Forestry

History

In 1803, just fifteen years after the First Fleet’s arrival and the establishment of the settlement that would become Sydney, it was realised that clearing forests on the banks of the Hawkesbury River was causing erosion and flood damage. A Government order to stop the felling of the valuable cedar trees had little effect, as settlers continued to clear land for farms and cut timber to use or to sell.

Hauling logs on rails
Photo: SAForestry

In those early days of the Australian colonies, the management of local forests lay in the hands of sawmillers and as long as they paid their annual site licences there was little the Government could do to control their practices.

Timber harvesting methods were often wasteful and carried out without regard for the environment. There were also no forestry regulations in place to ensure regeneration. The practice of land clearing for farming and settlements continued for much of the nineteenth century, as populations increased and new colonies were developed.

In the early 1870s it was realised that forested areas were being cleared at a rapid rate so the Government set aside the first areas of Crown Land to serve as timber reserves. In NSW the first forest Ranger was appointed in 1875 and the first forest Inspector, Henry Kendall was appointed in 1881. By 1884 the area reserved for forestry in the colony of NSW was just over 2 million hectares.

After federation in 1901, each state eventually passed a Forest Act, which among other things enabled some of the remaining forested areas to be permanently designated as state forests. Forest services were established in each State to be the custodians of publically-owned forested land. They were charged with carrying out a number of forest management activities, particularly in regard to the production of timber for use by people of the State.

Packing timber for transport on horse drawn cart

Packing timber for transport
Photo: SAForestry

The goal of early forest services in Australia was to bring local forests under systematic and planned management according to the European principles of sustained yield. This was initially difficult in an industry that was not yet accustomed to being regulated.

Another role undertaken by the new state forestry departments was that of record-keeping. It was realised that successful planned management would require reliable information about the extent of the forests, the quantity of timber and the growth rates of different species. So forest surveys were started in the early 1900s to provide detailed maps of the forests and available volume of timber.

A further responsibility for state forestry departments was the 'opening up' of the bush with roads for logging and trails for fire protection. This was a vital task that not only supported the growth of the forestry industry but also provided some protection from bushfire to towns and suburban areas that adjoined forests.

Today, State Governments manage state forests and implement forest policy and programs to cover a broader range of forest uses and values.


		MANAGING AUSTRALIA'S FORESTS
HOME FOREST MANAGEMENT FAQ HISTORY Indigenous forest use Harvesting & milling Forestry Plantations Forest conservation RESEARCH POLICIES & PROGRAMS NATIVE FORESTS PLANTATIONS AGROFORESTRY		History Forestry In 1803, just fifteen years after the First Fleet’s arrival and the establishment of the settlement that would become Sydney, it was realised that clearing forests on the banks of the Hawkesbury River was causing erosion and flood damage. A Government order to stop the felling of the valuable cedar trees had little effect, as settlers continued to clear land for farms and cut timber to use or to sell. Hauling logs on rails Photo: SAForestry In those early days of the Australian colonies, the management of local forests lay in the hands of sawmillers and as long as they paid their annual site licences there was little the Government could do to control their practices. Timber harvesting methods were often wasteful and carried out without regard for the environment. There were also no forestry regulations in place to ensure regeneration. The practice of land clearing for farming and settlements continued for much of the nineteenth century, as populations increased and new colonies were developed. In the early 1870s it was realised that forested areas were being cleared at a rapid rate so the Government set aside the first areas of Crown Land to serve as timber reserves. In NSW the first forest Ranger was appointed in 1875 and the first forest Inspector, Henry Kendall was appointed in 1881. By 1884 the area reserved for forestry in the colony of NSW was just over 2 million hectares. After federation in 1901, each state eventually passed a Forest Act, which among other things enabled some of the remaining forested areas to be permanently designated as state forests. Forest services were established in each State to be the custodians of publically-owned forested land. They were charged with carrying out a number of forest management activities, particularly in regard to the production of timber for use by people of the State. Packing timber for transport Photo: SAForestry The goal of early forest services in Australia was to bring local forests under systematic and planned management according to the European principles of sustained yield. This was initially difficult in an industry that was not yet accustomed to being regulated. Another role undertaken by the new state forestry departments was that of record-keeping. It was realised that successful planned management would require reliable information about the extent of the forests, the quantity of timber and the growth rates of different species. So forest surveys were started in the early 1900s to provide detailed maps of the forests and available volume of timber. A further responsibility for state forestry departments was the 'opening up' of the bush with roads for logging and trails for fire protection. This was a vital task that not only supported the growth of the forestry industry but also provided some protection from bushfire to towns and suburban areas that adjoined forests. Today, State Governments manage state forests and implement forest policy and programs to cover a broader range of forest uses and values. Read more about state and national forest programs and policies in Australia.

MANAGING AUSTRALIA'S FORESTS

History

Forestry