Foresters To Fight For Their Survival

The Age

Thursday December 4, 2008

PHILIP HOPKINS, AGRIBUSINESS REPORTER

FARM forestry groups in Victoria, fearing for the sector's survival, have formed a body to push their role in the state's future timber industry.

The new body, Farm Forest Growers Victoria, brings together 12 farm forestry groups and various branches of the Australian Forest Growers network.

Farm forestry is environmental and commercial tree plantings integrated into traditional farm properties, or specialist commercial plantings on small areas.

It is different from industrial-scale private forestry associated with managed investment schemes (MIS).

The AFG's interim chairman, David Fisken, said the farm forestry sector was in danger of becoming dysfunctional.

This was the result of the State Government's closure of the Department of Primary Industry's private forestry unit and the private forestry development committees.

"It is fair to say until now the various farm forestry groups and individuals had relied on the DPI and the PFDCs," he said.

"The willingness to invest has been affected. The lack of obvious government support can undermine momentum."

This momentum had been generated by various programs such as sawlogs for salinity and the greenhouse initiative.

Mr Fisken, a member of SMARTimbers in the Western District, said the sector feared it would be left out of the State Government's new timber industry strategy.

"The sector has been overlooked in decision-making and is in danger of being seen as insignificant," he said.

"We believe this is because its combined potential contribution to the supply of sawlogs and other forestry products has not been properly understood or analysed by DPI or its professional advisers."

The 12 farm forestry groups have more than 800 members, who manage more than 10,000 hectares of woodlots.

As well, there are more than 200 unaffiliated growers with at least 2000 hectares of plantings. Many also own and manage private native forest.

Mr Fisken said farm forestry plantings had the potential to expand to 100,000 hectares over the next 20 years.

At this level, it would be a viable and sustainable industry sector, producing sawlogs, small roundwood and fuelwood, sequestering carbon, and potentially supplying biomass energy, he said.

The farm forestry groups include SMARTimbers, Farm Forestry North-East (FFORNE) and those from areas such as the Otways, Gippsland and the Box Ironbark network.

© 2008 The Age

Back to News Index | Back to Home