Cultivating Tomorrow's Forests: Plantation Pine Products' Journey to Sustainability

Plantation Pine Products has planted 2.6 million trees across four sites on 1,900 hectares of converted farmland in a 10-week timeframe. Starting in mid-June and planting at an average rate of 26,000 trees a week, the project progressed at a breakneck pace. Considering that all 2.6 million trees were planted by hand, the 50 dedicated workers responsible have made incredible time.

The seedlings were planted in October 2022 and took 9 months to grow into saplings ready for more permanent establishment. Transporting all 2.6 million saplings to their plots required 18 B-double truckloads, featuring custom-built trailers provided by Crossmuller.

On a short rotation once the trees have reached maturity they could be harvested in as little as 14 years. Alternatively, they may be left for 25 – 30 years to be harvested on a longer rotation for a higher timber yield. After being harvested, they’ll be carted to Oberon by Plantation Pine Products’ fleet of heavy vehicles and professional drivers to be debarked and chipped. From there, they’ll be processed by Australian Panels to be manufactured into MDF and particleboard products and either laminated for polytec’s decorative board range or sold under one of the Australian Panels brands. From decorative panels to cabinetry, kitchen benchtops to structural flooring, the renewable harvested pine will be made into a wide variety of engineered wood products.

The whole operation represents a huge long-term private investment into sustainable raw material manufacturing for the future. From farmland purchase, to preparation, to establishment and ongoing afforestation activities such as silviculture, fire protection and forest maintenance, Plantation Pine Products are financially committed to creating a renewable resource, in an eco-friendly, and sustainable environment.

This investment also represents the support of added employment opportunities in regional communities in NSW.