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Standard for Valuing Commercial Forests in Australia seminar

The Institute of Foresters of Australia in conjunction with forest industry specialists Pöyry Management Consulting Australia will launch a revised version of its ‘Standard for Valuing Commercial Forests in Australia’ at a seminar in Melbourne on Friday November 8. Source: Timberbiz

“In my 30 plus years in the Australian forest industry I have seen some appalling attempts at valuing commercial forests and anyone who has an interest in either recording, commenting on or undertaking the valuation of forests should attend this seminar,” said Institute president Rob de Fégely.

The Association of Consulting Foresters of Australia is a Division of the Institute amd received funding from Forest and Wood Products Australia to develop the standard and it was neither an easy or fast process he said.

Highly respected industry members Ian Ferguson Emeritus Professor at Melbourne University and Jerry Leech former long-term staff member of the Woods and Forests Department of South Australia (now ForestrySA) have combined their skills and years of specialist knowledge to produce this second version of the Forest Valuation Standard.

They consulted with the Australian Accounting Standards Boards and have been in regular contact with New Zealand as well as other international bodies to provide this standard on how forest values should be correctly reported.

“It is often said that producing a ‘one off’ value for a forest is relatively simple but managing successive values over time within the vagaries of markets and nature requires good science and little bit of art,” de Fégely said.

Speakers will include Prof Ferguson and Jerry Leech along with specialists from Pöyry Management Consulting and others who will provide comment on the various components of valuing and recording a forests value.

“Since becoming President of the Institute of Foresters of Australia in March 2012 I have been keen to promote the skills of our members, particularly registered professional foresters and provide opportunities for all forest managers to improve their skills.

“I have been extremely pleased with the level of interest from not only foresters and forest managers but also financial officers from private forest managers, government forest agencies and financial institutions”.

More information www.forestry.org.au/events/forest-valuation-seminar