A recent carbon audit has found that Forests NSW is successfully using 32,100 of forest to reduce the state’s carbon emissions.

 

The audit, conducted on behalf of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, shows that the past five years, Forests NSW has generated over 590,000 credits as part of the State Government’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Scheme.

 

"Across our State, the registered forests involved in this scheme have sequestered more than 3.2 million tonnes of C02, to date, which is a great result," said Forests NSW chief executive Nick Roberts.

 

"While the timber industry remains Forests NSW core business, the sequestration of carbon is another very important area, which further allows us to maximise the returns to the people of NSW."

 

The participating hardwood and softwood forest plantations, which cover much of the State, have been established on cleared farm land since 1990.

 

"The Kyoto compliant forests involved in this scheme would be sequestering carbon and supporting the domestic timber production for a further 100 years until 2111."

 

The Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and use of electricity, and to develop and encourage activities to offset the production of greenhouse gas emissions.

 

The scheme achieves this by using project-based activities to offset the production of greenhouse gas emissions.