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Department of Agriculture

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  3. Forestry
  4. Australia's forest policies
  5. Regional Forest Agreements
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  7. NSW
  8. NSW - Southern

Sidebar first - Forestry

  • NSW
    • Eden
    • North East
    • Southern

New South Wales Southern Regional Forest Agreement

​​The Southern Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) is one of three RFAs in New South Wales. The Australian and New South Wales governments signed the Southern RFA on 24 April 2001.

The Southern RFA was varied on 28 November 2018 with an extension until 26 August 2039, as it has proven to be a strong and effective framework for the sustainable management of Southern RFA region’s forests. The extension was formalised following assessment, public consultation and independent review.

The Southern RFA now has a 20-year rolling life, so at any point in time the Southern RFA will be between 15 and 20 years from expiring, depending on the satisfactory completion of the five-yearly reviews.

Extending the Southern RFA gives long-term surety of resource access for industry, ecologically sustainable management and use of forested areas and an extensive system of conservation reserves.

The Southern RFA variation includes two Annexures: Annexure 1 is the RFA marked up; Annexure 2 is a ‘clean’ version of the RFA as varied without the mark up.

Download

Document Pages File size
2018 Southern RFA variation PDF 280 3.6 MB

This report may not meet Australian Government accessibility guidelines. The report has not been prepared by the department.

The Southern Zoning Map (2018).(PDF 568 KB) identified the extent of the comprehensive adequate and representative reserve system in the Southern RFA region at the time of signing

For details on the process for extending the Southern RFA please see the New South Wales Regional Forest Agreements webpage.

The 2001 Southern RFA

The Australian and New South Wales governments signed the Southern RFA on 24 April 2001. The agreement was for a duration of 20 years and was set to expire on 24 April 2021.

Download

Document Pages File size
Southern RFA PDF 112 658 KB

If you have difficulty accessing this file, please visit web accessibility.

The Southern Zoning Map (2001) (PDF 170 KB) identified the extent of the comprehensive adequate and representative reserve system in the Southern RFA region at the time of signing.

New South Wales RFAs five-yearly reviews

It is a requirement of the Southern RFA that its performance is reviewed every five years. The details of the Southern RFA review process is outlined in the agreement.

The Australian and New South Wales governments have reported on the three NSW RFAs collectively:

  • NSW RFAs: first five-yearly review
  • NSW RFAs: second and third five yearly review

Historical Publications

Many historical publications informed the development of the Southern RFA and continue to underpin the management of forests covered by the agreement.

There are also historical statewide publications that informed the development of the three RFAs in NSW.

[expand all]

Comprehensive Regional Assessment:

Document Pages File size
Industry Development Opportunities for the Southern NSW Forest Industry to 2010 and 2020 (October 1997) PDF 60 308 KB
Map 1: Forest Ecosystems GIF 1 8.1 MB
Map 2: Old Growth GIF 1 8.1 MB
Map 3: Fauna Models - Diamond Pythons PDF 1 97 KB
Map 3.1: Fauna Models - Greater Glider GIF 1 2.1 MB
Map 3.2: Fauna Models - Heath Monitor (Goanna) GIF 1 632 KB
Map 3.3: Fauna Models - Sooty Owls GIF 1 665 KB
Map 3.4: Fauna Models - Tiger Quoll PDF 1 96 KB
Map 5: Tenure GIF 1 7.7 MB
Map 6: Provisionally Identified Wilderness GIF 1 7.5 MB
Map 7: Draft Cultural Heritage Values GIF 1 9.4 MB
Table 1: South Coast Forest Ecosystem PDF 5 33 KB

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

Cultural and Heritage Reports:

Document Pages File size
Identification, Assessment and Protection of National Estate Values in Southern NSW CRA Region (January 2000) PDF 82 204 KB
Identification, Assessment and Protection of National Estate Values in Southern NSW CRA Region (January 2000) DOC 82 418 KB
Appendices A-G PDF 20 59 KB
Appendices A-G DOC 20 206 KB
Appendix H PDF 22 101 KB
Appendix H DOC 22 336KB
Appendices I-K PDF 30 122 KB
Appendices I-K DOC 30 241 KB
Appendices L-O PDF 6 103 KB
Appendices L-O DOC 6 293 KB
Protective Mechanisms for Cultural Heritage – Southern Region (December 1999) PDF 76 343 KB

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

Directions or Options Reports

Document Pages File size
Options for a Southern RFA (no date) PDF 8 53 KB
Options for a Southern RFA (no date) DOC 8 101 KB
South Coast Sub-Region 32 000m3 option PDF 3 47 KB
South Coast Sub-Region 32 000m3 option DOC 3 33 KB
Southern RFA region reserve options – Map 1 PDF 1 5.7 MB
South Coast Sub-Region 35 000m3 option PDF 2 23 KB
South Coast Sub-Region 35 000m3 option DOC 2 48 KB
Southern RFA region reserve options – Map 2 PDF 1 5.4 MB
South Coast Sub-Region 45 000m3 option PDF 2 14 KB
South Coast Sub-Region 45 000m3 option DOC 2 32 KB
Southern RFA region reserve options – Map 3 PDF 1 5.8 MB
South Coast Sub-Region 55 000m3 option PDF 2 14 KB
South Coast Sub-Region 55 000m3 option DOC 2 31 KB
Southern RFA region reserve options – Map 4 PDF 1 5.6 MB
South Coast Sub-Region 65 000m3 option PDF 2 14 KB
South Coast Sub-Region 65 000m3 option DOC 2 30 KB
Southern RFA region reserve options – Map 5 PDF 1 5.5 MB
Tumut Sub-Region option DOC 2 32 KB
Southern RFA region reserve options – Map 6 PDF 1 4.7 MB
Southern CRA/ RFA Background Report (September 1999) PDF 46 132 KB
Southern CRA/ RFA Background Report (September 1999) DOC 46 610 KB
Southern Regional Forest Forum – consensus issues (January 2000) PDF 5 18 KB
Southern Regional Forest Forum – consensus issues (January 2000) DOC 5 38 KB

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

Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management Report:

Document Pages File size
Criteria, Indicators, Targets and monitoring processes of Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management for Southern RFA Region (April 2000) PDF 53 188 KB
ESFM Project: Water Quality and Quantity for the Upper and Lower North East, Southern RFA Regions (November 1998) PDF 162 1.5 MB

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

Environment Reports:

Document Pages File size
Collection of Vegetation Data from Historical Portion Plan Surveys (October 1999) - Project Summary PDF 1 7 KB
Collection of Vegetation Data from Historical Portion Plan Surveys (October 1999) - Project Summary DOC 1 20 KB
Collection of Vegetation Data from Historical Portion Plan Surveys (October 1999) - Report PDF 17 43 KB
Collection of Vegetation Data from Historical Portion Plan Surveys (October 1999) - Report DOC 17 83 KB
Mapping of Forest Management History Report (August 1999) PDF 63 334 KB
Modelling Areas of Habitat Significance for Vertebrate Fauna and Vascular Flora in the Southern CRA Region (February 2000) PDF 240 999 KB
Response to Disturbance of Forest Species (February 2000) PDF 117 1.2 MB
Response to Disturbance of Forest Species (February 2000) DOC 117 964 KB
Review of protective measures and forest practices – biodiversity workshops (July 1999) PDF 327 1.1 MB
Soil and Regolith Attributes for CRA/ RFA Model Resolution Southern Region (September 1999) PDF 44 3.1 MB
Wilderness Assessment – Southern (February 2000) PDF 72 1.4 MB
Wilderness Assessment – Southern (February 2000) DOC 72 3.0 MB

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

Factsheets:

Document Pages File size
Environment and heritage (no date) PDF 3 24 KB
Further Information Sites (no date) PDF 2 11 KB
Future forest management (no date) PDF 2 31 KB
Jobs and forest industries (no date) PDF 2 18 KB
Southern NSW RFA brochure (no date) PDF 2 3.4 MB
What is the Southern Regional Forest Forum? PDF 6 11 KB
What is the Southern Regional Forest Forum? DOC 6 26 KB

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

Resource Reports:

Document Pages File size
A report on forest wood resources for Southern NSW CRA Region (December 1999) PDF 53 859 KB
A report on forest wood resources for Southern NSW CRA Region (December 1999) DOC 53 140 KB
Biometric Models (July 2000) PDF 112 612 KB
Identification of Plantation Expansion Opportunities in New South Wales (January 2000) PDF 81 193 KB
Identification of Plantation Expansion Opportunities in New South Wales (January 2000) DOC 81 410 KB
Appendices PDF 34 111 KB
Appendices DOC 34 160 KB
Report on Apiary in NSW (October 1999) PDF 31 87 KB
Report on Apiary in NSW (October 1999) DOC 31 135 KB
Strategic Inventory – Southern Region (December 2000) PDF 110 377 KB
Strategic Yield Scheduler (February 2001) PDF 102 430 KB
Yield Simulator (May 2001) PDF 86 408 KB

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

Social and Economic Reports:

Document Pages File size
Community case studies report (November 1999) PDF 59 264 KB
Community case studies report (November 1999) DOC 59 559 KB
Economic and Social Criteria and Indicators (March 2000) PDF 64 294 KB
Economic Assessment of Water Values (December 1999) PDF 68 211 KB
Economic Assessment of Water Values (December 1999) DOC 68 1.4 MB
Forest Based Industries Development Opportunities (November 1999) PDF 73 341 KB
Forest Based Industries Development Opportunities (November 1999) DOC 73 1.4 MB
Appendices PDF 64 179 KB
Appendices DOC 64 442 KB
Regional Economic Impact Assessment for the Southern NSW CRA Region (July 2000) PDF 134 580 KB
Regional profile – Southern Region (November 1999) PDF 33 223 KB
Regional profile – Southern Region (November 1999) DOC 33 491 KB
Sawmill Survey (December 1999) PDF 27 134 KB
Sawmill Survey (December 1999) DOC 27 1.4 MB
Social assessment report (February 2000) PDF 286 1.2 MB
Social assessment report (February 2000) DOC 286 6.1 MB
Threshold Value Analysis of Non-Use Values (May 2000) PDF 25 90 KB

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

Annual Reports:

Annual reports were required for the first five years of each RFA.

Document Pages File size
Progress on the implementation of the Regional Forest Agreement for the Southern Region (1 July 2005 – 30 June 2006)    
Progress on the implementation of the Regional Forest Agreement for the Southern Region (1 July 2004 – 30 June 2005)    
Progress on the implementation of the Regional Forest Agreement for the Southern Region (1 July 2003 – 30 June 2004) PDF 12 100 KB
Progress on the implementation of the Regional Forest Agreement for the Southern Region (1 July 2002 – 30 June 2003) PDF 13 80 KB
Progress on the implementation of the Regional Forest Agreement for the Southern Region (24 April 2001 – 30 June 2002) PDF 10 168 KB

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

​​​

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Page last updated: 03 August 2023

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.

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