Sustainable Timber Tasmania

Last updated

Sustainable Timber Tasmania
FormerlyForestry Tasmania
Company type Government-owned corporation
Industry Forestry
Founded1994
Founder Government of Tasmania
Headquarters,
Area served
Tasmania
Key people
Steve Whiteley (Chief Executive Officer)
Rob de Fégely (Chairman)
Production output
Decrease2.svg 1,201,760 (measurement of m3 and tonnes of wood) (2023)
RevenueIncrease2.svg A$133.1 million (2023)
Decrease2.svg A$7.54 million (2023)
Total assets Increase2.svg A$314.7 million (2023)
Total equity Increase2.svg A$220.4 million (2023)
OwnerGovernment of Tasmania
Number of employees
Increase2.svg 169 (2023)
Website https://www.sttas.com.au/
Footnotes /references
[1]

Forestry Tasmania trades as Sustainable Timber Tasmania but is still legally called Forestry Tasmania. It is a government business enterprise wholly owned by the Government of Tasmania, Australia. It is responsible for the management of public production forest in Tasmania, which is about 800,000 hectares of crown land (public land) that is classified as 'permanent timber production zone'.

Contents

The company was first established in 1994, although it has earlier historical origins from operations undertaken by the state government. Sustainable Timber Tasmania is overseen by a Board of Management who are responsible to the Treasurer and the Minister for Forests.

History

The passing of the State Forests Act 1885 marked the beginning of regular reporting of forest management activities in Tasmania, conducted by Lands and Surveys Department until the formation of the Forestry Department in 1921. Research activities in the 1920s were mainly directed at assessing and mapping the State's commercial timber resources. Ground mapping was eventually replaced in the 1930s and 1940s by vastly more efficient aerial mapping. As forestry resource modelling become increasingly sophisticated, the Forestry Department was replaced by the Forestry Commission in 1947 and the research effort in all subject areas accelerated. The advent of the woodchip export industry in the 1970s gave rise to broad scale pulpwood harvesting. With a strengthened commercial focus, Forestry Tasmania was created in 1994, becoming a corporation under the Government Business Enterprises Act 1995. [2]

In 1994, Forestry Tasmania moved into the Forestry building, a heritage-listed complex situated at 79–93 Melville Street, Hobart. [3]

Rebranding and downsizing

Following the release of the 2015/16 annual report and a loss of $67.4 million, [4] the state government announced plans for the rebranding and restructuring of Forestry Tasmania. Changes include a downsizing and rebranding of the company to trade under the name of Sustainable Timber Tasmania, charging more for harvested timber, logging areas earmarked for reserves and for the government to pay more for forestry roads which have multiple uses. [5] [6]

Former Forestry Tasmania logo (1994-2017) Forestry Tasmania logo.jpg
Former Forestry Tasmania logo (1994-2017)

Sustainable Timber Tasmania commenced on 1 July 2017. [7] A few months later it was announced that 29,000 hectares of hardwood forest plantations were to be sold for $60.7 million to Reliance Forest Fibre with a 99-year lease on the land. [8] [9]

Permanent timber production zone land

'Permanent timber production zone land' (PTPZ or PTPZL) is crown land managed by Sustainable Timber Tasmania as defined in the Forest Management Act 2013. Crown land may be classified as PTPZ (or have PTPZ classification revoked) pursuant of approval by both Houses of Parliament. [10] [11] PTPZ land is primarily for the purposes of wood production; specifically, activities undertaken include native forest harvesting/reforestation, plantation harvesting, road and quarry construction. [11]

Access

'Permanent timber production zone land' is accessible to the public and normal road rules apply on the Forestry Tasmania managed roads. Roads may be closed for safety or forest operations. Camping is generally allowed except when signed 'no camping'. [12]

Protected areas

A portion of the land managed by Sustainable Timber Tasmania has informal reserve status to protect habitat for threatened species, provide streamside protection, public recreation, etc.

See also

Related Research Articles

Protected areas of Tasmania consist of protected areas located within Tasmania and its immediate onshore waters, including Macquarie Island. It includes areas of crown land managed by Tasmanian Government agencies as well as private reserves. As of 2016, 52% of Tasmania's land area has some form of reservation classification, the majority is managed by the Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service. Marine protected areas cover about 7.9% of state waters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forestry law</span> Field of law

Forestry laws govern activities in designated forest lands, most commonly with respect to forest management and timber harvesting. Forestry laws generally adopt management policies for public forest resources, such as multiple use and sustained yield. Forest management is split between private and public management, with public forests being sovereign property of the State. Forestry laws are now considered an international affair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarkine</span> Region in Tasmania, Australia

The Tarkine, officially takayna / the Tarkine, is an area containing the Savage River National Park in the north west Tasmania, Australia, which contains significant areas of wilderness. The Tarkine is noted for its beauty and natural values, containing the largest area of Gondwanan cool-temperate rainforest in Australia, as well as for its prominence in Tasmania's early mining history. The area's high concentration of Aboriginal sites has led to it being described by the Australian Heritage Council as "one of the world's great archaeological regions".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest management</span> Branch of forestry

Forest management is a branch of forestry concerned with overall administrative, legal, economic, and social aspects, as well as scientific and technical aspects, such as silviculture, forest protection, and forest regulation. This includes management for timber, aesthetics, recreation, urban values, water, wildlife, inland and nearshore fisheries, wood products, plant genetic resources, and other forest resource values. Management objectives can be for conservation, utilisation, or a mixture of the two. Techniques include timber extraction, planting and replanting of different species, building and maintenance of roads and pathways through forests, and preventing fire.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and guide to forestry:

The National Council for Fire & Emergency Services, is the peak body responsible for representing fire, emergency services and land management agencies in the Australasian region. It was formed in 1993 and has 34 full members and 13 affiliate members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest Products Commission</span>

The Forest Products Commission (FPC) is a Western Australian Government trading enterprise established under an Act of Parliament, responsible for the development and marketing of the state's renewable timber resources. The agency was established as part of the then-Court Government's response to the debate regarding logging in old-growth forests. The minister responsible for the agency is the Minister for Forestry, currently Jackie Jarvis of the Labor Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Florentine Valley</span> Valley in the south of Tasmania, Australia

The Upper Florentine Valley is a valley in the south of Tasmania, Australia, is an area recognised for its landscape and old growth forests. It is situated along the Gordon River Road near Maydena in the southwest of the island, roughly three hours drive from Hobart and comprises around 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi) of temperate rainforest and tall eucalypt forest. The Upper Florentine forms part of the Florentine catchment upstream (south) from Churchill Creek. Geographically it is an area of generally low relief valleys and flats. The area is a known habitat for threatened species of flora and fauna, including myrtle elbow orchid, grey goshawk, and spotted-tail quoll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deforestation in Sri Lanka</span>

Deforestation is one of the most serious environmental issues in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's current forest cover as of 2017 was 29.7%. In the 1920s, the island had a 49 percent forest cover but by 2005 this had fallen by approximately 26 percent. or 24-35%. Between 1990 and 2000, Sri Lanka lost an average of 26,800 ha of forests per year. This amounts to an average annual deforestation rate of 1.14%. Between 2000 and 2005 the rate accelerated to 1.43% per annum. However, with a long history of policy and laws towards environmental protection, deforestation rates of primary cover have decreased 35% since the end of the 1990s thanks to a strong history of conservation measures. The problem of deforestation in Sri Lanka is not as significant in the southern mountainous regions as it is in northern and lowland southern Sri Lanka, largely due to the nature of environmental protection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deforestation in Borneo</span> Deforestation

Deforestation in Borneo has taken place on an industrial scale since the 1960s. Borneo, the third largest island in the world, divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, was once covered by dense tropical and subtropical rainforests.

Forestry in Tasmania Australia has been conducted since early European settlement. The logging of old growth native forests in the state has been opposed by environmentalists and others via means such as lobbying, legislation and blockades.

The Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement (TFIA) is an agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Tasmania. It is designed to create additional areas of forest reserves in the State of Tasmania, while ensuring ongoing wood supply for the forest industry. It was signed by Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and Tasmania's Premier, Lara Giddings, on August 7, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farm Forestry Toolbox</span> Collection of computer programs

The Farm Forestry Toolbox is a collection of computer programs, referred to as 'Tools', intended to be used by farm forest owners and managers to aid decision making. The Toolbox includes a set of simple 'Hand Tools'; conversion of measurements and map co-ordinates; measuring the volume of stacked logs, slope, basal area; and a survey tool. A second set of more complex tools or 'Power Tools'; can be used to estimate site productivity, volume and value of wood grown for individual trees, at the coupe or stand level and forest estate level.

Private Forests Tasmania is a Tasmanian government statutory authority established in 1994 by the Tasmanian Private Forests Act 1994. The Authority was created to provide assistance and advice on private forest management in Tasmania, Australia. The objectives of the authority are to facilitate and expand the development of the private forest resource in Tasmania, in a manner that is consistent with sound forest land management practices.

The Private Forests Act 1994, established an Authority to provide assistance and advice on private forest management, to prescribe the functions and powers of that authority, to provide for related matters and to amend certain Acts. The Act created Private Forests Tasmania, a body corporate with perpetual succession, with seal and may sue and be sued in its corporate name.

A private timber reserve is an area of privately owned land, used or intended to be used, for growing timber within the Australian state of Tasmania.

The wood industry or timber industry is the industry concerned with forestry, logging, timber trade, and the production of primary forest products and wood products and secondary products like wood pulp for the pulp and paper industry. Some of the largest producers are also among the biggest owners of forest. The wood industry has historically been and continues to be an important sector in many economies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forests Commission Victoria</span> Government authority managing forests in Victoria, Australia

The Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) was the main government authority responsible for management and protection of State forests in Victoria, Australia between 1918 and 1983.

The Victorian Plantations Corporation (VPC) of Victoria, Australia, was established under the State Owned Enterprises Act in May 1993, and by June 1993 was declared a State Business Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree plantation</span> Type of forest planted for high volume production of wood

A tree plantation, forest plantation, plantation forest, timber plantation or tree farm is a forest planted for high volume production of wood, usually by planting one type of tree as a monoculture forest. The term tree farm also is used to refer to tree nurseries and Christmas tree farms. Plantation forestry can produce a high volume of wood in a short period of time. Plantations are grown by state forestry authorities and/or the paper and wood industries and other private landowners. Christmas trees are often grown on plantations, and in southern and southeastern Asia, teak plantations have recently replaced the natural forest.

References

  1. "Sustainable Timber Tasmania Annual Report 2022/23" (PDF). sttas.com.au. Sustainable Timber Tasmania. 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  2. Elliot, Humphrey; Felton, Ken; Jarman, Jean; Stone, Martin (2008). A History of Innovation (PDF). Forestry Tasmania. pp. 2–3. ISBN   978-0-646-49207-0 . Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. "Tasmanian Heritage Register - Crisp & Gunn offices and workshop, and Forestry Tasmania dome" (PDF). Tasmania Heritage Council. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  4. "Forestry Tasmania's Annual Report 2015/16" (PDF). forestrytas.com.au. Forestry Tasmania. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  5. Richards, Blair (26 October 2016). "New name, look for Forestry Tasmania as restructure aims for sustainability". themercury.com.au. News Corp. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  6. Burgess, Georgie (26 October 2016). "Forestry Tasmania downsized, renamed Sustainable Timber Tasmania". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  7. "Corporate overview". sttas.com.au. Sustainable Timber Tasmania. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  8. Morgan, Tim (15 September 2017). "Forest sales a win, Government says, but Greens concerned over Cayman Island link". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  9. Beniuk, David (14 September 2017). "Sustainable Timber Tasmania plantations sold for $60 million". themercury.com.au. News Corp. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  10. "Forest Management Act 2013". austlii.edu.au. Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Our Operations". forestrytas.com.au. Forestry Tasmania. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  12. "Visiting Our Forests". forestrytas.com.au. Forestry Tasmania. Retrieved 8 July 2017.