DAFF06/127A

20 October 2006

A new report released today by the Australian Minister for Forestry and Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz, disproves the myth that tree plantations are taking over family farms.

The Bureau of Rural Sciences report, Australia’s Plantations 2006, shows that tree farms currently occupy a miniscule 0.5 percent of available land for all forms of agriculture.

If the 2020 Plantation Vision of three million hectares of plantation is achieved, plantations will account for only one percent of agricultural land.

“We hear a lot from some quarters that tree farms are somehow taking over prime farmland,” the Minister said.

“This report proves that these claims are simply false.”

Speaking at the biennial Australian Forest Growers conference in Launceston today, the Minister encouraged members and their industry.

“Plantations really are the future of forestry as we gradually move out of harvesting our old growth and harvest less native forests,” the Minister said.

The Minister confirmed to the meeting that the Government has not yet finalised its position on the review of the 12-month rule as it relates to forestry managed investment schemes.

“Whatever the final outcome, the Australian Government is determined to continue with a policy framework which supports continued growth of the plantation sector,” the Minister said.

Also at the conference the Minister released a Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation report which found that farm forestry accounts for only 0.7 percent of expenditure on all chemical pesticides in Australia.

“I wonder why anti-plantation campaigners are so selective in the figures they quote about chemical use?” the Minister said.

The full text of the Minister’s speech can be found at www.mffc.gov.au/speeches

The National Plantation Inventory, managed by the Bureau of Rural Sciences, began collecting data on Australia’s plantations in 1993. The new report, Australia’s Plantations 2006, is the third comprehensive, map-based report produced by the inventory.

The report provides an accurate and detailed description of the extent, location, species, age-class and ownership of Australia’s plantation estate at the regional and national level. The report is based on information provided by plantation and farm forest owners and managers, Private Forestry Development Committees, Farm Forestry Networks and State and Territory agencies.

The report and associated information can be obtained online at www.brs.gov.au/plantations

Australia’s Plantations 2006 at a Glance

Key findings of the report are:

• Australia’s combined plantation estate at 2005 was 1.7 million hectares
• 72,000 hectares of new plantations were established in 2005 – 65,500 ha (91%) was hardwood
• Plantations supplied 62% of the logs harvested in 2004-05
• Australia’s plantation estate has nearly doubled since the National Plantation Inventory started collecting data, but still represents just 0.2% of Australia’s total land area.
• The majority of forest plantations are privately owned.
• The greatest area of plantation is in Western Australia (375,293 ha), including the greatest area of hardwood (270,813 ha); the greatest area of softwood plantation is in the Murray Valley (178, 100)
• An estimated 75,000 people who have purchased woodlots in investment schemes own over 390,000 hectares (23%) of Australia’s plantations.

Figure 1: Total plantations, 1995-2005.

Further inquiries:

Senator Abetz’s office: Brad Stansfield 0419 884 666