THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FFORNE

THE BUSINESS PLAN

THE FUTURE OF FFORNE

The Establishment of Farm Forestry and the Formation of FFORNE

The Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment made a $3 million commitment in 1996 to develop farm forestry on cleared land in north east and north central Victoria.  The project aims were

1. To commence building a hardwood resource to demonstrate to industry and potential investors that they can invest in the future development of that resource

2. To pursue the involvement of local government, industry and investment to develop the future of farm forest on a regional level and

3. To provide quality  and consistent information on farm forestry.

The government offered financial and technical assistance to landholders

Government assistance included site assessment, technical advice and a management plan, site preparation, establishment and management local government liaison and training and education.

Landholders provided more than 10 ha of cleared land, $500- $700 cash towards plantation establishment, site fencing, tree replacement for losses within control of landholder pest control, fire protection, and made their sites available for demonstration purposes.  The landholder and government entered into a written agreement which was registered on the land title for the life of the crop.

Project Achievements
The 3 year project established eucalypt plantations of Eucalyptus globulus (tasmanian blue gum), E. nitens (shining gum), E. grandis (flooded gum) and E. saligna (sydney blue gum).

1996   - 300 ha            26 properties
1997  - 600 ha             51 properties
1998   - 640 ha            51 properties

A survey of project participants revealed a high level of satisfaction with their  plantation establishment.  This was exemplified by eighty of the 128 growers forming the FFORNE Hardwood Co-operative Ltd.in 1998/1999 to meet their future needs and to expand the hardwood sawlog plantation resource.
Growers participant concerns centered on three major categories:

1. finance,

2. markets, in understanding their mechanism, organising harvesting and negotiating log prices, and

3. creating a critical mass of high quality hardwood logs.

 Flow on affects of the project resulted in

• Investment into region

• Employment

• Technical information development - pruning guidelines and video

• Growth modeling

• Boron deficiency identification

• Liaison with local mills and contractors

• Establishment of a number of plantation research projects, including:

• Growth monitoring for climate and soils based growth modeling- both unthinned and thinned plantations

• Chemical thinning

• Coppice control

• Older age foliar analysis benchmarking and fertiliser trials

• Firewood potential

• Post preservation potential

• Tension wood occurrence

• Plantation hardwood sawing recovery

THE BUSINESS PLAN

FFORNE is operating under a Business Plan prepared for them by consultants FORPAC.

The purpose of the Business Plan is to provide the growers with the opportunity to consider future steps which they might take, to increase the size of the plantation grown “hardwood for sawlogs” resource in North East Victoria.

The Board recognises and acknowledges the work being carried with Private Forestry, by the Victorian Private Forestry networks, by Plantations North East, by SMARTimbers, by TreeSmart, by Local Government, by Catchment Management Authorities, DPI Officers and others, and intends to build on the experience and knowledge which already exists.

THE FUTURE OF FFORNE

FFORNE'S plantations total approximately 1600HA and are mostly growing strongly.  They are being well managed by their owners.

FFORNE has an 8 member board, which meets regularly and which is chaired by Mr John Goldsmith.(See About us)

Graeme Stoney from Mansfield has recently been appointed General Manager of the Co-Op and is being assisted by executive assistant Georgina Connan.

The appointment of a General Manager signals that FFORNE is entering a new phase and intends to grow its business by encouraging present and prospective members to establish new plantations of suitable native trees.

Younger trees store carbon very effectively so there is an opportunity for the owners to sell or claim Carbon Credits up to about year twenty. When these plantations reach maturity, (at which time they reduce the rate of sequestration) they may eventually be used to produce high quality timber.

FFORNE is able to assist and advise landowners on the various business models available including involving outside investment in growing trees on your land.

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