To recognise the departure of Richard Moore, our hard working and conscientious Executive Officer, the committee presented him with a gift at his last Committee meeting on Friday 18th May.

This was in recognition of Richard’s wonderful contribution to AFG and SWAN, whether in a voluntary or paid E.O. role, and more so for his work on building relationships with private tree growers or stakeholders around the State during his active forestry career.

​Bob Hingston worked with Richard since 1979 so knows him pretty well and said:

"His early work with agroforestry research laid the foundation to working with farmers around the State and he became one of Australia’s early pioneer agroforestry researchers."

Richard was also instrumental in bringing the Australian Master Tree Growers Program to WA in 1998 as part of the CALM Farm Forestry Unit strategy to broadening landowner’s empowerment and education of farm forestry. More recently this had led to bringing the Peer Group Mentor Project to WA.

​
Cath Miller met Richard at the Master TreeGrower Course held in Margaret River in 2014, and he so inspired her, she became a Mentor in the Peer Group Mentor Program and took on editing the newsletter, website and facebook page, she said:

"Meeting Richard, has literally changed my life!  His enthusiasm for forestry and his teaching skills opened my eyes on the potential for trees on our farm. We thinned and pruned the 3ha spotted gum plantation and planted casuarina cumminghamiana on the southern boundary as a windbreak, screen and fodder plant.  We planted tagasate, Cas. Obesa and Acacia melanoxylon as fodder belt for goats and sheep and a variety of flowering plants to attract birds and bees and just installed a couple of hives. We also planted a windbreak/shelter belt on the wetter part of the property with Obesa and E Grandis with a view to planting fruit/nut trees in the future and planted a windbreak for the oat paddock with E Utilis, E Leucoxylon Rosea, Grevillia Robusta and C Citriodora and a small patch of ironbark E Tricarpa for sawlogs.   We then applied for and got funding for a revegetation project over 2.2 ha and are now looking at managing the remnant vegetation to provide better regeneration of Jarrah with selective thinning."

​​​"Firstly, it has been an absolute pleasure working with SWAN and with each of you over the past eight years or so.  For me the things we do as an organisation feel really worthwhile.   It gives me great satisfaction to see our members and landowners in general sharing and learning together.

From my perspective SWAN has a bright future.  There is such a diversity of approaches to and a range of benefits from using trees in rural landscapes - and, with that, come many opportunities for SWAN.

I look forward to catching up at future SWAN events."

Demonstration Workshop:
Planting Techniques for Riparian Revegetation Success
Thursday, August 9, 2018
3:00 PM  5:00 PM

The Lower Blackwood LCDC is committed to working with landholders in the restoration of our catchment waterways through revegetation plantings of riparian species along creek lines. As part of that commitment we are very pleased to offer you an opportunity to learn from the experts on planting techniques that will ensure plants will not only survive, but thrive.  This opportunity is offered at no cost due to the generous donation of time by planting contractors Landform and by permission to view on site by the landholders where the demonstration is to take place.

 What will I get from the workshop?

Aspects to consider before starting a revegetation project.
A takeaway example of a revegetation plan.
A detailed demonstration on riparian planting techniques.
A takeaway species list and planting profile as an example of what contractors or the Lower Blackwood LCDC can provide for you to ensure high revegetation success

Workshop Logistics:

The 2 hour workshop will be held the on 9th of August however may be moved if rain is forecast. Any change of date and the property address will be confirmed prior to the event.

Workshop Application:

In order to ensure that the workshop provides maximum benefit to all participants, numbers will be limited so please get your Expression of Interest in to us quickly to guarantee your place. To register your interest or for more information please contact:

Chiara Danese, Landcare Project Officer

Mobile: 0447 742 000 Email: [email protected]

Institute of Foresters of Australia 
WA Division Field Activity
Field Visit Bussells conifer arboretum

Sunday 5th August
12.30pm - 4pm

WA Division members and friends are invited to join a field visit to the Bussells conifer arboretum on the afternoon of Sunday 5 August. Bussells arboretum was established in the late 1960s and includes plantings of a wide variety of exotic and native conifer species.The Parks and Wildlife Service have recently  undertaken maintenance at the arboretum, and the field trip will provide an opportunity to observe the growth performance of different species on a high quality site after more than four decades.
 
An outline of the itinerary is provided below. You can travel in convoy from the Parks & Wildlife Service office at Bunbury or meet at the nominated point on Mungalup Road as shown on the attached map. Bring a thermos and afternoon tea to enjoy in the bush.
 
12:30 – Leave Bunbury from Parks & Wildlife Service office car park.
13:10 – Meet at intersection of Mungalup and Yabberup Brook Roads (can meet any others not leaving from Bunbury) 
13:20 – Stop 1 – Pinus pinaster/ Pinus elliotii 
Introduction to Bussells Arboretum
13:40 – Stop 2 – Callitris endlicheri - Black cypress pine
 Discuss thinning regime
13:50 – Stop 3 – Sequoia sempervirons - Californian Redwood
 Discuss thinning regime
14:20 – Stop 4 - Mixed eucalypts
 Discuss future plans for arboretum
14:40 – Stop 5 – Pinus canariensis
 Discuss potential as a plantation species
15:00 – Depart for Bunbury
15:40 – Arrive Parks & Wildlife Service office car park.
 
RSVP to Lachie McCaw on [email protected] or 0429 977 998.

“All the experience and knowledge that has come out in one day is great support for the people who are trying to grow trees and develop an industry out of it.” 

This was how Peter Clifton, Regional Landcare Facilitator, summed up the recent field day run by the SW Agroforestry Network.  The main topics covered during the day were fire, shitake mushrooms and the use and selling of thinnings.

The 35 people who attended the field day in the Pemberton district on a glorious day in early May visited two contrasting properties.  Andrew Mountford of Mountford Wines showed us his patch of native karri forest.  Like many landowners with native forest, Andrew values his forest and wants to look after it.  He’s aware that it is overstocked and needs thinning.  The challenge of finding markets for thinnings was explored in some depth - watch video - with participants sharing a range of perspectives and practical experience.  It appears that thinning for export chips is probably the most feasible option at this time – not highly lucrative but costs should at least be covered.

Fire is the other major issue for Andrew, particularly as his house is located at the top of the hill above his karri forest.  He outlined how he is reducing fuel levels using mild patchy burns.  To view some of the discussion about Andrew’s forest go to YouTube.

Lunch at Big Brook Dam was a chance to catch up with friends and colleagues.  It was also a chance to hear brief updates from some local groups working in the environmental scene; Kathy Dawson from the Warren Catchments Council on biochar (see video on YouTube), Jess Beckerling on the Forests for Life proposal and Bevan Eatts from the Southern Forests Food Council.

The afternoon’s program switched to a focus on planted trees.  Julian Sharp, avid tree grower for more than 30 years, active mentor with the Mentoring Program run by SWAN and current Chair of the Warren Catchments Council, shared his experience with species for timber.  A highlight was his latest venture – growing shitake mushrooms on small logs from his plantings of eucalypts (watch video on YouTube).   For more on Julian’s story and some of the discussion see video on YouTube)

SWAN is grateful to the SW Catchments Council, for their support for the day via the Regional Landcare Facilitator Program.  Feedback from participants suggests there was plenty of sharing and learning going on, which is essentially what such days are about.  As Bridgetown tree grower, Peter Rydings said during the wrap-up session

“I think the experience and knowledge is widespread and people have been willing to share it.  I think we’ve all taken some great advantage from that today.  I hope we can in some way pass it onto others as well.”
​
by Richard Moore, ex-EO, South West Agroforestry Network

What fabulous weather we were lucky to have for the SWAN field day down near Pemberton! With so many people attending with a range of experience and perspectives a good assortment of ideas and viewpoints were put forward throughout the day.. Participants included growers, industry reps, SWAN mentors and the local Greens MLC Diane Evers.

Starting in the karri regrowth forest at the Mountford Winery (did a few pre-lunch tastings happen?  We're not telling!) people discussed management ideas (particularly fire management in this area and thinning needs) for this section of forest and potential marketing options.

Moving on to Big Brook Dam for lunch and a range of short talks we enjoyed hearing about local issues, biosecurity and feral animal management, land management issues and biochar. Ever heard about biochar and it's uses? Fascinating stuff.

The last stop was at Julian Sharp's property on the edge of the Warren National Park.  We were there primarily to consider his mixed eucalypt plantation and small section of karri regrowth, but also ended up with a short but inspirational discussion on how to grow shiitake mushrooms in one of his sheds. While we were there, it was very interesting to note the Amanita muscaria (fly agaric or fairy mushrooms) growing there. These normally grow in and around pine plantations, but here they were very happily popping up in a eucalypt environment. These aren't native mushrooms by the way and please don't eat them (or pick them)!
​
This was the final field day that Richard Moore organised as he has a few things up his sleeve for the future - a very big thank you Richard for all your efforts!

Wesbeam is the only Australian-owned producer of LVL. Their LVL products are engineered to span further, carry greater loads and withstand the tough Australian climate. The real beauty of Wesbeam's LVL is that construction becomes more efficient and economical as you'll use fewer materials and avoid the need for heavy lifting gear!
Take a video tour of the factory.

"..Western Australia is joining the timber trend sweeping the eastern seaboard with its first timber-framed building, a 10-storey hotel at inner city Northbridge. WeWork has recently been announced as the sole tenant in the building, which is Lendlease’s sixth engineered timber building in Australia."

Woodsmiths Margaret River have erected their traditional hand hewn timber frame structure at Burnside Organic Farm. There is no beter way to promote a better way of using local timber to provide beautiful, long-lasting structures. 

www.facebook.com/Woodsmiths.M.R/

In June, Woodsmiths Margaret River erected a traditional timber frame structure on Burnside Organic Farm in Margaret River.   The timbers were hand hewn beams from some spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) grown on the Fair Harvest plantation that they manage just 2km from the site. It doesn’t get much more local than that!

The beams were formed in the traditional way with axe and adze. It provides an aesthetic that can't be found any other way. It's extremely hard work, but working the wood in this way brings joy.

"We are so happy and grateful to have been given the opportunity to complete this project for Burnside Organic Farm and promote a better way of using local timber to provide beautiful, long-lasting structures.

Thanks to everyone involved in our vision up to this point, and a special thanks to SWAN and Fair Harvest Permaculture for your continued support. . 

Tim and Gab
Woodsmiths Margaret River
Burnside Road
6285 Margaret River, Western Australia
0437 801 789

The Ludlow Forest is the only naturally occurring Tall Tuart Forest in the world. The area has reduced from some 45,000 hectares to a current 3,000 hectares. Cattle grazing, timber harvesting, clearing for agriculture, plantation development, mining and infiltration of various debilitating threats have left the area in a degraded state.

The Ludlow Tuart Forest Restoration Group was established last year to ensure the preservation, restoration and protection of the forest and now has its own webpage.  Anyone wishing to join the group can now join online.

www.ludlowtuartforest.org.au

The Ludlow Tuart Forest is also adjacent to the internationally significant Vasse-Wonnerup Wetlands. The Wetlands are so crucial for water birds that they are recognised under the International Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

On Sunday 30 September 2018 there is a seedling planting day and the group is inviting people along to the Ludlow Settlement to help. The day is open to all children, parents and friends. See website for more information.

Total forest area in Ireland represents 11% of the land area. Conifers continue to represent the bulk of forests at 71.2% – most of it sitka spruce. Leitrim was the most densely forested county with 18.9% of its land mass under trees. The county has seen the fastest increase in afforestation, with over 3,500ha planted in the past five years. The pace of forest development has been controversial in the county. Cork has the largest forest estate by size, with just over 90,000ha, representing 11.6% of Ireland's national forests. Minister of State for Agriculture Andrew Doyle said that the 1.28 million m³ increase in annual timber harvesting over the past five years was "a positive indicator of increased wood mobilisation and represents a valuable source of revenue for forest owners and a source of additional employment in the rural economy through harvesting, transport and downstream processing". Read more...

The UK's top trade associations in the forestry and forest products sectors have proposed a merger, the Confederation of Forest Industries (Confor) and the UK Forest Products Association (UKFPA).  Confor chair Athole McKillop. “We have so many challenges facing us, from Brexit to plant health, to securing future wood supply, it’s vital that we make best use of the sector’s resources to promote our interests and to provide technical advice and services to businesses in the industry.” Echoing that sentiment, UKFPA vice-presidents Gavin Davidson and Rod Gordon said: “In view of the challenges and opportunities facing our sector, we believe that the time is right to bring together the two trade associations, to provide a stronger and more effective voice for our industry." Read more...

Millions of tonnes of illegally logged timber from forests across Papua New Guinea, are being exported to China and from there to the world as finished wood products.  A new report from Global Witness has revealed that government-issued permits are often illegally “extended” and fail to enforce laws surrounding logging in prohibited and ecologically sensitive areas. About 70% of PNG is covered by forest, and the majority of the developing country’s 8 million-strong population depends directly on the land for sustenance, livelihoods and cultural practices. PNG has lost 640,000 hectares of forest to logging in the past five years, and 3% of its total tree cover since 2000. 

“PNG is China’s single largest supplier of tropical logs ... the US and EU, in turn, are China’s largest markets for its plywood and wood furniture exports. While China has not yet banned the import of illegal timber, the US and EU have."

PNG is one of the latest signatories to China’s $1tn belt and road initiative and one-quarter of all of PNG’s debt is owned by China. Read more...

SWAN Field Day
Pemberton – Saturday, 5 May 2018

9.30am Registrations and morning tea at Mountford Winery, Bamass Rd

10.00am Inspect Andrew and Sue Mountford’s karri forest and discuss management issues, especially the need for a commercial thinning and the intention of reducing fuel for fire protection.

12.00noon Lunch at Big Brook Dam

12.45pm  Short presentations:

• Update on WA Forest Alliance’s “Forests for Life” proposal 
• Warren Catchment’s Council – who they are and what they do 
• Southern Forests Food Council 

1.30pm Depart for Julian Sharp’s property, Hawke Rd (off Old Vasse Hwy)

2.00pm Inspect Julian’s eucalypts for timber which date from the 1980s and his more recent venture using eucalypt thinnings to grow Shiitake mushrooms. 

3.30pm Wrap up 

Download flyer for map and more details on properties.

Cost - $40 per person ($30 for members) & ½ price for kids.  Pay on the day.  Covers morning tea and lunch.
RSVP by email – by 30 April for catering purposes to
 [email protected]

At the last SWAN meeting, the committee resolved to invite a number of people invested in growing pine to meet and discuss the future of the softwoods’ sector. 

A preliminary meeting was convened in Hester last Sunday and 14 people attended.  They have called the group the Softwood Connection and have already prepared a Public Statement expressing their concern for the future of the industry.  (see below)

SWAN President Duncan Beggs has also requested a meeting with the Minister, to brief him on the reasons for the public statement and to explain why the Softwood Connection is demanding an independent investigation  of the industry. 
 
It is clear that there remains amongst our membership a number of people with a deep commitment to both the value of, and the need to grow pine, in either plantation or agroforestry contexts.  They maintain a strong belief that growing pine is worthwhile and should be expanded into the future.
 
The Softwood Connection was united about the need for more regular meetings and communication to focus on the future of private growing of pine.  A members only forum has been added to this website for online exchange and discussion, contact, email [email protected] if you would like to be part of this initiative.

Public Statement

The South West Agroforestry Network, SWAN, warns that the softwoods industry in Western Australia is on the road to ruin.

If this happens, in 20 years a West Australian may no longer be able to buy a piece of pine grown in WA This will result in the potential loss of thousands of jobs and likely more than $600 million annually.

“Successive State Governments’ lack of action and the continued distortion of the market price are the main causes,” says Duncan Beggs, President of SWAN.

“The Softwood Connection, a group of SWAN members, has called on the State Government to conduct an urgent, independent, and transparent review of the industry,” says Mr Beggs.

“If the economic settings are put right people will invest in growing pine to meet the impending shortfall in supply. We are at risk of missing out on a part of our sustainable future – Wood is Good!”

Our Corymbia maculata- spotted gum - were high pruned to 6m and thinned last year (thanks Bob Hingston!) and it is now time to deal with the coppice.  We have 18 x 500m rows of trees and in the 2 northern most rows we will keep the coppice to maintain the privacy screening between us and our neighbours.  We have planted some Casuarina Cunninghamiana - sheoak - on the southern side and when it thickens up we can remove more stems.

For the rest of the area we will be using this mix in a 15 litre packspray:

1. 150ml glyphosate +
2. 1.5gm brushoff (metsulphuron-methyl) +
3. 20ml Pulse (wetter)

We have to use a FAN nozzle not a cone nozzle and spray foliage to point of run-off with wand, spraying ‘inside’ the foliage ie total coverage. 

​Cath Miller

Everyone registering for the SWAN field Day on Saturday 5th May will go into a draw to win 3 beautiful handcarved kitchen utensils by 3WoodsDesigns valued at over $50.

Musa Agri is the founder of 3 Woods Designs and also the maker and designer.

"My love and passion for woodworking has travelled everywhere with me since my childhood in Sudan, where my uncle had a woodworking shop. He taught me at a young age how to use tools such as handsaws and planes.

When I moved from Sudan to Western Australia, I changed my career path and worked as a mining laboratory technician for seven years in Kakadu National Park, northern Australia.

It wasn’t until I moved to the South West of Western Australia that I discovered this area’s unique and beautiful timbers. I particularly fell in love with three types of wood -- jarrah, sheoak and marri."

As first generation farmers with no land management or animal husbandry skills (beyond a couple of horses) moving to 85 acres should have been a bit daunting, but it wasn't.  As the saying goes, you don't know what you don't know.

Even when planting 3000 spotted gums in 2009, (Thanks Bob Hingston!) I knew nothing about trees, not even that they only grew at the top!  That all changed when I did the Master TreeGrower (MTG) course in 2014 and we started thinking about how we could use more trees on the farm. 

When we arrived there was a large patch of remnant vegetation, a dam and an old gravel pit. No driveway, no sheds, no internal paddocks and no house. Until 2014, everything had evolved "organically" i.e unplanned.  Inspired during the MTG course, I started drawing a plan which I then coloured and coded in MS Word.    Being part of the Peer Group Mentoring Program (PGM) also helped with the vision, especially the management of the native forest.

The latest Google Map shows that everything on that 2014 plan has been planted except the teal blue squares at the bottom, the site for our perennial food forest fruit and nut trees scheduled for 2017.  We had ripped and mounded in 2017, but have only just finished the irrigation in time for planting this year.  The fence strainer posts are in and we are ready to order our trees.  (see below)

The PGM program has helped almost 30 landholders in the southwest with their plans for trees, and we don't just draw the boxes and lines on the map, we will often help with the planting.  

Cath Miller
Capricopia Farm
[email protected]

Funding for landholders with wetlands and waterways

Are you a landholder in or around the Gelorup, Capel, Kirup, Busselton, Cowaramup and Dunsborough areas with a waterway or wetland on your property?

GeoCatch currently has funding available to assist landholders to conduct fencing projects to exclude stock from waterways and wetlands and/or carry out revegetation to improve water quality and enhance biodiversity.

For more information contact GeoCatch on
​9781 0114 or email [email protected]
​
Kind regards from the Team at SWCC

https://rei.dwer.wa.gov.au/strategies/water-in-the-landscape/fencing-and-revegetation-program/.

New grant to help farmers contribute to a sustainable WA forestry future
  
Farmers and other landowners are invited to apply for Farm Forestry Assist, a one-off afforestation grant to plant radiata or maritime pine trees on their land in 2018.

Forestry Minister Dave Kelly launched the FPC Farm Forestry Assist grant program during his presentation to the 2018 World Forestry Day Dinner in Bunbury, hosted by the Leschenault Timber Industry Club.

The grant of $500 per hectare is available to landowners who are interested in establishing new 20 to 50 hectare plantations to support the State's vibrant softwood industry.

Farm Forestry Assist participants may opt for free, high-quality radiata pine seedlings from the Forest Products Commission's nursery instead of the $500 per hectare grant.

Forestry Minister Dave Kelly said: "The McGowan Government supports a strong, sustainable forestry industry into the future and sees opportunities for developing the softwood plantation resource on farms. Planting trees on farms provides a range of environmental and on-farm benefits, and has the potential to make a meaningful contribution to the forestry industry."

Criteria addressing the location, scale, soil, access and management of the plantations are in place to ensure that any resulting plantings have the capacity to contribute to the Western Australian softwood industry in a meaningful manner.

Applications close at 5pm on Friday April 27, 2018. For more information, visit http://www.fpc.wa.gov.au/farm-forestry-assist