In the Living Forest

In the Living Forest (Ed. John Keeney) makes a valuable contribution toward informed public debate about forest management. It's publishing has been supported by key players in forestry and related industries around Australia, with Forests NSW as a leading supporter.

In the Living Forest was designed as an independent review of the many strands of activity and thought which make up the forest community in Australia.

In recent decades the forestry sector has been undergoing a transformation into a vibrant modern industry committed to innovation, world class efficiency and achieving the scale of production essential for success in globalised markets. In the Living Forest gives an insight into these changes.

The book contains contributions from some of Australia's foremost experts including Professor Michael Archer, Eric Rolls, Phil Ruthven, John Williams, Tim Treadgold and Mark Kestigan.

Available from

Copies of the book can be purchased from Forests NSW Information Centre on Ph: 1300 655 687 or 02 9871 3377. RRP$39.95 plus $5.00 postage and handling.

It is also available online.

Section 1 History

Protecting our ancient treasures
Forest managers and indigenous communities are working together.
By Ian Abbott
A land changed forever
Australia was once home to some of the finest timber the world has known.
By Eric Rolls
The push for plantations
Australia has undergone three distinct booms in plantation establishment.
By Gary Bacon

Section 2 Science

Following his animal instincts
An ecologist explores how fauna, flora and forest activities can co-exist.
By Howard Spencer
Trees of knowledge
Forestry managers call upon the science - and art- of silviculture.
By Chris Beadle and Sadananda Nambiar
It's all part of the process
Wood processing draws upon science, silviculture and genetic research.
By Russell Washusen
The good oil on farm forestry
The much-malgned blue mallee could hold the key to repairing cropland.
By Bob Beale
Native forests under fire
The interaction between man, forests and fire has altered some ecosystems.
By Paul de Mar and Phil Cheney
Protecting plantations from fire
A plantation fire management plan must be in place well before summer.
By Paul de Mar
Where there's smoke
The first step in combating forest fires is to understand their behavious
By Phil Cheney
The latest in genes
The Grafton Forest Technology Centre is working to overcome tree problems.
By Katrina Lobley
From little things big things grow
Some timber discoveries stand head and shoulders above the rest.
By Glen Kile
Salt of the earth
Using trees to manipulate water and salt levels can have dramatic results.
By John Williams
Sowing the seeds of change
Manufactured seeds open the way for growing genetically superior forests.
By Peter Farnum and Bill Carlson
Measure for measure
Foresters use a range of tools to work out how much timber is in a forest.
By Jerry Vanclay

Section 3 Education and tourism

Rewriting the textbooks
Australian forestry education providers face some major hurdles.
By Peter Kanowski
Profiles - Andy Padgett and Kerry Pidcock
Going troppo in the north
Tropical rainforests are making a comeback in a range of new guises.
By Julian Cribb
Profiles - Matthew Harding and Phil Koperberg
New adventures in eco-tourism
In Tasmania, visitors can walk among the treetops and slide into a swamp.
By Meaghan Newson

Section 4 Economic Growth

Crunching the numbers
The impact of forestry extends beyond the gross value of the logs.
By Phil Ruthven
Profiles - Cullity family and Swan Le Messurier
Investment in the planet's future
Forestry investment has pay-offs for both investors and the environment.
By David Brand
The changing face of forestry investment
Plantation investors should ask hard questions before parting with money.
By Tony O'Hara

Section 5 Industry

Nailing it in one
The use of timber mirrors our journey from colony to developed nation.
By Greg Nolan
The tangled issue of ownership
The ups and downs of public and private ownership of forests.
By David Wilke and Noni Shannon
A perennial dilemma
The problem of use versus reservation of forests continues.
By Russ Ainley
Painting a different landscape
Forest managers must balance conservation issues with sustainability.
By Michael Bullen
The time to act is now
Steps should be taken to resolve the conflict over our forest resources.
By David Butcher
The great divide over certification
Hopes are growing that two certification systems will find a way to co-exist.
By Peter Fuller

Section 6 Managed investment

Sowing a sound investment
Timber plantations make good financial sense for investors looking to diversify.
By Gayle Bryant
Future of wood looks good
A hardwood plantation manager consolidates is position as a leader.
By Simonne Ventouras
Profile - Peter Crowe
Credit where credit is due
NSW is leading the way in developing a market for carbon credits.
By Gayle Bryant
Carrying out a grand vision
A developer of softwood plantations diversifies into different areas.
By Mark Kestigian

Section 7 Research and development

Hardwood hybrid hope
Queensland's hybrid-breeding program holds promise for the hardwood sector.
By Toni Lucke
Making paper work
Paper still holds some mysteries and challenges for scientists.
By Rod Urquhart
An answer to those burning questions
Research has shown it takes time to understand the effects of fire on forests.
By Kevin Tolhurst
The science of staying on top
A network of forestry researchers is leaving no stone unturned.
By Ian Grayson
Tree crops hold the key
'New forestry' crops help to counter dryland salinity.
By Mark Mentiplay
Part of the new breed
Scientists zero in on improving a range of tree features.
By Mark Kestigian
Weaving trees into farm
Research develops advances in agro-forestry and farm forestry in Australia.
By Rosemary Lott

Section 8 Eco-efficiency

A profound transformation
Australia's forest decision-makers have introduced far-reaching changes.
By Peter Fuller
Striking a balance
A government enterprise is cashing in on the value of Victorian forests.
By Mark Kestigian
Rising from the ashes
The ACT is restoring its forests and looking to the future.
By Peter Fuller
A voluntary reflex action
In South Australia, there's an army of volunteers on hand to help beat fires.
By Ian Grayson
A fiery friend and foe
Victoria's natural resource managers have a primal weapon in their arsenal.
By Mark Kestigian
Making a perfect match
Western Australia is expanding its plantations with the help of farmers.
By Time Treadgold
How sweet it is
The forests provide the liquid gold that's make an Aussie honey firm a key player.
By Toni Lucke
Lending a hand overseas
The NSW Rural Fire Service is helping other countries to fight their own fires.
By Peter Fuller
Starting from pole position
Koppers is helping precious timber to go a whole lot further.
By Gayle Bryant
Keeping crews all fired up
The ACT Rural Fire Services is facing new challenges post-2003.
By Ian Grayson

Section 9 Innovations

Let's stick together
An innovative solution is transforming WA's timber products industry.
By Tim Treadgold
Keeping it in the family
A South Australian dynasty is devising ways to bet the most out of each log.
By Mark Kestigian
Staying one step ahead
One wholesaler turns to engineered products to keep apace with change.
By Rachel Sullivan
The colour of karri
Karri was once used for sleepers but now is appreciated in a new way.
By Alethea Mouhtouris
Square pegs and round holes
A milling technique that works with a tree's natural shape is reducing waste.
By Mark Kestigian
Branching out into new markets
One wholesaler has discovered that the language of timber is universal.
By Mark Kestigian
Staying true to form
For one company, disastrous news turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
By Rachel Sullivan
The right treatment
David's Timber has help build some impressive projects in Victoria.
By Mark Kestigian
Getting the green light
It's hard to look past eco-friendly engineered timber products.
By Marg Davey
On the right track
For one manufacturer, the key to success lies in building on people power.
By Mark Kestigian
Keeping it in the family
One Victorian hardwood supplier has found it pays to go two ways.
By Mark Kestigian
Let's floor them
Companies are pulling out all stops to make the most of precious timber.
By Katrina Lobley
Getting the better of pests
One company has come up with an eco-friendly form of pest control.
By Mark Kestigian
Profile - Hyne family

Section 10 Social responsibility

How green is my valley
Tumut council has cultivated a flourishing forestry industry.
By Trina Thomson
With one voice
The lobby group A3P is pushing for a sustainable future for the industry.
By Julia Newbould
Rehabilitation in the bush
For NSW inmates, being part of a 'bush gang' is a chance to learn work skills.
By Alethea Mouhtouris
Turning old news into good news
Recycling newspaper is one of the ways Norske Skog is addressing green issues.
By Ian Grayson
An industry of monumental importance
The fortunes of Tumbarumba are closely tied to the forests that surround it.
By George Martin
Seeing the forest for the trees
Talking about the realities of forestry is a concern of the peak industry body.
By Peter Fuller
The quiet revolution
In Victoria, three timber processors are showing how to embrace sustainability.
By Mark Kestigian
Perfect for pine
Walcha Council has quickly developed its pine-plantation capabilities.
By Cassie McCullagh
One step at a time
Victoria's Wellington Shire is home to a dedicated timber industries precinct.
By Mark Kestigian
Profiles - Neville Smith family