Statewide Forests Process
The Statewide Forests Process (SFP) is progressively pursuing solutions for State-owned native forest management and industry development.
To date, it has determined a preferred long-term forest management solution for the western hardwoods region, the Rockhampton, Mackay and Proserpine areas and north Queensland’s ecotone forests. Attention under the SFP has now been turned to finalise any outstanding implementation issues of the cypress forests of southern and central Queensland.
The SFP is supported by a steering committee chaired by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) and includes representatives from the Australian Rainforest Conservation Society and Timber Queensland. The government is committed to the SFP as the most appropriate way for determining the long-term management of Queensland’s State-owned forests. Progress so far under the SFP is outlined below.
- Western hardwoods region
- Rockhampton, Mackay and Proserpine areas
- North Queensland ecotone forests
- Cypress forests of southern and central Queensland
Western hardwoods region
In the face of limited hardwood supplies in the western hardwoods region, the Queensland Government, in consultation with stakeholders, has put together a plan for managing State-owned native forests and stabilising the forest industry in the region. Key elements of the plan include:
- adding over one million hectares of western hardwood native forest to the conservation estate
- reducing State native forest sawlog allocations, transitioning the timber industry to plantations, and completing harvesting in approved areas by 31 December 2025
- introducing new harvesting and marketing arrangements, including a move to harvesting smaller trees and pricing logs consistent with this move
- the government's offering to ‘buy-back’ State sawlog allocations in the region
- developing long-term (to 31 December 2025) timber supply agreements with sawmills that are continuing to access State-owned timber supplies.
In November 2008, the government finalised arrangements for the buy-back of hardwood sawlog allocations from a number of western hardwood sawmillers. Meanwhile, continuing sawmillers had signed interim sales permits with the then Department of Natural Resources and Water specifying log timber allocations, harvesting regimes, log grading standards and log timber prices consistent with the government’s plan for the region. Long-term timber supply agreements have now been finalised with the sawmillers involved. The current annual allocation of log timber to the western hardwood timber industry is approximately 22 750 cubic metres.
Rockhampton, Mackay and Proserpine areas
At the request of industry and to facilitate harvesting prior to free-holding, the State Government in the early 1980s commenced a capitalisation program of timber allocations from State-owned native forests in the Mackay-Proserpine and Rockhampton areas. This program brought forward timber supplies to regional sawmillers for a nominal 20-year period. This program has now been completed.
State forests in the Mackay-Proserpine region are being progressively added to the protected area estate. Limited harvesting is continuing in other areas subject to availability, for example, salvage timber.
North Queensland ecotone forests
The SFP has determined a preferred long-term forest management solution for North Queensland’s ecotone forests, and arrangements to support this are being implemented. State forests in the region are being progressively added to the protected area estate.
Cypress forests of southern and central Queensland
DERM Forest Products currently sells State-owned cypress sawlogs to regional sawmills under the terms of fifteen-year supply agreements entered into by the Queensland Government in 1999. The current annual allocation of log timber to the cypress timber industry is 123 000 cubic metres.
Future conservation and timber supply options are currently being considered through the SFP.
Last updated 18 October 2010