The forest industry in Australia contributes to jobs and economic activity in many communities. During the last decade, there has been little information on how the industry is changing in different regions, in terms of the type and number of jobs generated, economic activity, or how residents of forest-industry dependent communities view the industry and its effects.
Forest and Wood Products Australia has invested in research to produce up-to-date information on the socio-economic impacts of the forest industry in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia and parts of New South Wales. This report presents findings for the forest industry in the Green Triangle, a region that includes the softwood and hardwood plantations in south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia. The forest industry in other parts of Victoria is examined in a separate report.
The forest industry in the Green Triangle is based on production of wood and fibre from softwood plantations and hardwood plantations grown in south west Victoria and south east South Australia, as well as the processing of wood and fibre imported from other parts of Australia and other countries. Softwood plantation logs harvested in the Green Triangle region are processed at 11 sites located in the Green Triangle; some of these also processed small volumes of logs harvested outside the Green Triangle (in other parts of Victoria and South Australia). Hardwood plantations are predominantly harvested and processed into woodchips which are then exported. In addition to producing wood and fibre, plantations in the Green Triangle provide a base for other socio-economic activities including livestock grazing, bee keeping, and some recreational activities such as bushwalking. The economic value of these other activities has not been estimated as part of this report, which includes only the economic value of the fibre, wood and paper products produced from plantations and native forest.
