Financed in part through the Commonwealth Government’s Salvage Storage Fund, Victorian timber and forestry businesses can apply for funding to support the storage of the salvaged timber. Salvaging and storing the timber will not only mean it can still be used, but also boosts the supply of timber being processed and reduces the amount of harvesting of unburnt timber.

Eligible businesses can apply for grants of up to $500,000 to support the costs associated with storing timber above their usual volumes from 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2021. The grants will cover a range of activities that help keep unprocessed and processed wood viable or expand existing storage capacity, including rental or leasing costs, equipment hire and additional costs for water.

No harvesting of unburnt areas within the fire footprint will take place in 2020, with current salvage harvesting primarily focused on fire-killed ash, fire-killed plantations and other severely burnt forest areas. Salvage occurs within existing harvesting areas and the volumes allocated. Salvage harvesting is subject to additional environmental regulations, over and above operations in unburnt forests. The Conservation Regulator will continue monitoring salvage operations including using protocols to protect unburnt areas and the retention of dead large hollow bearing trees and wildlife corridors.

Applications will be open until 16 December 2020. For more information and to apply visit rdv.vic.gov.au/timber-storage-grants.