WEBINAR | Forest Recreation & Tourism

Forestry Australia would like to invite you to our upcoming webinar: Forest Recreation & Tourism.

Date: Thursday 12 November 2026 | Time: 12:30–1:30 pm AEDT
RFP CPD Points: 1.00

Forests provide much more than economic and environmental values — they are also important places for recreation, tourism, connection and community wellbeing. This webinar will explore how recreation and tourism can be successfully integrated into sustainable forest management. Drawing on experiences from Forestry Corporation of NSW and HVP Plantations, our presenters will share practical examples of visitor management, partnerships, recreation access and tourism development, while considering the operational, governance and risk requirements of managing public access alongside forestry operations.

Registrations (inc. GST)
Forestry Australia Member: $15 | Non-Member: $70 | Student Members: Free
Registrations close: 10:00 am Wednesday 11 November.

Everyone who registers:

• Receives a link and joining instructions 24 hours before the webinar commences.
• Receives a recording of the webinar — so if you can’t attend live, you can watch it later.

Connecting People with State Forests: Tourism, Partnerships and Visitor Experiences

Kathy Lyons & Louise Faulkner | Forestry Corporation of NSW

Hear from Kathy and Louise from Forestry Corporation of NSW as they explore modern forest tourism and visitor management in NSW State forests. Discover how partnerships and collaboration support sustainable visitor experiences that connect people with the natural and cultural values of forests, while contributing to community education, health and wellbeing.

The presentation will also explore how tourism marketing and partnerships can help grow visitation and commercial opportunities, while strengthening community connections and social licence for working forests.

Recreation in plantation forests: Balancing access, risk and community value

Prue Day | HVP Plantations

How can recreation be successfully incorporated into a working plantation estate? Drawing on examples ranging from local community access through to council-partnered trail networks, HVP Plantations will share lessons from managing recreation within a privately managed plantation estate.

The presentation will explore the community wellbeing, economic and reputational benefits associated with recreation, alongside the governance, risk management and operational considerations required to sustain recreation opportunities while continuing forestry operations.

Louise Faulkner
Manager, Tourism & Partnerships | Forestry Corporation of NSW

Louise has more than 30 years’ experience in science, natural resources and environmental management. She leads Forestry Corporation of NSW’s tourism and partnerships team, developing visitor experiences that connect people with forests and support health, wellbeing and nature-based tourism. Louise also developed and oversees the Visit NSW Forests brand and social media presence.

Kathy Lyons
Senior Manager, Country and Community | Forestry Corporation of NSW

Kathy studied Forestry at the Australian National University and holds an Executive MBA from the University of Technology Sydney. She has held senior roles across timber harvesting, sales, plantations, Regional Forest Agreements, planning, infrastructure and fire. As Senior Manager, Country and Community, Kathy leads work across tourism, community partnerships, Aboriginal cultural heritage, cultural tourism and cultural burning.

Prue Day
External Relations and Communications Manager | HVP Plantations

Prue holds qualifications in Environmental Science and Forest Science (Honours), with experience across forestry, local government, sustainability and natural resource management. At HVP Plantations, she works at the intersection of commercial forestry and community expectations, bringing practical experience in recreation access, stakeholder engagement and partnerships within working plantation landscapes.