Timber & Forestry

Timber & Forestry

 

Timber & Forestry Industry Overview

  • The last decade has seen the industry go from strength to strength, delivering increased output, sustaining local communities and supporting stable, long term employment in rural areas.

  • It is one of the rare places in the world where all the ingredients of a successful industry can be found. It is:

  • Mature – its long history means the industry is stable and well invested with all needed assets to support growth. Critically, the industry holds unparalleled expertise with the growing and processing of radiata pine and Tasmanian blue gum.

  • Diverse – the industry spans the entire value chain in the Green Triangle. Its strength lies in the depth of its capabilities and its capacity to support the entire chain.

  • Renewable – the crux of the industry is the tree; a tree cab be replanted and grown in the optimal conditions of the Green Triangle to support a cyclical, and thus sustainable, industry.

  • Highly desirable – demand for wood fibre has increased and this will continue for reasons such as growing per capita use; desire for a versatile and environmentally friendly material; and a growing and diverse range of end uses due to advances in technology and engineered products.

What kind of Industry?

  • Has some of Australia’s best climate, topography and accessibility for plantations and wood fibre processing

  • Constitutes 17% of Australia’s plantations, or 334,000 hectares

  • Supplies $1.5 billion in forest industry economic output – 7% of the Green’s Triangle’s total economic output

  • Supports over 3,000 workers directly in the local region, and over 4,000 indirectly

  • Sees under 6% of its land used by plantations

  • Around 5.8 million tonnes of carbon is sequestered in Green Triangle plantations

Additional Information.

Biosecurity, Agriculture Victoria: https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity

Farm safety, Victorian Farmers Federation: https://www.vff.org.au/fact-sheet-category/farm-safety/

Farm management, Agriculture Victoria: https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management

Climate and weather, Agriculture Victoria: https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/climate-and-weather

Food and Fibre Great South Coast acknowledges that much of the material presented in this profile and the links are general in nature. If you have a specific question related to the Great South Coast please email info@foodfibregsc.com.au and we will provide a response either by return email or phone call.