ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the implications of policy, it does so through analysing areas of forest and land tenure and volumes of wood production and trade in Australia. It looks at how changes in these might illuminate key policy considerations in relation to the transition of stewardship forestry into post-forestry wood cultivation and forest ecosystem management. The chapter analyses wood production to provide a prima facie assessment of leakage resulting from the conservation of public natural forest. Changes in wood production, forest use and forest extent are often studied within the natural sciences. Policy decisions to conserve natural forest can be undertaken to meet multiple objectives such as conserving biodiversity, storing carbon, improving water quality and providing recreation areas. Natural forest sawlog production in all states fell over the period 1996–1997 to 2016–2017, indicating no net displacement of production between states.
