News NSFP will increase Southwood production in Tasmania welcomed

Posted 10 February 2021

Managing trees Economic benefits and markets PFT

Private Forests Tasmania welcomes the announcement by Neville Smith Forest Products to increase production at its Southwood Mill, creating a full second shift and 30 new jobs.

“The expansion of the Mill’s operation will enhance domestic processing in Tasmania and provide an additional market for timber grown on private land in the Huon Valley”, said Private Forests Tasmania CEO, Penny Wells.

“This will provide a much-needed boost for the sustainable forestry sector, and many local timber growers will welcome the opportunity to sell their timber into the local market”, said Ms Wells.

Doubling the facility’s operation will be a major lift for private landholders who own plantation lots and/or commercial native forests in southern Tasmania. This is particularly good news following the devastating fires in 2019, the closure of the Ta Ann Mill at Southwood in 2020 and in the current constrained export market.

Private Forests Tasmania is a government authority with a legislated role to facilitate and expand the development of the private forest resource in Tasmania in a manner which is consistent with sound forest and land management practices.

The Authority has recently developed the Tree Alliance campaign to collaborate and grow Tasmania’s future economy and ecology through trees. Anyone wishing to join the Tree Alliance or who is interested in growing and selling timber resource in Tasmania can contact PFT’s free Tree Alliance Helpline on 1300 661 009.

Timber growers can be put in touch with market opportunities such as the expansion at Southwood announced today.