Realising Healthy and Resilient Forests for Our Future
Forestry Australia’s 2024 Symposium held this week in Ballarat brought together over 300 scientists, researchers, and forestry professionals to discuss strategies for ensuring healthy and resilient forests for the future. With a strong focus on environmental, social, and economic sustainability, the symposium addressed key challenges like climate change, bushfires, and invasive species.
Responsible Wood attended the event, engaging with members, stakeholders, and certificate holders. The symposium provided an excellent opportunity to represent our standards and certification scheme and highlight the critical role of forest health and ecosystem services in sustainable forest management. Certification ensures that forests are well managed and that timber products are responsibly sourced. Our discussions emphasised the importance of proactive, collaborative forest management that combines Indigenous knowledge and ecological science. Download our standard here.
Dr Tony Bartlett (Responsible Wood Chair) presents the Richard Stanton Memorial Leadership Award at the Forestry Australia Symposium.
A highlight of the symposium for Responsible Wood was the Richard Stanton Memorial Leadership Award presentation, honouring individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership and commitment to sustainable forest management. This year, Dr Tony Bartlett (Chair of Responsible Wood) and Simon Dorries (CEO of Responsible Wood) had the privilege of presenting the award to Monique Blason, General Manager of Community Services at ForestrySA. Monique was recognised for her exceptional work managing over 16,000 hectares of Proclaimed Native Forest Reserves and supporting conservation and recreational activities across 10,000 hectares of commercial pine plantations.
Simon Dorries (Responsible Wood CEO) presents the Richard Stanton Memorial Leadership Award at the Forestry Australia Symposium.
In his presentation, Simon Dorries highlighted Monique’s dedication to Responsible Wood Certification. All sites under ForestrySA management proudly display the Responsible Wood logo. Monique has also worked closely with local First Nations groups to ensure access to native trees for traditional uses, showcasing her commitment to cultural heritage and sustainable practices.
Monique Blason (ForestrySA) accepts the Richard Stanton Memorial Leadership Award trophy at the Forestry Australia Symposium.
A Certified Timber Trophy
As part of the award presentation, Monique was given a handcrafted trophy made from certified Australian timber, symbolising the values of sustainability and ethical sourcing. The trophy, crafted by a chain-of-custody certified member of Wood Connect and master woodworker George Harris, reflects the importance of using certified materials in creating a responsible and sustainable future. This year’s award is made of various certified timber elements: 5 layers of Australian araucaria (Queensland hoop pine) plywood made by Austral Plywoods; the plywood is veneered front and back with bird’s eye Huon Pine veneer from Britton Timbers in Tasmania; and the base is from fiddle back Tasmanian eucalyptus delegatensis milled at Bradshaw’s mill (Pioneer Trading) in Queenstown, Tasmania.
The George Harris crafted award trophy up close.
The symposium’s theme, “Realising Healthy and Resilient Forests for Our Future,” underscored the vital role of sustainable practices in protecting our forests for future generations. Responsible Wood remains committed to promoting these principles through certification and collaboration with industry leaders, ensuring that forest management continues to deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits.
