The NSW Government has announced a $13 million forestry funding package to protect critical timber supplies in the Murray region ahead of the next bushfire season.
This package will improve the resilience of this important regional industry. The measures will deliver fire prevention, detection, and response works that have been developed following consultation with forestry industry groups and government agencies.
The NSW Government has plans for developing regional NSW and for building more housing. Protecting softwood forests and production is critical to achieving both of those plans.
Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty announced the funding in the Murraguldrie State Forest, 60 km from Wagga Wagga, with Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr and representatives of the NSW timber industry.
Feedback from the industry highlighted three key focus areas to ensure the forestry sector is better prepared for the next bushfire season, and the package delivers on these as follows:
Prevent bushfires from occurring or spreading by constructing new and maintaining established strategic fire trails and asset protection zones.
Build rapid response capability, suppress fires, and prevent their spread, using towers, remote sensing, and camera technology to detect fires early.
Improve tactical and operational response with additional fire tankers, equipment and infrastructure.
Today’s funding announcement puts the region in a much better position to focus on these preparedness measures.
During the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, it is estimated up to 65,000 hectares of softwood plantation were affected across NSW representing around a quarter of the softwood resource state-wide.
Softwood plantation forestry in southern NSW injects some $3 billion in economic value annually and provides more than 11,000 jobs.