ABARES research and analysis in forest economics and sciences provides professionally independent, world-class advice to inform government and private sector decision-makers on significant issues affecting forests and the forestry sector.
Latest releases
The Forest Resource Use Model (FoRUM): A spatial-temporal model of Australia’s forest industry
This report outlines the creation, structure and utilisation of the Forest Resource Use Model.
Published: 6 October 2022
Australian plantation statistics 2022 update released
This report presents data collected from surveys of public and private plantation growers and managers on the size and changes to the commercial plantation estate.
Published: 10 August 2022
Australian forest and wood products statistics September and December quarters 2021 released
This biannual report presents 2020-21 data for key domestic indicators of forestry sector activity such as new housing commencements and the trade of wood products.
Published: 28 June 2022
Forestry regional profile dashboards now available
This dashboard displays Australian forest and forest industry data through interactive maps, charts and tables. Users can view data on a national, state, territory and regional level.
Published: 15 June 2022
Forest inventory for private native forestry, farm forestry and Indigenous forestry: Farm forestry sector report
This report presents information describing the extent and distribution of planted farm forestry in Australia based on available inventory information. It provides an understanding of the potential for planted farm forestry to complement the well-characterised public production native forests and existing commercial plantations.
Published: 6 April 2022
Global Outlook for Wood Markets to 2030
This report presents an outlook on the availability of and demand for raw wood fibres by geographic region and country. The analysis looks into potential changes in global trade flows, and regional and country level trade balances that could affect Australia’s forestry sector.
Published: 23 November 2021
Australian plantation statistics and log availability report 2021
In this report, plantation areas and forecast log availability are presented nationally and by National Plantation Inventory (NPI) regions for softwood and hardwood plantation types. This is based on data collected from private growers and grower representatives and public state and territory agencies. This data is published every 5 years and supports strategic forest industry planning and decision–making.
Published: 25 October 2021
ABARES forest research capabilities
ABARES capabilities cover spatial analysis of forest data; economic surveys, analyses, modelling and forecasting; forest ecology, silvicultural systems, and sustainable yield; and national and international reporting based on criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management. ABARES also contributes data, performs analysis and provides advice on Regional Forest Agreements, threatened species, illegal logging, and national, regional and state-based forest issues.
ABARES manages Australia’s National Forest Inventory (NFI), which was established in 1988 to enable the calculation of nationally consistent and comprehensive attributes describing Australia’s forests. The NFI is the key repository for a range of data about Australia’s forests, with data supplied by state, territory and Australian government agencies integrated into national classifications by ABARES. Data in the NFI is used for publicly communicating information about Australia's forests, including in the Australia’s State of the Forests Report series.
ABARES also manages the National Plantation Inventory (NPI), a component of the NFI which has been collecting data on plantations established primarily for wood production in Australia since 1993. NPI data on Australia’s plantations are collected by ABARES through an annual survey of growers, grower representatives and state and territory agencies.
Forests Australia
The Forests Australia website, hosted by ABARES, provides up-to-date information on Australia's forests in collaboration with Australia’s state and territory governments.