Some 16 million new trees, mainly pine, will be planted in Gippsland in eastern Victoria as Australia’s Victorian government invests $120 million in a soft timber plantation in the state's southeast.
Hancock Victorian Plantations will match the spend to buy, lease and manage more than 14,000 hectares of softwood plantations, an area equivalent to 7000 Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
The state government claims the new plantation will underpin 2000 new and existing jobs in regional Victoria but has not confirmed how many new jobs will be created.
Victorian Agriculture Minister, Gayle Tierney, says plantings will begin in 2023, subject to final approvals.
"This is the biggest investment in Victorian history in new plantation establishment - making sure we have a strong, sustainable timber supply for decades to come," she says.
"This is all about guaranteeing the jobs in the timber sector that Victorian workers and communities rely on.
"As we expand Gippsland's softwood supply, we're delivering new opportunities for our timber industry."
HVP Plantations CEO, Stephen Ryan, says the company welcomes the opportunity to work with Government to deliver "one of the most significant plantation forestry developments in the last 20 years".
The Victorian Forest Products Association (VFPA) backed the announcement, saying 16 million trees will help close the current supply shortfall.
"Victoria imports on average 36% of its softwood demand and desperately needs to secure its future timber and fibre supplies," says VFPA CEO, Deb Kerr.
"Originally promised as the transition for the Gippsland hardwood industry, with plantings only expected to commence from 2023, it will still leave a future gap in harvestable timber and fibre from 2024.
She adds: "I also acknowledge the government's recognition that these new plantings will have a substantial impact on mitigating climate change by removing approximately 7.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the next 25 years.”
The announcement came days after the Victorian Greens called for the state's ban on logging native forests to be brought forward from 2030 to 2023 and for forestry workers to be redirected to emergency services.
"By redeploying forestry workers to form a special emergency and disaster response team, we can use their existing skills in something we desperately need in Victoria," says Victorian Greens deputy leader, Ellen Sandell.
"Ending native forest logging now, rather than in 10 years, will help the environment and save Victoria $205 million."
