Forestry
Forests are precious and provide us with vital products and services we depend on every day. Protecting and managing the use of our NSW forests is a balance of a broad range of needs and expectations.
The NSW Government is leading the way in Ecologically sustainable forest management (ESFM), a concept which underpins forest management in NSW and guides our work.
Forestry & Land Reform (DPI Forestry)
DPI Forestry's role ensures the economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits from forests and forestry are realised for the people of NSW. DPI Forestry actively supports the health and productivity of forests for current and future generations. DPI Forestry specifically leads NSW Government efforts to support stronger primary industries through forest science and research, evidence-based policy, and plantation regulation and growth.
Through these activities, DPI Forestry supports the State's $3 billion wood and timber product industry employing 18,800 people [1] in a highly regulated and sustainable manner. Wood and wood products are the ultimate renewable™, a critical part of NSW achieving our 2030 climate targets.
The Direction
A Forestry Industry Roadmap was launched in 2016, setting an ambitious agenda focussed on modernising rules and environmental sustainability, balancing supply and demand for timber, community understanding and confidence, and industry innovation and markets. This Roadmap was a whole-of-Government approach to the sustainable management of the NSW forest estate.
ESFM is about maximising community use and enjoyment of our forests in perpetuity and reducing the risks that they face. It is about recognising different needs and perspectives in our community and securing a forest legacy of which we can all be proud.
Since the original Forestry Act of 1916, the NSW Government has long been committed to sustainably managed forests that provide benefits for all.
Snapshot of Key Findings
Services
NSW DPI Forestry includes:
- Forest Science who provides world class research with rigorous scientific and technical services in the areas of Forest Carbon, Forest Ecology, Forest Health and Forest Resources for the sustainable management of forests.
- Plantations Regulation who provides regulatory and advice functions to facilitate reafforestation and development of plantations on essentially cleared land, in accordance with the standards of the Plantations Code and Ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles.
- Forestry Policy who advises, develops and delivers on NSW Government priorities for sustainable forestry and related industries in NSW.
