The Victorian Forestry Plan (VFP) stipulates that commercial native timber harvesting will end in State Forests by 2030.
Recognising the impact this will have on Victorian communities with a long standing involvement with the harvesting and processing of native timber, significant ground level support has been provided to affected businesses and communities to assist them towards achieving a successful and sustainable transition.
A video case study was requested that would demonstrate how state government agencies were seeking to financially support suitable projects that had been collaboratively developed by locally affected businesses and their surrounding communities.
At the time of the brief, a promising project was emerging in Yarram, Gippsland that was situated in a local sawmill and centred around converting plant waste into a number of value-added products including a bio-fuel and synthetic gas.
To understand this complex project, several recce visits to Yarram were made before filming. There are sensitive dynamics surrounding the native timber industry, so working closely with all stakeholders and our client was imperative.
The delays in video production resulting from Covid lockdowns fortuitously allowed time for the proposed project to achieve a very satisfying conclusion – the VFP’s funding approval for the project!
This video production will be used to promote the pro-active role that state government agencies have taken to support transition within affected timber communities and will hopefully inspire other communities to develop their own projects for funding consideration.
CAIT SHERRIFF
FORESTRY PRINCIPAL COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
VICTORIAN DEPARTMENT OF JOBS, PRECINCTS AND REGIONS
Reimagine Films is based in Melbourne and works across Australia. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the country on which we live and work, and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
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