The Forestry Corporation will see if it can increase red gum logging in the south west of New South Wales through a grant from the Murray Darling Regional Economic Diversification Fund. Source: ABC News
The region’s red gum timber industry took a knock in 2010 when loggers were shut out of what are now 100,000 hectares of national parks.
The Corporation’s Environment and Resources Manager for the Western Division, Ross Irvine, said the $110,000 grant would go towards an aerial survey of commercial timber supplies.
“The project will involve the assessment of red gum timber on about 57 western lands leases along the Murrumbidgee River around Balranald as well as three state forests near Barham,” he said.
The state forests are at Koondrook, Perricoota and Campbells Island.
“We have limits that we’re required to harvest under,” Mr Irvine said. “Having accurate and up-to-date inventory information on our red gum forests ensures that the quantity of timber that we harvest aligns with our sustainable forest management practice and also our regulatory requirements.”
Mr Irvine said that it could boost income for farmers and industry.
“Potential income for the lessees as well as the businesses that take the timber,” he said.
“Or harvest the timber from those leases and process it into a range of products that the local industry produce such as firewood and sawn timber.
“We’ve seen a growth in the use of residue products, the material left over after the harvesting of sawlogs.
“A lot of the lessees would like to see that cleaned up.
“With the growth in the firewood market that we’ve seen over the last four or five years using red gum, we see significant opportunities to grow that side of the business.
“We expect that (if) the outcomes turn out the way they are, there will be opportunities for local businesses to perhaps access additional timbers, if the assessment does determine we are available to increase the level of our harvesting from these areas that we assess.”
