Forestry management

Council employs an Environment Officer to oversee forestry management in most of Towong Shire.

The Officer's remit does not include public forests in the North East Region, which are managed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. You can find a copy of their Forest Management Plan on the DEECA website.

Plantations in Towong Shire

Towong Shire has significant pine plantations. The Environment Officer ensures forestry operations on private land comply with the Code of Forest Practice. This involves:

• inspecting and auditing forest operations
• liaising with the forest owners and the local community.

Towong Shire Plantations Committee

The Towong Shire Plantations Committee meets twice yearly. It's a forum where:

• forestry related community issues are raised and discussed between plantation owners and community representatives
• plantation owners and managers discuss issues relevant to the growing and marketing of the plantation timbers
• reports are received from major plantation owners
• plantation topics of current interest are discussed and may be included in a field visit.

If you'd like to know more about the Plantations Committee, please contact Council's Environment Officer on 1300 365 222 or info@towong.vic.gov.au.