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Indonesia

Indonesia: New Zealand meets timber shortage in Aceh - by Mandy Whyte

Feature Article No. 1

A year after the devastating Boxing Day tsunami decimated the Indonesian province of Aceh, a large shipment of New Zealand housing timber has arrived from the South Island to meet an anticipated shortage.

The 1500 cubic metre shipment from supplier Hunter Hills in Canterbury is the first of two timber shipments for the British Red Cross, which will be used for the construction of 300 houses in Pulau Aceh off the northwest coast of Sumatra.

NZAID, New Zealand's international aid and development agency in Jakarta has been promoting New Zealand timber as a source of sustainably-harvested and accessible timber to meet the anticipated shortage and to prevent exacerbation of illegal logging in the Leuser ecosystem of Aceh.

In June last year NZAID recruited New Zealand forestry expert Ralph Douglass to work with the British Red Cross and other Non Government Organisations (NGOs) to help with supply chain methods and logistics.

"Firstly we rationalised building designs to use standard timber sizes to reduce the number of different timber specifications needed," said Mr Douglass. "There was a general lack of understanding as to how the industry operates and misinformation about timbers and treatment options."

Mr Douglass, who is now employed by the British Red Cross, developed guidelines to simplify and speed up the procurement and shipment processes that are available to other agencies wanting to import timber or source suitable local timbers.

The timber took 28 days to reach Belawan port in Medan from where it was taken by landing craft to the site. Belawan is the closest international port to Aceh and, along with Jakarta, one of two ports equipped to process duty free shipments for post-tsunami reconstruction purposes.

Mr Douglass said they have received favourable comments about the timber from locals and other NGOs. "It's a great feeling that we are finally getting timber on to the island and in time to be used for construction as planned. The quality looks excellent and the packaging has stood up to some rough handling."