21-Oct-2011

Local landholders are invited to attend a free Native Forest Management field day near Hampton in early November to learn how to best manage native forest country.

The field day will provide an overview on the best ways to manage native forest country for timber production in a way that doesn’t compromise biodiversity values and land condition. It is being run on Saturday 5 November between 9am and 3pm by SEQ Catchments as part of the Powerlink GreenWorks program.

SEQ Catchments Farm forestry and Vegetation officer, Paul Daly, said landholders can improve forest health and increase productivity by actively managing native forest country.

“We’ll cover current legislation and the Native Forest Code of Practice, silvicultural practices, and timber harvesting and post-harvest management – all with easy to understand information. Landholders will also leave with a better understanding on how to get the most value for their timber,’’ Mr Daly said.

The field day will include a ‘hands on’ session, to increase landholders knowledge on how to determine the condition of their forest. Following lunch, the day will wrap up with a visit to a nearby property at Ravensbourne where the owners will demonstrate milling of local timber.

The native forest management field day is one of a number of practical sessions that will be run over the next year, as a result of feedback and interest from landholders who participated in a series of Property Management Planning workshops last year. Through this local Powerlink GreenWorks project, over 20 landholders from the Ravensbourne area have so far been supported to develop property plans that help identify priority projects to protect and enhance significant native vegetation on their properties.

Powerlink GreenWorks Program Manager, Bronwyn Ford said despite the challenges from floods and wet conditions earlier this year, many participating landholders are making great progress with on-ground works including fencing and strategic weed control.

“These natural regeneration, native forest management and revegetation activities aim to improve the condition of tall open forest and rainforest communities in the local area,” Ms Ford said.

This workshop is also supported by Private Forestry Southern Queensland’s Caring for Our Country Revegnet.au project. It focuses on improving the skills, knowledge and capacity of landholders through an integrated program of field days and training, property planning, and targeted incentives for on-ground works to improve the health and resilience of native forest communities.

If you are interested in attending the field day, please contact Bruce Lord , SEQ Catchments on 0427 013 284 or email blord@seqcatchments.com.au.

SEQ Catchments is a community-based, not-for-profit business that works to protect and restore South East Queensland’s natural environment. Powerlink GreenWorks is a $1.6 million, five-year partnership between Powerlink and Ipswich City Council, and Lockyer Valley, Somerset, Toowoomba, and South Burnett Regional Councils which will deliver significant and lasting environmental outcomes and enhance visual amenity in areas near Powerlink’s 500kV transmission line easements.

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Further information: Sibel Korhaliller, Communications Officer, 0488 713 340 or skorhaliller@seqcatchments.com.au