There are strict environmental regulations that apply to forestry operations. We have robust systems, processes and procedures to ensure compliance with these rules.

Monitoring compliance

Each year we undertake over 100 operations in native forests. Each operation has hundreds of conditions which are carefully considered in the planning process.

We monitor compliance on every operation through Quality Assurance Assessments (QAAs), recording any issues in our systems to followup. We take steps to monitor compliance and have increased investment in compliance by more than $2.2 million per year since 2020. A dedicated Compliance Assurance Team works closely with staff, contractor, senior management and the regulator to ensure the rules are clear, identify improvements to compliance and manage any issues that arise.

We make all our data and mapping available to the regulator and self-report non-compliances

We are committed to continuous improvement. We have made substantial changes in recent years to ensure greater compliance, including better training for staff and contractors, enhanced technology use, and robust auditing systems.

When issues around compliance do arise we investigate them and work with the regulator.

• We always strive to comply and when mistakes are made, we work to understand what went wrong and what we can do to ensure it does not happen again.
• Where immediate correction is possible, we work swiftly to do this. For example, if debris has been left too close to the trunk of a tree we return to the site and remove it.
• Where remediation may be needed, we implement appropriate actions. For example, if a tree marked for protection is accidentally removed, we identify and protect an alternative tree, often a greater number of trees.

Under the IFOAs we have an obligation to notify the regulator of any reportable harm to the environment. Under the current IFOAs we have not had any instances of reportable harm.

Our goal is to strike a balance between meeting the community’s demand for sustainable timber products and protecting the ecological integrity of the forests we manage. We remain committed to working transparently with regulators, stakeholders, and the public to achieve this balance responsibly.

Compliance incidents being managed

Any compliance issues are carefully investigated and managed. This table is a summary of the compliance issues identified and what has been done about them.

Find out more about past compliance issues.

Complaints register

Under the CIFOA we document complaints received alleging non-compliance with CIFOA conditions. Complaints are investigated to determine if they have substance. Where an issue is identified, steps are taken to improve our practices and if it is a non-compliance, it is entered into the compliance register.

Not all complaints are substantiated as some may stem from incorrect information or a mis-interpretation of the conditions. A summary of the complaints register is below.

Forestry Corporation welcomes feedback on its work and information on complaints not related to the CIFOA can be found here.

This information is provided as part of an Enforceable Undertaking that Forestry Corporation entered into with the NSW EPA after one of its contractors harvested 17 trees from riparian exclusion zones in Coopernook State Forest in December 2021.