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Forest managers and researchers, responsible for Australia's highly productive softwood plantations, will meet with CSIRO researchers in Mount Gambier today (Tuesday).
The three day meeting aims to review best practice in the use of fertilisers to promote growth of older softwood plantations
Dr Clive Carlyle of CSIRO's Division of Forestry said, 'Australia's softwood plantations are highly productive - they occupy only 2% of the forested land yet produce 40% of the domestic wood supply. Nevertheless our research indicates that fertilising older age stands can be a profitable investment'.
Forty senior managers and researchers representing fourteen forestry organisations (both public and private) from all States and the ACT will attend this well-focussed workshop.
Australia has around 900 000 hectares of softwood plantations of which more than 70% are less than 20 years old. They will be clearfelled between 30-40 years of age.
Dr Carlyle said, 'Nutrient management of these forests has been a focus of major research in Mount Gambier over the past five years. The results have been encouraging and suggest that increased growth from these older stands Australia-wide (as a result of the application of fertiliser) could produce significantly more wood. It could be the equivalent of an extra 90 000 hectares of plantation.'
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