Small Scale Farm Forestry with Natives

Many benefits and products can be gained from small, well managed plantations of native hardwoods in the Yarrowlumla Shire. Timber products include firewood, fence posts and high value sawn timber. The design of timber plantations can provide a range of benefits for small-scale farmers, including shelter for stock, controlling gully erosion or to create habitat for native wildlife.

Native hardwoods don't have to be planted in large plantations to be commercially viable. Native species can be harvested at staggered intervals, and small farmers can add value to logs by contracting portable sawmill operators and air drying timber in spare shed space. Local niche marketing opportunities are available, with cabinetmakers often sourcing small volumes of value added sawn native hardwood.

Plantations can be made up of a mix of various species, including wattles, eucalypts and casuarinas. Such plantations are species diverse, creating rich bird habitat and look great. It is still important to intensively manage plantations to promote straight stems without low branching. There is a range of local native trees that produce high value timber and provide other on farm benefits. These include;

Scientific Name	Common Name
Eucalyptus sideroxylon	Mugga Ironbark
E. polyanthemos	Red Box
E. melliodora	Yellow Box
E. macrorhyncha	Red Stringybark
Casuarina cunninghamiana	River She-oak
Allocasuarina verticillata	Drooping She-oak
Acacia implexa	Lightwood
A. falciformis	Hickory
B. decurrens	Green Wattle
C. mearnsii	Black Wattle
D. dealbata	Silver Wattle

For more information about this style of farm forestry, contact

Greening Australia ACT & SE NSW

PO Box 538, Jamison Centre ACT 2614,

Ph : (02) 6253 3035

This page last updated 8th June 2003