KEY ACTIONS
Ten key actions have been outlined to successfully deliver on the Government’s vision:
- To appoint the Forest Products Commission (FPC) as lead agent to coordinate support for the plantations and farm forestry industry. As lead agent the FPC will provide leadership, policy guidance, and strategic direction to drive implementation of the Strategy, and monitor, review and report on its progress.
- Establish an appropriate mechanism to ensure the provision of industry advice to Government.
- The FPC will work with the private sector, plantations and farm forestry industry and other Government agencies such as the Departments of Environment and Conservation, Agriculture and Food, Treasury and Finance, and Water, and regional NRM groups, as required, to establish a program to develop ‘forestry packages’, including:
- approaches to funding the social and environmental benefits provided by trees in order to make new plantation projects profitable and attractive to private investors; and
- landowner incentive schemes for farm forestry consistent with regional NRM strategies and investment plans, to contribute to commercial, environmental and social outcomes.
- The FPC will facilitate, in conjunction with the industry, other relevant agencies and stakeholders, industry development planning, which includes:
- identifying sustainable industries based on tree crops that can be grown in Western Australia’s environment;
- matching this to availability of suitable land for identified commercial species capable of providing feedstock for processing industries; and
- identifying infrastructure needs for new processing industries and facilitating their implementation.
- As far as possible, these plans will contribute to achieving relevant State and regional NRM objectives.
- In addition, this role will extend to facilitating planning for the management of threatening processes, including biosecurity issues.
- The FPC will ensure future industry development plans identify appropriate ‘path to market’ strategies outlining:
- current and future markets and end-uses for timber and timber products;
- requirements for initial Government support and investment, with a view to exiting the industry once long term private sector investment is established; and
- impact of new developments on viability of existing projects.
- The FPC will monitor industry and industry development and report on its contributions to economic, social and environmental outcomes for Western Australia.
- Consolidate Government plantations and farm forestry research, development and extension capacity in the FPC to provide the knowledge required to establish new industries in medium and lower rainfall agricultural areas.
Research, development and extension will focus on: - developing and encouraging adoption of tree farming systems that optimise the economic value of current and future plantation tree crops;
- assessing and promoting new species, particularly for medium and lower rainfall areas, for products on which future industries could be based, such as carbon sequestration, woody biomass for production of energy and biofuels, biodiversity protection and other innovative goods and services;
- developing and trialling tools to help predict the environmental services and economic value of specific tree planting works;
- understanding the interaction between trees and water quality and quantity, so that tree crops can best deliver both environmental services and production benefits; and
- capacity building to increase understanding by the community and adoption by rural land owners, to complement other NRM actions and programs.
- The FPC will work with the Western Australian Planning Commission and industry stakeholders to develop a planning process for plantations and farm forestry that is consistent, equitable and efficient for the industry and local communities.
- The FPC will monitor and encourage industry compliance with relevant legislation and best practice, particularly as it is detailed in the Code of Practice for Timber Plantations in Western Australia (2006), or its successor.
- The FPC will consult with industry and local government to explore the potential for meeting the needs of local government through use of the audit process under a recognised forestry certification scheme.
The FPC will also work with stakeholders and providers to ensure industry education and training needs are met.
The Strategy was launched on 2 May 2008, and will be reviewed by 2012 to ensure it remains focused on the key issues and continues to provide the necessary support and direction for new investment and development of the industry.
