Our forests are worth more standing, storing carbon and providing a home for our native animals. Already, more than 90 percent of Australia’s construction timber is provided by plantation timber.
We are calling for policy commitments from all candidates and parties in the upcoming Federal election to support a new approach to protect the environmental and carbon values of native forests and to support a rapid transition to a 100% plantation-based forestry industry.
The solution to our broken forest policy must be based on 6 pillars:
- Support resilient and sustainable forest-based industries that provide high quality employment opportunities in Australia’s regions
- Secure cost-competitive, commercially viable supply of wood products for housing and construction
- Grow a strong and commercially sustainable non-extractive forestry sector, including support for forest-based tourism and recreation, realised carbon and biodiversity (natural capital) outcomes and improved fire management
- Protection and restoration of Australia’s unique forest species and ecosystems, consistent with the goals of a Nature Positive Australia and the 2030 targets of the Convention for Biological Diversity
- Enable large scale emissions reduction from forests in supporting Australia’s net zero transition, consistent with the Paris Agreement
- Promote cooperation and coordination between the Australian Government and the states and territories