Information and Factsheets

PIRSA Forestry can offer information about the following  subjects

  • Species selection
  • Low rainfall tree improvement
  • Plantation Establishment 
  • Plantation Management
  • Plantation Marketing
  • Australian Agroforestry Newsletter
  • Field days
  • Farm Forestry Toolbox

Species Selection

Choosing appropriate species for the site is important. The PIRSA Forestry website provides information to assist with the selection of appropriate species and highlights additional benefits from growing trees. Potential tree species may include radiata pine, various eucalypts, casuarinas or acacias.

Radiata pine can be used for peeler logs, sawlog, preservation products, and woodchip for particle board, medium density fibreboard or pulp and paper whilst the native species are normally planted to provide sawlog, furniture timber, firewood or woodchips.

Woodlots also provide shade and shelter for stock and crops and can be strategically located to maximise other additional benefits.

Low Rainfall Tree Improvement

PIRSA Forestry was  part of the Australian Low Rainfall Tree Improvement Group (ALRTIG), a national research group that tested a range tree species of high interest for commercial low-rainfall plantations. The species that PIRSA Forestry was involved in trialling included:

  • Corymbia maculata - spotted gum
  • C. variegata - spotted gum
  • Eucalyptus cladocalyx- sugar gum
  • E. occidentalis - flat topped yate
  • Pinus pinaster - maritime pine
  • P. brutia

 

Plantation Establishment

Establishment planning should begin at least 12 months before planting and includes seeking development approvals; designing firebreaks and setbacks ; designing roading for a mchinery access and fire suppression activities; and selecting an appropriate species.  It is important to understand that seedlings need to be ordered well in advance.  Details of contractors who provide establishment advice , and nurseries that supply seedlings can be searched for through various directories.

Plantation Management

After planting it is essential that follow-up management is treated as a priority.  This includes planning for and managing a diverse range of operations, for example: survival counts; early age weed control; fertilising to ensure fast growth; protection against pests, diseases and fire; pruning to improve product value; and thinning to obtain early financial returns and to concentrate growth on final crop trees.

Plantation Marketing

The radiata pine industry is predominantly based in Mount Gambier in the South East, and in the Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island. The long distance from the Upper South East along with small and fragmented forestry blocks is likely to restrict the viability of marketing and harvesting this resource.  However, through cooperative arrangements among growers it should be possible to arrange harvesting of larger quantities of timber. 

Details of companies who harvest, market and mill timber can be searched for through various online directories.

Australian Agroforestry Newsletter

Agroforestry is about farmers growing trees. For more than sixteen years Australian Agroforestry (formerly Agroforestry News) has provided practical and up-to-date information on all aspects of agroforestry and farm forestry to thousands of land owners and their supporters. Most subscribers are members of a regional agroforestry or farm forestry network.

Australian Agroforestry is owned and managed by a community group representing the interests of farmers who grow trees. It is a quarterly publication that is available through The University of Melbourne - http://www.mtg.unimelb.edu.au/AgroNews/subscribe.htm 

Field Days

PIRSA Forestry displays at the Lucindale Field Days in the Primary Industries and Resources South Australia tent. PIRSA Forestry also attends the Kangaroo Island Field Day. Personnel from our group provide farm forestry factsheets and information on biodiversity corridors, education, workforce development and general information on the forestry industry.

Farm Forestry Toolbox

Private Forests Tasmania has developed a farm forestry toolbox to assist farm foresters to undertake financial analysis of stands of trees. PIRSA Forestry has a number of CD's with version 4.0 of the farm forestry toolbox. Please contact PIRSA Forestry to get a CD to help you keep better records of your plantations and undertake financial analysis of them.
The Toolbox can also be ordered from Private Forests Tasmania - http://www.privateforests.tas.gov.au/products/farm_forestry_toolbox