Forestry Corporation of NSW’s Blowering Nursery is at full production in readiness for the 2022 planting season, with almost five million seedlings inspected to date to ensure they meet the required standard. Source: Timberbiz
This is a vital step to ensure trees planted this year can grow to their full potential and supply our timber needs in decades to come, said Plantation Improvement Manager, Phil Green.
“By the time the season completes, the nursery crew will have inspected 11 million cells and dispatched more than nine million quality seedlings that will help supply our building industry and community down the track,” Mr Green said.
The nine million seedlings will join with a further five million from Forestry Corporation’s Grafton Nursery and contracted supply and will be dispatched to planting crews across all parts of the NSW State softwood plantation estate.
Over the last 23 years, Forestry Corporation’s Blowering nursery has seen over 165 million seedlings pass through its gates to help build people’s homes and workplaces.
“Like last year, with a large program we have again engaged additional assistance to help with the grading and dispatch program which runs for five-months,” Mr Green said.
“At the height of this year’s dispatch program, we will send upwards of one million seedlings out of the nursery gate in a week.”
Mr Green said the seedlings started their journey in October last year when the team at the nursery sowed more than 400 kilograms of seed into individual cells.
“These seedlings are going to become future generations’ homes and furniture, so we go to great lengths to ensure we produce high quality, robust seedlings that will produce the best timber when they are ready for harvest,” Mr Green said.
“We use different seeds for seedlings destined to be planted in different parts of the estate so that they have the best chance of making the most of their planted environment and growing into the highest-quality timber possible.
“Blowering supplies by far the largest portion of seedlings replanted state-wide, so it’s a role the nursery team takes very seriously,” Mr Green concludes.
