There are significant opportunities for the forestry and forest products sectors to collaborate with the agriculture, water, transport, energy, and construction sectors to reduce carbon emissions and deliver broader social, economic and environmental benefits. These opportunities can be realised through the development of new markets for low-value wood using innovative technologies and integrated processes.
At the ANZIF national forestry conference in mid-October, MS2 Director Russ Martin and Nick Cameron, Manager of the North East NSW Regional Forestry Hub, presented on how market development can support community resilience and jobs in regional areas using a decentralised approach which locates technologies and processes close to where feedstocks are produced. The approach of moving towards a circular economy through stewardship of forestry residues addresses multiple objectives simultaneously – delivering Net Zero and sustainability outcomes, creating employment, reducing waste and fire hazards, increasing economic diversity, and improving social license to operate.
The Residues Utilisation and Stewardship Strategy that MS2 prepared for the North East NSW Regional Forestry Hub in 2021 has set the scene and reinforced the case for utilising lower value wood in higher order uses.
