Northern forestry and forest products industry situational analysis

Northern forestry and forest products industry situational analysis Report

  • Author(s): Stephens, Michael, Woods, Tim, Brandt, Clarissa, Bristow, Mila, Annandale, Mark
  • Published: 2020
  • Publisher: Cooperative Research Centre for Northern Australia

Abstract: This report provides a high-level synopsis on the Northern Australian forestry and forest products industry, and describes its challenges, and potential solutions and opportunities for further policy development, research or investment. The following sections of the report should be informed by and read in conjunction with the literature review, workshop reports, more detailed indigenous literature review and image library, included as appendices. The major opportunities and associated needs are summarised in the Opportunities and Needs Matrix section of the report. This information can be used to develop a roadmap for the future development of the forestry and forest products industry in northern Australia. Figure 1 provides an emerging roadmap outlining these opportunities, actions for outcomes and overarching needs, derived from the project. A key aim of the project was to raise the visibility of the forestry and forest products industry in northern Australia and identify growth opportunities with policy makers, industry, regulators and stakeholders, and to contribute to the establishment of an Industry Development Alliance with a life beyond the project. To this end, the project partners have established an alliance which includes a number of relevant state departments, industry bodies, companies and landowners. The next steps from the alliance will be to work with relevant key influencers on priority actions, including: •identification of new research and development proposals, arising from this analysis; •targeted briefings at key policy forums and meetings(e.g. Northern Australia Ministers forum, Forestry Ministers Council, senior officer groups); and •greater industry collaboration and partnerships in northern Australia (e.g. conferences, field trips, demonstration trials, joint development and/or investment proposals and projects).Key priority actions and intended impacts for the further development of the northern forestry and forest products industry are discussed in more detail in the Strategic Recommendations section. The study identified six key recommendations across two areas of primary focus: removal of barriers for downstream processing and value-adding for forest product and timber markets; and addressing barriers to new plantation investment and production forestry carbon opportunities. The six recommendations(in no particular order)for action were: 1. Build and maintain the newly formed industry and cross-jurisdictional agency alliance to promote forest sector development across Northern Australia. 2. Promote indigenous forestry development through better engagement models and commercial arrangements between industry and indigenous landowners, and build indigenous forestry capacity and understanding of commercial forest resources including through forest resourceinventory. 3. Development of secure access arrangements for supply from crown native forest land (i.e. leasehold) in northern Queensland. 4. Develop a market research study into the potential supply and demand for wood products from Northern Australia, including key markets and supply chain needs (e.g. regional infrastructure). 5. Assess silvopastoral opportunities as a vehicle for new commercial tree plantings. 6. Review Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) barriers to carbon market access for forestry activities, with priority on the ‘water rule’ requirement for new plantations.

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Stephens, Michael, Woods, Tim, Brandt, Clarissa, Bristow, Mila, Annandale, Mark, 2020, Northern forestry and forest products industry situational analysis, Report, viewed 29 March 2024, https://www.nintione.com.au/?p=17885.

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