Forestry Corporation of NSW’s Bombala District has started its record 2021 replanting program with 2,400 hectares of pine plantations to be replanted into harvested areas following the black summer bushfires.

Forestry Corporation of NSW’s Bombala District Manager Linda Cotterill said this winter’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,” Ms Cotterill said.

“The planting program engages several businesses including three major planting contractors, so is also an important step in supporting recovering regional communities.

“This is the second time in almost 40 years that our district and people have been involved in such a significant fire event and their connection to our estate is strong,” Ms Cotterill said.

“So being able to do a good job re-establishing the forest is an important part of the recovery of our people and their well-being too.”

“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 Pericoe, Rockton, Bondi, Wog, Nalbaugh, and Coolangubra State Forests.”

NSW Deputy Premier and Member for Monaro John Barilaro said the replanting program will give Bombala renewed hope as it continues its recovery from the 2019/2020 bushfire season.

“Bombala was hit hard during the devastating Black Summer fires, losing homes, livestock and around 30% of its timber supply – an incredibly important local industry,” Mr Barilaro said.

“It is great to see the replanting program get underway in Bombala, and I know that is a sentiment shared by locals. I witnessed firsthand how strong this community is during that incredibly tough summer, and this is an important step in the region’s recovery.”

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

These upgrades were part of the $46 million equity injection and 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 Blowering and Grafton 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 homes built in Australia each year.

Media contact: Rod Campbell