Codes of practice
National Forest Policy Statement
Queensland is a signatory to the National Forest Policy Statement 1992, which provides a framework for ecologically sustainable management of native forests. It requires that planning and management of forests should maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, options for the full suite of forest values in accordance with relevant national and State forest policy.
Code of practice for native forest timber production on State lands 2007
The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) is ‘custodian’ of State forest, and oversees environmental management of this estate, including the native forest areas managed for timber production.
The department, through its Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), audits the timber harvesting activities managed by Forest Products against the requirements of the Code of practice for native forest timber production on State lands 2007 (PDF, 4.4M)*.
This code was developed through a process of review and consultation with government, industry and community stakeholders and technical specialists. The aim of the prescribed standards is to protect environmental values (e.g. biodiversity, water quality, soil properties and ecological processes) to a high degree at an operational level. To minimise the environmental impact of log timber harvesting in State-owned native forests, the QPWS applies the provisions of the code to the production of:
- hardwood, cypress and sandalwood from native forests
- timber from certain mature hardwood plantations in South East Queensland, which is available to Forest Products for harvesting.
Forest Harvesting Code of Practice 2007
The Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General's Workplace Health and Safety unit also periodically audits timber-harvesting operations on State-controlled land against the provisions of the Forest Harvesting Code of Practice 2007 (PDF)*.
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Last reviewed 1 March 2011
Last updated 2 August 2010