Eight Tasmanian landowners receive funds to integrate trees on farms

Posted 28 April 2022

Planting more trees helps to protect the land for future generations and the Tasmanian Government congratulates eight landowners who will receive grants to integrate 329 hectares of trees on their land. The Tasmanian Government, with assistance from the Australian Government, has provided $600,000 for the Trees on Farms grants which is managed by Private Forests Tasmania.

The direct value of agroforestry comes from selling wood products, carbon credits, increased farm productivity and co-products such as biofuel, oils and honey.

The indirect benefits of integrating trees on farms include improved biodiversity, providing a habitat for native species, addressing salinity, and enhanced land amenity and value.

In addition to the value of the wood, the successful applicants have identified shelter for livestock, reducing the impact of prevailing winds, improved biodiversity values, carbon sequestration and carbon credits, stabilisation of banks and landslip areas and improving water quality through the reduction of sediment runoff as reasons for integrating trees.

The expansion of Tasmania’s private forests will also help to secure wood for the future with high demand for wood products to continue in future decades.

The plantings will be 78 per cent in woodlots and 22 per cent in shelterbelts. Across the eight sites, 75 per cent will be pinus radiata, 20 per cent eucalyptus nitens, 5 per cent special species and 1 per cent eucalyptus globulus.

The trees will be planted in the winter/spring of 2023.

The successful applicants are:

St Peters Pass, Oatlands – this farm produces sheep for lamb and wool, cattle, timber plantation and native regrowth.
Gatehouse, Loongana – Grazing sheep and cattle.
St Johnstone, Campbell Town – this farm focuses on sheep farming, wool, prime lambs, cereal production, canola and lucerne.
Keeton Miles, Nietta – this farm focuses on beef and cropping.
Looseleigh, Selbourne – this farm focuses on cropping and livestock.
Glenbourne, Blackwood Creek – this farm focuses on livestock and forest production, including fat lambs and cattle breeding.
Creese North East, Tomahawk – this farm focuses on beef cattle, prime lambs and potatoes.
Churchill Pastoral Company, Oldina – this farm focuses on beef cattle.

Private Forests Tasmania, which is partially funded by the Tasmanian Government, facilitates the expansion and development of the State’s private resource in a manner that is consistent with sound forest and land management practices.

Media Release, Guy Barnett, Minister for Resources - 28 April 2022.