the forester - institute of foresters of australia forester june... · po box 7002 yarralumla act...

HE ORESTER T F A publication of The Institute of Foresters of Australia

Meet our new Registered Professional Foresters

Page 4

Registered by Print Post, Publication No. PP299436/00103

Volume 53, Number 2 June 2010 ISSN 1444-8920

Volunteering in Vietnam

8

ACFA ACFA

Association ofAssociation of

Consulting Foresters of AustraliaConsulting Foresters of Australia

Forest Valuation Standard update

Page 13

Forestry in East Coast Tasmania - Did we get it right?

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2 VOLUME 53, NUMBER 2 - JUNE 2010 THE FORESTER

The views expressed in this publication and any inserts are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Institute of Foresters of Australia.

National President Dr Peter Volker Board of Directors Keith Jennings, QLD Nick Cameron, NSW Phil Pritchard, ACT Mike Ryan, VIC Zoe Harkin, VIC Lew Parsons, SA David Wettenhall, WA Richard Shoobridge, TAS Adrian Goodwin, ACFA Chief Executive Officer Cassandra Spencer Member Services Anne Katalinic

National Office PO Box 7002 YARRALUMLA ACT 2600 Building 6, Wilf Crane Cres Yarralumla ACT 2600 Phone (02) 6281 3992 Fax (02) 6281 4693 Email: [email protected] Web Site www.forestry.org.au

Next date for copy: 1 Aug 2010 (Vol 53, No. 3) Submissions: The Editor IFA PO Box 7002 Yarralumla ACT 2600 Phone (02) 6281 3992 Fax (02) 6281 4693 Email: [email protected]

The Forester is a quarterly newsletter published by the Institute of Foresters of Australia. Advertising and sales enquiries should be directed to: [email protected]

Contents

NATIONAL NEWS

From the President .......................................................... 3

Notice of Company AGM ............................................... 5

SPECIAL FEATURES

ACT Division news ........................................................ 7

ACT Forester of the Year awarded ................................. 8

South Australia celebrates .............................................. 10

West Coast to West Africa .............................................. 12

An interesting chapter from

Indian forestry ................................................................ 14

East Coast Forestry—did we get it right? ....................... 16-17

Volunteering in Vietnam ................................................ 18-19

Trailblazers 2010 Participant Review ............................. 22

Healthy Forests Seminar ................................................. 23

From IFA Newsletters 1970-79 ...................................... 24-25

Great moments in Australian Forestry ............................ 26-29

RPF Scheme

New approved RPF’s ...................................................... 4-5

ACFA Division

Forest Valuation Standard update ................................... 13

AWARDS, GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS

Forestry Scholarship Fund

2010 recipients ................................................................ 6

2010 Max Jacobs Fund

recipient .......................................................................... 11

NW Jolly Medal call for

nominations .................................................................... 12

2011 Max Jacobs Grant

Applications open ........................................................... 21

Allan Henderson grant

Applications open ........................................................... 21

FORESTRY COURSES

University of Melbourne ................................................. 9

Australian National University ....................................... 15

Southern Cross University .............................................. 20

REGULAR FEATURES

Summary of Email Bulletins ........................................... 19

Welcome to new members .............................................. 28

Notice Board ................................................................... 30

Membership with the IFA ............................................... 31-32

ADVERTS

Load your theses onto the

IFA website .................................................................... 10

Forestry Tools ................................................................. 29

ACFA ............................................................................. 30


From the President

I am writing as I travel through Chile, near Valdivia. This country is endowed with rich volcanic soils and consistent rainfall, ideal for eucalypts, acacias and radiata pine. It also has a wealth of native species capable of producing high value timber. The native forests have been largely off-limits to production forestry for the past 30 odd years. There is a realisation emerging that management is required to thin out overstocked regrowth stands for maintenance of forest health, biodiversity and fire

management. There is certainly potential for native forests to provide high value and unique timber.

Chile has no problem attracting the best and brightest students to forestry education. Forestry is second in economic activity in the country. The forest degree is a Bachelor of Forest Engineering as opposed to Forest Science in Australia. Students undertake a five year degree which includes at least 6 months of practical work and a thesis. They are required to defend their thesis in a public forum. I have found that Chilean forestry graduates from their major universities are extremely confident and practical people with a good academic background combined with a high level of practical

experience.

This makes me ponder why forestry is out of favour with Australian young people. Despite many efforts to recruit students, we have failed. ANU will make radical changes to the forestry degree and the National Forestry Masters Program is only just surviving. The current University funding arrangements make it difficult to sustain course‟s with low numbers of students. Unfortunately the recruitment requirements for new staff also mitigate against teaching skills in favour of research output.

Only a few years ago, engineering faculties were facing similar problems, but there now appears to be a boom in

student numbers. One reason is very strong promotion across all industries associated with engineering. In forestry we seem to work against each other rather than together. If we equated forestry to our counterparts in engineering there would perhaps be more overlap than with science. Foresters build roads, plan projects, use machinery in all aspects of management, process wood

and even get involved in pulp, timber manufacturing. If all those industry players worked together rather than concentrate on their own self-interest perhaps we would have a chance of making an attractive option for young people.

I have been somewhat disappointed with the industry response to the launch of the Forestry Scholarship Fund. Despite the tremendous input from the IFA including seeding finance and setting up a vehicle in the form of a tax-deductible charity, there are many in the industry who knock the scheme and selfishly try to set up their own programs in the hope they can bind students to their enterprise. Time will prove that students go to employers of choice that offer good working environments and a commitment to career and personal development. Industry leaders also talk about having graduates “job ready” with skills in management, finance as well as technical skills. I ask any senior graduate if they considered they were “job ready” when they first left Uni to start their careers. I think you will agree that University training taught you how to think, gather information and put it to a useful purpose.

If the forest industry is to be sustained into the future it must attract the brightest and best students in all areas from seed to supermarket. We must demonstrate through our actions that forestry can be a rewarding career to be involved in.

Finally I take this opportunity to offer support to any members who have recently lost their jobs through no fault of there own. One can only hope that other opportunities arise and they can continue with their forestry careers. The IFA will do all it can to help through these difficult times.

Dr Peter Volker RPF FIFA

Photo: Measuring the diameter of Eucalyptus globulus in Spain - this is claimed to be the largest tree in Europe at 85 m tall and 93cm diameter and 120 years old.


John Innes Approved RPF

The RPF Registration Committee has approved Professor John Innes of British Columbia, Canada, in the specialist category of Forestry Science and Research with expertise in Sustainable forest management and Certification.

Prior to his employment at University of British Columbia (UBC) John worked for the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research. He has been an Adjunct Professor in forest pathology at The Pennsylvania State University, and is at present an Adjunct Professor at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, PRC, and Jiangxi Agricultural University, PRC. He is also currently an Honorary Professorial Fellow in the Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science at Melbourne University, where he has been teaching a course on sustainable forest management in the university‟s new Master of Forest Ecosystem Science degree for the last two years.

Joining UBC in 1999 as Professor and FRBC Chair of Forest Management, John has also held the positions of Director, Centre for Applied Conservation Research from 2001-2004

and Director, International Forestry (Faculty of Forestry) from 2003-2008.

John currently teaches International Forestry at UBC and also courses on Tropical Forests and Global Environmental Issues and during this time has supervised over 30 MSc and PhD students. John has spent many hours lecturing at venues around the world on topics as diverse as forest certification, climate change, innovation in the forest sector and China‟s forestry investment programmes.

John‟s research interests focus on sustainable forest management and its implementation. Typical of forestry today, his work spans the physical, biological and social sciences, and a particular interest has been in bringing these together to better understand forest management issues. He has a strong interest in Aboriginal forestry, both in BC and elsewhere, and has worked with many of British Columbia‟s First Nations on forest-related issues.

John has been involved in over 30 competitive and non-competitive research grants since 2000, undertakes a range of consulting work for the British Columbian and Canadian governments, and has co-authored over 127 reviewed articles.

In his spare time, John enjoys wildlife photography and is training an Australian labradoodle as a service dog for a disabled person.

Andrew Dickinson Approved RPF

The RPF Registration Committee has approved Andrew Dickinson of Moorabbin, Victoria in the category of General Practicing Forester.

Andrew obtained his BSc (Forestry) from Australian National University in 1991. He worked for Norske Skog in Tasmania for five years in resource information and silviculture operations. Andrew spent the next four years

working in forestry and GIS in North Carolina and travelling around South America. Andrew joined Timbercorp in 2007 and was the Resource Information Manager until his timely departure in 2007. Part of Andrew‟s duties in this role included management of inventory, permanent sample plots, growth modelling, GIS and modelling wood supply.

Andrew then joined Pöyry

Management Consulting in

January 2007. Andrew is a Senior

Consultant. Andrew has skills in

the modelling of plantation growth and yield, forest

estate modelling, forest information systems, harvest

scheduling and forest valuations. He is a regular user of

Woodstock software for forest estate modelling and

forest valuations. His work includes field inspections and

plantation due diligence, feasibility analysis for proposed

forestry projects and independent forester reports.

Andrew is currently doing an MBA through the Monash

University in Melbourne. He is married and has two

young children.


Ben Bradshaw Approved RPF

The RPF Registration Committee has approved Ben Bradshaw of Penola SA in the category of General Practicing Forester.

Early in his career Ben worked with the Department of Conservation and Land Management in Western Australia. Starting with the Forest Management Branch he was then employed with the Plant Propagation Centre as a leading-hand responsible for undertaking and regular supervision of

operations from seed sowing and propagation to irrigation and pest and disease control in eucalypt (containerised) and pine (open rooted) seedling operations.

In 1999 Ben had opportunity to work in the School of Natural Sciences and completed his Bachelor of Science degree from Edith Cowan University and undertook a number of roles such as laboratory teaching and as research assistant. Between 2001 and 2004 Ben studied as a postgraduate research student and received his PhD from Murdoch University in 2006. Ben‟s areas of research were:

Use of stable isotopes to evaluate water stress.

Phloem and xylem sap sampling and analysis to

examine nutritional response.

Determining irrigation strategies to improve

photosynthetic efficiency and truffle yield.

Determination of key environmental variables (e.g.

temperature, VPD, soil moisture, radiation) influencing C uptake in host plants used in commercial truffières in Western Australia.

Manipulating C balance

within plants to increase availability of C to the fungal symbiont.

Modelling climatic variables

to evaluate potential truffle growing sites.

Carbon physiology of plants

associated with mycorrhizal fungi.

Ben was employed with Timbercorp Forestry Pty Ltd from 2005 as Project Supervisor. His duties involved planning and implementation of annual nutrition programs, undertaking a broad range of silvicultural research trials as well as assisting in the development of financial models to support operational activities and optimise product yield. In 2007, Ben became Silviculture Manager with Timbercorp Forestry.

Ben is currently employed by Australian Bluegum Plantations (ABP) Pty Ltd where duties include among other things, management of annual inventory, seed and seedling production programs and ABP‟s research and development program.

Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of The Institute of Foresters of Australia

ABN: 48 083 197 586 will be held at the Quality Down Towner Hotel, 66 Lygon Street,

Carlton Victoria 3053 on Thursday 29 September 2010 at 6pm

AGM AGENDA Attendance and apologies Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held 10 September 2009 President’s Report Financial Statements and Audit Report 2009-10 General Business

Cassandra Spencer Company Secretary

1 June 2010

IFA President, Dr Peter Volker, has invited Members attending the AGM to provide questions

beforehand to the National Office at [email protected] so that an adequate response can be provided at the AGM.

mailto:[email protected]



Meet the first recipients of the


(A3P Scholarship Value $5000)

I have chosen to study forestry mainly due to my interest in both mountain biking and agriculture. I have been an avid mountain biker for many years riding in the many forests in the Brisbane area and have ridden in several active plantation forests such as Redwoods Forest in Rotorua and the forests around Nelson, New Zealand.

As I have discovered in the last year, forestry is a very broad term. Although I have not had much in the way of experience in forestry I have developed an interest in a certain areas. These are farm forestry and plantation forestry operations, fire management techniques and sustainable forest practices.

My hardworking, punctual and dedicated nature along with a passion for the outdoors are necessary attributes to be a great forester.

It also seems that Society‟s perception of forestry enterprises having no or limited sustainable practices concerns me. I would hope to be in a position in the future to assist in altering this perception.

(IFA Scholarship Value $5000)

Forestry has been an integral part of my life growing up in a timber based community and family and I have always been interested in woodwork and timber products.

I have had work experience with Heathcote Resources. This work involved undertaking native hardwood inventory with a university qualified forester and timber getter, where I enjoyed both the hands on experience and the knowledge and practical skills that I acquired.

My HSC subject choices included Industrial Timber and Technology which interested me with the products and processes of forestry, and Earth Science which deals with the effect of the environment. Both these subjects and their applications to the forestry industry have increased my interest in this field.

I believe I can contribute by conducting research in improving harvesting techniques and improvements in forest health particularly in fire and pest management. By this I hope to be able to improve the value of native hardwood and plantation timber. Eventually I would like to further my studies with environmental engineering or mechanical engineering with the view of being able to develop and improve techniques and method in timber harvesting, resulting in more efficient and sustainable operations.

Nick Rudder

Andrew Egan


Forestry month in the Capital

ACT Division

It was again „forestry month‟ in the National Capital:

Canberra International Arboretum open day - Sunday, 14 March 2010

The Arboretum features different types of threatened and symbolic trees from around Australia and the world. The bushfires that ravaged Canberra in 2003 have been the catalyst for the creation of

the arboretum.

The Arboretum and Gardens is being developed on a 250-hectare site in the Greenhills Forest areas west of the Tuggeranong Parkway and Lake Burley Griffin. The site is six kilometers from the centre of Canberra and boasts spectacular views across Lake Burley Griffin. It incorporates the existing stand of 5000 Himalayan Cedars and the 80 year old Cork Oak plantation as well as major new plantings.

The first Open Day (in 2009) marked the turning point for the arboretum. It is now recognised as part of Canberra and this was reflected in the large

community turn out for the event, attracting around 10,000 visitors at the open day.

World Forestry Day Dinner – Monday 22 March 2010

The World Forestry Day Dinner was again a great success with over 50 members and guests in attendance. The keynote speakers were the IFA President Dr Peter Volker, and Mr Bob Newman OAM. Bob discussed the history of Australia‟s forests while Peter talked about the challenges facing the industry. Both speakers were well received.

ACT Forester of the Year

This year‟s winner was Ms Claire Howell, a prominent forester who has been engaged in the development of the Montreal reporting of Australia‟s forests and at the forefront of the development of national and international forest reporting (see separate article page 8 on Claire‟s achievements).

In accepting the award Claire provided a number of insights into the challenges of her work. She

reflected on her career, and the challenges in her journey through forestry. As with previous winners, Claire spoke with passion, reflecting her commitment and love of forestry.

The award was presented by Bob Newman OAM, who has sponsored the award over the past 3 years.

President’s Award

Peter Volker presented the Award to the team charged with producing Australian Forestry. The recipients are Alan Brown, Colin Matheson, Brian Turner and Ross Florence. The award recognizes the fantastic commitment of the AFJ team.

Divisional awards

The Divisional Chair Phil Pritchard presented awards to:

Wendy Dashwood - for her tireless efforts in

organizing the World Forestry Day Dinner and,

Bob Newman – for his commitment and support

for forestry in the ACT

Westbourne Woods walks

As in previous years the Friends of the ACT Arboreta (FACTA) hosted a series of forestry theme walks at the Royal Canberra Golf Club. This is part of the regular walk series that examines aspects of the Woods which were part of early forestry arboreta in the capital, and which once joined the Australian Forestry School.

Tour of Lindsay Pryor Arboretum and National Arboretum - Sunday 18 April

The National Capital Planning Authority manages the Lindsay Pryor Arboretum, an area established many years ago as part of Canberra‟s parklands. The Authority held a tour of the arboretum to explain their development plans and proposed revitalization.

Phil Pritchard ACT Division Chairman [email protected]

Photos from left: Award recipients at ACT World Forestry Day Dinner; Wendy & George Dashwood; IFA President Dr Peter Volker addressing participants of the ACT World Forestry Day Dinner



ACT Forester of the Year

2010

The ACT Division of the Institute of Foresters of Australia is proud to announce the winner of the ACT Forester of the Year Award – Ms Claire Howell

Claire has been involved in the development and implementation of Australia‟s sustainable forest management reporting processes both internationally and domestically. She has represented national interests in international discussions and has been pivotal in the development and implementation of indicators of sustainable forest management in Australia. She is the manager of the National Forest Inventory Ongoing which has a mission to be the authoritative source of integrated information on all of Australia‟s forests for national and international monitoring and reporting to support decision making. She was pivotal in the development of the National Plantation Inventory and has been involved in the preparation of all three of Australia‟s five-yearly State of the Forests Reports.

Some of Claire‟s career highlights include:

Represented Australia at three international

workshops to progress global harmonisation of indicators of sustainable forest management (SFM)(2010, 2008, 2006)

Led the national review of Australia‟s

framework of seven Criteria and 74 indicators of sustainable forest management with the Montréal Process Implementation Group, leading to a revised framework of 44 indicators

(2005-2006)

Co-authored the Policy and Technical

Guidelines for Australia‟s revised framework of criteria and indicators of SFM (2006)

Managed and co-authored the preparation of

Australia‟s 2003 State of the Forests Report, implementing for the first time Australia‟s

framework of criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management (2002-2003)

Managed the coordinated and consistent re-

mapping of Australian forests across northern WA, NT and Queensland through the National Forest Inventory (1999-2000)

Implemented the first spatial National

Plantation Inventory of Australia and drafted the first comprehensive national report (1997)

The award was presented to Claire in conjunction with World Forestry Day celebrations of the ACT Division by the IFA President Dr Peter Volker and ACT Division Chairman Phil Pritchard.

In making this award the Division recognises that Claire has made a critical contribution that typifies the ACT as a national centre of forestry - embracing forestry management, communication, research, education and policy development. Her achievements are outstanding and are worthy of the 2010 ACT forester of the year award.

The ACT Division gratefully acknowledges the

support provided by Mr Robert Newman OAM who has donated funds to support the award for the last 3 years. Special thanks also to the IFA National Office for their assistance with the award.

Phil Pritchard ACT Division Chairman [email protected]

ACT Forester of the Year recipient Claire Howell with sponsor Robert Newman OAM.

ACT Division Chairman Phil Pritchard, ACT Forestry of the year recipient Claire Howell and IFA President Peter Volker



Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science

Melbourne School of Land and Environment The University of Melbourne Water Street Creswick Victoria 3363

Phone: +61 3 5321 4300

Email: [email protected]

Web: http://www.forestscience.unimelb.edu.au

Master of Forest Ecosystem Science (MFES) The beginning of 2010 has been a busy period for MFES students! 22 new students commenced studies at the beginning of the year, swelling total MFES student numbers to over 60, with a schedule that has been full of lectures, tutorials, field trips, industry seminars, practical’s, assignments, essays, as well as social activities. Many students, now in their second year of study, are busily working on internships or research projects with widely varying topics.

Recent congratulations have been extended to the first four MFES graduates who completed course requirements at the end of 2009. Two of those attended a graduation ceremony in March earlier this year, and two will attend a May ceremony. Mike Sutton, Mandy Price, Alison Smith and Finella Pescott – Congratulations on your achievements!

Celebrating 100 Years of Forestry Education in Australia and the Creswick Campus

With 2010 marking the centenary of forestry education in Australia and the first student intake, various activities and events are being held to commemorate. Celebrations will honor this long and rich history of forestry education and pay tribute to those who have shaped the forestry industry during the past 100 years.

Forestry and forest science education has gone through many changes over the past 100 years however the issues and topics covered by the forest and ecosystem sciences are still as topical as ever and in the spotlight of public debate and community relevance. The conduct of research, plus the training of high level graduates, ensures the continuation of best practice forestry management and policy, both in Australia and overseas.

‘The Future of Forestry and Forest Science’ Conference, 30th September – 2nd October, Sidney Myer Asia Centre Carrillo Gantner Theatre, University of Melbourne, Parkville Campus

Guest Speaker - Professor Tim Flannery. Professor Flannery will present a powerful exploration of the connection between climate change, global warming, and human activity in relation to forest science and forestry industry. Over twenty leading local and international speakers will address some of the industry’s greatest challenges and conference sessions will provide a stimulating mix of plenary and panel discussions.

‘The Big Weekend’ – Centenary Celebrations and Reunion event, 16th and 18th October, University of Melbourne, Creswick Campus

The packed program will include tours of the campus, Creswick Nursery, the surrounding bush and the historical town, talks, and a photographic and memorabilia exhibition. A reunion dinner will be held on the Saturday evening, offering the opportunity to renew old friendships and acquaintances and make new ones. A family day on Sunday will provide a relaxing environment for all to enjoy a picnic barbecue lunch and entertainment for the children.

Publication - ‘Circumspice’, Rob Youl, Ron Hateley and Brian Fry, all former students and lecturers from the Creswick School, have come together to produce ‘Circumspice’, an historical account of forestry education at Creswick and Melbourne during the last century. Recognising the original school motto, latin for ‘look about you’, the book will be launched as part of ‘The Big Weekend’ celebrations.

Events and Fundraising Coordinator - Galena Debney has recently been welcomed to the Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science. Galena is set to be involved in the preparations, organisation and coordination of the 2010 centenary celebrations, and may be contacted on 03 5321 4262 or [email protected].

Sponsorship - Sponsorship is an integral and essential part of these celebrations, and will represent an important step towards establishing the future of forestry education and the industries it supports. A number of sponsorship opportunities are currently available.

Get Involved! Visit www.forestscience.unimelb.edu.au/centenary to register your interest!


http://www.forestscience.unimelb.edu.au/centenary


THE forest industry was showcased during a successful World Forestry Day event held outside the Mount Gambier Library on Sunday.

Forestry displays, a GPS treasure hunt, ForestrySA FireKing, children‟s art and craft, face painting and forest-based talks kept hundreds of visitors entertained from 11am until 2pm.

A free barbecue lunch was provided in conjunction with the organisers of Harmony Day, which was also being held in the area at the same time.

Those who attended also had the opportunity to take part in a number of competitions.

The tree-height guessing competition attracted many entries, with punters estimating its height at between14 and 36 metres – its actual height was 21.1 metres. Other competitions included a World Forestry Quiz and a GPS Treasure Hunt.

World Forestry Day was established by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations in 1971, to encourage people to value their forests more, as they provide timber and paper products, recreation, flora, fauna, clean water and oxygen.

The timber industry is vital to the Limestone Coast, contributing more than 25pc of the region‟s economy and employing 21% of its population.

The Mount Gambier event was supported by the Forest Industry Training Network (FITNET), Southern Cross University, Australian Forest Growers, ForestrySA, PIRSA Forestry, Van Schaik‟s BioGro, the Nangwarry Forest and Logging Museum and the South East Natural Resources Management Board.

Load your theses abstract on the IFA website The IFA has established an extensive library of over 1000 forestry or forestry related abstracts of

Masters or Postdoctoral degrees undertaken at Australian Universities or by Australians overseas.

The abstracts web page is a very popular page and is heavily used by researchers. We invite you

to visit the IFA website to see if your abstract has been loaded. If not, send a word version along

with the following information to [email protected].

Title: (Full title)

Topic: (See website for Topics available)

Year: (In figures)

Name: (Full name as stated on theses)

Degree: (Master or Doctor of xxx)

University: (Name of institution)

Visit: http://www.forestry.org.au/ifa/c/c19-ifa.asp

South Australia celebrates World Forestry Day 2010


2010 Max Jacobs Fund recipient Ryan Burrows

Recipient of the 2010 Max Jacobs Fund awards, Ryan Burrows

project is part of a broader program of work assessing the

impact of forest management on stream health.

His over-all research aims to gain a better understanding of

the natural variation and impacts of landscape and disturbance

(including but not limited to harvesting) on structural

(particulate carbon dynamics, in-stream habitat, water quality)

and functional (nutrient retention, carbon production and

decomposition) variables in small headwater streams in wet

Eucalypt forests in Southern Tasmania.

This project is unique in Tasmania at it utilizes ecosystem

processes as a proxy for disturbance in small headwater

streams. Headwater streams are a major component of a

catchment and any alterations to their biological functioning

may have profound whole-catchment impacts.

Headwater streams represent a major link between the

terrestrial ecosystems and aquatic systems, but these

ecological linkages are poorly documented (Wipfli et al., 2007).

The large catchment area drained (up to75% of the length of

a river system) by headwater streams represents a diverse

array of habitats that contains high biological diversity (Meyer

et al., 2007).

The high ratio of surface area to channel length of these

streams means they are closely connected to riparian

vegetation and upland terrestrial systems, and are subject to

large volumes of allochthonous organic matter and nutrients

relative to stream size (Wipfli et al., 2007, Naiman et al.,

2005). Their high connectivity with adjacent hillslope processes

means that headwater streams represent critical sites for

organic matter processing (Bilby and Likens, 1980) and

nutrient cycling (Mulholland et al., 2006), and are probably

vital for maintaining the health of whole river systems (Clarke

et al., 2008). Any alterations to the riparian vegetation and

upland terrestrial systems, both natural and anthropogenic,

may have strong effects on the retention and breakdown of

carbon, nutrient cycling and sediment transport of headwater

streams (Wipfli et al., 2007).

Large woody debris (LWD) has an important ecological role in

headwater streams (Bilby and Bisson, 1998). It is not only an

important energy source for headwater and downstream biota

(Reeves et al., 2003, Hassan et al., 2005) but is essential for

providing structural complexity in stream channels

(Montgomery et al., 1995), contributing to sediment storage

(Gomi et al., 2001, Smock et al., 1989), and maintaining

biodiversity through the creation and maintenance of habitat

(Jones and Daniels, 2008, Rinella et al., 2009). LWD and the

nutrient retention ability of headwater streams are intrinsically

linked, and when measured together, can help describe

changes to ecosystem processes that are influenced by the

landscape and forest disturbance.

The uptake of dissolved

inorganic nutrients in a

stream channel is

mediated by micro-

organisms but LWD is

composed of material

that is relatively

resistant to

decomposition by biota

(Bilby and Bisson,

1998). However, LWD

creates in-stream

habitats, such as pools,

which retain fine

particulate organic

matter (FPOM) that is

the primary food source

for shredding macroinvertebrates (Cordova et al., 2007). The

shredding macroinvertebrates process the FPOM into finer

particles which can then be further processed by micro-

organisms. LWD is therefore instrumental at adding complexity

to flow paths within streams that probably increases the

opportunity for uptake of nutrients and their retention (Aumen

et al., 1990). This is a significant issue because some

nutrients, such as nitrogen, have a high affinity to be leached

and their biological retention should be a key objective for

forest managers.

Project objectives

The overall project objective is to better understand natural

variation and the impacts of landscape and disturbance

(including but not limited to harvesting) structural (particulate

carbon dynamics, in-stream habitat, water quality) and

functional (nutrient retention, carbon production and

decomposition) variables in small headwater streams in wet

Eucalypt forests in Southern Tasmania.

Ryan Burrows [email protected]

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE 2011 MAX JACOBS FUND GRANTS.

SEE PAGE 21 FOR

FURTHER DETAILS



ANTIGONISH, NS - Elaine Springgay will be applying the knowledge and experience she gained through the National Forestry Masters program at the Australian National University to help people living in a country with a long history of social and environmental exploitation.

A Canadian national who graduated in December 2009, Springgay was selected as one of 20 youth interns from across Canada to participate in the Coady International Institute‟s Youth In Partnership program. She left for Ghana on March 28.

“My role is to work with the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD) to train local community leaders in sustainable forest management and promote transparency in decision-making processes,” said Springgay. “Trees are an integral part of society and the environment; they are sources for basic necessities and play important roles in the environment, such as purifying water and stabilizing landscapes.”

Springgay says she decided to apply to the program because of her interest in global issues and a desire to use her skills and knowledge to assist others.

“This is an amazing opportunity to participate in knowledge and cultural exchanges. If I can positively influence even one person through my work, I will be happy because I know that this opportunity will have a huge impact on my life – hopefully leading to a career in international development,” added Springgay.

Springgay and 19 other interns are underwent an intense two-week orientation session at the Coady International Institute on the campus of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The Coady International Institute‟s Youth In Partnership Program gives recent Canadian university graduates experience working with development organizations in their fields of study. The program helps them increase their understanding of global development issues while contributing to the Coady Institute‟s overseas partnerships.

The Coady Institute has received funding from the Government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to offer 60 international internships to qualified university and college graduates over the next two year.

Elaine Springgay Email: [email protected]

West Coast to West Africa

National Forestry Masters ANU grad selected for internship in Ghana

NW Jolly Medal Call for nominations

Nominations are being called for the NW Jolly Medal. The NW Jolly Medal is the Institute of Foresters of Australia’s highest and most prestigious honour for outstanding service to the profession of forestry in Australia.

This outstanding services may include work in international forestry where this has enhanced the reputation of Australian forestry at the international level.

Nominations can be made by any financial Voting members of the Institute and should be seconded by another financial Voting member (The seconder does not necessarily have to live in the same Division as the person being nominated).

Each nomination must be accompanied by a one page citation of the work or works in respect of which the nomination is made. Up to five pages of additional information detailing the nominee’s work and publications may also be submitted.

The nominator may seek information from the person being nominated however once a formal nomination has been made the nominators should not discuss the nomination.

Nominations can be emailed to: [email protected] and close 31 July 2010

Visit http://www.forestry.org.au/ifa/a/a3-ifa.asp for a list of previous recipients of the NW Jolly Medal



ACFA ACFA

Association ofAssociation of

Consulting Foresters of AustraliaConsulting Foresters of Australia

In July 2007 "An Australian Standard for Valuing Commercial Forests: Version 2" was approved by the Association of Consulting Foresters of Australia (ACFA) for release. Now that ACFA is a Division of IFA it is an IFA standard and is freely available for download from the IFA web site.

Adherence to the forest valuation standard is mandatory for all members of the ACFA Division and is recommended for members of all IFA members.

The Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) have adopted international accounting standards as promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board. The Australian standard may differ slightly from the international standard but the AASB try to avoid that if possible. In 2007 ACFA sought AASB assurance that the IFA/ACFA standard is consistent with Australian and international accounting standards. The Chair of AASB,

Prof David Boymal, replied saying that under the powers delegated to it by the Commonwealth Government he could not provide such formal assurance, but he did state that he considered it entirely appropriate for professional organisations to produce guidance for members, commended ACFA for its efforts and for involving AASB staff in the development process, and stated that in his view the standard was developed using a sound due process. This was about as ringing an endorsement as we could have hoped for.

Over the years the joint Technical Editor of the standard, Prof Ian Ferguson, and I tried to involve the valuation profession in the discussions but with limited success.

Then, just as the standard was being approved for distribution, I was invited to speak to the Australian Valuation Standards Board about forest valuation and our standard. The presentation was well received and considerable insightful comments were made. Both parties recognised that a lot more effort was needed.

This led to IFA being invited to join the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC) as a member and I was appointed as the IFA/ACFA representative. IVSC have been undergoing substantial reorganisation and the new structures have taken some time to become fully operational. This has slowed progress.

I was asked by IVSC to prepare a brief discussion paper

on the principles of forest valuation as I see them. This was submitted in September 2009. I have recently submitted a revised similar paper, prepared with Professor Ian Ferguson, to IFA for publication. The principles are those that we see as being appropriate for forestry. They follow on from the development of the standard and associated handbook, and a paper by Ian Ferguson and myself published in Australian Forestry in 2007, 70(2) p126-34.

My discussion paper for IVSC is currently being considered by the International Valuation Standards Board (IVSB) although distribution so far is believed to be relatively narrow. I suspect that my discussion paper has opened up a subject that has not historically been well handled by valuers. The Executive Director of IVSC, Marianne Tissier, has recently advised that IVSB is to review their current Guidance Note 10 (Valuation of Agricultural Properties) in the context of my paper, and that they will soon be "publishing an Invitation to Comment as to whether forestry should be dealt with separately or in conjunction with other biological assets as defined in IAS 41.

There will be many different opinions on this within the international valuation community. It is probably the first question that they need to resolve.

My own personal view is that it would be advantageous

for forestry to be dealt with separately to other agricultural crops. The current IVSC guidance note almost treats forestry as an afterthought and does not address many of the most important issues we face in forest valuation. It reflects a market based approach based on historical transactions and does not really address the accounting needs well. However forestry is an agricultural crop and the important thing is that they take account of forest valuation, in all its guises, in some manner or other, in their set of international standards. In my opinion it would be better to separate forestry out from the international accounting standard IAS 41 too. As the IFA/ACFA representative I need to be able to respond to IVSC and IVSB when they formally request comment. This matter will be raised with the IFA Board for comment and decision as to how I should respond on behalf of IFA, but member comment will be very welcome and will help frame that decision.

Jerry Leech RPF, FIFA [email protected] Note - The views expressed by Jerry Leech in the above article were unanimously endorsed by the IFA Board of Directors at it’s meeting in May 2010.

Forest Valuation Standard Update

Comments can be made to Jerry on 08 8725

6516, email [email protected], or if you

prefer you can comment to Adrian Goodwin as

ACFA Chair, email [email protected], or

the Chief Executive Officer, Cassandra Spencer,

at [email protected].






In addition to The Indian Forester, the late and lamented Forests Department of Western Australia used to take a journal called Indian Forest Records. The earliest copies of this journal are still held in the library today, bound into a bookshelf of hard-cover volumes, and it is my custom to dip into them whenever I am in the library. On an impulse the other day, I selected Volume IV, dated 1913.

I had no sooner opened and pleasurably sniffed the crisp old pages of this venerable journal than my eye lit upon an article entitled “Useful Exotics in Indian Forestry”, by the unfortunately named R.S.Hole, a forester at the Imperial Forestry Research Institute at Dehra Dun. Mr Hole (as I hope he was addressed by his colleagues) demonstrated an appreciation of forestry well ahead of his time, indeed nearly 50 years ahead of the understanding of these issues by some modern Australian foresters.

Take for example this cautionary note:

“It is well to remember that several serious drawbacks usually attend the cultivation of exotics. In the first place, the reports circulated regarding the dimensions attained and products yielded ..... are frequently untrustworthy, and it is as a rule impossible to personally verify these satisfactorily by local inquiries.

From 1862-1889 statements were frequently circulated that the gum tree (Eucalyptus) attained a height of 400-500 feet, and even more. Careful measurements in Australia about 1888, however, showed that not a single tree could be found which exceeds 326 feet 1 inch.”

I love that 1 inch. It was appropriate in a journal like this, in those times, to be a stickler for detail.

Mr Hole goes on in his excellent and comprehensive article to describe several instances of trees of great value in their home land, but which turned out to be worthless as exotics. In nearly every case, he observed, there were two reasons for this: the use of inferior seed or inappropriate provenances; and the planting of sites unsuitable for the species in question.

What‟s this! Haven‟t we heard something just like this to excuse the failure of some commercial pulpwood plantations established in WA and Queensland in recent years?

However, Australians can take no credit for being at the forefront in this aspect of plantation forestry. In India during the 1850s and beyond, Mr Hole points out, Eucalyptus globulus is “frequently planted in localities totally unsuited to it.”

He then sets down what seem to me to be two rather basic, but emminently sensible principles governing the use of exotic species in plantation forestry: firstly the site to be afforested must be carefully studied and its characteristics described in detail; secondly, only species known to thrive in those conditions should be used.

Well I never! Having myself observed E globulus planted in Western Australia on deep, gutless sands in a region which received only 450 mm annual rainfall, in the expectation of a commercial yield at age 10, using other people‟s money, I can only assume that Mr Hole‟s excellent principles were never adequately circulated.

Volume IV of Indian Forest Records also contains a fascinating paper on th development of blue gum (E globulus) plantations in the Nilgiri Hills, written by R. Troup. This is a name very familiar to foresters of an earlier era who, like me, cut their teeth on his magnum opus Silvicultural Systems: The Techniques of Raising, Tending and Regeneration of Forest Crops, one of the all-time great forestry texts.

Troup‟s paper in IFR was a report on his inspection (in 1912) of the extensive blue gum plantations established in the Nilgiri region of India in the 1830sto overcome a “fuelwood famine”.

The objective was successfully achieved, the new plantations providing abundant fuel at lower cost, and establishing an important local industry. Troup devotes detailed attention to nursery techniques, establishment, harvesting, coppice management and silviculture, including the ideal planting spacing. Here the famous forester D.E Hutchins enters the scene. This is the same Hutchins who had such an impact on Australian forestry a year or two later when he undertook a comprehensive tour and produced a report that led, among other things to the appointment of Charles Lane-Poole as Conservator of Forests in Western Australia, and the development of our first Forest Act.

Troup describes Hutchins as “an advocate for wider spacing”, recommending that blue gum be planted at 9 feet by 9 feet,

rather than the traditional spacing of 6 feet by 6 feet. Hutchins demonstrated that by going to 9 x 9, costs could be halved but the volume achieved at age 10 would be the same. The 9 foot x 9 foot spacing, incidentally, produces roughly 1100 trees to the hectare, similar to the stocking used in the higher rainfall areas for blue gum plantations in Australia today, although I am reluctant to give Hutchins the credit for this.

Troup‟s paper also includes detailed inventory data from his own measurements, and he even produces a set of age/height and age/girth curves and a yield table for blue gum plantations on two different site types. The yield table indicates an average gross yield of 2,500 cubic feet per acre (roughly 150 cubic metres per hectare) at age 10, which we would regard today as being at the bottom end of acceptable productivity for a commercial blue gum plantation.

However, let‟s not forget that today‟s foresters are using genetically improved seed of the most desirable provenance, and planting only on the most suitable sites.........aren‟t they?

Roger Underwood [email protected]

An interesting chapter from Indian forestry By Roger Underwood

Australian forester Evan Shield with a fine specimen of Eucalyptus globulus in the

Nilgiri Hills of India, in 2009



Dr Lyndall Bull, ANU Lecturer and National Forestry Masters Program Convenor, was awarded an Australian Government Endeavour Fellowship to work with The Forest Trust (TFT) in Indonesia and Malaysia from January to March this year. Lyndall’s main assignment with TFT was to assist them develop a better understanding of the oil palm industry in SE Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, and identify ‘forest responsible’ palm oil companies. TFT’s work is prompted by rising concern about the impacts of oil palm expansion on

tropical forests.

The oil palm sector has been growing rapidly, reflecting the rising demand for palm oil, which is used in products as diverse as biofuel, margarine and cooking oil, feedstuff, particleboards, and toiletries. Since the early 1980s, the global area of mature palm oil has more than tripled to around 14 million hectares (Sheil et al. 2009; CIFOR Occasional Paper 51) with the bulk of the expansion occurring in Indonesia, which now has around

4.6 million hectares (FAOSTAT 2008; http://faostat.fao.org).

From a certification perspective, the palm oil industry is experiencing many of the same challenges familiar to the timber industry. Many palm oil companies are currently working through the certification process (via the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, RSPO: http://www.rspo.org), which is

also pursuing greater market recognition.

As part of her Fellowship work, Lyndall visited over 30 organisations related to the palm oil industry - including palm oil companies, NGOs, RSPO, CIFOR and subject matter experts. TFT will use Lyndall’s Fellowship report to support its work with palm oil companies, to assist them with technical support to implement sustainable practices, and to bring responsible palm

oil to the market.

ANU Forestry

Alumni & Friends News

June 2010 phone: 02 6125 2579 fax 02 6125 0746

email: [email protected] www: http://fennerschool.anu.edu.au/

Endeavour Fellowship collaboration with The Forest Trust

Anthony & Barbara Brookman undergraduate scholars

Ellen Cheney and Brett Simpson, both 1st-year forestry undergraduates at ANU, are the 2010 recipients of the Anthony and Barbara Brookman undergraduate forestry scholarships. Ellie is from Bellingen, NSW, and spent a gap year in Europe prior to commencing her forestry degree this year. Brett is from Canberra, and has come to ANU as a mature age student after

a period in the workplace.

The scholarships are funded from the Anthony and Barbara Brookman Forestry Research and Education Fund, established at ANU with an exceptionally generous donation of $250,000 by Anthony Brookman. South Australian members, in particular, may know Tony Brookman through his farm forestry activities – he was AFG’s 2006 South Australian Tree Farmer of the Year. Tony’s philanthropy allows ANU to offer up to four scholarships,

two each for undergraduate and graduate coursework students, each year. ANU gratefully acknowledges his support for forestry

education.


Around 1972 marked the birth of the Tasmanian Woodchip Industry. This was a turning point for Tasmanian Forestry as it opened up large tracts of drier East Coast forest that until then had been limited to sawlog only operations, with no market for the lower grade wood. Most of the foresters who were involved in the management at that time have retired (or are close to it!). On Saturday the 13th of March, a number of these very respected members of the profession were able to join in a field trip to revisit the forests for which they managed the harvest and reforestation (and to celebrate World Forestry Day). The trip gave us an insight into how some of these drier native forest areas have been managed since the 70's. It took us from Triabunna via M Road to the Tooms forest block and the southern end of the Snow Hill block, near Lake Leake.

Our host for the day was David Tucker – now a forestry consultant – who has spent all his working life working for Forestry Tasmania – mostly in this region. He was supported by Brett Warren who also has a very similar story to tell, but from the Forest Assessor perspective. Our first stop was an area that was clearfelled, then burnt and sown 36 years ago. Seed was collected from the coupe, then before sowing, coated in latex and insecticide. Latex coating was used to ensure good dispersal from fixed wing aircraft and the insecticide to stop the insects eating it. This has since been superseded with more precise helicopter mounted seeders – and the insects don't eat enough to be a problem! The size of the regrowth trees here reflected the site – healthy trees but slow growth rates. David recommended 120 year harvest frequencies on such a site,

rather than the originally proposed 40 years. However, selective harvest systems will allow some return on the crop before then.

David talked about the burning operation and how men were recruited from the pub to come out and help. Aerial burning was introduced in the late 70's and was not without its perils! On one flight, an ignited Safety Fuse (like a very big match) dropped into the box of fire lighters in the helicopter. In the resulting panic some got spilled and after a rapid landing, the doors were flung open and the pilot and the two forester crew

members leapt out with smoke pouring from the machine. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and the helicopter survived!

We then had a look at another site that showed natural

regeneration on a clearfall and unburnt area. Some of the coupe was later burnt by wildfire and was aerial sown. Thinning to waste using stem injection was considered in the planning process but rejected as stocking was only about 900 stems per hectare – with target stocking being 800 stems per hectare. This was contrasted with the earlier site which had been burnt and sown and had a higher stocking.

Morning tea (and a cuppa for those who packed a thermos) was taken at a pleasant roadside stop and the leeches and Jack Jumpers were kept at bay for the duration.

We then had a look at another clearfall logging coupe. David talked about the big differences between a harvest plan in the 70‟s and harvest plans now – particularly the level of detail in the Forest Practice Plans of today. At this site, some thinning was conducted 20 years after sowing, as the area was heavily stocked. Non-commercial thinning was carried out with

David Tucker (L) and Brett Warren (R)

~ 36 Year Old Regrowth (and much older Foresters!)

John Hickey, Jim Walker, Ian and Mrs. Walker

Tasmanian Division

East Coast Forestry - Did we get it right?


“Roundup” stem injection. The job looked and sounded like it would be tough going, but the result has been a well stocked healthy stand.

The next stop was an area that was selectively harvested for sawlog some decades after an earlier advance-growth retention

harvest. The harvesting had just recently finished in January 2010. We discussed the requirements of the Forest Practices Plan - which was quite detailed. There was some discussion over the specific prescriptions for retaining trees for protection of swift parrot habitat. Felling prescriptions were discussed, as well as how the plan is implemented in general.

At our last stop we had a look at a current thinning operation of 35-year-old regrowth that was established after clearfelling

and burning in the 1970s. (The thinning was not in progress at the time we visited.) After David gave us a good introduction to the area, we discussed the potential future for the site. Understandably, no-one could offer a confident suggestion as to what the markets would be in 40 years time, so it was a little hard to give advice as to how the site should be managed - ideally. We talked about the fire risk of the slash left from the thinning. The slash looked like it would take about 10 years to break down. David outlined the fire risk involved with this type of operation and explained the need for good firebreaks around

the area. Steve Whiteley (FT Derwent DFM) explained the strategic fire management plan for fuel reduction through the area to help manage the risk.

On behalf of the IFA, Richard Shoobridge thanked everyone who came along and thanked David Tucker and Brett Warren for taking up Saturday to show us around. We then headed home along the scenic east coast.

As a former Forestry Commission Regional Forester who had a lot to do with the management at that time remarked;

“It is nice to know we got it right all those years ago!”

Regrowth Retention - Tooms

Snow Hill thinning

Four legged Blakesley Forester!

President Dr Peter Volker and older thinned regrowth.

If you would like to offer a suggestion for an IFA Tasmania activity please contact Richard

Shoobridge at [email protected].



Volunteering in Vietnam

For as long as I can remember I had wanted to volunteer overseas through an Australian Volunteers International (AVI) placement. As an avid traveller I had always wanted the opportunity to work in a different environment and understand a place and its culture, not just pass through. When, in 2008, AVI advertised for a Forestry Advisor with the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam (FSIV) I knew the perfect opportunity had

presented itself.

I spent 18 months working for FSIV at their Hanoi centre, as part of the International Cooperation Unit. While I spent a lot of my time editing documents in English ready for publication, a key part of my work was to assist the local staff in developing project proposals and funding proposals for their research. FSIV is made up of the Hanoi centre, which houses numerous divisions focusing on different aspects of forestry, and provincial centres representing the key forest ecosystems across Vietnam. While my background in (Australian) native forestry was of limited relevance, I enjoyed the opportunity to learn about bamboo, the use of Australian native species in plantations across Vietnam, community forestry, and wood processing, to

name a few areas.

A highlight of my time with FSIV, and in Vietnam, came in November 2009, when I was fortunate to receive a grant through the AVI Volunteer Support Fund, which enabled me to spend two weeks travelling to two of FSIV‟s provincial centres to present some project proposal writing training to the staff. Just as Melbourne and Sydney don‟t represent much of Australia, I knew that Hanoi and the life I was living there was vastly different to the rest of Vietnam and I was keen for the opportunity to explore and work in these areas.

My first stop was in Da Lat, famous as the vegetable and flower garden of Vietnam. What may be less well known is that the conifer forests around Da Lat and the Central Highlands are home to some wonderful endemic, and extremely rare, species. To see the work my colleagues were doing in developing propagation techniques for these species, as well as developing other conservation measures, was a real treat. During my week in Da Lat I was also taken on a number of field trips, and a highlight was going on a field trip the Vietnamese way – on the

back of my colleague‟s motorbike. As well as being shown their eucalyptus and acacia trials I was also surprised to see some Grevillea robusta growing within their field station site.

The final day of my stay in Da Lat was Vietnam Forestry Day and we celebrated with an early dinner of fresh spring rolls, noodles and soup – followed by the obligatory karaoke session.

After a weekend of R&R in Saigon, the following Monday morning saw me on the 6am flight to Ca Mau. Unlike Da Lat, Ca Mau is not on the tourist trail and provided a very different experience. Ca Mau city is the southern most city in Vietnam, and is capital of the southern most province – right in the mouth of the Me Kong Delta. As well as mangrove forests the area is also home to melaleuca forests, and during the week I was provided with the opportunity to see both.

My first field trip in the region was to a research station near Cape Ca Mau – the southern most tip of Vietnam. It was an adventure just to travel there – first by public ferry and then by the station‟s long boat. The scenery was iconic Mekong Delta: flat plains with mangroves, palms fringing the edge of the water,

shops and houses right up to and over the water and boats and ferries plying the river. The station undertakes research in mangrove propagation and conservation. I was amazed to see the large number of mangrove species. In a conservation area of a few hectares there were over a dozen different species. Unfortunately, as a result of chemical use in the American War (what westerners call the Vietnam War) and clearing for shrimp farming, many mangrove species are now endangered.

The second field trip around Ca Mau was to the melaleuca forests. After climbing a viewing platform to see the extent of the national park, and to appreciate the sheer beauty of the area, we once again hopped in a boat for a tour of the research sites. Mixtures of local and Australian species, the forests were

such a peaceful change from much of life in Vietnam. It was also interesting to see the adjacent eucalypt plantations and to discuss the impact these were having on the water level, and thus the health of the melaleuca forests.

But my time in Ca Mau wasn‟t all field trips and no work, and the sessions I ran for the staff were some of the most satisfying training I‟ve ever been involved in. Like in many remote areas of Vietnam, the region‟s staff had little experience working on large, internationally-funded projects and were extremely keen to participate. When I requested one or two project ideas for us to develop, they presented me with half a dozen or more. They also enthusiastically worked with me in the sessions to develop log frames, budgets and draft proposals for most of them.

My time in Ca Mau provided me with a glimpse into local life in a way I had not seen in Hanoi. I was staying in the visitor‟s room of the research centre, and my colleagues and their families all lived in rooms within the centre – there is certainly no escaping work there! My evenings were spent with different colleagues and I experienced the local dog meat restaurant, a waterside beer joint where kids sold semi-fertilised duck eggs as bar snacks, the local pork spring roll restaurant and late night Pho (noodle soup).

With colleagues looking out on the Melaleuca forests of the Mekong Delta


If you are not receiving

your Email Bulletin

contact the IFA

National Office today.

[email protected]

Employers Notice Board - 13 job vacancies circulated to IFA members

Draft National Climate Change Adaption

Research Plan

On-line seminar—The effect of smoke from fire on grapevine physiology

Review of Native Vegetation Framework - IFA

submission

LiDAR in Forests 2010

Professional Development Opportunities in Forest and Ecosystem Science

The Australian Energy Resources Assessment

media release

Australia’s Forests at a Glance 2010

NSW RFA five year review report

IFA submission on urban tree investigation

Closure of Forests NSW Library

IUCN Union Pulse newsletters

Summary of IFA

Email Bulletins

When Saturday morning rolled around and it was time to catch the bus I felt like I was leaving life long friends, not colleagues I‟d met a week before, and I think that sums up my time in Vietnam. While 18 months isn‟t that long in the scheme of things, the people I met and the experiences I had there have left a very profound mark on me. I‟d been to Vietnam on holidays twice

before, each time leaving and thinking I‟d probably never return, but there is something about the people and the place that keeps drawing people back.

The volunteer experience is a challenging one – learning to work in a vastly different cultural and work environment; learning a new language; discovering the subtleties of living in a different community – but it is also extremely rewarding – practising my Vietnamese with the ladies from the accounting office at work; having the street vendors I passed every day give me a cheery hello and being known by people in shops as someone who was a regular and not a tourist passing through. These are all experiences that I wouldn‟t swap for anything and I would recommend this experience to anyone with a spirit of adventure,

an open mind and a willingness to share their knowledge overseas.

Find out more about AVI and volunteering overseas at www.australianvolunteers.com.

By Catherine Jewell [email protected]

Transporting timber in the Mekong Delta

http://www.australianvolunteers.com



First Green Triangle Foresters Graduate

Southern Cross University students are making their

mark on the world of forestry with the first cohort of

forestry students graduating from Southern Cross

University in Mount Gambier.

The first four students have graduated from Southern

Cross University in Mount Gambier with degrees in

Applied Science (Forestry) and Environmental Resource

Management. This year, 10 new students have enrolled,

making a total of 40 students studying through the Mount

Gambier campus.

Several of the students are studying Environmental

Science mainly with the desire to work in land

management. These students undertake mostly forestry

electives aiming to working in either forestry, NRM,

water or environmental management. Having knowledge

of forestry and in particular a peer network of forestry

students can only enhance how forestry is perceived

across the workplace and community.

Southern Cross University offers its Environmental

Science and Forestry programs through its Lismore

Campus, external studies and through the Green Triangle.

Units are taught in mixed modes, which allow students to

study and work. This means that students may take

additional time to complete their studies but they

graduate with experience and workplace skills. This

seems to be highly valued by industry.

Forestry students come to the Green Triangle from as far

away as Adelaide Hills and Colac to study with us. The

opportunity to study in a regional setting is favoured by

many school leavers for both financial and social reasons.

The decision by Southern Cross University back in 2005

has offered a new opportunity to the forest industry in

home grown foresters. The local industry has been

supportive of the program through field trips, guest

lectures and in some cases funding students to study. This

opportunity along with the Lismore program and the

Masters course offers the next generation of foresters the

opportunity to be educated. The only issue we need to

resolve is how we attract more students into our courses?

At a local level the Green Triangle program has been

reasonably effective; however it is only a small

contribution towards addressing the numbers needed in

the future.

The challenge now is making forestry and in fact

studying maths and science valued by school kids to

increase our pool of potential foresters. This is the

challenge all foresters must take on in order to see our

profession continue.

Take the opportunity to talk to school groups, careers

days and in a social sense about your career in forestry

and the importance of studying maths and sciences in

school. Raising awareness of the opportunities in forestry

is a major challenge we can all contribute towards.

Diana Lloyd

Green Triangle Forestry Co-ordinator

Southern Cross University

[email protected]

From left: Doland Nicholls, Patrick Boylan, Natalie MacKenzie, Diana Lloyd, Dianne Pollock, Haydn Dow and Jerry Vanclay at the recent ceremony held in Mount Gambier

J. Doland Nichols Associate Professor in Sustainable Forestry

School of Environmental Science and Management Southern Cross University Lismore, NSW 2480 Ph: (02) 6620 3492 Fax: (02) 6621 2669 E-mail: [email protected]



Applications Open

2011 Maxwell Ralph Jacobs Grant

The late Dr Max Jacobs was one of Australia's most distinguished foresters. At the time of his retirement in 1970 he

was the Director-General of the Forestry and Timber Bureau, having worked in the public service for 44 years. Max

died in Canberra in 1979.

In 1983 the Institute of Foresters of Australia in conjunction with the Australian Academy of Science, established a

fund to commemorate his life and work. The fund is used to support worthy projects in any field of forestry research

and to provide forestry graduates within Australia with support for professional development not readily available

from other sources.

The principles applying to the awarding of grants are:

funds available each year are capped at $5,000 (GST exempt) two grants of about $2,500 are usually

allocated each year

The following broad categories of activity may be supported:

work or study to be carried out in or related to Australia in any field of forestry science or forest management

field-orientated research in Australia and New Zealand overseas travel to undertake research or present

research findings at scientific conferences.

Allan R. Henderson grant

Applications are now being called for the 2010 grant Purpose of the award: To refresh or improve the knowledge and/or skills of an IFA member by providing an annual grant of up to $1,000 each year.

The grant is available to assist members to undertake an educational unit, attend a training course or other form of professional development activity.

The grant will not be made available to contribute to costs of undertaking a formal post-graduate degree (eg MSc, MBA or PhD) and in general funds will not be made available for attendance at conferences, however, if the applicant can demonstrate how attendance at a particular conference is relevant to their overall skill development proposal it may be considered.

Eligibility: The grant is only available to IFA members.

Applications: Applications should be emailed to the IFA National Office: [email protected] with the following details:

1. Name and contact details 2. Details of professional qualifications 3. The activity proposed (name, date and location)

4. Amount being requested. Closing date: 15 July 2010

Download an application form at:

www.forestry.org.au

Applications close 30 September 2010.


“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves”.

Lao Tzu (China – 4th Century BC)

The Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) coordinators may or may not be familiar with the early Taoist philosophies credited to Lao Tzu, but the experience that they created for the 7 inaugural participants of TRAILblazers in April 2010 certainly suggest that they are well in tune with his „chakras‟…(or „qi‟ given he was Chinese & not Indian).

Bringing together participants from across regional Australia, and industries as diverse as fisheries, horticulture, rural health, research and forestry, TRAILblazers 2010 succeeded in providing course content that challenged, confronted and inspired each individual to identify the common issues facing them as leaders in rural Australia.

Facilitated by Zoe Routh, Karim Haddad (Foundation staff) & Colin Hendrie (Outback Initiatives), the course melded leadership theory, outback physical encounters and raw exhaustion and emotion to create a simply unique training experience.

Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) sponsored one fully funded position for an existing leader from the forest industries – and I was fortunate to

be selected to receive this opportunity. This was the first time such a program has been provided & to their credit Ric Sinclair and the FWPA Board as long time supporters of ARLF identified this course as worthy of further involvement. FWPA is the leading forest industry R & D support agency in Australia and its aim is to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the Australian forest and wood products industry through innovation & investment that supports regional communities. Whilst investment in rural leadership training may at first appear left of centre for a timber focussed research agency, FWPA has recognised that without innovative and progressive leadership, even the best forest science may never be implemented.

ARLF was established in 1992 to respond to emerging challenges for rural, regional and remote Australia. It exists to create a network of leaders with compassion and

commitment, strategic thinking and negotiating skills, and the foresight to influence communities, industries, business and policy makers. Whilst their flagship course the Australian Rural Leadership Program is designed to assist emerging leaders over 17 month training period – the ARLF recently identified a training niche for established leaders and

responded by development of TRAILblazers.

The program itself consisted of a 4 day outdoor experiential component focussed on personal leadership and effective cross sector engagement. The following 4 days move in both focus & location to more conventional training facilities and work with a (by then) melded team to explore concepts such as systems thinking, creative thought, challenging communication methods, and leading organisational change.

The success of this course is in its simplicity. Located in beautiful settings in and around Canberra, for the initial intensive four days each delegate was forced to re-learn key lessons about respect, cooperation, communication and trust as they waded in freezing knee deep water at 3am, struggled to interpret ambiguous instructions and completed a serious of physical challenges deliberately designed to infuriate and befuddle even the most patient and competent managers amongst us.

Despite struggling to fulfil such low order needs as food and shelter, the group was finally able to accomplish a range of tasks including at one extreme, abseiling into an cave and over several hours, mapping a way out – learning along the way to recognise and celebrate success in whatever form it may actually take.

ARLF take the approach that the “theory” of leadership is better experienced than taught & between them, the Outward Bound trained Foundation Staff and ex-Rhodesian army officer Colin Hendrie created a unique situational learning experience that exceeded all expectations of participants.

Amongst the „swag‟ of quality guest speakers and topics, highlights included:

Paul Bongiorno (Ten Network) –

“Political Leadership”;

Dr Simon Longstaff (St James Ethics Centre) – “Ethics in Business”

Dr Maja Stanojevic-Andre (Q3 Intellegence) – “Post Conventional Leadership”

Joanna Maxwell (Work in Colour) – “Creative Thinking”

Dr Gary Saliba (Strategic Journeys) – “Systems Thinking”

Wesley Aird – “Indigenous Leadership”

The ARLF will facilitate a second short course in 2010 – TRAIL – an intensive course designed for emerging leaders. Details on their website: http://www.rural-leaders.com.au

I would personally encourage anyone involved in leadership roles in the forest industry to consider registering for either TRAIL 2010 or TRAILblazers 2011. Places are extremely limited (max 16 per course). Such quality programs are few and far between – and with opportunities for cross industry collaboration and fostering of ideas, the main question being asked by most participants on the final day was – can we do it again next year?

Steve Walker [email protected]

Australian Rural Leadership Foundation

TRAILblazers 2010 Participant Review By Steve Walker, Victoria

Participants of the 2010 TRAILblazers—Steve Walker third from back right

http://www.rural-leaders.com.au/

http://www.rural-leaders.com.au/



IFA WA Division: World Forestry Day 2010

Healthy Forests Seminar

The WA Division celebrated World Forestry Day 2010 running a seminar on healthy forests attended by 45 people of which a minority were members of the IFA. A particular objective of the seminar was to encourage participation of younger people in forest management. As such it was particularly appropriate that Hon. Donna Faragher, MLC, WA Minister for Environment is also the Minister for Youth and has a track record for breaking new ground for youth, opened the seminar.

Presentations were made by a wide range of stakeholders in native forest management. Paco Tovar, Murdoch University

gave an excellent summary of the major issues in WA forest health. He concluded that there are an increasing number of tree species and associated forest types in decline which involve different pest and diseases. Causes of decline are complex and involve interactions. Climate change and/or human impacts could be driving some of the forest health issues. Awareness is increasing with community involvement but expertise and research need ongoing nurture.

Jeff Cagill‟s presentation of his research into fire effects on regeneration was popular as was Tim Sparks, Department of Water, outline of land use impacts on water resources. Eddie van Etten also gave an overview of the role of fire in

healthy forests. Other interesting speakers included Andrew Grigg representing ALCOA who mine bauxite from and rehabilitate significant areas of jarrah forest and Rebecca Sharp, FPC who outlined the role of government in commercial forestry in WA. Chris Portlock is an x-pat Californian forester now working for the Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire made an impassioned plea for support for the Jarrahdale Discovery Forest.

Geoff Stoneman outlined the DEC‟s programme to conserve biodiversity and Gordon Graeme updated the audience on the Conservation Commission‟s forest management plan mid-term audit and plans for the next FMP. Prof. Richard Harper in his new role at Murdoch University gave a

presentation on forests, carbon and climate change. Bob Pearce on behalf of the forest products industry expressed strong support for the role of foresters in forestry politics and policy considerations.

It was a unique occasion to the extent that the Conservation Council of WA was represented by The Wilderness Society and WA Forest Alliance anti-logging campaigner, Peter Robertson. Peter made a presentation of 12 reasons to protect WA‟s forests from logging. It was good to also have Beth Schultz, Conservation Council in the audience.

The audience was interested in an outline of the journalists‟ seven sacred news values by David Cohen, Chairman of the WA Entertainment and Media Alliance. By the way, accuracy did not rate a mention in the news values! The values were: impact, proximity, prominence, timeliness, conflict, currency

and unusual. The driving edicts are “Be first, be first, be first”, “find out what is going on and tell everyone” and “a news story is something that someone, somewhere doesn‟t want published”.

Andrew Lyon spoke on behalf of the IFA with his insights into the critical issues for future forest managers. Andrew saw the way forward through improved media communication and public discussion to challenge the vocal minority. We need to grow trust between the public and forestry practitioners. Funding is required for forest health surveillance programmes and research and development. We also need to identify funding for non-commercial forest management. Education is critical to increase public

knowledge of the issues and train the foresters of the future. We should encourage young people already in the industry to gain certified qualifications.

Frank Batini, FIFA wrapped up the day finding that although the seminar was a great success, there were still many unanswered questions regarding healthy forests.

David Wettenhall WA Division Chairman [email protected]

Students Cielito Marbus and Katherine Edwards chat with IFA member Tony Mennen after the Healthy Forests seminar

New IFA members Fariba Outadi and Hooman Tabarestani with WA Division Chairman David Wettenhall



Neil Cromer, Director of the Forest Research Institute (FRI) since 1963, replaced Max Jacobs as Director General of the Forestry & Timber Bureau (F&TB) in February 1970. Jacobs had served as Director General of the organization for nine years, after being Principal of the Australian Forestry School (AFS) 1945-61. His association with the F&TB went back to 1927 (vol 11, 1).

An article 'Man in nature' by the poet,

author and nature lover Judith Wright McKinney was reproduced in vol 11, 4, Dec 1970, together with two short pieces 'Nature and the purpose of conservation' and 'Criteria for the selection of reserves', probably in response to a call for more discussion of the role of forests in recreation.

The sixth general conference of the Institute to take place at Thredbo in May 1971 was advertised in vol 12, 1, Feb 1971. This newsletter contained a list of all the resolutions from previous

conferences. Resolution no. 2 of the first general conference held in Canberra in June 1954 stated:

The Institute affirms that the administration and management of the forest areas of Australia should always be under the charge of qualified foresters and that it is the duty of Council to take action at all appropriate times to achieve this objective in consultation with any Division concerned.

A short review of bauxite mining in forest areas of WA by Don Spriggins in vol 12, 1 well illustrated how the scale of mining operations can grow with demand – from 20-35 acres per year initially envisaged to in excess of 500 acres of jarrah forest per year. An article by Peter Hawkins about mining Caloola sands appeared in the same issue. There was also a report of the first field day of the Murrumbidgee branch of IFA, formed to replace (in NSW) the former Murray River Catchment branch, and a note on the retirement of Charlie Hamilton as senior lecturer at ANU.

A report on the sixth Institute conference is contained in vol 12, 2. Extracts from the IFA Council meeting at the time of this conference showed strong criticism of the FRI. Add to this discussion on setting up an IFA secretariat, forestry education, and legislation on investment forestry, and it can be seen why the

Extraordinary General Meeting called at Thredbo was very lively!

This volume of the newsletter carried a note saying that up to 50 sawmills in WA were cutting jarrah railway sleepers for the Robe River iron ore project: half the 358 000 sleepers required were to be jarrah, half karri.

Another note in vol 12, 2, extracted by Les Carron from 'A discussion of Australian forestry' by D.E. Hutchins (1916), was squarely aimed at HR personnel. Titled 'The foresters wife', it read:

… the forester … should be given use of sufficient ground around his house for cultivation and a good paddock … For a man and his family this is naturally a considerable help in living; and even better than this, there are home pursuits and outdoor occupations for the wife and children, provided, of course, that the wife be a woman used to outdoor life and not a sickly household drudge, or one accustomed only to town life and not able to make a loaf of bread.

An active, healthy forester's wife is an invaluable help. She has often saved the situation when a fire has broken out in the forester's absence, and the comfort and cleanliness of the inspection quarters at the forest station depend on her. She may too, in a remote station, keep a small shop and manage the post office; so, when recruiting foresters, the forester's wife has to be considered.

Kurt Cremer, one of the editors of the newsletter for many years, was also a prolific contributor of well-reasoned, thought-provoking articles. In vol 12, 3 he briefly reviews the 1970 4th edition of G.W. Leper (ed) 'Australian Environment' that he notes was an internationally recognized authoritative reference, and, at the same time, draws the attention of foresters to the new classification of vegetation by Specht and other ecologists superseding the Beadle and Costin classification. Kurt goes on to review two more books, one of them P.E. & A.H. Erlich's 'Population, Resources, Environment'. 'You must read it', he concludes, 'and learn its main points by heart.'

Metrication for Australian forestry was being investigated in 1970 by the Australian Forest Council (AFC). Girths were out, diameters were in, but not in millimetres because Australian foresters regarded them as leading to

too many figures. The centimetre was the preferred unit (vol 13, 2, Jun 1972).

An article by Chris Borough in this newsletter gives a picture of the newly re-organized PNG Department of Forestry under Don McIntosh, and other named professional personnel.

The same issue carried an announcement by Bill Stahl of the arrival of poplar rust in Australia. It was first noticed on 27 January 1972 at Wright's Creek in the Hawkesbury

district of New South Wales. Within a week there was a report of it at Upper Colo, 20 miles away, and a week later it was found at Palm Beach, Camden, Windsor and Denman. Within a month of the first report, rust was found at Canberra, Tumut and Grafton. Rust found in Western Australia in October 1975 was likely to have been introduced on cuttings from a commercial nursery in another state (J.F. Titze in vol 17,2).

Foresters involved in regeneration burns will empathize with Fred Frampton's piece ' The gut twister' in vol 14, 2 of Jun 1973.

Number 4 of this volume contains the citation for the conferring of an honorary degree (Doctor of Laws) on Baldur Byles. Anyone interested in Kosciusko National Park should know of the role this forester played in its creation. Baldur, who was born in 1904, graduated B.Sc. (Forestry) at Adelaide University in 1925. Vol 16, 3, Sep 1975 carried the news of his appointment as an officer of the Order of the British Empire shortly before his death.

There is an 'insider's' view (Ron Greaves - Forwood secretariat), an 'outsider's' view (Gay Davidson – The Canberra Times) and a newsletter editor's view of the 1974 Forwood Conference in vol 15, 2 of the newsletter. Conservationists

From IFA Newsletters 1970-79 By Kim Wells


represented by the Australian Conservation Foundation could not be persuaded to drop their boycott of this important conference.

At the September 1974 Council meeting it was noted that, with Independence, there could no longer be a PNG branch of the IFA (vol 15, 3).

A motion 'The Institute should establish a paid secretariat to service affairs of members, business and publications' was carried at an extraordinary general meeting at the time of the 7th General Conference

held at Caloundra.

Plans were announced in vol 16, 2 of Jun 1975 for the establishment of a new CSIRO Division of Forest Research with Max Day named acting chief. The FRI then ceased to exist.

David Griffin took over from Prof Ovington as the new head of ANU Forestry Department.

Dr J.G. Moseley, Director of ACF, addressed an IFA/APPITA meeting in

Traralgon in September, 1975. A report of his address and the ACF's policy on forestry in Australia are in vol 17, 1. In the same issue, Kel McGrath reports on an impressive three week visit to China by a group nominated by ACF at the invitation of the China-Australia Friendship Association. The theme of the visit was conservation.

CSIRO began producing a twice-yearly journal 'Australian Forest Research' in 1975.

Half of vol 18, 1 of Mar 1977 was taken up by excerpts from a lecture by Nils Osara given to FAO's Committee on Forestry, titled 'Forestry and agriculture – competition or co-operation?' No doubt the content is still relevant today.

Brian Cumberland was elected to a new position of Assistant Secretary/Treasurer early in 1977 to deal with IFA business previously dealt with by Coopers and Lybrand.

Interested in what became of the F&TB after their research functions went to CSIRO? See page 14-15 of vol 18, 1 and page 18 of vol 18, 4 where it is reported that the F&TB was functioning as a branch of the Department of Primary Industries.

Australia's first national conference on private and farm forestry was held in Traralgon, Gippsland from 26-30 October 1977.

Did you know that Pythophthora cinnamomi has long been associated with serious losses in pineapple and avocado plantations? This and other interesting facts about the pathogen in tropical rainforests is revealed in vol 18, 2, Mar 1977. Volume 18, 3 carries a position statement on forestry education in Australia, with particular reference to Victoria, and a draft IFA policy on wilderness that stimulated discussion in later newsletters.

An AFS film: was it ever completed? Klause Hueneke, working in the ANU Forestry Department selected some 600 feet out of 1800 feet of 16mm movie film made in the early 1950s to show audiences at the ANU and an ACT divisional meeting. Council tentatively agreed to spend $300 on copying the film, which was deteriorating, and work towards completing the film with appropriate sub-titles or sound commentary (vol 19,1, Mar 1978).

Three guests spoke at a 'forest recollection dinner' at Clunies Ross House (National Science Centre, Parkville, Melbourne) in 1978: Alf Leslie – early red gum utilization near Gunbower on the Murray River. He recollected 'the tiger snakes being magnificent swimmers, supporting themselves in the water on one-third of their length to gain greater height for reconnaissance';

Hector Ingram – sawmilling in Victoria back to the 1920s; and John Youl, a forest officer in the Victorian Commission from 1919 then Manager of the Vic Sawmillers' Association, who spoke of the great changes he had witnessed in logging and sawmilling (vol 19, 3). The first issue of 'Forest Recollections', produced by the Vic division, was being printed at the time vol 20, 2 went to press in June 1979.

At one of the ACT division events, Prof Walter Bitterlich himself was to speak on 'Latest developments in point sampling and tele-relaskop techniques'.

The newsletter reported that the

1980 triennial conference might be held in Rotorua, N.Z. This was confirmed in vol 19, 4.

With vol 20, 1, Mar 1979, the newsletter reverted to B5, an international page size, with only 15% photo-reduction of print size for easier reading. Australian Forestry changed to this size at the same time. In this issue Wilf Crane advertised a re-union for AFS students of 1961-62 to be held in the Clancy Alpine Club lodge at Smiggin Holes that many foresters had a hand in building. The issue also contains an interesting note about returned Australian World War 1 soldiers taking part in a practical forestry course run by Edinburgh University while they were waiting for shipping home. The question was posed: 'Did any of theses men subsequently work in forestry in Australia?'

The report of the land use study tour organized by Jim Williamson of the WA division to the Kimberley region in May 1979 (vol 20, 3) will be of interest to foresters who went on the August 2008 northern Australia forestry tour organized by the Tropical Forestry Special Interest Group of the Institute.

The December issue of vol 20 began with moving messages concerning the passing of 'Doc' Jacobs on 12 October, 1979.

A rumoured move of CSIRO Forest Research from Yarralumla to Tasmania was causing concern to some IFA members.

These notes are from IFA newsletters vol 11, 1 to vol 20, 4. More in a future newsletter.

Kim Wells [email protected]

I am parting with my collection of newsletters dating back to vol. 2, 2 (February 1959). If

interested in any or all of them please phone 02 6251-8308 or email

[email protected].




An Address to the I.F.A. ACT Division World Forestry Day Dinner March 2010

by R.L. Newman OAM

My address is about recalling some of the great history of Australian Forestry. This is after a 50 to 60 year period of advances in all facets of our Profession. I remind you in the context of what I want to say of a definition of what is forestry.

“Forestry is the sustainable management of forests and its environment and includes the development of skills for people management to help those dependent on the forest land.”

And I emphasise the great dedication and service of those charged with forest management responsibilities over something like 150 years. They have done well, and they have followed and been part of Australia‟s great culture, formed by the early settlers and those who served in two Australian Imperial Forces on land, sea and air.

By 1940 some 100,000 ha of softwood had been planted in a country where natural softwood is not plentiful. By 1995 1,000,000ha had been planted. The Hardwood figure by 2009 had also reached a figure of 1,000,000ha from M.I.S. investors.

Over all, timber fibres used has been approximately 5 million cubic metres or green tonnes in 1940 to sustaining 24,000,000 cubic metres or green tonnes in 2000. In spite of this we still

import over $2 billion of wood for various purposes. In 2007-08 the turn-over of Australia‟s forest products industries event was more than $21 billion. This makes the forest industries Australia‟s second largest manufacturing industry employing more than 120,000 people directly and including a factor of 2 perhaps for dependents totalling 360,000.

PERIOD PARTICULARLY BEFORE

1900

My address is to do mainly with 1945 onwards, but I will just emphasise some of the early activities in forestry, which are important to remember. Before the advent of bulldozers and chain saws, the emphasis on forestry activities was being able to access those mature trees, which were reachable. The species involved included hoop pine, red cedar, red

gum, New South Wales rainforest species, the Tasmanian Pines and Blackwood timbers and tall eucalyptus for masts for instance for the Royal Navy.

There were government inspectors of these activities, who collected royalties, but did

little to control volumes with the operations being essentially selection felling by timber getters

This period required resistance by forestry interests of incursions by agriculturalists wanting to fell trees for grazing and crops. This resistance has had to have been maintained right through to and past the 1960.

Much of the sawn timber was imported from the USA and Scandinavia in the form of Oregon, and spruce, and this

allowed the formation of timber merchants in all Australian states. Much of, early house frames and other buildings were in Oregon and this persisted, particularly Sydney, to the 1980s.

PERIOD 1900 to 1910

With the increase in population and to a large extent due to the gold rush and the steady development of Australia's cities, the protection of forests from agriculture became more intense, and

the training of people to use a scientific approach to Forest Management commenced.

This resulted in the formation of two tertiary schools of Forestry, one at Creswick in Victoria, providing a diploma course and one at the University of Adelaide for degree courses in 1910.

In the First World War the U.K. was forced to harvest a lot of their home grown timber and as result a U.K. Forestry commission was formed. The idea of putting the management of forests as a Commission or department continued throughout the empire and all Australian states governments proceeded with this strategy after 1920.

As well, the Empire Foresters formed in their professional association in 1920 which now is known as The Commonwealth Forestry Association.

PERIOD BETWEEN THE 1st WAR AND END OF THE 2nd WAR

In 1925 Mr Lane-Poole was appointed Federal Inspector of Forests and was charged with developing a Canberra base for the Commonwealth Forestry and Timber Bureau. The purpose of which was to provide research,

education, statistical information and policy. The Australia Forestry School moved from the University of Adelaide to Canberra in 1927 and Lane-Poole also acted as Principal of the school until Dr Jacobs was appointed in 1944.

The period between the First War and end of the Second World War was one of research and development of paper production from Eucalypt, which was first initiated in Western Australia by L.R. Benjamin. This resulted in associated pulp and paper mills being developed in Burnie, and Australian newsprint Mills in the Derwent Valley. A second development between the wars was the development of kiln drying in Victoria by H.D. Tieman, an American from the Madison USA forest products laboratory in the USA in conjunction with CSIR located in South Melbourne. The third highlight between the wars was the large planting of Radiata pine in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and the ACT which employed many people during the great Depression.

By 1935 more Foresters had received their training and the Institute Foresters of Australia was formed.

During the second war period the role of training Foresters was increased at the University of Melbourne. The Second World War saw the major development of the Hardwood industry particularly after the 1939 Victorian fires . which caused log salvage to be


undertaken . That period also saw the expansion of the plywood industry for making aircraft and the Commonwealth taking on the role of Timber control with Stephen Kessell in charge.

PERIOD BETWEEN 1945 AND 1965

After the Second World War Forestry found itself supplying huge quantities of local timber, for many purposes. There was a huge need for urban housing and much of the house framing was done with hardwood. The procurement was made easier by the introduction of chainsaws, bulldozers and road systems.

The pulp and paper industry too formed their Australasian Pulp and Paper Industry Technical Association in Launceston in 1946.

In the late 1960s/early 1970s after 20 years of increasing access to native forests and the availability of machinery the public were able to view forestry activities more closely .A European view of forestry emerged and the Routleys who lectured in Arts at A.N.U. started to be critical of Forest management technique in native Forests and influenced other people to their view.

At the same time as there was no success in rectifying the deficit in the balance of payments for the use of forest products in Australia, it was decided to replace mainly Oregon imports with P. radiata plantations and provide long fibred pulp for industry. Dr. Jacobs, his assistant Bert Hanson, and David Fairbairn, the Federal Minister, with the support of the IFA were able to get the Federal Government cabinet to agree to lend money for that purpose to the Australia States.

The question of education arrangements arose again, and the Australian Forestry School moved to the A.N.U. in 1965.At the same time, the University of Melbourne introduced a four course for bachelor‟s degree without the need to attend Creswick

Forestry School. Already the University of Melbourne had trained many MSc and PhD students, either originally emanating from Creswick or the A.F.S.

Also during the 1960s and 70s interest in expanding national parks occurred and a number of state forests considered by most foresters capable of being harvested were transferred out of the control of the forest services and put into a single use purpose.

As well, the forest products industry became interested in establishing softwood plantations, particularly Australian Paper Manufacturers, APPM in Burnie and Australian Newsprint Mills in the Derwent Valley near Hobart.

PERIOD 1965 TO 1990

Because of the appearance of the Sirex Wasp in Radiata plantations an interstate committee was set up to arrange to eradicate it, because of its ability to attack softwood sawlogs. At the same time a number of private growers commenced in New South Wales to plant poplar trees for plywood.

The two groups came together to form a private tree growers organisation known as the Australian Forest Development Institute ,now the Australian forest growers (A.F.G.), which soon found there were other challenges as well as the problem of the wasp.

APM the original paper maker in Australia made Michael Hall A M available to get the fledgling organisation under way and the strength of interest was apparent by the time of the 1978 AFDI (AFG) Conference in Traralgon.

This was a masterstroke as the basis for fresh thinking and different people entering into forestry.

By 1975 a number of managed investment schemes emerged following a court decision tested and lost by the

Tax Department. Unfortunately in the beginning some of the schemes were not often directed by people who understood forestry, and were mainly interested in the financial returns.

In order to provide consulting services for private planting the Association of Consulting Foresters of Australia was formed in 1978.

The AFG by 1982 had a strong committee and were able to advise governments on private forestry such as M.I.S. policy and, plantation Insurance. And indeed by 1988 it was strong enough to run the International Forestry Bicentenary Conference to good effect in Albury. The National Foresters Grove was initiated and to this day continues its development.

Another facet of the industry which developed was the timber treatment one. Australia has always been short of durable timbers and with the introduction from U.K. of well-

established salt production services treatment became available.. The Timber Preservers Association Australia also started in the 1950s and still supplies technical information.

The period also saw the Japanese seeking wood chips from a reliable source and native forests with trees of poor quality and sawmill waste became an ongoing export market to feed new Japanese paper mills. All during the post-war period, up to about 1985 forestry services remained as a strong

plantation establisher, and this was strongly complemented by a burgeoning private sector of managed investment schemes, land owners and corporate. By 1995 Australia had nearly one million hectares of softwood plantations.

In 1987 at long last the National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI) representing Forestry in all its forms was agreed to by Industry and Government covering activities from Pulp and Paper through to wood chips

to plantations and Native Forest activities.

It had and continues to have several important successes to its credit not the least the establishment of a plan to plant 3,000,000ha of Plantation by 2020 and the formation of the Timber Communities Australia Association for all people working in the Industry. NAFI was consulted too by the Federal Government on aspects of the M.I.S. Scheme.

Earlier, too, during the 1965-75 period

the Forest Industry Club movement popularly known as Hoo-Hoo was formed by linkages with the USA body and became a strong factor in Forest PR.

In 1975 the CSIRO took over the role of the Federal Forest Research Institute run by the Forest and Timber Bureau . Its Forest seed availability centre, its technical book preparation and research particularly in fire control was outstanding.

The great research success over 80 years of the CSIROs Forest Products Division in Melbourne is too great to record in this address.

Forest and grassland fires since the war following the huge 1939 forest fire in Victoria, continued and the public continued to worry about fire protection and the Bush fire organisations were continually

Continued on page 28


Welcome to the following new members

of the IFA ACT TAS VIC OS

Ellen Cheney Christopher Bond Alex Bradley Lyell Dean Brodie Frost Gerd Bossinger Thomas Fairman Mark Graeme Megan Graham Roger Kay

Student Member Voting Member Voting Member Voting Member Associate Member Voting Member Student Member Student Member Student Member Associate Member

NSW WA QLD

Ravi Hegde Max Schlachter Xiao Shang Andrew Bussau Michael Harris Andrew Lyon Cielito Marbus Fariba Outadi Jakub Pyrchlas Hooman Tabarestani William Towie Elektra Grant

Associate Member Student Member Student Member Voting Member Associate Member Voting Member Student Member Associate Member Student Member Associate Member Voting Member Student Member

Membership Application - page 31

developed using much of the research provided by Foresters in CSIRO.

However the proven effective control

of forest debris burning research was

not allowed to be used by forest

services except in Western Australia as

a significant deterrent for forest fires.

On the forestry side PR has in recent

times improved, slightly. Foresters

historically are not usually an

aggressive group and perhaps have not

defended the profession as well as

they should have. The IFA is more

vigorous but the knowledge the public

and particularly teachers and children

require on forestry does not seem to

be attaining a significant effect.

Forestry, being a country and not an urban activity except for the use of its products, needs and will continue to need as much political, financial and external services support as it can be given.

A dominant activity which developed from 1993 onwards was the large development of managed investment schemes which the AFG have had such a strong role in ensuring the systems were not stopped in 1985. From the 1990s Alan Cummine, initially working with the AFG, has given an enormous amount of time to its success.

PERIOD 1990 TO 2000

By the last quarter of the 20th century forestry had made strong steps in fire fighting research, Forestry education, Native forest regeneration softwood and hardwood planting establishment against the background of activity of the environmental movement. This problem caused me to quote Petronius to indicate what starts to happen once politics force changes to organisations often to no useful purpose.

So with the background, so far, of success but with the warning trends of too many forestry organisation changes I quote the Roman Leader Petronius

“We trained hard but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress, while producing confusion, inefficiency, and it demoralisation".

That was in 210 B.C. !

The activities of some environmental groups have caused a great economic harm and harm to the Forestry profession and have caused for instance a huge amount of money to be spent on Government enquiries in the last 30 years, which would have

been better spent on Forest management.

Some influences in the media particularly have resulted in an emotional rather than a botanical and forestry strategy. I believe It might have been possible to respond to the Environmental lobby with a forestry strategy, which might have resulted in a positive result.

This ongoing environment conflict has partly caused a reduction of students entering the forestry profession, and it has caused diversions in commerce away from Australia's best interests

and this could be said for all Australian states.

During 1994 in keeping with Federal Government Policy for a number of Rural Industries the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation was set up by a Federal fund with a matching from private industry. In 1997 the Corporation became privatised and drew funds from growers and processors as well..

The period 1995 to 2000 saw the regional forest agreements come in to play which caused a reduction of some 60% of areas previously available for harvesting in Australia.

So by the beginning of the of the year 2000 it would be true to say forestry is

From page 27


proud of its performance but I believe it has been poorly dealt with by politicians who have been at times too much influenced by environmentalists, causing the politicians who use land use management changes to get votes - without always thinking through the implications of the effect.

Too many department heads have been sacked and reshuffling of duties occurring in the last 20 years.More money from forest management should be forthcoming instead of spending it on reports initiated by Governments.

It is time that forestry resurrected an interstate standing committee to advise the State and Federal Governments on forestry. Some of the trends which I consider a deterioration Of Forestry‟s ability to move forward include:

Research: Removal of CSIROs Division of Forest Products and Forestry.

Education: Shrinking number of

students studying a Bachelor Degree in Forestry or a Diploma or a Certificate.

Forested Land management:

Enormous reduction in native forested land available for multiple use which means harvesting is declining.

Organisation: Continual organisation

changes in Forestry services.

Foreign Financing of Plantations and

Manufacturing of Forest Products: Lack of Australian Investment in major sawmilling companies and all

pulp or paper mills. Sale of public sector plantation in two states to prop up governments general finances.

Bias and at times Untruths about

Management of Forests: Lack of effective PR by industry, and Foresters except by Timber Communities Australia (TCA). The environment lobby are guilty too, as well as the National Public Broadcaster for misinformation.

Forest Fire Protection Fails and

therefore Suppression: The removal of Foresters in 1990 from managing forests and managing major forest fires might have contributed to the loss of life.

Softwood Plantation Shortage:

Domestic demand is looking now for at least another 70,000 ha for its expanding needs.

Forestry deserves better support but much of what is happening in the Industry and Profession remains

sound. It has certainly provided Australia with secure forests except against fire and remains a large employer and generator of National cash flow. Forest Research has been both a huge success in Australia and

internationally. We should salute those who have kept the standards high.

Australia is still a young country and

forestry has made a large contribution to its evolving development from earliest times and will, given the circumstances continue to do so in the future.

R.L. Newman OAM R.P.F., F.I.F.A., F.C.F.A., B.Sc(For) Dip For(A.F.S.), Cert. Bus. Adm [email protected]

What does it mean to you to be involved in a professional organisation?

As a forester, an occupation that requires extensive education and specialised training, you want to show to your employer and clients that you have professional standards. Membership of the Institute of Foresters of Australia confirms your commitment to the standards of skill, competence, and character normally expected of a properly qualified and experienced person in a work environment. Your IFA professional membership gives you access to current up to date research findings by way of the Australian Forestry journal and National conferences. You are given opportunities to continually enhance your knowledge through CPD activities run by the States, Territories and Special Interest Groups. You have an entire network at your fingertips of other professionals who share your passion and understanding of the founding scientific principles that constitute forestry. You have on occasion opportunity to participate in peer reviews and accreditation/reference checks ensuring that IFA members uphold the professional standards that you yourself subscribe to.

You work hard because you believe and love what you do. The IFA is all about professionals in forestry, and that is you!

www.forestry.org.au

The statistical graphs that

accompany this article

can be downloaded from

the ‘Presentations Page’

within the Members Zone

of the IFA website

www.forestry.org.au



Notice

Board

IFA member Tony Fearnside is moving house and is offering his collection of Australian Forestry Journal starting from XXIV no. 1 1960 and ending at vol. 72. no. 4 in 2009 to anyone who may be interested (note there may be a few missing issues). Interested persons should contact Tony directly on either (02) 6288 7656 or [email protected]

ACFA Association of Consulting Foresters of Australia

Practical honest reliable advice

Why trust your business

with someone who is not an ACFA consultant?

Plantation Establishment

Forest Inventory / Valuation

Harvest Planning

Forest Products Sales / Marketing

Catchment Management / Conservation

Trees on Farms / Agroforestry

+ many more specialist services

Talk to a consulting forester

about your trees

www.forestry.org.au

E: [email protected] P: (02) 6281 3992

ACFA consultants are accredited by the Registered

Professional Forester (RPF) Scheme (R)



IFA Membership Grades

VOTING MEMBER

You are eligible for Voting membership if you:

1. Hold a tertiary degree qualification in forestry recognised by the Institute together with at least two years appropriate forest management or forest science experience and can demonstrate knowledge of and/or skills in the core subjects of Australian forestry

Or

2. Hold any other tertiary qualification or other relevant experience acceptable to the Institute together with at least four years appropriate forest management or forest science experience and can demonstrate knowledge of and/or skills in the core subjects of Australian forestry.

Persons holding forestry qualifications of Diploma, Associate Diploma or Certificate IV will be eligible providing they meet the following forest management or forest science experience:

Diploma = 6 years, Associate Diploma = 8 years and Certificate IV = 10 years.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER

You are eligible for Associate membership if you:

1. Have an interest in forestry

Or

2. Have other relevant experience in forestry

STUDENT MEMBER

You are eligible for Student membership if you are attending as a full time student in your first undergraduate formal course of forestry related study at any University or Tertiary institution recognised by the IFA.

Membership Fees

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Membership grades of the IFA are:

Grade Voting $308 Fellow $308

Concessional rates Student $ 47 Retired $ 154 Couple concession $308

Membership fees are payable at the time of application and renewable each financial year.

Current fee schedule for applications received during July 2010 - June 2011:

Grade Associate $308 Associate (YP rate) $78


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Foresters of Australia

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INSTITUTE OF FORESTERS OF AUSTRALIA

IFA MembershipIFA Membership

About IFA

The Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) is a professional body engaged in all branches of forest management and conservation in Australia.

The Institute is strongly committed to the principles of sustainable forest management and the processes and practices which translate these principles into outcomes.

Our membership represents all segments of the forestry profession, including public and private practitioners engaged in many aspects of forestry, nature conservation, resource and land management, research, administration and education.

Membership with us is not restricted to professional Foresters. Other persons associated with or interested in the area of forestry are welcome to join IFA!

Membership Benefits

The many benefits of being a Member of the IFA include:

Employment vacancy notices

Regular email Bulletins

Australian Forestry - our own scientific journal

The Forester quarterly newsletter

Accreditation as a Registered Professional Forester

Professional recognition, including our prestigious N.W. Jolly Medal award

Access to scholarships, grants and professional development awards

Young Professional (YP) rate for new graduates

Professional conferences

Two for one deal for couples

Student work placement notices

50% off for retired foresters.

the forester - institute of foresters of australia forester june... · po box 7002 yarralumla act...

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