Private Forests Tasmania’s Annual Report was tabled in Parliament. The report highlights the continuing strong role of the private forestry sector within Tasmania’s forest industry, with record private forest harvest levels being achieved this year. Source: Timberbiz
The total log supply to market from the private forest estate was 4.25 million tonnes – the first time the total private forest harvest has exceeded 4 million tonnes in any one year.
In its report PFT said that it continued to provide a wide range of professional advice and services to its stakeholders during the year under the direction of its acting Chief Executive Officer Jeff Battersby.
PFT continued to build new, and strengthen current relationships with companies and stakeholder groups; and worked with a range of organisations to research, pursue and promote new market opportunities for wood.
PFT also continued initiatives targeting an expansion of the private forest estate; collected valuable data to underpin industry reporting and provided input and advice to government on matters of relevance to the private forestry sector.
At 1,104,000 hectares, the private forest estate comprises approximately 33% of Tasmania’s reported forest area. The native forest component (841,000 hectares) comprises 25% of the State’s reported native forest area and the plantation component (264,000 hectares) comprises 87% of the State’s reported plantation area.
In 2017-18, the total private forest harvest rose for the sixth consecutive year eclipsing last year’s record high, increasing a further 9% on last year to supply 4.25 million tonnes of logs to the market. This is the first time the private forest estate has delivered over 4 million tonnes of logs to market and is nearly four times larger than the low of 2011-12 (1.11 million tonnes).
The dominance of the plantation based sector continued with logs supplied from plantations comprising 97% (4.11 million tonnes) of the total Tasmanian private forest harvest, the highest proportion recorded to date.
Plantation logs have comprised >90% of the Tasmanian private forest harvest since 2012-13 having steadily risen from 15% in 1994-95. In 2017-18 the plantation harvest comprised 69% hardwood (2.85 million tonnes) and 31% softwood (1.26 million tonnes).
A reduction in the hardwood plantation area of 4000ha occurred in 2017-18 and further reductions are likely as second rotations are consolidated around higher performing sites close to markets leaving some uneconomic ex MIS plantations unlikely to be replanted.
At 1.26 million tonnes the private softwood harvest level is considered to be within a long term sustainable yield range that is being maintained by replanting of harvested areas. Minor year to year fluctuations are expected, including the decrease of 17,000 tonnes (1%) in 2017-18 compared with 2016- 17.
PFT’s financial performance has continued to improve recording an operating surplus of $503k reflecting the improving private forestry activity levels and the close monitoring of expenditure.
With the retirement of Tom Fisk in late 2016, Jeff Battersby has been acting chief executive officer for the majority of 2017-18, until Penny Wells was appointed as CEO from 4 June 2018.
During the year PFT’s manager services, Arthur Lyons retired he was his 21 years with the organisation.
The board continued to operate during the year without a full-time chairperson, and with vacant director positions. In early 2018, one of the vacant positions was filled with Alice Herbon joining the board in January 2018. At the end of 2017-18 there remained one vacancy on the board. The process of recruitment and associated consultation with grower organisations had commenced by June 2018, culminating with the appointment of Evan Rolley in August 2018 who was also appointed as chair of the PFT Board.
To download the report: www.pft.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/179610/PFT_Annual_Report_2017-18.pdf
