Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Agriculture and land
  3. Forestry
  4. Domestic forestry
  5. Australian Forest and Wood Innovations

Sidebar first - Forestry

  • Domestic forestry
    • Australian Forest and Wood Innovations
    • Mechanical Bushfire Fuel Load Reduction Programme
    • Monitoring the social and economic impacts of forestry
      • Case study Green Triangle
      • Case study NE TAS
      • Recommended indicators
    • Regional Forest Agreements
    • Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement

Australian Forest and Wood Innovations

Second National Open Call for research now open

AFWI is now accepting expressions of interest for projects aimed at delivering transformative, industry-focused research to support Australia’s forest and wood products industries.

The expression of interest process closes on 14 April 2025.  

AFWI has introduced a two-stage process for the second National Open Call comprising an initial expression of interest stage followed by a second stage for successful applicants that are invited to submit full proposals.

All Australian-based researchers supporting the forest and wood product industries can submit applications to the National Open Call. Applicants require matching co-contributions from industry and other co-contributors.

See the AFWI website for more information on how to submit an expression of interest.

The Australian Government is investing in our forest and wood products industries’ research and innovation capacity to deliver Australian made solutions to national challenges.

In partnership with the University of Tasmania (UTAS), the Australian Government has established an Australia-wide National Institute for Forest Products Innovation, under the operational name of Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI).

AFWI will receive over $100 million in funding from the Australian Government between 2022-23 to 2026-27. AFWI is based in Launceston at UTAS and will have three regional Research Centres which will undertake forestry research and development.

AFWI is based in Launceston at UTAS and will have three regional Research Centres which will undertake forestry research and development. One of the Research Centres is based at UTAS in Launceston. The Australian Government has identified the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of Melbourne as the other 2 preferred Research Centres.

The AFWI Board oversees all AFWI activities. The Board is supported by a Research Advisory Committee.

AFWI aims to put Australia’s forest and wood products industries on the front foot, supporting applied research, development and innovation.

It creates opportunities for innovation and commercialisation of new knowledge.

It also provides opportunities to develop researchers in forest and wood products industries and associated research areas.

AFWI Headquarters, based at UTAS, is the administrative centre that coordinate research undertaken by 3 regional Research Centres and other projects through the National Open Call each year.

Details on the Research Centres and National Open Call are available on the AFWI website.

The AFWI Board oversees all AFWI activities. They operate in an advisory capacity and endorse the strategic direction and research priorities of AFWI. The AFWI Board provides strategic direction and advice in relation to AFWI's program of activities and ensures that all research undertaken by AFWI is supported by industry.

The Board members are:

  • Mr Bob Gordon (Chair)
  • Ms Diana Gibbs
  • Ms Christine Briggs
  • Dr Heidi Dungey
  • Mr Brian Farmer
  • Ms Rachael Cavanagh
  • Mr Andrew Leighton
  • Prof Julianne O'Reilly-Wapstra
  • Mr Andrew Wilson

The Board is supported by a Research Advisory Committee.

Three Research Centres will be established under AFWI to undertake forestry research and development. One of the Research Centres is based at UTAS in Launceston. The Australian Government has identified the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of Melbourne as the other 2 preferred Research Centres through an expression of interest (EOI) process.

UTAS (as host of AFWI) is working with the preferred Research Centres to enter into agreements to establish the Research Centres.

The applications for the EOI process were sought based on the following documents:

Download

Expression of interest guidelines for establishing Australian Forest and Wood Innovations research centres (PDF 485 KB)
Expression of interest guidelines for establishing Australian Forest and Wood Innovations research centres (DOCX 815 KB)

EOI application form (PDF 273 KB)
EOI application form (DOCX 103 KB)

The department provided responses to questions received during the AFWI Research Centres EOI question period. The questions and responses can be accessed below:

Download

Expression of interest – questions and answers (PDF 154 KB)
Expression of interest – questions and answers (DOCX 208 KB)

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

There are 2 types of research funding available through AFWI:

  • Research Centre funding
  • National Open Call funding.

Each Research Centre will receive:

  • $9.8 million in Core Research Centre Funding. Core Funding does not require matching co-contributions, but still requires industry support.
  • $14.67 million in Conditional Research Centre Funding. Conditional research funding requires matching co-contributions and support from industry.

Research activities undertaken by Research Centres will be identified through consultation with industry at both local and national levels. Research Centres will be undertaking additional consultation in the coming months.

$20 million is available for the National Open Calls for research. The open calls will be run across four $5 million rounds. This funding is available to support projects proposed from anywhere in Australia that support Australia’s forest and wood products industries. Projects submitted for consideration under the open calls are required to have matching co-contributions.

The next National Open Call will be announced on the AFWI website, through media releases, and communicated in the forestry industry press.

Matching co-contributions can be cash or in-kind, and can be from industry, or other organisations. Commonwealth funding from other sources cannot be used as matching co-contributions.

All proposed projects, either through Research Centres or the National Open Calls, will be assessed by the Research Advisory Committee (a committee made up of industry and scientific members) to ensure that there is clear industry support and no duplication of research activities.

Each research centre will have specialised research themes, however they may work jointly with other Research Centres on themes.

Examples of the anticipated research themes that AFWI may address are outlined below.

AFWI’s research focus will also be informed by the AFWI strategic plan and industry engagement.

Climate change solutions

Forestry and forest products have the potential to support the goal of a net zero emissions economy by 2050. There are opportunities to add value to the industry through innovation focusing on:

  • reducing industry emissions
  • the role of forestry in carbon capture and sequestration
  • assisting in the substitution of emissions intense materials with low-carbon forest product alternatives
  • carbon capture by wood products.

Sustainable forests for our future

Opportunities to advance research into our unique forests for a sustainable future, including:

  • tree breeding and genetics
  • digital technology for forest management, monitoring and inventory
  • improved silvicultural management
  • First Nations peoples’ participation in production forest management
  • natural capital accounting and maximising multiple forest benefits
  • management of biodiversity, conservation and threatened species in a production landscape
  • management of forest health, pests and diseases, including biosecurity
  • fire management in a changing climate in the production landscape
  • farm forestry in a productive landscape.

Making the most of our available wood fibre

Innovation to make the most of our wood fibre resources could focus on:

  • product segregation and greater value recovery from existing resources
  • wood and paper products
  • innovative value adding to wood fibre
  • biomaterial development
  • new engineered wood solutions for construction
  • improved supply chain
  • transport logistics
  • safety improvements, including fatigue management
  • improved processing efficiency
  • digital technologies, sensing machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in processing
  • increasing wood fibre products contribution to the bioeconomy and circular economy
  • optimising resource properties.

Contact details

You can contact the department via AFWI.research@aff.gov.au.

Additional information on the AFWI can be found on UTAS’s AFWI website

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 07 March 2025

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram