MISCONCEPTIONS about the introduction of timber plantations in the Great Southern have been dispelled by an Australian Government report.
The Bureau of Rural Sciences' Socioeconomic Impacts of Plantation Forestry report released last week highlighted the positive contributions the sector has made to the Great Southern.

The report confirmed significant financial stimulation and contribution to employment growth.

However, deteriorating rural roads and a lack of housing for the growing workforce were highlighted as areas of concern.

Timber 2020 chairman John Walker said the report was confirmation of what supporters of the timber plantation industry always believed.

"The data provided will help to monitor the industry and pave the way for new industries in the future," he said.

"I used to be very anti-trees. Today I'm getting the benefit from my farm and I can see Albany in the future will get the benefits as well."

Report author, Bureau of Rural Sciences researcher Jacki Schirmer, said plantations had helped to stabilise the financial future of the three areas studied - Albany, Cranbrook and Plantagenet.

"There is no evidence the plantation expansion causes a higher decline in the rural population," she said.

"In fact, the three local government areas experienced less of a rural decline than the rest of the Great Southern.

"Mt Barker is growing when most rural towns of its size are declining."

Ms Schirmer said the Great Southern was selected for the report because of the rapid expansion of the plantation industry which started in 1988.

By 2001, the three areas had 127,000 hectares under plantation.

The numbers employed ranged from 20 people in 1991 to 500 in 2004, with the greatest increase in 2001 when harvesting started.

She said growth was expected to continue, especially with the introduction of downstream processing such as Beacons' biomass power plant and Lignor Limited's strand lumber plant.

"Considerably more employment can be expected to be generated in coming years as the plantations in the region reach maturity and are harvested and processed," said Ms Schirmer.

The report was launched in Albany last Friday by the Great Southern Development Commission.

Ms Schirmer spent two years carrying out research as part of the study.

GSDC deputy CEO Maynard Rye said the report justified the support it had received from the State Government.

"In 2003/04 the industry spent $50 million on plantation development and two-thirds was directly spent in the Great Southern," he said.

"The money generated was $75 million, which was of direct benefit to the region."

Mr Rye said the outcome would be greater than expected, as the figures did not take into account the start of harvesting by two other plantation managers, and the proposed Beacons and Lignor businesses.

Plantagenet Shire president Kevin Forbes said he did not know where many farmers would be now if it were not for plantations.