Farm & Agroforestry Growers

Forestry Australia has a Farm and Agroforestry Growers Committee that represents the interests of its members who are landowners engaged in planting and managing trees for a wide range of purposes including biodiversity conservation, landscape amenity and restoration, timber production and carbon sequestration. Forestry Australia’s farm and agroforestry membership spans all states and territories, from temperate southern environments to the wet tropics. We promote good science; evidence-based decision making; practical and effective solutions, and holistic and balanced outcomes for our rural landscapes.

Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings

Forestry Australia provides its farm and agroforestry membership with opportunities to engage through Farm forestry, agroforestry and small-scale grower Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings.

The purpose of the Farm forestry, agroforestry and small-scale grower SIG meetings is to facilitate information exchange, connection, and discussion between agroforesters, farm foresters, small private forest growers as well as the agencies and organisations working in this space. The Grower SIG meetings provide a platform for dialogue, information on various programs, exchange of experiences, approaches, and resources.

Next meeting:

The next Farm & Agroforestry Growers Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting, to be held as follows:

Date: Tuesday 17 November 2026
Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm AEDT
Topic: TBA
Speaker: TBA

For more information and to register, click here

About Farm & Agroforestry Growers

Farm forestry is the commitment of resources by farmers, alone or in partnerships, towards the establishment or management of forests on their land.

Most definitions of farm forestry and agroforestry focus on trees’ function, location or arrangement, and emphasise the expected benefits of farm forestry/agroforestry. It is not the scale, the planting pattern, the species or the purpose of a forest that makes it a “farm forest” or “agroforest”. It is the ownership. Not just ownership of the land or the trees, but ownership of the decision to do it and how it is done. Farm forestry and agroforestry are simply the result of a farmer’s decision to practice forestry. What it looks like and how it performs will depend on interests, resources and opportunities facing the farmers involved and their ability to design and manage their forests effectively.

Farm forestry and agroforestry are about choice—farmers choosing to commit their resources to the development and management of forests for, amongst other things, commercial return. Farmers may establish and manage their forests for any mix of the benefits that forests can provide. They may place an emphasis on a single outcome such as timber production or biodiversity, or they may seek to balance a range of benefits in a multipurpose planting. Their priorities may also vary over the farm or change over time. For example, a forest initially established or managed for wildlife or land protection might later be harvested for timber or valued for its beauty. Forests on farms may increase agricultural production or displace it. They might be sustainable and improve economic, social and environmental capital or they might deplete these assets.

Farm & Agroforestry Growers Reserve Funding

Applications Closed

Scholarships for Farm and Agroforestry Growers to attend Forestry Australia’s 2026 Symposium

Would you like assistance to attend Forestry Australia’s 2026 Symposium in Canberra?

Are you a farmer or small-scale forest grower?

Forestry Australia and the Farm & Agroforestry Growers Committee are offering financial support to Australian farmers and small-scale forest growers to attend the 2026 Symposium in Canberra. Forestry Australia, through the Growers Reserve Fund is offering up to 5 scholarships valued at up to $1,600 each for successful applicants.

2026 Symposium
The forestry story: Strategies for improved awareness, social licence and effective engagement
Wednesday 7 – Friday 9 October 2026
Rex Hotel, 150 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra City, ACT
forestryconference.com.au

What is on offer:

  • A maximum of 5 scholarships for farmers and small-scale forest growers to attend the 2026 Symposium.
  • In the first instance, the scholarship will be applied to each successful applicant’s 2026 Symposium registration (Symposium registration valued at $875)
  • If there is funding available and the successful applicant will travel over 150 kms to participate in the Conference, the scholarship can be used to offset travel expenses i.e., flights, transfers, airport parking, with 50% payable on announcement and the balance payable once a final report and proof of Conference related expenses has been received.
  • The scholarship will be capped at up to $1,600 per successful applicant.

Successful applicants will be required to:

  • Register and attend the 2026 Symposium.
  • Submit a 250-word post conference report and a photo from the Symposium that may be published.

Eligibility:

  • A current Forestry Australia Farm & Agroforestry Grower member (or prepared to become one)
  • Passionate about growing trees and forests in supporting sustainable and healthy communities, farms and rural landscapes.
  • An active and enthusiastic forest grower who owns or manages tree as part of farm or small family-owned operation in Australia.
  • Preference will be given to those applicants who have not received this scholarship to attend previous Forestry Australia conferences or symposiums

Applications closed

Submit all applications to growers@forestry.org.au

Questions? Contact the Forestry Australia office at growers@forestry.org.au and we will be happy to help.

Pruned Certification Scheme

Farm & Agroforestry Growers managed the Pruned Stand Certification (PSC) which provided growers with an assessment and certification system that quantified the quality of pruned logs in a stand, so that a premium payment could be received for the high value logs.

Forestry Australia continues to maintain these records but no longer offers the scheme. If you require information or access to records, contact growers@forestry.org.au