With the demand for forest products expected to rise in the future, there is an opportunity to establish smallholder-based planted resources to service these markets. This 3-year project aimed to advance the development of germplasm sources and smallholder-friendly silviculture systems for teak (PNG) and sandalwood (PNG and Australia). This included developing PNG capacity to maintain an ongoing genetic improvement program for sandalwood, as well as communicating and disseminating project research outputs to improve uptake and impact.

Supported by a multidisciplinary team of international experts with access to leading edge research facilities, this 3-year project worked with the private sector to contribute to the development of novel engineered wood products (EWPs) in both Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Australia. The main objectives were to accelerate the development of EWPs through appropriate matching of the timber resources and potential markets. In parallel to adding efficiency on market access, the project investigated how public private partnerships can operate to promote expansion of value adding wood processing in PNG.

This 4-year project has increased the contribution that the utilisation of forest resources makes to national and local economies, including landowners and processors, through the development of domestic value added wood processing methods. Project research activities focused on overcoming the technical, policy and capacity impediments that are hindering the development of value-added products and transitioning the PNG wood sector to a successful domestic wood processing industry. 

This 2-year project has developed a draft standard for evaluating the quality of governance of forest management and associated emissions reduction activities in PNG. The voluntary standard was developed using a multi-stakeholder, multi-level and multi-stage approach. The standard may be used either informally for general assessment, or more formally, to determine compliance. The standard is accompanied by a set of governance resources and journal papers developed by project partners in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

This 3-year project aimed to identify how community forestry in PNG could be enhanced and scaled up to achieve better economic, social and environmental outcomes. The project used a multi- and inter-disciplinary approach, with strong partnerships between researchers, project partners and field-based staff. Research activities were undertaken in the Madang-Lae-Goroka triangle which provided good access to both natural forest and grassland sites.

This 5-year project aimed to enhance the value, value recovery and international competitiveness of the PNG balsa industry and, by doing so, optimise its benefits for smallholder growers. Project researchers from Australia and PNG worked with major processors, research and training organisations, smallholder organisations, and national and district government agencies to address the most significant challenges facing  the balsa industry, including productivity and sustainability, market access, and product development and diversification..

The production of high quality timber and other forest products from planted trees and forests represents a significant development opportunity for PNG. Inadequate supplies of germplasm (seeds or planting stock) remains an important constraint to the development of such an industry. The project aims to develop germplasm supply and delivery mechanisms for teak and other locally desirable species.

The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Programme aims to create the YUS Conservation Area within the remote Huon Peninsular of Morobe Province.

This 9-month pre-project aims to develop a model community-based land ownership mapping and forest resource assessment system that supports CFM and REDD schemes within four pilot provinces of PNG.

Papua New Guinea has a sound framework of forest policies, laws and regulations in place. However, weak forest law enforcement is currently undermining the PNG Forest Authority’s efforts at achieving sustainable forest management on the ground. This situation is also affecting PNG’s ability to satisfy the requirements of some of its key timber markets. This 2-year pilot-project aims to enhance forest law enforcement in PNG.