PIRSA Forestry engages with forest industries and government to development forest policy particular for South Australia. We seek to understand relevant issues impacting forestry industries and work with government to provide solutions.

This includes the provision of expert policy information, development of innovative strategies and the preparation of responses for a range of forestry sector matters. This involves representing PIRSA on committees at State or National levels and liaising with agencies and industry organisations.

Forest Policy Issues

Forestry and forest industries are a significant contributor to the economic development of South Australia, particularly in regional areas.  The sector generates approximately 30% of the gross regional product of the South East Region and 25% of the employment.  The wood processing industry produces around 10% of the State’s manufacturing value adding.

Both the South Australian and Australian Governments consider increasing the sustainable forestry resources to be a priority: 

• An increase in already established softwood resources adds to the viability of the dependant processing industries and to the competitiveness of the industry as a whole 
• New activity based on the utilization of fast grown hardwood for conversion into chip for both local use and export, and over time, to develop higher value adding opportunities
• Emerging opportunities for plantations to provide environmental services as part of addressing land and natural resource improvement, particularly in the mid rainfall regions of the State. These can include the amelioration of dryland salinity, sequestering carbon, and supporting regional economic development within the broader natural resource framework.

Other relevant processes and issues impacting on forestry include:

• The National Forest Policy Statement and the Plantations for Australia
• The 2020 Vision requiring the removal of inappropriate barriers to investment in plantations, non-discriminatory planning requirements, and policies to foster secondary markets
• The appropriate management of water and other environmental impacts of plantations

Forest Property Act

The South Australian Parliament has recently amended the Forest Property Act 2000 to provide new business opportunities for plantation owners and farm foresters.

The amended act enables separate ownership of land, forest vegetation and the carbon rights in that vegetation.

The act provides for two forms of Forest Property Agreement (for vegetation and carbon rights) that can be registered on the Lands Title register. Both forms of agreement bind the future owners of the land.

Once agreements are established, private landowners will be able to sell their forests and/or carbon rights to provide additional income without selling their land. 

This versatility helps set up a framework to realise the greenhouse gas abatement benefits from forest growing and means that South Australia will be well-placed if carbon trading schemes are developed in the future. This will be of most benefit to those growing trees for harvest but also enables the carbon within vegetation planted for biodiversity to be sold.

Prior to the development of this legislation, landholders did not have the opportunity to sell their forests or carbon rights without selling their land.

Contact PIRSA Forestry for further information.