Replanting Program Continues Across New South Wales, Australia, Softwood Plantations Following 2019–20 Fires

Since the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, 40 million seedlings have been replanted in pine forests, according to the Forestry Corporation of NSW (9-16-23). Pine forests in the state’s south were among the hardest hit areas by bushfire, with more than 5 million hectares burned.

Forestry Corporation says accelerated planting programs undertaken over the past three years have seen extensive replanting in state forests near Tumut, Bombala, Bathurst, Walcha, and Grafton.

The trees are grown from seed and raised at Forestry Corporation’s nurseries at Tumut and Grafton. Planting is done mostly by hand with a skilled tree planter able to plant about 2,000 seedlings per day.

The radiata pine seedlings planted this winter will be available to harvest for fiber extraction in 15 years and for structural timber in 28 years.

Forestry Corporation of NSW is the largest manager of commercial native and plantation forests in NSW and produces around 14% of the timber produced in Australia per year.