Research
Research and monitoring allows foresters to continually adapt and improve management practices as new information becomes available.
In the early days of the Australian colony, forest research was not a priority. Forest services were established long after settlers had cut down much of the forests, so their first task was to conserve the remaining estate, to reforest and afforest, and to bring about controlled and wiser use as quickly as possible. This meant that there was no time for extensive research but only short-term solutions to immediate problems.
Photo: SAForestry
However, as the State based forest services grew, technical divisions were established and research related to operational problems was undertaken. Today, State forest services use sophisticated technologies to manage forests, utilising aerial photography and other forms of remote sensing, statistical sampling, and computerised inventory systems to record and monitor forests on a regular basis.
Findings from cutting-edge research inform sustainable forest management and are integrated into a range of forest management practices to increase the social, cultural, environmental and economic sustainability of the forest industries.
Photo: NSWForests
Ongoing research in plantation management, under the Plantations for Australia: 2020 Vision, is currently helping to maximise yield and quality of wood products from Australia’s timber plantations.
This program was launched in 1997 by the Federal, State and Territory Governments in partnership with forest industries. Its objective is to treble Australia's hardwood and softwood plantation forest estate from about 1 million hectares to 3 million hectares by 2020.
Forest research is also helping to determine how to best manage and conserve Australian environments and habitats. As well as guiding forest management practices, research into the complex biological systems that make up forests is helping to address local and global environmental challenges such as climate change, salinity, water quality and urbanisation pressures.
Partnerships are seen as an essential part of the research process. The Cooperative Research Centers (CRC) Program brings together researchers and research users to maximise the benefits of research. To read more about research breakthroughs in areas such as bushfires, weed management and forestry visit www.crc.gov.au
Case study – Modern research delivers improved plantation stocks
Photo: Howard Spencer
The Grafton Forest Technology Centre (GFTC) is located in northern NSW and carries out research aimed at improving plantation establishment. In one project the GFTC has found that the application of a gel helps retain water and improves the survival of seedlings in the critical one-month period after they have been planted.
In another research project GFTC is investigating the most appropriate propagation methods for particular species, such as reproduction by seed, cutting or tissue culture.
Where research trials yield “elite” individuals that are superior for traits such as increased volume, improved form, disease tolerance, wood quality properties, “clonal seed orchards” have been established. In this way, the first genetically improved seed of Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) has been harvested from the Coffs Harbour seed orchard and is expected to give significant increases in tree volume in plantations.
For more information about cutting edge forest research projects visit NSW Department of Primary Industries website.
To read more information about forestry research see an article titled “Following his animal instincts” taken from In the living forest: an exploration of Australia’s forest community.
Following his animal instincts - (PDF 137KB)
