New 20/20 vision of Queensland's timber plantations

A strategy aimed at supporting the future expansion of the State's $4 billion forest and timber industry and increasing employment in the sector has been released.

The new strategy would see the Queensland State Government step up its encouragement of increased investment in Queenslands timber plantation sector.

The Queensland Timber Plantation Strategy 2020 establishes a change in the role of government from direct ownership of timber plantations to one of leadership and strategic direction setting.

The aim of the strategy is to provide an investor-ready environment for a competitive, sustainable timber plantation sector.

Over the next decade, the Queensland government will concentrate on five core areas to support new investment:

• new land-use planning framework

• legislative and policy reform

• investment initiatives

• industry development support

• community education

The State government will also seek to remove any impediments to timber plantation investment and growth in Queensland legislation and administrative systems.

The Queensland Tree Tenure System is currently being reviewed and the Timber Utilisation and Marketing Act 1987 has been reviewed with a recommendation to repeal the Act.

The strategy also includes working with the timber plantation sector, prospective investors and peak bodies to identify, clarify and support new market opportunities for timber plantations. These include potential opportunities arising from international and/or national emission trading schemes, voluntary emission offsets and bioenergy opportunities.