Plantations and Farm Forestry
Plantations and farm forestry present an opportunity to increase Australia’s long-term wood supply while contributing significant social, economic and environmental benefits to regional Australia. The links to the left of this page will help you find out more about how to get involved in farm forestry and to learn more about Australia's plantations.
For more technical data on Australian plantations the Australia's Plantations 2006 report contains information on both industrial and farm forest plantations by 15 wood supply regions across Australia. The National Plantation Inventory completed a complementary Inventory Update in 2009, outlining more recent plantation data and trends.
About Plantations
Increasing the plantation timber resource to expand Australia's forest industries and offset the reduced access to native forest resource is a key forest policy objective of the National Forest Policy Statement, Regional Forest Agreements and Plantations for Australia: The 2020 Vision. The overarching principle of the 2020 Vision strategy is to enhance regional wealth creation and international competitiveness through a sustainable increase in Australia’s plantation resources. This is to be achieved through a notional target of trebling the area of commercial tree crops to 3 million hectares by 2020, using mainly private sector funding.
In parts of Australia, plantations yield up to 14 times more wood per hectare than native forests, largely due to plant selection and breeding, and the use of more intensive management techniques. Continued improvement of plantation stock in terms of wood quality, yield and disease resistance is expected in the future. Better silvicultural management is another major reason for increased wood yields, ensuring uniform, high-quality and cost-competitive timber products.
Plantations supplied over 68 per cent of the logs harvested in Australia in 2006-07. Over the five years prior to 2006-07 the production from plantation estates increased by 28 per cent. Supporting employment in rural communities and growth in the national economy. The benefits of plantations to regional communities were shown in research undertaken by the Bureau of Rural Sciences entitled, Socio-economic impacts of plantation forestry in the Great Southern region and Socio-economic impacts of plantation forestry in the South West Slopes of New South Wales.
Australia’s plantation processing industry comprises a number of large, internationally-competitive companies. In recent years the plantation processing sector has invested heavily in the development of modern efficient sawmills, reconstituted and engineered wood production facilities and best practice pulp mills. Continued development of plantations is necessary to support further investment in the plantation processing sector. This investment will assist in developing new export and value-adding industries, and contribute to regional economic development.
Plantations also offer important environmental benefits. Plantations, strategically placed in the landscape, are recognised for their importance for sustainable production and improved soil, water quality and salinity mitigation, carbon and biodiversity benefits. There is a substantial body of scientific and policy activity through major Australian Government programs that recognise, promote and evaluate the opportunities to achieve multiple objectives through revegetation and plantations. Key research in this area has been undertaken by the Bureau of Rural Sciences, and the Forest and Wood Products Australia.
About Farm Forestry
Farm forestry means different things to different people. Essentially however, it is the incorporation of commercial tree growing into farming systems. As depicted in the diagram below, it takes many forms, including timber belts, alleys and widespread tree plantings. Farm forestry can provide farmers with an alternative source of income. It can improve agricultural production by providing shelter for stock and crops and can provide substantial environmental benefits such as salinity control.
Over the last decade, landholders and community groups all over Australia have invested significant effort in planting trees and other plants in revegetation and forestry projects. The National Farm Forestry Inventory reported that by 2001 over 65,000 hectares had been planted in farm forestry activities.
The Farm Forestry National Action Statement outlines the objectives and actions agreed by the Australian, State and Territory governments and the forest and wood products industry to develop farm forestry.
Farm forestry has an important role in helping tackle the land and water degradation issues affecting Australia's agricultural landscapes. The booklet, Farm Forestry's Role, describes how farm forestry projects can be incorporated into the regional natural resource management planning processes and framework.