Community

NEW - Community Engagement

Report on the findings of a recent study on effective community engagment within the plantation sector.

Download Community Engagement report (261 Kb PDF)

In addition to the broad economic and trade rationale for expanding the plantation estate, planting trees can contribute to the growth of regional communities. This is achieved through community involvement in the planning process, and providing regional employment throughout the lifecycle of the plantation in the establishment, management, harvesting and haulage and processing phases.

In plantations, there is a very intensive period of work at the beginning of the life of the plantation when the soil is prepared, weeds are controlled, and trees are planted and fertilised.

Once the trees are established and growing, generally after two or three years, tending the plantation requires little work until harvest. This may occur at around age 10-12 years for pulpwood or thinning sawlog plantations, through to clearfelling of the plantation, which may take place at up to age 30-35 years.

As an example of how plantations can revitalise declining regional areas, a detailed socio-economic study of the Oberon district in the NSW central west was conducted over a 9-year period from 1985 to 1993.

The study found that as plantation timber production in the region grew by 35 per cent, employment grew by 20 per cent and the number of local business enterprises rose by 25 per cent. This compared markedly with very low growth or decline in similar regions that did not have a significant plantation resource.

The Plantations 2020 Vision recognises the role that plantations play in the community, and encourages Vision partners to address the social and environmental changes being experienced by communities in areas where plantations have developed rapidly. This includes providing a role for community participation in the on-going development of the plantation resource.

Examples of this approach include the development of a "Good Neighbour Charter" by the plantation timber industry in Tasmania. The Good Neighbour Charter contains a set of best practice guidelines as a minimum standard for community engagement by the Tasmanian Plantation Timber Industry.

Key topics covered include the location of plantations, involvement of local government, looking after the environment, controlling weeds and vermin, fire management, landscape values and boundary fences.

Signatories to the Charter include:

• Gunns Limited;
• Forestry Tasmania;
• Rayonier;
• Forest Enterprises Australia, and;
• Norske Skog.

Variations of this approach are currently being adopted in other states, including Western Australia and Victoria.