Forest management in New South Wales, Australia

Forest management policy in New South Wales, Australia, has been dramatically changing during the past two decades in response to public controversy and widening expectations of the values that the forest should provide to society. The nature of NSW forest management today is a reflection of the unique Australian forest ecology, the nature of the forest sector, and the emergence of conflict and polarized views on forest management in the past two decades. Recent efforts have made progress in resolving the forest debate. The key elements have included an expanded protected areas reserve system, expanded reliance on plantation forests for wood supply, increased wood security for native forest industries in return for a commitment to value-adding and the implementation of an ecologically sustainable forest management framework. Like other Australian States, NSW is currently negotiating Regional Forest Agreements with the Commonwealth Government that will set the stage for future directions in forest management.