Guy Barnett
A plan to raise the community awareness of forestry has been identified as a major part of the Tasmanian state government’s plan for forestry. Source: The Advocate
In the state budget, $450,000 has been allocated for community awareness programs invested in the next two years.
As part of the industry’s transformation, the government committed $300,000 to the Forest Practices Authority to investigate the economic impacts of the Forest Practices system.
Resources Minister Guy Barnett said future industry needs to be “sufficiently flexible” and needs to enjoy continuing access to a high-quality wood resource into the future.
Seed funding of $150,000 will also be provided to help the industry to establish an umbrella organisation that will coordinate cooperative growth and investment strategies.
A National Institute for Forest Products Innovation will be established in Launceston with $2 million allocated by the state government. The federal government has already pledged to match the $2 million.
