On behalf of FSC Australia, Advocacy and Policy Manager Julia Mylne attended The Institute of Foresters 2017 conference held in Cairns.
Pictured is the Opening ceremony, that included a traditional welcome to country and Noel Pearson's speech about the challenges faced by Indigenous people regarding forestry and environmental conservation.
The IFA conference focused on ‘Tropical Forestry: Innovation and Change in the Asia Pacific Region’. The conference themes were centred on forestry issues in northern Australia and the tropics and included:
- regional interconnections in managing tropical forests and commercial tropical forestry as well as the diversity of tropical and sub-tropical plantation species including southern pines, Araucaria, African mahogany, sandalwood, eucalypts and acacias;
- Indigenous forestry opportunities and Northern Australian development;
- Early Savanah burning regimes and carbon and climate change initiatives;
- Conservation management in the tropics;
- Mining and forestry potential synergies;
- Biomass energy production in remote (off grid) locations;
- Processing and industry development activities.
FSCA attending a number of sessions including the Indigenous forestry opportunities and Northern Australian development as well as forest management in a variable and challenging climate. The conference provided a valuable insight into a number of different forestry issues both around Australia and globally. Additionally, the conference brought together presenters from a wide variety of fields and facilitated generous discussion and debate on a number of topics.
FSC Australia is encouraged to see Indigenous forestry opportunities high on the agenda. Read more about our commitments to reconciliation in our recently launched RAP.