Wood and Fibre Processing Innovation Program launched

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to rebuilding the forestry industry and looking at innovative ways to process residues from timber and agriculture.

Today, I am launching the Wood and Fibre Processing Innovation Program.

Grants of up to $100,000 will be made available through the Program to support the development of projects that utilise forest harvesting and timber processing residues and/or agricultural plant residues to create value-added products in Tasmania.

This includes using lower grade logs to produce value-added products like engineered wood products, biomass energy or heat production, and other products such as furniture.

A total of up to $1.25 million will be available through the Program.

The Program incorporates, and builds on, the Tasmanian Government’s existing funding commitments to support bio-energy initiatives in the Dorset and Huon Local Government Areas, and the funding committed, as part of the AgriVision 2050 Plan, to facilitate commercial utilisation of plant biomass from forestry and agriculture.

Applications are now open, and will close on Friday 26 August 2016.

The Program guidelines and application form are available to download at www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/forestry and enquiries can be directed to the Program’s contact officer by email at forests@stategrowth.tas.gov.au or by telephone on 03 6166 3471.
Peter Gutwein, Minister for Forestry