Semi Dranibaka instructs at the cocowood workshop

Semi Dranibaka: Grading and processing cocowood for high value flooring products.

Semi is Principal Forest Officer with the Ministry of Fisheries and Forests in Fiji and currently completing his Master of Science Degree with Southern Cross University, NSW, Australia. During 2007 and 2008 he will be working with DPI&F scientists in Brisbane on the cocowood project, with support from the John Allwright fund for his field sampling in Fiji. He has sixteen years experience in forestry in Fiji and Australia, and brings extensive, valuable knowledge of forest management in the Pacific region to the cocowood project.

Semi says he is really delighted to be working with DPI&F scientists and developing new technologies for this important timber resource in the Pacific Region.

He is looking at the pre-harvest characterization of cocowood and hopes to develop criteria to help select suitable coconut stems for processing for high value flooring products. He will be identifying appropriate sawing technologies and equipment and developing advanced specifications for grading cocowood for high value timber.

Semi wants to be able to predict which coconut stems are good enough to cut for high value flooring products. To do this he will find a way to assess the density of standing stems and calibrate this with measurements in the cut stems.

His research builds on Karl’s investigations into cocowood anatomy, taking this knowledge to the field and making practical assessments of wood quality in standing coconut stems. This will provide a pre-harvest selection method for the industry, reducing wasted transport to sawmills which process high value product and increasing the returns on each stem processed.

Semi’ role as co-trainer in the cocowood training workshop held in Fiji in September 2007 was invaluable. His experience in Fijian forestry contributed valuable technical knowledge as well as relevant communication skills with workshop participants.