Forestry Corporation has started its record 2021 replanting program, with 1,135,000 seedlings set to be replanted into 1050 hectares of Grafton pine plantations previously harvested or affected by the black summer bushfires.

Forestry Corporation of NSW’s Silviculture and Fire Manager Ivan Gorman said this season’s planting program is an important milestone in the organisation’s bushfire recovery program.

“With around a third of State forest pine plantations affected by the 2019-20 fire season, we’ve expanded and fast-tracked our nursery programs in time for a record 2021 season,” Mr Gorman said.

“The planting program work engages a local haulage business to transport seedlings and a major planting contractor to hand plant pine seedlings, so is also an important step in supporting recovering regional employment and economies.

“Each seedling is planted by hand and an experienced planter can plant around 2,000 seedlings a day.

“Through their efforts we are rebuilding plantations previously harvested for timber or affected by fires, including Yabbra, Eden Creek, Toonumbar, Pikapene, Whiporie, Gibberagee and Clouds Creek State Forests.”

This year’s seedling crop was predominantly grown in Forestry Corporation’s Grafton production nursery following upgrades last year.

These upgrades were part of the $46 million equity injection and part of the larger NSW Government $100 million COVID stimulus package, designed to directly stimulate economies in regional NSW.

This equity injection has seen investment to support the forestry industry and support recovering regional communities, said Forestry Corporation Acting CEO Anshul Chaudhary.

“Over the last 12 months, the equity injection has seen Forestry Corporation repair priority damaged public infrastructure, expand our Grafton and Blowering nurseries and start replanting bushfire-affected State forests.”

Forestry Corporation has around 230,000 hectares of pine plantations in NSW and in normal years produces enough timber to construct a quarter of the homes built in Australia each year.

Media contact: Rod Campbell