permaculture

[Marcus Webb <permaculture1@planet-save.com>]

Great to hear what you're doing there Kirby.  Living in a fire risk forest 
means management of some kind, thinning the fallen trees and branches 
reducing the fire fodder, especially around the houses.
We're on the edge between wet rainforest and dry Australian eucalypt in a 
subtropical climate highly suitable to farm forestry.  
When they thin the forest we're planting sandalwoods, mahogany and other 
eucalpyt that won't mature for a hundred and fifty years.
Enough trees to replace our building and furniture requirements was high on 
our replanting list.
We're educating our local fire fighters, getting them interested in farm 
forestry and planting fire breaks.
A guage on hoe well the forest is doing is how much and the type of wildlife 
there is living there.  We manage to clear the widow makers and rubbish every 
five years.

>>I'd like to know where the money is for private initiatives to restore 
>>burned and high fire-risk forests.

Kirby's point about planting timber for harvest in humid subtropical makes 
economic sense - and its economic arguments that politicians and state 
planners take into account when zoning land use.  Environmentalists aren't 
excluded from making economic arguments!
Turning it over to private sector can be achieved and it can be done 
profitably if its planned and managed.
To get a private initiative happening to plant and protect some land, draw up 
a prospectus highlighting the types of trees and values in 10,20,50,100+ 
years.  That can be floated in front of prospective investors.
Superannuation funds are great source of investment, we can even set up our 
own super account and put our money into a forest to the tax man's 
satisfaction.
If your interested Kirby I could assist you with a business plan if your 
having questions about the economics of farm forestry. 
With the export of red cedar industry finished in the US of A - that timber 
would be good to plant in countries where the eagles don't need them.  It 
would be interesting to see if our sea eagles take to cedar :)
Can someone recommend a type of cedar to plant?   Whats red cedar like in 
10,20,50,100+ years ?

Having a good day,
Marcus :)

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