NSW has a world class conservation reserve network including a comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve network encompassing more than 7.5 million hectares of national parks and reserves. State forests cover approximately two million hectares, half of which is permanently protected and a million of which is available for renewable timber production. Around one per cent of State forests are harvested sustainably each year in line with strict environmental regulations.

Areas including rainforest and old growth forests, wetlands and riparian zones, threatened ecological communities, ridge and headwater habitat and rocky outcrops are permanently protected and never harvested for timber.

Each area of State forest has been classified under the Forest Management Zoning (FMZ) system, which establishes eight separate management zones based on the conservation value of each forest area to ensure each area is managed appropriately.