, after pressure from industry groups and countries outside Europe claimed the law was too burdensome. The ballot followed the European Commission’s announcement last month of an IT glitch that effectively delayed the law’s implementation until the end of 2026. …Under the new draft bill to simplify the law, lawmakers backed a Commission proposal that seeks to reduce the data load handled by the IT system linked to the EU’s anti-deforestation law and to cut the administrative burden for farmers, foresters and other economic operators. …While most member states back the delay to 2026, many others continue to hold divergent views.

In related coverage:

• Sofia Manzanaro in EURACTIV: EU countries deadlocked over deforestation rules
• Felicia Jackson in Forbes: Deadlock Puts Business Credibility On The Line