Maroc - TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 21/Aug 00:34

Eight new plantation projects for long-rotation softwood

The Federal Government has announced funding worth $5.65 million for eight new plantation projects through round two of the Support Plantation Establishment program. Source: Timberbiz The projects will provide long-rotation softwood plantation forests, bolstering Australia’s future timber supply while contributing to meeting Australia’s carbon emission targets. The projects will establish softwood plantations ranging from 40 to 1671 hectares in size located across NSW, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania. “Ongoing investment in Australia’s forest industries is critical for the sector to realise its potential for the decades ahead. We are responsible for essential and high quality, sustainable products, provide highly skilled jobs across Australia, and are a big part of Australia’s climate change solution and path to net zero emissions,” Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Diana Hallam said. “We welcome the Government and Minister Collins using National Forestry Day to recognise the broader sector through the plantation establishment and workforce training announcements.” These eight new projects are in addition to the 19 projects from round one worth over $10 million, bringing the total funding awarded to date through the program to more than $15.7 million. The Government also announced yesterday that ForestWorks Ltd will deliver the Forestry Workforce Training Program. The Government has invested $10 million to deliver the Forestry Workforce Training Program. ForestWorks Ltd will deliver a suite of activities over the next two years to improve access to required qualifications and credentials for the forest and wood products sectors. The program will include a number of pilot projects and trials including developing and applying stackable micro credentials, a new school-to-work traineeship transition program, creation of specialised mentorship for Indigenous Australians and women, and improved ways to deliver training to employees in remote and regional Australia. The government is providing this new support to help grow the plantation forest estate after more than a decade of reduction. Recently, there have been signs of renewal in Australia’s plantation forest estate. In 2022–23 new plantation establishment doubled when compared with the previous year, with 4,500 hectares of new plantations established. “Australia’s forestry industry is a key part of the Australian economy, providing jobs and development for people across the country,” the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins said. “Nationally, the forestry industry employs around 52,000 people, with many of these workers living across rural and regional Australia. “National Forestry Day is an excellent time to highlight the importance of our forestry workforce for the economy, as well as remind us that timber is the ultimate renewable and has an important role to play.” Ms Collins said the funding package was part of the suite of initiatives, totalling over $300 million, that the government was delivering to support Australia’s forest industries. For more information on the Forestry Workforce Training Program, visit: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/forestry