Timber, hemp and bamboo discussed
About 70 people attended a recent community forum in Warragul that focussed on discussion about timber, hemp and bamboo industries.
Drouin woman Leonie Blackwell organised the first in a series of community forums “where facts, not spin, matters.”
Ms Blackwell, who stood as a Freedom Party candidate at the recent state election, said during the election campaign she became aware of peoples’ desire to gain information on crucial topics.
“We need a variety of opinions so we can make informed decisions - that’s something I am really passionate about,”
Ms Blackwell said the clearest message of the day was all three industries need to be better supported.
She said the industry guest speakers spoke about the role they play in storing carbon and were invaluable to the net zero goal.
“They can all enhance the affordability and availability of the necessities of everyday life from housing clothing, and food but also offer employment, opportunities for new educational training, and support farming, communities, and the economy,” she said.
Victorian Forest Products Association chief executive officer Deb Kerr said the timber industry employed up to 50,000 people across the state through the supply chain.
She said timber was an $8 billion industry across Victoria when including all products it provided.
Ms Kerr said softwood and hardwood plantations in Gippsland totalled about 90,000 hectares of 80 per cent pine and 20 per cent native and eucalyptus.
Ray Akers also spoke about the timber industry, saying it played an important role in fire management.
Ray Akers spoke on behalf of the Timber Industry
He said in the old days, loggers were able to fell every fifth tree and thin the forest but the size of the machinery now required a section to be cleared and then resewn.
Regenerative Hemp Victoria president Lyn Stephenson it was legalised to farm hemp in 1998 but there were only a few growers.
She said hemp grew in one season from September to March and up to 25,000 products could be made by hemp – food, textiles, housing, rope, insulation, etc.
Ms Stephenson said hemp improved the quality of soil and supported improved production of other vegetables grown on that soil.
Darren Christie spoke on his work with Melbourne University and industrial hemp.
He said industrial hemp had the potential to add value to the timber industry, saying it could be used for building internal walls, weatherboards, insulation batts and furniture.
Mr Christie said industrial hemp could grow in 100 days and was a viable option to replace timber when the industry closed down but the work wasn’t being done to allow a smooth transition.
Andrew Meseha from Urban Green Farms and Happy Soils spoke about how soil health was like the health of the human digestive tracts.
He said we need to have healthy microorganisms in the soil to produce nutrients to feed the plants.
Mr Meseha said modern day practices resulted in chemicals that destroy microorganisms and regenerative farming practices were needed.
Bamboo Society of Australia vice president Munir Vahanvita said native bamboo grew in northern Queensland and Northern Territory.
He said bamboo grew quickly and then matured and strengthened over a three to five year period ready for harvest.
He said matured bamboo was strong, making it a viable option for the housing industry.