On National Forestry Day - Tuesday 20 August 2024 - I encourage everyone to recognise the excellent work Australia's forest industries do for us all fighting climate change, supporting the national economy and creating the essential and sustainable products Australians love, need and use every day, Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) CEO, Diana Hallam said today.
"Australia's forestry supply chain is responsible for renewable and vital everyday items from timber house-frames to home furnishings and paper and packaging products like cardboard boxes and paper cups. These are climate-friendly items we cannot live without! We provide 80,000 highly skilled and direct jobs across Australia's workforce, along with another 100,000 indirect jobs, many in rural and regional areas. The sector contributes $24 billion to the economy annually and is Australia's 6th largest manufacturing sector," Diana Hallam said.
"This year's National Forestry Day theme is Nature's Carbon Store which highlights how important the sector is as a climate change solution. As production trees grow they absorb carbon, which then continues to be stored in timber and wood fibre products and the built environment, long after the trees are sustainably harvested. We are a big part of the answer to Australia reaching its net zero goals.
"With demand for timber and wood fibre expected to quadruple by 2050, the Australian forest products sector plays a significant role leading the world in sustainable forest management. Our careful environmental management practices are an example to other nations looking to maximise the potential of their forest sectors, through active replanting and prudent regulations.
"Whether it's the timber house-frame inside the walls of your home, the cardboard boxes your latest delivery arrived in, or the hardwood dining table in your living area, without Australia's sustainable and renewable forest products sector, we wouldn't have these locally made products. "I strongly encourage everyone across industry and the consumers of all of our wonderful products to celebrate National Forestry Day on Tuesday 20 August," Diana Hallam concluded.
