Australian Timber Producers Receive Federal Grants to Expand Plantation Forests

Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry will distribute $70 million (AUD) in federal grants to expand Australia’s plantation estates, Australia’s ABC reported (12-14-23). The initial $3.2 million will go towards establishing seven plantation forests across New South Wales, Tasmania, and Queensland.

Luke Bulkeley, the department’s director of plantations and strategy told ABC the Support Plantation Establishment program would contribute to Australia’s meeting it carbon emission reduction targets. “Trees as they grow sequester CO2 from the atmosphere so this scheme will certainly play a role.”

The program also aims to supply timber to the construction industry and help to reduce reliance on overseas products.

ABC noted that Australia’s plantation estate was badly affected by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019–20. About 55,000 hectares of trees were burnt, although 42% of that resource has been salvaged.