Trees on Farms Utilisation Program

Overview

The Trees on Farms Utilisation Program supports the better use of private, farm forestry plantations for regional firewood, timber and other wood markets.

The program engages farmers with small farm plantations between 3 and 30 hectares and provides support to commercialise plantation wood into higher-value assets.

• Phase 1 of program will initially be available in North East Victoria as per the dates in the table below. This includes the shires of Alpine, Benalla, Greater Shepparton, Indigo, Mansfield, Mitchell, Moira, Murrindindi, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta and Wodonga.
• The farm plantation assessment offer will then be progressively extended to Central Victoria, Western Victoria, and Gippsland commencing from February 2026.

Who can apply

To be eligible to receive a farm plantation assessment, applicants must:

• own a tree plantation planted for wood production prior to 2020 or have the rights to harvest and sell the plantation’s wood resources.
• allow an on-site site visit to the plantation for the assessors to undertake the assessment.
• be willing (and declare that any plantation managers working on the plantation are willing) to participate in an interview with the assessors about the plantation and assessment process.
• maintain current public liability insurance with a minimum of $10 million coverage per occurrence.

Eligible plantations

To be eligible for inclusion in the program, a plantation must:

• be located in Victoria in one of the three program target regions
• have a net harvest area greater than 3 hectares and less than 30* hectares, by species
• contain trees at an average spacing of no more than 6 meters apart, and in a reasonably accessible area
• not be already allocated or committed for sale.

Plantations established under previous Victorian or Commonwealth plantations incentives schemes are welcome to apply.

* Plantations with an estimated net harvest area exceeding 30 hectares can still submit an EOI. Refer to the Guidelines for details.

What might be funded?

Phase 1 of the Trees on Farms Utilisation Program will provide for a free farm plantation assessment and report for landowners.

The assessment process will involve

• Remote analysis of the wood resource and plantation site
• On-ground site inspections, and calculations to measure the standing wood resource
• A structured interview between the plantation manager (including if this is the owner) and the assessor

A farm plantation assessment will include:

• Harvesting regulations – statewide and local
• Details of current tree sizes and numbers
• Estimated wood resource quality and quantity
• Planning and future management opportunities
• Harvesting, transport and market access opportunities
• Information on harvesting practices

Further details are available in the Guidelines.

Funding details

Successful applicants will be assigned a professional assessor, arranged by DEECA, to carry out a Farm Plantation Assessment and produce a Farm Plantation Assessment Report.

The Trees on Farms Utilisation Program will fund the full amount for a detailed Farm Plantation Assessment of the plantation wood resource, to a standard prescribed by DEECA.

Funding will be paid directly to the Farm Plantation Assessors by the Victorian government upon completion of the service.

How to apply

To apply for the program landowners must submit an Expression of Interest:

1. Read the program guidelines carefully to confirm you are eligible. If you would like to confirm your eligibility or have any questions you may contact plantationforestry@deeca.vic.gov.au
2. Gather the required information including supporting documentation.
3. Submit your Expression of Interest online.

Click here to resume you draft application

Frequently asked questions

Why would I participate in the Victorian Trees on Farms Utilisation program?

By having a farm plantation assessment undertaken, you will be provided with a better understanding of the value of wood resources in your existing farm plantation. This data may assist you to understand the cost/benefit engage with local wood processors to commercialise your existing tree crop.

Importantly, having your farm plantation assessed under phase 1 of the program also gets your foot in the door for future phases of the program. Once the Department analyses data from plantations across your region, you may become eligible for government support to commercialise the tree crop through regional plantation resource groupings.

Why is Victoria supporting the use of wood resources from small plantations?

Victoria’s population is forecasted to grow significantly over the coming decades, with timber demand projected to quadruple within the next 50 years. This surge presents a strategic opportunity to reposition farm plantations as key contributors to the timber supply chain.

Additional resources

• Trees on Farms Utilisation Program - Expression of Interest Guidelines [PDF File - 2.6 MB]
• Trees on Farms Utilisation Program – Expression of Interest Guidelines [MS Word Document - 432.9 KB]

For plantations over 30 hectares a Statutory declaration may be submitted:

• Statutory declaration [PDF File - 122.9 KB]
• Statutory declaration (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 35.1 KB]