NSW Forest Stewardship Pilot
Farm forestry generates benefits for both landholders and regional communities by supporting economic diversity and regional timber supply chains, in addition to maintaining biodiversity, soil health, carbon storage and water quality.
However, landholders often face barriers to engaging in farm forestry such as knowledge gaps, legacy forest management issues and associated cost burdens of management.
The NSW Forest Stewardship Pilot is the first of its kind in Australia to recognise the multiple benefits of farm forestry and address these known barriers through providing expert advice and incentives - an approach supported internationally by a range of land managers, environmental groups, industry and academics.
Local Land Services will be assisted by the Farm Forestry Expert Panel over the course of the Pilot. The Farm Forestry Expert Panel consists of:
- Adjunct Professor Neil Byron – Institute of Applied Ecology at University of Canberra
- Dr Michelle Freeman - Vice President and Board member of Forestry Australia
- Professor Jerry Vanclay – Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), Southern Cross University
- Associate Professor Michael Shawn-Fletcher – Associate Dean (Indigenous), Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne
- Dr David Freudenberger – ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society
All communications about the Pilot must be referred to Local Land Services as the point of contact via ffp@lls.nsw.gov.au or 1300 795 299.
Pilot update
The Forest Stewardship Pilot has assisted 42 landholders, including two Local Aboriginal Land Councils, to co-design a plan for forest stewardship on their property. Pilot participants were provided expert advice and a grant to help realise their forest stewardship aims.
The grants were provided for activities across seven categories:
- training and education
- stand management
- pest and weed control
- cultural heritage assessment
- ecosystem management
- fire management
- road and infrastructure.
The Forest Stewardship Pilot attracted a diverse mix of participants with varied property sizes, stewardship priorities and forest management experience.
The outcomes of the Forest Stewardship Pilot will be evaluated by Local Land Services and the Farm Forestry Expert Panel, and a report will be provided to the Minister.