Forestry Minister Dave Kelly today invited private sector proposals to expand Western Australia's softwood estate and safeguard the future of the State's plantation industry, as part of the McGowan Government's Market-led Proposal (MLP) initiative.
The Forest Products Commission currently manages approximately 78,000 hectares of softwood plantations.
While the McGowan Government has invested $23 million in expanding the estate since 2017, previous years of neglect mean that without significant investment, the estate will diminish to 40,000 hectares within 20 years.
Private sector investment is being sought, through an advertised Problem and Opportunity Statements process, to support a 50,000-hectare expansion which will result in more than 60 million trees being planted over a period of up to 10 years.
The expansion will secure the existing 2,000 jobs in the softwood sector, create new jobs and secure a valuable resource for our building and construction sectors.
The millions of trees that will be planted will also sequester seven million tonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide and provide valuable habitat for the endangered Carnaby's black cockatoo.
The Problem and Opportunity Statements process is a new initiative under the McGowan Government's Market-led Proposals policy, harnessing innovative ideas from the private sector that stimulate the economy and create jobs for Western Australians.
For more information, visit http://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-finance/market-led-proposals
As stated by Forestry Minister Dave Kelly:
"The timber from our pine plantations supports thousands of jobs in our State's timber industry and provides a vital resource for our building and construction industries.
"Since 2017 the McGowan Government has invested $23 million rebuilding our softwood estate but we are now seeking private sector investment to turbocharge this expansion.
"This opportunity will not only support thousands of jobs, it will offset carbon emissions and provide foraging habitat for the endangered Carnaby's cockatoo."
