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  4. Australia's forest policies
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Western Australian Regional Forest Agreement

The Western Australian Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) is specific to the south-west forest region of Western Australia. The agreement was signed by the Australian and Western Australian governments on 4 May 1999, establishing the framework for the sustainable management of the forests of the south-west region of Western Australia. On 29 March 2019 a 20 year rolling extension was formalised through the variation to the Western Australian Regional Forest Agreement (WA RFA), with an extension until 4 May 2039. The extension followed an assessment process, public consultation and independent review.

The WA 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.

Downloads

2019 Western Australian RFA variation (PDF 15 MB)

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

Extending the Western Australian Regional Forest Agreement

The Australian and Western Australian governments have extended the WA RFA by 20 years as it has proven to be a strong and effective framework for the sustainable management of Western Australia’s forests.

The governments also agreed to introduce a 20 year rolling life for the WA RFA, so at any point in time the WA RFA will be between 15 and 20 years from expiring, depending on the satisfactory completion of the five-yearly reviews.

Extending the WA RFA gives long-term stability to protections for biodiversity and heritage, and surety of resource access for industry, ensuring the whole community can continue to enjoy the many benefits that WA forests provide well into the future.

The extension was formalised on 29 March 2019 following extensive assessment, public consultation, independent review and negotiation.

What’s changed?

The extended WA RFA delivers a number of improvements:

  • a 20-year extension to the agreement
  • rolling five-year extensions, subject to satisfactory performance and review
  • a more outcomes focused five-yearly review process
  • strengthened communication between the Australian and WA governments
  • specific clauses referring to climate change and matters of national environmental significance in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).

Importantly, the objectives of the WA RFA have not changed. The comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve system will continue, certainty of resource access and supply to industry will be maintained; as well as ecologically sustainable forest management for areas outside of reserves.

The WA RFA is implemented through the Forest Management System in Western Australia: An Overview​ and based on the principles of ecologically sustainable forest management. The Forest Management System includes relevant forestry, environmental and heritage legislation, regulations, policies and programs.

Assessment of RFA matters

To inform the extension of the WA RFA, the Australian and WA governments undertook an assessment of how the various uses and values of the WA RFA have been monitored, maintained, implemented and addressed since the signing of the WA RFA.

Downloads

Assessment of matters pertaining to the extension of the WA Regional Forest Agreement (PDF 6.1 MB)
Assessment of matters pertaining to the extension of the WA Regional Forest Agreement DOCX 8.3 MB)

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

Consultation

Stakeholders were engaged and given opportunities to provide feedback on the extension of the WA RFA:

  • Comment was invited on the extension of the WA RFA as part of the third five-yearly review
  • Stakeholders had an opportunity to provide feedback from 15 November 2016 to 13 January 2017
  • Comment was also sought through the regional stakeholder engagement process from 17 to 19 October and on 7 November 2018.

Downloads

Extending the Regional Forest Agreement for the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia – Overview of Stakeholder Engagement (PDF 796 KB)
Extending the Regional Forest Agreement for the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia – Overview of Stakeholder Engagement DOCX 888 KB)

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

Western Australian RFA five-yearly reviews

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

  • Western Australian RFA: five and ten yearly review (combined)
  • Western Australian RFA: third five-yearly review (2009-2014)

Annual meetings

On 29 June 2023, officials from the Australian and WA governments held their fourth annual meeting since the signing of the 20-year extension to the WA RFA.

At this meeting senior officials discussed updates and progress on a range of matters relating to changes to the WA Forest Management System that had occurred since the last annual meeting, including the implications of the WA Government’s decision to cease native forest harvesting on the future of the WA RFA. Following the meeting, officials issued a communique:

  • WA RFA Annual Meeting of Officials 2023 Communique

Communiques from previous annual meetings are also available:

  • WA RFA Annual Meeting of Officials 2022 Communique
  • WA RFA Annual Meeting of Officials 2021 Communique
  • WA RFA Annual Meeting of Officials 2020 Communique

These annual meetings, to be held in the years between five-yearly reviews, are part of the Australian and WA governments’ commitment to strengthened communications under the extended WA RFA.

The 1999 WA RFA

The Australian and WA governments signed the original 1999 WA RFA on 4 May 1999. The agreement was for a duration of 20 years and was set to expire on 4 May 2019.

Downloads

1999 Western Australian RFA (PDF 1.6 MB)

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

The Western Australian Land Tenure and Zoning Map (April 1999) (PDF 3.5 MB) identifies the extent of the comprehensive adequate and representative (CAR) reserve system in the south-west region of Western Australia.

Historical Publications

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

DocumentFile size
WA Comprehensive Regional Assessment Report – Volume 1 (6 February 1998) PDF676 KB
WA Comprehensive Regional Assessment Report – Volume 2 (6 February 1998)
Map 1: Existing Reserve Status GIF308 KB
Map 2: Major Sawmill and Timber Processing GIF67 KB
Map 3: Significance for Sustained Timber Yield GIF80 KB
Map 4: Recreation Sites GIF77 KB
Map 5: Species Richness GIF183 KB
Map 6: Mineral Resources GIF643 KB
Map 7: Weighted Composite Mineral Potential GIF613 KB
Map 8: Mineral Commodities and Structures GIF414 KB
Map 9: Exploration and Mining Tenements and Activities GIF435 KB
Map 10: Significant Apiculture Areas GIF71 KB
Map 11: Floriculture Industry Production GIF64 KB
Map 12: Forest Ecosystems on Crown Land GIF389 KB
Map 13: Native Vegetation Remaining on Private Land GIF231 KB
Map 14: Old-growth Forest GIF226 KB
Map 15: Declared Rare and Priority Flora GIF67 KB
Map 16: Wilderness Quality GIF417 KB
Map 17: Biophysical Naturalness GIF365 KB
Map 18: Potential Reservoirs that may Impact CALM Managed Lands GIF79 KB
Diagram 1: "The area in which I live is very dependent on the timber of logging industry" GIF51 KB
Diagram 2: "If there was a decrease in the future use of forests by the timber, mining or tourism industries, do you think this would affect your community?" GIF46 KB

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

DocumentFile size
Assessment of Protective Mechanisms for National Estate Cultural Heritage Values (November 1998) PDF1.4 MB
WA RFA Aboriginal Consultation Project Report, Volume 1 & 2 (November 1997) PDF1.7 MB
WA RFA Aboriginal Consultation Project Report, Volume 1 & 2 (November 1997) DOC2.3 MB

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

DocumentFile size
Towards a Regional Forest Agreement for the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia: A paper to assist public consultation (1998) PDF442 KB

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

DocumentFile size
Assessment of Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management in the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia (December 1997) DOC761 KB

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

DocumentFile size
National Estate Aesthetic Value Identification and Assessment Project – Visual Assessment (February 1998) PDF906 KB
National Estate Aesthetic Value Identification and Assessment Project – Visual Assessment (February 1998) DOC498 KB
National Estate Identification and Assessment in the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia (June 1998) PDF1.6 MB
Map 1: Natural landscapes, old-growth forest and wetlands GIF1.3 MB
Map 2: Refugia and endemic and relictual fauna GIF1.3 MB
Map 3: Endemic, relictual and disjunct flora GIF1.3 MB
Map 4: Rare, restricted and threatened communities GIF1.3 MB
Map 5: Vegetation diversity and flora species richness GIF1.3 MB
Map 6: Social value GIF1.3 MB
Map 7: Aesthetic values GIF1.3 MB
Map 8: Registered and Interim Listed National Estate Places GIF1.3 MB
Map 9: Social Value – Aboriginal GIF1.6 MB

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

DocumentFile size
What is the WA RFA? (no date) PDF18 KB
A Profile of the Region (no date) PDF13 KB

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

DocumentFile size
Assessment of Mineral and Hydrocarbon Resources in the South-West Forest Region of WA (January 1998) PDF1.7 MB
Assessment of Mineral and Hydrocarbon Resources in the South-West Forest Region of WA (January 1998) DOC615 KB
Table 1: Summary of geological and mineralising events GIF22 KB
Table 3: Demonstrated and inferred heavy sand resources for sites within mineral and partially within the South-West Forest region DOC614 KB
Figure 2: Mineral potential tract for bauxite (Bxt1) GIF112 KB
Figure 3: Mineral potential tract for coal (Coal1) GIF122 KB
Figure 4: Mineral potential tract for lateritic/saprolitic gold (Au1) GIF102 KB
Figure 5: Mineral potential tract for Archaean/Precambrian gold (Au2) GIF129 KB
Figure 6: Mineral potential tract for rift-related epithermal gold-silver (Au3) GIF46 KB
Figure 7: Mineral potential tract for placer gold (Au4) GIF75 KB
Figure 8: Mineral potential tract for shoreline-fluviatile placer titanium (heavy mineral sands) (HMS1) GIF146 KB
Figure 9: Mineral potential tract for rare-metal pegmatites (RMPeg1) GIF98 KB
Figure 10: Mineral potential tract for alluvial tin and tantalum (RE1) GIF106 KB
Figure 11: Mineral potential tract for hydrocarbons (Hydrocarb) GIF93 KB
Figure 12: Mineral potential tract for synorogenic-synvolcanic nickel, copper, chromium and platinum group elements (CuNiPGE1) GIF129 KB
Figure 13: Mineral potential tract for lateritic/saprolitic nickel (Ni1) GIF58 KB
Figure 14: Mineral potential tract for vanadiferous and titaniferous magnetite (VTi1) GIF129 KB
Figure 15: Mineral potential tract for silica and quartzite (Silica1) GIF103 KB
Figure 16: Mineral potential tract for clay (Kao) GIF100 KB
Figure 17: Mineral potential tract for pegmatite-related industrial minerals (Peg1) GIF135 KB
Figure 18: Mineral potential tract for graphite (Graph1) GIF94 KB
Figure 19: Mineral potential tract for kyanite (Kya1) GIF92 KB
Figure 20: Mineral potential tract for iron ore (Fe1) GIF87 KB
Figure 21: Mineral potential tract for volcanic massive sulphide base metal deposits (BM1) GIF91 KB
Figure 22: Mineral potential tract for peat/lignite (Peat1) GIF119 KB
Map 1: Precambrian Geology GIF387 KB
Map 2: Phanerozoic Geology GIF255 KB
Map 3: Regolith GIF433KB
Map 4: Mineral Commodities and Structures GIF234 KB
Map 5: Exploration and Mining Tenements and Activity GIF255 KB
Map 6: Mineral Resources GIF227 KB
Map 7: Composite Mineral Potential GIF343 KB
Map 8: Cumulative Mineral Potential GIF380 KB
Map 9: Weighted Composite Mineral Potential GIF335 KB
Map 10: Weighted Cumulative Mineral Potential and Resources GIF1.5 MB

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

DocumentFile size
Economic Profile of the Tourism and Recreation Industries in the RFA Area (June 1998) PDF566 KB
Economic Profile of the Tourism and Recreation Industries in the RFA Area (June 1998) DOC1.8 MB
Draft Social Assessment Report (no date) PDF209 KB
Draft Social Assessment Report (no date) DOC145 KB
Post impacts analysis: RFA Social Impact Assessment Project SAU 1 (February 1998) PDF875 KB
Post impacts analysis: RFA Social Impact Assessment Project SAU 1 (February 1998) DOC588 KB
Social and Forest Values of the Community within the West Australian RFA Region (November 1997) PDF4.3 MB
The Social Values Report – Parts A, B and C (December 1997) PDF503 KB
The Social Values Report (December 1997) Part A: Project Documentation DOC247 KB
The Social Values Report (December 1997) Part B: Documentation of Places DOC49 KB
The Social Values Report (December 1997) Part C: Proceedings of Community Workshops DOC302 KB

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

Annual Reports were required for the first five years of each RFA

DocumentFile size
Western Australia Regional Forest Agreement Annual Report June 2000 PDF36 KB
Western Australia Regional Forest Agreement Annual Report June 2000 DOC124 KB

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

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Page last updated: 22 April 2024

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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