Hardwood Plantations
Radial timbers vision is to become self sufficient and totally sustainable by managing our own saw log plantations of durable hardwood in Gippsland. We have a 20 year plan to establish up to 2000 hectares of Silvertop Ash, Yellow Stringybark, Southern Mahogany, Spotted Gum, Red Ironbark and Coastal Greybox pruned and thinned plantations. To date, 700 hectares (1 million trees) have been planted at Woodside, Alberton and Sale with the oldest trees 18 years old (planted 2003). This is a long term commitment as we expect to harvest our first logs in 2024 but it is one we are totally committed to. In the short term, we intend to seek out and utilize whatever plantation material is available and to only process logs that have been obtained from PEFC certified sustainably managed forests.
Why Plantation Timber?
In recent times Paper & Chipboard products have been farmed using plantations with great success, but it is difficult to farm timber plantations for high value timber products as trees need 40-60 years growth before it gets to a size suitable to mill in conventional saw mills. That’s where the Radial Sawing Method comes in. Hardwood plantations can be radially milled from 30 years and still yield the same as a 40+ year old tree. This means it is now viable to farm trees for high value timber products for the construction industry. If we do not proceed to supports the timber industry in Australia and move to other alternatives like overseas imports, this can contribute to far greater loss in the planets ecosystems then sourcing our timber locally in Australia.
Our Hardwood Plantations
Radial Timber together with Heartwood Plantations has planted more than 1,000,000 trees in Gippsland Victoria, with the first plantations going up in 2003. We have planted trees that are native to the Gippsland area such as Yellow String Bark, Southern Mahogany, Silvertop Ash, Spotted Gum, Red Ironbark and Coastal Greybox. Our hardwood forests in time becomes a hybrid landscape where our needs for timber combine with an immediate acceptance of native flaura & fauna. This is the future solution to supply timber for our communities and help protect native and old growth forests.
What Species Do We Plant
Silvertop Ash
Southern Mahogany
Spotted Gum
Coastal Greybox
Yellow Stringybark
Red Ironbark
Our Vison
Radial timber hopes to see a specialised timber industry that produces high quality world class products, utilising the most advanced technology in a sustainable way that allows plantation and regrowth forests to be processed in an efficient manner, which will then enable old growth forests to be preservered for future generations
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