A pilot study to identify appropriate ways of conducting a national farm forest inventory in Australia

Summary

The Australian government has introduced a National Farm Forestry Program to promote commercial wood production on cleared agricultural land in Australia. Sound information on basic parameters, such as the extent, location, age and standing volume of tree plantings is required to assist decision makers for the planning and development of farm forestry at both regional and national levels. The most effective way to collect this information is through nationally coordinated regional farm forest inventories. However, farm forest inventories require different methods of accessing and updating information from those used with the large growers in the National Plantation Inventory of Australia. To identify the appropriate methods of conducting a National Farm Forest Inventory (NFFI), a pilot project was undertaken from January to June 1997. Based on the results of this project, it is concluded that establishing and using a network of regional contacts is a feasible way of conducting an NFFI. It is suggested that the NFFI data recording form should consist of ‘core data’, covering basic resource information to be recorded by each farm forest owner, and ‘additional data’, covering site and silviculture information to be recorded by a minimum of 15% of farm forest growers. Based on the findings of the project, recommendations on other NFFI related issues are also made.