Professor Jeff Morrell has commenced as the first Director of the Forestry Centre of Excellence (FCoE), ready to lead the centre into its next chapter as an international leader in forest industries for research, education, product and market development.
Globally renowned for his distinguished career in wood durability, Professor Morrell was selected following an international search.
Professor Morrell has spent more than three decades leading the durability program at Oregon State University in the United States. He was also the director for the Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life based at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland from 2018 to 2023.
A key State Government forestry commitment, the FCoE is a collaborative project between the State Government, the University of South Australia (UniSA) and the forest industry.
A new dedicated FCoE building is expected to be completed in January 2026. The FCoE is on the same site as the UniSA Mount Gambier campus, the new Mount Gambier Technical College and the Mount Gambier TAFE – providing a unique opportunity to create an education, training and research precinct.
Vital research has already been under way including projects on structural timber market access, improving safety, fire detection from cameras and satellites, suppression, recovery, and analysis of digital forestry data using artificial intelligence and immersive data analytics using VR and AR to understand the implications of climate change on plantation growth yield and water use.
Professor Morrell said he was pleased to join the team at Mount Gambier to help move the Forestry Centre of Excellence forward.
“I’m honoured to have been chosen to help direct the centre,” he said.
“It’s an exciting time to be in forestry in Australia with the resurgence in interest in our discipline over the past few years and the support for the centre from industry, the State Government and Federal Government highlights the growing importance of our forests.
“I am excited to work across the discipline to help create a vibrant Forestry Centre of Excellence that builds upon the many excellent projects already under way and contributes to the state.
“I thank Minister Clare Scriven for her very dedicated support for establishing the centre as well as the various advisory bodies that have fostered this process. I look forward to working with her to help make the centre a credit to the university, industry and state.”
Minister for Primary Industries, Regional Development and Forest Industries Clare Scriven said Professor Morrell was an excellent candidate for the role.
“It is wonderful to have Professor Jeff Morrell on board and I wholeheartedly welcome him to our state,” she said.
“Professor Morrell’s commencement as director is the latest in a series of exciting milestones for the Forestry Centre of Excellence following the successful launch late last year and imminent start of construction on the new facilities.
“The Forestry Centre of Excellence will consolidate the Green Triangle’s strengths which have been built over generations and maximise the wealth of local knowledge, expertise and skills.
“The FCoE’s focus on delivering global leading research, development and education will enhance the competitiveness, diversification and prosperity of the Green Triangle regional economy and communities, while building overall resilience in the Australian forest industry.”
