Summary
This report examined landholder barriers and incentives related to timber production in North East New South Wales. A survey of 301 landholders was conducted to explore landholder demographics, land management practices, attitudes towards timber production, and preferred incentives to overcome barriers to production.
Landholders were grouped by their willingness to produce timber on their land. Willing landholders were generally younger, owned larger properties, were more likely to work off-farm, and more likely to be involved in native forestry or management for timber production. Unwilling landholders tended to be older, lived on their properties, owned smaller holdings, and were involved in other land uses.
Key barriers included land use conflict, costs, limited knowledge, and long timeframes. Preferred incentives to overcome the barriers included a mix of financial, information, and production support options. The report recommended promoting timber production as complementary to farming and future incentives should appeal to landholders’ environmental and amenity motivations. Pairing these incentives with strong extension support, real-world success stories, and peer-to-peer learning will help make timber plantations a more attractive rural land use.
Acknowledgement of funding
This report was commissioned by the North East NSW Regional Forestry Hub with funding from the Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Disclaimer
Reports prepared for Regional Forestry Hubs, and any recommendations contained in the reports, are provided as received by the Hub and are not endorsed positions of the Hub. They do not constitute Australian Government policy.
