Australia Invests In Bioenergy From Forest Resources

CSIRO, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), Private Forests Tasmania and the Department of Industry and Investment NSW have been offered Rudd Government funding to investigate opportunities for climate change mitigation in our forest industries.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke today announced the offers under the Government’s Forest Industries Climate Change Research Fund.

Twenty projects have been offered support under the research fund to date, which was an election commitment to help address major knowledge gaps about the impact of climate change on Australia’s forestry and forest industries.

The CSIRO has been offered $420,000 to assess environmental and economic opportunities for biofuel production from forest biomass resources in two regions of Australia, and to create a pathway for developing sustainable regional biofuel industries.

A grant of $248,700 has been offered to the RIRDC to examine biomass harvesting in planted forests and assess how new bioenergy agroforestry crops could be established.

A grant of $250,000 has been offered to the Department of Industry and Investment NSW to look at how growing pine plantations on agricultural land can affect soil carbon dynamics and potentially enhance soil quality and greenhouse reporting processes.

Private Forests Tasmania has been offered $255,671 to help farmers and regional communities to understand climate change impacts and emissions trading and how to invest in, grow and manage plantations as part of their own climate change management practices.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the Australian forest industries play a significant role in supporting our economy and regional jobs.

“Australia’s forestry and forest products industries turns over around $23 billion annually and supports an estimated 120,000 jobs,” Mr Burke said