TASMANIA (News release) -- Tasmanian-owned and operated company SFM has been appointed by New Forests to manage the timber plantation assets purchased from Norske Skog after a competitive tender process.
Now to be called Lenah Estate Pty Limited, the Tasmanian plantations were bought by Australian-based international forestry investor New Forests, on behalf of its Australia New Zealand Forest Fund 3 (ANZFF3), from Norske Skog in February this year.
The Lenah Estate land area under management by SFM is approximately 27,150 hectares across South Central Tasmania, predominantly the Derwent Valley. It includes 50 joint venture plantation projects with private landowners and Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT).18,000 hectares or 97.5% of the 18,500 plantable hectares is radiata pine softwood plantations. Around 350,000-400,000 tonnes will be harvested annually, with the majority going to the Norske Boyer mill. Lenah Estate will replant 500-1000 hectares per year.
SFM will open an office in New Norfolk employing a core team of 8 full-time employees, supported by the broader SFM business with more than 20 FTE employees and over 100 FTE sub-contracted truck drivers, plant operators and support services.
SFM currently manages two plantation projects for New Forests, consisting of both hardwood and softwood species across three States - WA, SA and Victoria.
Lenah Estate will be a significant addition to the SFM portfolio, which includes harvesting, haulage and export of more than 500,000 tonnes of plantation timber per annum. Hydrowood, a world first operation salvaging Tasmanian specialty timbers standing underwater for decades is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SFM.
SFM Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd is a professional forestry business that provides forest management and consultancy services to a range of clients in Australia and New Zealand. |
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