Coal & Allied in commercial forest trial
Coal & Allied is investigating the viability of a commercial forest plantation on land that buffers one of its mining leases.
An 80 hectare plot adjacent to the Hunter Valley Operations site, and about 20 kilometres south of Muswellbrook, is being planted with tens of thousands of eucalypt seedlings in a trial project with Forests NSW.
Coal & Allied General Manager Health, Safety and Environment Rory Gordon said it was one of the first large-scale trials of its type in the upper Hunter Valley and offered an opportunity to assess the viability of forestry further west than would traditionally be undertaken in the area.
"In the coal industry we are familiar with tree planting due to our rehabilitation and screening work, and in the past we have planted out trial forestry plots of three, four and five hectares," Mr Gordon said.
"This is our largest to date and is specifically aimed at determining whether a commercial size forest is viable in the Hunter Valley where low rainfall of 600 to 700 millimetres a year and relatively poor soils mean tree growth rates are less than those on the coast and coastal range.
"A key part of this project will involve regular monitoring of growth rates."
Coal & Allied's Manager Environmental Services, Rod Cameron, said: "This is a natural progression from the five year trial program we have been undertaking with Forests NSW, and it follows on from that research as well as recognising our concern about greenhouse gases.
"The plantation will provide ecosystem diversity on what was previously grazing land.
"It will also provide carbon offset potential as the forest is expected to sequester around 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide."
Mr Cameron said about 80,000 seedlings are being planted in two phases - one in November this year and then in April 2008 depending on sufficient rainfall.
The Mayor of Muswellbrook, Councillor John Colvin, said he was delighted that Coal & Allied had committed to the commercial forestry trial.
"Such trials are valuable, not only for their carbon offset potential, but if successful it could lead to the establishment of a commercial forest industry in the Upper Hunter which could provide work opportunities post mining," Cr Colvin said.
"The Muswellbrook Council has been working for many years to encourage the establishment of commercial forests in the Upper Hunter, and so we applaud Coal & Allied's initiative."
Forests NSW has been contracted to plant the commercial woodlot and manage it for the first three years.
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