Plantation forests deliver enormous social, economic and environmental benefits to both Australia and New Zealand’s regional economies. Our forest industries are applying world’s best practice based upon world’s best science.
The issue of plantations and water can often be over simplified. When attempting to generalise results from international studies to the Australian or New Zealand situation it is crucial that we recognize some key differences. And that a one size fits all approach is flawed. See the links below to some regional specific studies involving water and plantations.
Plantations are an important environmental management tool and in using this tool it is important to maximise overall net benefits and minimise the likelihood of unintended deleterious consequences.
It is also important to remember that plantations are indeed trees and a forest. They intercept water and cycle nutrients with the same mechanisms as natural forests. As such, management decisions and policy discussions on this topic need to be framed within a broad ecological context.
For further information:
Related Links:Murray Darling Basin Commission
Contact:Dr Clive CarlyleGeneral Manager, Ensis Forests and EnvironmentEmail: Phone +61 8 8721 8116
Dr Tim PaynScience Coordinator Phone: +64 7 343 5777