The first of over 9.1 million pine seedlings have started their journey to State forests across NSW from Forestry Corporation of NSW’s Blowering Nursery, the largest crop in the nursery’s history.

Phil Green, Plantation Improvement Manager, said the 9.1 million seedlings will join with a further five million from the Grafton Nursery and contracted supply and will be planted to rebuild fire-affected and previously harvested plantations around Tumut, Bombala, Bathurst, Mossvale, Walcha and Grafton.

“Following the Black Summer bushfires, we have boosted the capacity of our Blowering nursery thanks to a $2 million equity investment from the NSW government,” Mr Green said.

“Getting to this point has been no small feat, but is an important task in bushfire recovery.

“Over the last 21 years, Forestry Corporation’s Blowering nursery has seen over 150 million seedlings pass through our gates to help build people’s homes and workplaces.

“This year we have 16 staff on board to help with the grading and dispatch program which runs for five-months.

“At the height of the dispatch program, it is not uncommon to send upwards of 800,000 seedlings out of the nursery gate in a week.”

Mr Green said the seedlings started their journey in October last year, when the team at the nursery planted more than 400 kilograms of seed into individual cells.

“These seedlings are going to become future generations’ homes and furniture, so we go to great lengths to ensure we produce high quality, robust seedlings that will produce strong and straight timber when they are ready for harvest,” Mr Green said.

“We use different seeds for seedlings destined to be planted in different parts of the estate so that they have the best chance of thriving in their environment and growing into the highest-quality timber possible.

“Blowering supplies by far the largest portion of seedlings replanted state-wide, so it’s a role the nursery team takes very seriously,” Mr Green concludes.

“The seedlings grown in the nursery today will be planted in State-owned pine plantations and grown for around 30 years before they are harvested for a range of products, with many ending up as frames for the homes of the future.”

Media contact: Rod Campbell