Native timber action plan

The Queensland Government has announced its native timber action plan

The plan supports actions to have an internationally competitive and sustainable industry, balancing both jobs and the environment.

A number of early decisions have been made, and an approach is presented to bring stakeholders together to build a sustainable future that also ensures conservation outcomes.

Click on the following topics to find out more about the plan:

  • State-owned native timber

    The South East Queensland Forests Agreement

    The South East Queensland Forests Agreement (SEQFA) was signed by the Queensland Government, the timber industry and the conservation sector in 1999. The agreement, along with arrangements in other regions, aimed to eventually end timber production in State forests to allow transition of these areas to the conservation estate.

    The agreement put in place long-term sales permits (supply contracts) for the supply of State-owned native timber. In South East Queensland (SEQ), these end on 31 December 2024. A hardwood plantation program was also commenced, which was intended to provide an alternative, plantation-based resource to the industry.

    How the native timber industry action plan relates to the SEQFA

    The native timber industry action plan presents a process that will refresh the SEQFA for a new generation. It recognises that the industry faces new and unexpected challenges, including that the hardwood plantation program has not delivered an alternative resource, and that the conservation outcomes sought through the SEQFA continue to remain important.

    What is happening in SEQ?

    State-owned native timber production will end in the southern part of the SEQFA region, referred to as the SEQ Regional Planning Area on 31 December 2024. The current supply arrangements will continue until this time.

    State-owned native timber production will continue in the northern part of the SEQFA region, now referred to as the Wide Bay Burnett region through to 31 December 2026.

    What will happen in the SEQ Regional Planning Area?

    State-owned native timber production will end in the SEQ Regional Planning Area on 31 December 2024.

    The outcome of the SEQFA—to transfer high-value conservation areas to the protected area estate—still remains an important priority. Reflecting this, a commitment has been made to progressively transfer up to 20 000 hectares of State forest land in the SEQ Regional Planning Area to the conservation estate before 2024.

    Timber production in Wide Bay Burnett

    As part of the SEQFA, the government commenced a native hardwood plantation program. These plantations were to support the transition of the industry to alternative resources after 2024 in SEQ. However, the hardwood plantation program was not successful.

    Allowing timber production to continue in Wide Bay Burnett to 31 December 2026 recognises this has occurred, and provides time to undertake the work needed to make future decisions.

    The Western hardwoods region

    The ‘rolling-term’ sales permits in the Western hardwoods region currently end on 31 December 2034. These ‘rollover’ annually by 1 additional year unless a decision is made not to grant this extension.

    These annual extensions will no longer be granted. As these permits include supply volumes that were not supported by forest resource assessments, sustainable harvesting levels are unknown. Ending the annual extensions will allow for the outcomes of forest resource assessments to be implemented as early as possible.

    Current permit holders in the region have guaranteed supply until 31 December 2034.

    Other regions and cypress supply

    A number of short-term sales permits are in place in Central and North Queensland. In Northern Cape York a small number of long-term permits (up to 10 years) are in place.

    For native cypress supply, long-term sales permits are in place until 2037.

    No decisions have been made as yet regarding these regions and cypress supply. Future decisions will be informed by outcomes of assessments into sustainable long-term supply options for hardwood and cypress timber across Queensland.

    Why undertake assessments of sustainable supply options?

    We will be completing a comprehensive 2-year study into sustainable, future supply options for native hardwood timber, with an initial focus on Wide Bay Burnett. A major study of future, sustainable long-term supply options for hardwood and cypress timber across Queensland will also be undertaken.

    These studies will aim to determine how sustainable long-term supply can be achieved. This needs to be determined through detailed resource assessment that considers the available native forest resources, forest growth rates and the level of harvesting (or ‘yield’) that is sustainable. Consideration also has to be given to the area of forested land that is available for timber production.

  • Hardwood plantation program

    What was the hardwood plantation program?

    In 1999, as part of the SEQFA, the government commenced a hardwood plantation program. This was to provide an alternative timber resource for the native hardwood industry.

    In 2010, a private company, HQPlantations Pty Ltd became responsible for the program when it purchased the government’s forestry plantation business. The company was required to complete the planting of 20000 hectares by 2025.

    As at 2019, around 15000 hectares had been planted, with 12000 hectares planted by the government prior to the sale to HQPlantations and 3000 hectares since then.

    Most of the plantations are on freehold land either owned by HQPlantations or managed under land rental agreements. Other smaller areas are managed under joint ventures or located on State forest within HQPlantations’ plantation licence area.

    The plantations comprise:

    • spotted gum—making up over half of the plantations and the most common native hardwood species harvested in Queensland
    • western white gum—around one-quarter of the plantations and primarily in areas not suitable for spotted gum
    • other species including Gympie messmate and Dunns white gum.

    Why end the hardwood plantation program?

    An independent review of the hardwood plantation program was completed in 2015. It showed that many of the hardwood plantations established so far were performing poorly and would not deliver the alternative hardwood resource as intended. Because of this the decision was made to end the program.

    Why the plantations failed

    A combination of issues led to the poor performance of the plantations. At the time planting commenced, large-scale native hardwood plantations were untested in Queensland.

    Planting locations were challenging to find as available land was typically of marginal soil quality and in areas of increasing climate variability. More suitable land was either already in use for agriculture or was too expensive to buy.

    Matching the right species to the right site proved challenging, with research benefits from improved plant genetics, including for insect and pest resilience, yet to be realised.

    Despite the plantations being managed using well-established practices, the site and species selection challenges, along with increasing climate variability, pests and diseases, resulted in poor growth rates and the commercial failure of large areas of plantations.

    What will HQPlantations do with the hardwood plantations?

    HQPlantations is considering options for the better performing hardwood plantations, including opportunities for the timber industry to acquire parts of the resource on a commercial basis. If this opportunity is of interest, you can contact HQPlantations.

    Contacting HQPlantations

    You can contact HQPlantations at information@hqplantations.com.au for further information.

  • Native timber advisory panel

    Why establish the native timber advisory panel?

    As part of its action plan, the government has announced a number of immediate decisions. However, there is still work to do on the policies that support a long-term sustainable future for the industry.

    The government has committed to establishing a native timber industry advisory panel responsible for overseeing and making plans for the future.

    Views are wide-ranging about native forestry, and the panel will likely include representation from a cross section of stakeholders to ensure that these views are heard and fully understood. The approach allows for open engagement, and provides real opportunities for input into the policy development process.

    The native timber advisory panel’s role

    The panel’s role is to provide advice to government on policy options and implications in moving towards a sustainable future for the native timber industry. It will consider native forestry on State-owned and privately-owned land, conservation outcomes, economic impacts and opportunities for regional communities.

    How will the panel be established?

    The native timber advisory panel will be established in 2020.

    The panel will have an independent chair, and panel members agreed by the Premier; Deputy Premier; the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries; the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy; the Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Minister for Science and Minister for the Arts.

  • Privately owned native forests

    What is happening to privately owned native forests?

    Privately owned native forests have an important role in the future of the native timber industry. These areas supply around 60% of Queensland’s native hardwood timber resources. At the same time, they also provide important habitat for many species including koalas.

    Recognising the need for an integrated approach, the government has identified that the 2-year study into sustainable future options for timber supply in SEQ also needs to consider the important role of privately-owned native forests. This will help to develop an understanding of this resource and the potential contribution it could make to the industry’s future.

    The review of the Managing a native forest practice accepted development vegetation clearing code?

    Native forestry on freehold and indigenous land is regulated through the code for Managing a native forest practice under the Vegetation Management Act 1999.

    The Queensland Government committed to retaining accepted development vegetation clearing codes where they provide adequate environmental protections based on the best available science. Consistent with the review of all other codes, the native forest practice code will be scientifically reviewed by the Queensland Herbarium and CSIRO.

    Advice on this code will also be sought from the native timber advisory panel. This will enable implications for industry to be identified and understood, and for an appropriate balance to be achieved between the protection of important environmental matters and impacts on industry.

    The current Managing a native forest practice code continues to apply.

Useful links

Last updated: 20 Dec 2019