The State Government is investing $210,000 in the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub (GTFIH) to further assist the growth and development of the on-farm forest plantation sector.

The investment comes as part of the government’s Trees on Farm election commitment.

The two-year initiative, led by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), is jointly funded by the state and federal governments with a focus on growing South Australia’s forestry resource, particularly in the Green Triangle region.

The support is in addition to the GTFIH’s annual funding agreement with the Commonwealth.

The Trees on Farms GTFIH funding aims to help drive industry and/or landholder-led forestry projects on farms, particularly in supporting on-ground works including silviculture and property planning advice.

The initiative will build a convenient toolkit of expert advice to support and guide landholders in their commercial plantation investment, aimed at demystifying the process.

Information provided will include short rotation silviculture models, the Emissions Reduction Fund, taxation considerations, overcoming barriers to harvesting and processing small woodlots along with a spatial analysis of suitable lands for plantation forestry.

Minister for Forest Industries Clare Scriven said the Trees on Farms initiative will continue to quantify and promote the environmental and economic benefits of on-farm plantations and guide appropriate partnerships between timber processors and landholders.

“A focus of the Trees on Farm project is establishing farm-based plantations near existing processing facilities,” Minister Scriven said.

“The Green Triangle region has a long-established history in wood and forest products, making it well-positioned to attract new plantation investment in the agricultural sector, including First Nations landholdings.

“It is anticipated the Trees on Farm initiative will generate long-term benefits to South Australian farmers and the wider forestry industry.

“This will include a more sustainable timber supply, diversified farm incomes, further regional investment by the forest industry, and additional economic stimulus for regional communities.”

GTFIH chair Cam MacDonald said the Hub was working with PIRSA to scope the various sub projects which the Hub is leading as part of the initiative, anticipated to start next month.

“The GTFIH is proud to work in partnership with the State Government to realise this important initiative to further develop South Australia’s forestry sector, particularly in the Green Triangle region, meeting the growing national and global demand for wood fibre,” Mr MacDonald said.

“This initiative will educate landholders on the benefits of trees on farm through supporting on-ground works including forestry and property management planning advice to ensure the effective placement of woodlots, such as growing trees where other crops have historically failed.”

According to the South Australian Forest Products Association (SAFPA), the program will see more, much-needed trees planted that will support forest industries and help the farming community meet future carbon objectives.

SAFPA chief executive Nathan Paine said the GTFIH-managed program firmly recognised the urgent need to get more trees in the ground and set a pathway for the state’s farmers to work with forest growers to see more trees planted.

“Forest industries know that one of the solutions to the problem of getting more trees in the ground is to work with other commodity groups to provide a win-win-win scenario where the farmer gets carbon credits and a diversified income stream, the environment wins through sequestering carbon and the industry wins through access to more log into the future,” Mr Paine said.

“To avoid future issues, we need to get more trees in the ground now to ensure we have sovereign capability where we grow enough fibre to meet our future needs.

“This program is a key step in building greater partnerships with other key commodity groups and we look forward to working with the Government to explore further opportunities to expand this program.”