ACBF’s Forest Futures Campaign has commenced a hard-hitting advertising campaign to launch its election policy platform – a comprehensive plan to protect our native forests from logging, create regional jobs and boost Australia’s plantation timber supplies to tackle the housing crisis.

The initiative calls for a complete overhaul of Australia's National Forest Policy, which has remained unchanged since the early 1990s. It would protect native forests while simultaneously expanding plantation timber and engineered wood manufacturing.

“Australia’s economy has completely transformed since the early 90s and forestry policy is completely past its use-by date,” said former Treasury Secretary and chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation Dr Ken Henry. “It is entirely illogical to lose money by logging native trees for export woodchips when we can earn far more from those trees through carbon credits and use that revenue to boost regional jobs and revive plantation timber supplies.”

The Forest Futures campaign is built on an innovative economic model that protects native forests from logging, realises their potential to store carbon at scale and earns credits that fund jobs managing and protecting the bush. According to economic modeling by Mandala, this approach could generate $1.5 billion in revenue over 15 years in New South Wales alone, supporting approximately 1,700 jobs if reinvested in forest management. The strategy outlined in the campaign's Forests for the Future policy aims to:

1. Protect Native Forests - Transition from destructive logging practices that currently convert native forests into low-value woodchips for export
2. Generate Carbon Credit Revenue - Use native forests to store carbon, creating a sustainable funding stream for forest management
3. Expand Plantation Forestry - Grow Australia's plantation estate to secure a reliable domestic timber supply
4. Boost Engineered Wood Manufacturing - Develop local manufacturing capacity to reduce Australia's $312 million annual import bill for engineered wood products
5. Create Regional Jobs - Support affected communities through a dedicated transition fund while creating new, sustainable employment opportunities

The campaign is seeking a $600 million commitment from the federal government to implement these measures, including:

• $150 million for the Future Plantations Program
• $200 million for an Engineered Wood Strategy
• $100 million for a Native Forestry Transition Fund
• $100 million for the National Forest Fire Initiative
• $50 million for plantation expansion by 2030

"Instead of taxpayers footing annual bills of tens of millions to destroy native forests for export woodchips, we need to invest in timber plantations that provide stable jobs and a secure source of wood for our construction industry,” Dr Henry said.

"Our native forests are worth more standing, storing carbon and funding good jobs that manage our forests and protect our regions from fires."

The campaign launched last night with a hard-hitting advertising campaign highlighting the destruction of native forests. The footage features drone shots of native forest being destroyed explaining how native trees are still being turned into low-value woodchips for export.

With Australian Carbon Credit Unit demand projected to increase by 132% and prices by 78% over the next decade, the Forest Futures Campaign outlines a plan to align economic growth with environmental protection and meet Australia's international climate and biodiversity commitments.