About Forest Quality
Forest Quality is based in Franklin, Southern Tasmania and offers a range of analytical, research and service products. In particular we offer a low cost NIR-based measurement of kraft pulp yield and cellulose content of eucalypt wood samples as small as 1 gram.
We service the global market and are able to work with forest growers and users from around the world. We can provide advice on the design and implementation of sampling programs, and generate easy-to-follow, sampling guidelines. We are willing to travel and undertake or assist in these programs.
Please contact us if you require further information.
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Geoff Downes
FQ Senior Scientist
Franklin
Tasmania
Australia
To enquire about Forest Quality Services, please contact:
Geoff Downes
DipHND
Dr. Geoff Downes BSc(Hons), PhD, IAWS
Geoff spent 20 years as a Senior/Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO. His main research interests revolve around wood quality issues in plantation forests, particularly in regard to site and climate effects on wood formation. He has led a range of projects dealing with physiological modelling of wood formation, applications of near-infra-red spectroscopy to the non-destructive prediction of wood properties, and improved wood utilisation of eucalypt plantations (CRC Forestry).
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Geoff has authored more than 85 peer-reviewed journal publications and book chapters, over 60 conference papers. He was the lead author of the 1997 book "Sampling plantation eucalypts for wood and fibre properties". He has been an invited keynote speaker at international conferences in Europe, South Africa and South America. In 2011 he was elected a Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science.
He is a keen member of the Tasmanian Lighthorse Historical Troop.
Also a speaker with Creation Ministries.
Josh Downes BGeom.
Josh graduated with a degree in surveying and spatial science from the University of Tasmania in 2007. Since then he has been employed full time at Jacobs, based initially in Adelaide then Melbourne and currently Hobart. He has worked on various surveying projects in a wide range of industries, at tasks such as engineering road surveys, construction set out for mine sites, and 3d laser scanning.
Josh has expertise in a range of software products related to his field that will allow us to deliver data, if required, in a form ready to be integrated directly into GIS databases.
Josh is skilled in field work related to wood quality resource assessment and the taking of wood samples for our range of analytical services.
Sam Downes
Sam has a range of electrical and construction skills applicable to the maintenance and operation of laboratory and field-based equipment.
His background is in the installation and servicing of commercial and domestic equipment such as elevators and escalators. He is skilled in field work involving the collection of wood samples for the range of NIR analytical applications we offer.
Charmagne Downes
With over a decade of experience sewing historical costumes, Charmagne has specialised in constructing early 20th century outfits. She also has experience as a secretary and in customer service. Since 2011 however, Charmagne's primary work is her position of wife and mother. If you ask her she'll let you know un-hesitantly that she now has "the very best job in the world."
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Her love of detail expresses itself part-time in building websites and as a Forest Quality Lab Technician.