Regulations for forest management in NSW
Regulations in native forests
Natural moist hardwood forest regeneration of blackbutt - Lorne State Forest, near Wauchope
Forests NSW operates under the Forestry Act 1916. Our activities are conducted under a range of statutory licences and codes of practice. These set conditions to protect soil and water, fauna and flora, fish habitat, cultural heritage and other values consistent with good environmental outcomes and stakeholder expectations.
Some of the major regulations under which we operate our timber harvesting business include:
- Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA)
- Environment Protection Licence
- Threatened Species Licence for flora and fauna
- Fisheries Licence
- Erosion mitigation guidelines for harvesting native forests of inland NSW.
Forests NSW Codes of Practice specify best management practice conditions for timber harvesting in plantations, native forests, plantation establishment and maintenance of forest roads and fire trails.
External regulatory agencies and our own internal audits are conducted on a regular basis to ensure compliance with appropriate licences and codes. Forests NSW not only meets but actually exceeds regulatory requirements. This is evidenced through our accreditation to the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS).
Find out more about:
Regional Forest Agreements
Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) are 20-year plans for the conservation and sustainable management of Australia's native forests. They are one of the principal means of implementing the National Forest Policy Statement of 1992, under which the Commonwealth and all state and territory governments agreed to work towards a shared vision for Australia's forests.
The RFAs sought a reasonable balance between conserving Australia's forest estate and its enduring use for economic production and recreation. They try to balance the full range of environmental, social, economic and heritage values that forests can provide for current and future generations and provide certainty for forest-based industries, forest-dependent communities and conservation.
In NSW, RFAs are in place for Eden, North East and Southern regions.
Find out more about Regional Forest Agreements (www.daff.gov.au).
NSW Forest Agreements
NSW Forest Agreements are in place for 20 years and are the result of consultation and consensus established between the NSW Government and major forest stakeholders. By detailing the agreed basis for long-term decisions on forest use and management, these agreements provide certainty for industry, conservation and the community, and deliver on the government's forest policy.
There are four NSW Forest Agreements covering eastern areas of NSW. These are available via the links below to the Department of Environment and Climate Change website (www.environment.nsw.gov.au):
- Upper North East Region - UNE (1999)
- Lower North East Region - LNE (1999)
- Eden regions (1999)
- Southern Region (2002).
Integrated Forestry Operations Approval
In parts of NSW where Regional Forest Agreements are in place, timber harvesting operations are regulated by the terms of an Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA).
An IFOA is granted under the Forestry and National Parks Estate Act 1998 and establishes strong, clear and consistent environmental regulation of native forest operations. The IFOA provides a set of rules encompassing the roles of the Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Department of Primary Industries in monitoring and regulating sustainable harvesting operations.
In NSW, IFOAs are in place for the following regions:
- Upper North East region
- Lower North East region
- Eden region
- Southern region.
Find out more about Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (www.environment.nsw.gov.au)
Regulations in planted forests
The management and timber harvesting of planted forests is not as heavily regulated as native forests.
Plantations are regulated by the Plantation and Reafforestation Act 1999 and the Plantation and Reafforestation (Code) Regulation 2001. The Act aims to promote plantation establishment and contains standards for the establishment, management and harvesting of the trees. This applies to private and government-owned plantations.
Forests NSW has chosen to develop and implement Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management (ESFM) plans for its plantation regions as well as for native forest areas.
Forest Practices Code Part 1
The 'Forest Practices Code Part 1 - Timber Harvesting in Forests NSW Plantations' (2005) regulates harvesting operations throughout Forests NSW softwood and hardwood plantations in New South Wales. It also provides information on good plantation management.
The provisions of the Code are binding on all parties involved in the organisation, management and practice of obtaining timber products from Forests NSW plantations. The Code is about:
- protecting the forest environment;
- protecting the value of the crop;
- maintaining a safe workplace;
- ensuring proper accounting procedures for timber; and
- communicating these rules to all stakeholders.