A grant that will support farmers to plant the right trees in the right place on their land and prepare for a carbon-neutral economy is now open for expressions of interest. The Trees on Farms grant, funded and facilitated by Private Forests Tasmania, has $600,000 for distribution. Source: Timberbiz
PFT’s chief executive officer Penny Wells said the grant would target farmers on private land in Tasmania to incentivise the establishment of new commercial trees on farms.
“This will be the second iteration of the grant, with the first program starting in 2019,” Ms Wells said.
“In 2019, seven demonstration sites benefited from funding to help establish and integrate commercial trees into the properties, which resulted in more than 210,000 seedlings planted in the form of shelterbelts and woodlots.
“The projects’ strategic value includes the demonstrations of best practice commercial plantings, integrated on-farm, and visible at a landscape scale. This may be in the form of projects neighbouring the round one demonstration sites, projects that extend across farm boundaries, or projects in the same catchments.”
Globally, planting trees has emerged as one of the most effective methods of sequestering carbon.
“In Tasmania, trees can prepare farmers to be investment-ready for a carbon-neutral economy, as well as the potential to earn additional income,” Ms Wells said.
“The Trees on Farms grant can help to grow Tasmania’s future economy and ecology through trees.
“The right trees in the right place can increase farm productivity, improve water efficiency and water quality, improve the carbon balance, protect the land for the future, and create high-value timber products.”
There are 45,000 hectares of privately-owned, non-industrial plantation forest estate in Tasmania, the vast majority of which consists of agroforestry.
The direct value of agroforestry comes from selling wood products, carbon credits, increased farm productivity and co-products such as biofuel, oils and honey.
Indirect benefits of integrating trees on farms include improved biodiversity, providing a habitat for native species, addressing salinity, and enhanced land amenity and value.
Applicants will need to commit 50 per cent of the project cost through in-kind contribution. Applications close on January 27 at 2pm.
Private Forests Tasmania is a government authority with a legislated role to facilitate and expand the development of the state’s private resource in a manner that is consistent with sound forest and land management practices.
Further details can be found at https://www.treealliance.com.au/resources/grants_and_opportunites or call PFT on 1300 661 009.
An event will be held at the Hagley School Farm on December 13 to formally launch the program and to discuss the grants further. If you would like to attend this free session, please email [email protected] by December 10, 2021.
