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For the period January 2017 to December 2019 DISCLAIMER

RMSTA Forest Management Plan

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4

2. Management System and Objectives .......................................................................................... 6

3. The Regulatory Environment .....................................................................................................10

4. Forest Estate Description ..........................................................................................................11

5. Maps and Data...........................................................................................................................13

6. Social Context and Community Engagement ............................................................................15

7. Cultural Heritage .......................................................................................................................18

8. The physical environment .........................................................................................................20

9. Biodiversity Values ....................................................................................................................23

10. Non-Timber Forest Products and Values ...................................................................................25

11. Commercial Crop Establishment ...............................................................................................28

12. Silvicultural Operations .............................................................................................................30

13. Forest Inventory and Quality Assurance ...................................................................................32

14. Harvesting Strategy and Operations .........................................................................................34

15. Property Management and Protection .....................................................................................36

16. Fire Management ......................................................................................................................38

17. Monitoring .................................................................................................................................40

18. Review and Future Plans ...........................................................................................................42

© PF OLSEN (AUS) PTY LTD All rights reserved. All rights of copying, publication, storage, transmission and retrieval in whole or part by any means and for all purposes are reserved.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 DISCLAIMER


Version No Reason for Review

1.0 Original IFarm Plan

2.0 PF Olsen Australia review

Reviewed and recommended by David Bennett

Authorised by Stephen Rymer

Issue Date August 2017

Version No 2.0

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Introduction


1. Introduction

Purpose This management plan:

Describes the physical features of the RMS Timberlands Forest Estate.

Clarifies the management arrangements and objectives.

Outlines the relevant constraints for forest management.

Provides a silvicultural framework for optimising value and minimising risk.

Implementing this Management Plan will ensure that the Tasmanian Forest Estate is sustainably managed to achieve the goals of the forest owner within the legislative framework of the region.

Forest Owner The forest estate is owned by investment funds administered by RMS Timberlands Australia Pty Ltd (RMS Timberlands), a subsidiary of Resource Management Services Inc. Resource Management Services Inc, is a global forest investment manager with significant expertise in all phases of institutional investment funding and has been appointed as property manager by the registered proprietors. There are two registered proprietors of the forest estate. They are:

FGI Australia Pty Ltd (Also known as FGI), and

RMS Assets Australia Pty Ltd as trustee of the RMS Australia Forest Fund 1 (Also known as KPI)

Forest Manager RMS Timberlands as property manager has engaged PF Olsen (Aus) Pty Ltd (PF Olsen Australia) as a specialist forest manager to maximise the investment returns to the forest owners and minimise the risks associated with forest management. The relationship between PF Olsen Australia and RMS Timberlands is described in management contracts.

For stakeholders with concerns, PF Olsen Australia should be the first organisation they contact as they are responsible for day to day management of the forests.

The table below summaries key responsibilities of the different parties.

Continued on next page...

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Introduction


…continued

PF Olsen Australia RMS Timberlands

Neighbour (stakeholder) relations

Fire preparedness and maintenance

Weed and pest control

Site establishment

Inventory programs

Spatial data

Secondary fertilising

Council and governance related issues

Certification

Harvesting and roading operation

Transport of timber to log yard

Sales and marketing

Resource modelling

Authorisation of budgets

Development of silvicultural standards

Log handling and processing in log yards and chip facilities

RMS Timberlands Australia Pty Ltd

RMS is committed to leading environmentally sound sustainable forest management practices on all forest lands under its management authority. As a company founded, owned, and managed by professional foresters, RMS has long been guided by a forest stewardship ethic. Exercising good stewardship through responsible management of all forest resources meets the needs of our clients, customers, employees, society, and future generations. In order to apply these principals effectively and systematically to this asset it has engaged PF Olsen Australia. As an independent professional forest manager, PF Olsen Australia has a management system that has been certified against independent standards for forest management.PF Olsen Australia is responsible for ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Australian Forestry Standard. The following document outlines the compliance plan.

Management representative

PF Olsen Australia’s Risk and Compliance Manager is the management representative for the Australian Forestry Standard.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Management System and Objectives


2. Management System and Objectives

Environmental and economic services

The forests provide a range of benefits, including:

Enhanced water quality,

Soil stabilisation and conservation,

Improved aquatic habitat,

Enhanced wildlife and plant habitat leading to increased biodiversity,

A reduction in greenhouse gases,

Local and regional employment opportunities, and

Other economic and social benefits to the community.

Scope This management plan covers all forest management activities within Tasmania Forest Estate. Such activities include:

Forest establishment,

Silvicultural activities,

Forest protection,

Monitoring,

Infrastructure maintenance,

Harvesting, and

Fire Management.

Objectives The forest management objectives for the Tasmania Forest Estate are to:

Grow trees for the production of hardwood chip and other emerging market opportunities such as biomass, veneer and sawn timber,

Ensure that the productivity of the land does not decline,

Ensure that environmental values are identified, maintained and where possible, enhanced,

Ensure that historic sites are identified and protected,

Optimise the economic return to the forest owner,

Replant or ensure regeneration following harvesting in the core region where it is economically viable to replant or regenerate,

Avoid permanent damage to native vegetation,




…continued PF Olsen Australia is committed to ensuring that the management of the forest estate is sustainable, from an environmental, social, cultural and economic perspective. These objectives underpin the company’s management culture and its commitment to independent third party forest certification, in particular conformance with the principles and criteria of the Australia Forestry Standard. Table 1 identifies some of the management aims involved with these perspectives.

Table 1: Management aims related to listed perspectives

Perspective Management Aims (not finite)

Environmental Identification and protection of rare, threatened and endangered species and ecosystems.

Control of noxious pests.

Protection of waterways and reserves.

Social Adherence to occupational health and safety standards.

Adherence to international employment conventions as they have been legislated in Australian state and federal law.

Cultural Identification and protection of historic and archaeological sites.

Consultation with interested parties.

Economic Suitable species selection.

Appropriate management and harvesting techniques.

Protection of assets.

Providing a reasonable return on investment while minimising the risks of this investment.

Implementation The forest management objectives described above are implemented by the Forest Manager, PF Olsen Australia. PF Olsen Australia applies recognised best forestry management practice within a quality management framework to plan for and deliver the required forest management objectives.

The Quality management framework includes :

The PF Olsen Australia forest management system, ensuring that the forest management planning is up to date and operations are scheduled and undertaken according to the plan.

The PF Olsen Australia environmental management system, ensuring that high standards of environmental management are recognised and integrated into every facet of the forest planning and management.

Certification of compliance with the principles and criteria of the Australia Forestry Standard to ensure management principles and practice adhere to internationally recognised and locally adopted standards for well managed forests.



Forest Information Planning System

PF Olsen Australia resources a Forest Information Planning System (FIPS) to assist in ensuring regulatory and certification compliance, including:

transparent management accounting

efficient data capture

effective use of resource information.

Policies and Standards

There are four core policies in the PF Olsen Australia management system:

Workplace Health & Safety

Sustainable Forest Management

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Learning and Continuous Improvement

Standards support these policies and ensure consistency with relevant Sustainable Forest Management Standards. The clauses in these Standards are key requirements which form the basis of internal audit and review. These are publicly available on the PF Olsen Australia website1.

The Management System framework

The purpose of PF Olsen Australia’s management system is to:

Add value to a client’s assets / business via the applications of our skills and processes.

It applies a holistic and systematic approach to ensure that prevention of adverse and harmful impacts is effective. Key elements comprising the Management System are:

PF Olsen Australia’s Policies and Standards,

Manuals (Operations, Administration and Fire Management),

Best Practice Guidelines,

Management Plans,

Contracts,

Prescriptions,

Operational plans,

Procedures for managing emergency situations.


1 PF Olsen (Aus) Pty Ltd Policies and Standards are publicly available online at https://pfolsen.blob.core.windows.net/productionmedia/1967/policies_final.pdf.



…continued Periodic internal and external auditing: – To check compliance with agreed procedures; and

– Discuss ways to improve the Management System to better achieve its targets and objectives.

PF Olsen Australia is progressively replacing written manuals with more accessible and descriptive processes maps. The Risk and Compliance Manager is responsible for ensuring that the Management System is maintained and compliant with AS4801, ISO 14001 and ISO 9002 standards.

Management System overview

An overview of the management system employed by PF Olsen Australia is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Management System overview

Publically available documents

Publically available documents can be found on the PF Olsen Australia website and include: • RMS Forest Management AFS Certificate • RMS’s Sustainable Forest Management Statement of Intent • The Regional Management Plan (this document) • Defined Forest Area maps • Summaries of recent certification audits Other elements of the Forest Management Plan referenced in this plan are considered private. These may be made available upon request.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 The Regulatory Environment


3. The Regulatory Environment

Regulatory considerations

In order to minimise the risk to forest owners, managers and contractors, it is important that relevant legislation and agreements are identified and appropriate measures put in place to ensure that breaches of legislation are avoided. Legislation that currently applies to forest operations are listed in the PF Olsen Australia Legal Register and relevant operational plans where there are specific consents and agreements. The key elements of relevant laws are summarised in our policies, standards, best practice guidelines and prescriptions.

Tasmanian laws In Tasmania, management and protection of environmental and cultural values is administered through the Forest Practices Act 1985 and the Forest Practices Code (FPC). Forest Practices Officers (FPO’s) undertake a desktop and field verification, on individual properties, of the biodiversity, cultural heritage, soil and water and landscape for prescribed operations. The Forest Practices Authority (FPA) is the regulator charged with implementing the Forest Practices Act. The FPA has biodiversity, earth sciences and cultural heritage specialists who provide advice to FPOs preparing FPPs or supervising forest operations. The FPA also provides a number of planning tools which assist FPOs in preparing FPPs. The FPA monitors compliance with legal requirements under the forest practices system. FPA specialists also work closely with other State and Commonwealth regulators to ensure conservation values are incorporated in advice provided to FPOs. Forest Practices Plans (FPPs) contain specifications of the forest practices to be carried in accordance with the Forest Practices Code. FPPs identify discreet operational phases for which certificates of compliance must be provided to the FPA at the end of each phase. The Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 also recognises FPPs as a means of managing threatened species during forest operations.

Breaches of laws Where breaches of laws within the scope of certification to AS 4708 are identified on the forest estate the PF Olsen Australia Risk and Compliance Manager will notify RMS Timberlands and the certification body responsible for the RMS Timberlands AFS certificate in writing within five (5) business days.

Native Title There is no native title claim on any land owned by RMS within Tasmania.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Forest Estate Description


4. Forest Estate Description

Defined Forest Area

The Defined Forest Area (DFA) is situated on freehold land under numerous titles throughout Tasmania and are included in a single Forest Management Unit (FMU). The FMU is predominantly small scattered properties generally between 10 and 200 ha in size. Land use of the estate, including the net stocked areas have been determined through spatial analysis. Table 2 Land Use as of 30 July 2017outlines the key land use categories. Due to pre-existing contractual arrangements, some areas of land managed by RMS are currently under the DFA of other companies. As these areas are harvested, they will be included in the RMS DFA.

Table 2 Land Use as of 30 July 2017

Land Use Area (ha)

Plantation 24,112

Fallow 2,799

Remnant Vegetation 5,116

Other 15,636

Total 47,664

Age Class Distribution

The RMS estate was predominantly established during the period 1992 through to 2009 with the major period of activity during 2007-2009. Figure 2 Age class distribution shows this distribution. RMS is planning to create an even age-class distribution over time through sustainable management of the harvesting and re-establishment programs. This will equate to an approximate annual harvest of 2,000ha.

Figure 2 Age class distribution

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Forest Estate Description


Current plantation species

The planted are comprises 26,832ha hardwood plantations (predominantly Eucalyptus nitens with some E. globulus) and 80ha of softwood plantation (Pinus radiata). These species have been chosen to best meet the management objectives, given the characteristics of the forest land as described in Section 8. Re-establishment will involve replanting with high quality treestocks suitable for the site and market. These will be investigated during establishment planning. The plantation estate is generally managed for a 15 year rotation for the export of peeler and sawlogs. Currently, the plantation estate is managed to produce solid wood and wood fibre for international markets.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Maps and Data


5. Maps and Data

Geographic Information System and data management

PF Olsen Australia maintains a Geographic Information System (GIS). This comprehensive mapping system and forest inventory database enabling a detailed reporting and analysis. The systems are linked such that stand information is both spatial and descriptive. The system is used to schedule and plan significant changes to the estate, for example: re-planting, fertilising and thinning operations.

Defined Forest Area Maps

Maps for the DFA are found on the PF Olsen Australia website (www.pfolsen.com.au/au).

Mapping Mapping will be required from time to time to manage and control operations. PF Olsen Australia foresters create maps with details of:

silvicultural operations

maintenance operations

harvesting operations

specific infrastructure

roads

waterways

remnant vegetation

protected areas with high conservation values and cultural heritage sites

research trials

monitoring locations

site hazards and

other special values.

This will occur on an ongoing basis and all relevant data will be stored digitally. Accurate mapping also assists with budgeting, planning and calculation of future revenue and forest values.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Maps and Data


Forest records Forest records are essential for management commercial forests. PF Olsen Australia maintains forest records that include the following information:

historic records of forest operations for each stand

quality control data for each operation

inventory results.

yields harvested from each stand.

costs incurred for each operation.

Forest Estate records are maintained on a computerised Land Information System which is part of FIPS.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Social Context and Community Engagement


6. Social Context and Community Engagement

Stakeholder engagement system

PF Olsen Australia has developed a Stakeholder Engagement System which provides a framework for identifying and engaging with different levels of stakeholders of the forest estate.

Objective Our objectives with stakeholder engagement are to:

Build a relationship of trust and partnership with stakeholder interests.

Assist in the fair assessment and avoidance, remediation or mitigation of adverse effects upon stakeholders who may have an interest in or be affected by impacts resulting from management decisions.

Avoid or minimise the risks of misunderstandings between forest managers and forest stakeholders or the development of obstructive or conflict oriented behaviours between the parties.

Previous management

The forest estate is predominantly located on ex-pasture sites. Plantations were established during the years 1995 to 2009 until the demise of several forestry companies with the collapse of Managed Investment Schemes. The forest owners purchased part of the DFA in 2014 and the remainder in 2015.

Adjacent Lands The forest estate is widely dispersed across the North and South East of Tasmania. There are 355 individual properties under PF Olsen Australia management and hence a large number of direct neighbours. These neighbouring parcels include crown lands managed for conservation and production forestry, forested lands owned and managed by private companies and individuals, agricultural lands and residential land. The main industries in the northern region of Tasmania are tourism, agriculture, mining and forestry. In the north of the region, the main form of agriculture is beef and dairy farming, as well as vegetable production. Plantation forestry is a major industry in the region. Across Tasmania, there are over 300,000 hectares of hardwood and softwood plantations. Over one-third of the plantations in Tasmania are privately owned. There is high concentration of plantation forests located to the south of Burnie. Mining is another industry in the region, with the active extraction of base metals, coal, iron, gold and silver. Five of the six mineral processors are located in the northern region of Tasmania.



Key stakeholders Key stakeholders2 include, but are not limited to:

Major customers

Contractors and suppliers

Relevant federal government departments

Industry representative bodies

Conservation groups and advocates

Indigenous communities

Relevant state government agencies

Local government authorities

Neighbours

Property level lessees (grazing, house tenants)

Local communities and community groups

Local fire agencies.

Social impact assessment

A key component of successful stakeholder engagement is social impact assessment in relation to our activities. This undertaken by PF Olsen Australia at three levels of management:

This plan identifies and considers regional impacts like road use.

Operational Plans and FPPs consider impacts at a local level like landscape impacts.

Best Practise Management Guidelines consider possible social impacts of particular activities and outline necessary steps to minimise such impacts and ensure affected stakeholders are consulted prior to conducting high impact activities.

Employment RMS Timberlands and PF Olsen Australia aim to be valuable members of the Tasmanian community. Around 80 FTE’s are engaged to undertake management, silvicultural, harvesting, transport and marketing operations throughout Forest Estate. A large proportion of this workforce are located in smaller rural communities.

Worker’s rights RMS Timberlands and PF Olsen Australia are equal opportunity employers and recognise the role of unions in the workplace and respects the rights of workers to participate. Unless special conditions apply forest workers will be greater in age than the completion of compulsory school attendance age

2 For the purposes of AFS Clause 2.2 key stakeholders are regarded as affected stakeholders and any other person who engages with the organisation will be regarded as an interested stakeholder.



Health and Safety

RMS Timberlands and PF Olsen Australia are committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for workers, customers and visitors. Specific policy standards apply to all operations and these are enforced by regular monitoring. All incidents and near hits must be reported and these will be diligently investigated.

Local procurement

PF Olsen Australia strives to procure contractors and services from within the local region wherever possible and feasible.

Dispute resolution

PF Olsen Australia has a dispute resolution policy standard for dealing with complaints and other issues. In addition to this, PF Olsen Australia complies with “The Good Neighbour Charter for Commercial Forestry in Tasmania (2009)”. Disputes often arise from issues such as noise and dust from forest operations, weeds, vermin, fencing, spraying operations and fire management. Best Practice Guidelines exist to minimise the likelihood of disputes. All complaints and disputes are taken seriously and wherever possible resolved as soon as practical. At times the parties may not be able to come to an amicable resolution. In these instances the PF Olsen Australia dispute resolution procedure will be used.

Neighbours As responsible neighbours and members of the local community,PF Olsen Australia is aware that our operations may have an impact on others and commit to engage with neighbours and the community. Contact details for neighbours can be accessed as required through Land Information System Tasmania (LIST). Contact will be made with neighbours on behalf of the Forest Owner in accordance with the PF Olsen Australia Stakeholder engagement policy and procedures.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Cultural Heritage


7. Cultural Heritage

Recognising and protecting significant values

To preserve and protect cultural heritage PF Olsen Australia staff will when developing Forest Practices Plans and other operational plans:

determine the legal status of any existing rights in forests managed on behalf of the forest owner.

search relevant government databases and records for identified sites of significance.

consult with the Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania in relation to existing legal rights and customary or traditional use rights.

actively seek to identify existing Indigenous peoples with customary or traditional use rights to forest resources in forests managed on behalf of the forest owner.

incorporate the results of consultation into relevant operations plans.

All aboriginal heritage localities are protected by confidentiality embedded in the Aboriginal Relicts Act, 1975 and information is not accessible to the public. Localities are not normally marked on operational maps – unless required for identification and protection.

Indigenous values

The Forest Owners, RMS Timberlands and PF Olsen Australia acknowledges and pay respect to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community as the traditional and original owners and continuing custodians of this

land that we manage. Access to Indigenous site and relicts information is restricted. Only FPO’s trained in “Aboriginal Cultural Awareness” are given access to site information, accessed through either Sustainable Timbers Tasmania (STT)’s Conserve database or Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania (AHT). Known sites from either database are field verified where possible and then managed for harvesting and re-establishment operations as per manuals discussed below. Where known sites are not able to be located, whether due to location accuracy or vegetation cover, these are managed with the advice of the relevant FPA specialists. Any new sites found are protected from operations and reported to the FPA. Generally the sites are then able to be managed through the endorsed FPA procedures manual3, but at times further consultation may be required.

3 Forest Practices Authority, Tasmania (March 2016) Procedures for managing Aboriginal cultural heritage when preparing forest practices plans http://www.fpa.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/132818/Procedures_for_managing_Aboriginal_cultural_heritage_when_preparing_FPPs.pdf

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Cultural Heritage


Non-indigenous Known non-indigenous cultural heritage site information is currently only available through STT’s Conserve database. Known sites are located in the field and then managed through the manuals described below. New sites discovered during planning or operations, such as water races, tramlines, mine-workings, and habitations are generally managed. Where known sites are not able to be located, whether due to location accuracy or vegetation cover, these are managed with the advice of the FPA specialists. Any new sites found are protected from operations and reported to the FPA. Generally the sites are then able to be managed through procedures manual, but at times further consultation may be required. Non-indigenous cultural heritage, management prescriptions described in FPA endorsed manuals4. Examples of sites from the Tasmanian Forest Estate are the Parrawe sawmill site at Mobbs Road, Mining water races on Saltmarsh and settlers cottage on Big Park.

4 Forest Practices Authority, Tasmania (Interim document October 2015) Procedures for managing historic cultural heritage when preparing forest practices plans, http://www.fpa.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/132819/Procedures_for_managing_historic_cultural_heritage_when_preparing_FPPs.pdf

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 The physical environment


8. The physical environment

Overview Given the complexity of the region, the Regional Management Plan is to be used in conjunction with individual operational plans and FPP’s. Details included in individual FPPs will include:

Location and access

Infrastructure

Geology and soils

Topography

Legal ownership and tenure.

Location and access

The Forest Estate is located in the local government areas of:

Break O’Day

Central Cosat

Derwent Valley

Launceston

Burnie

Dorset

West Tamar

Tasman

Meander Valley

Kentish

George Town

Southern Midlands

Northern Midlands

Sorell

Huon Valley

Central Highlands

Waratah/Wynyard

Glamorgan/ Spring Bay

Circular Head



Infrastructure Infrastructure located on properties is detailed in the GIS. Plantations are serviced by a mix of state, shire and private roads.

Key markets There are deep water chip export facilities located at Bell Bay and Burnie.

Topography, geology and soils

As the Forest Estate is broadly distributed across the northern side of Tasmania, topography varies greatly. The topography, geology and soils of specific properties is described in FPP’s when planning operations. Where soils have particular issues such as high erositivity, this is included in FPPs and other operational plans, and specific measure will be considered in operational planning.

Geomorphology Management of geomorphologic features through harvesting and establishment practices is controlled by the FPC and subsequent FPPs developed in conjunction with FPA specialists. There are two main geomorphologic features known from within the Forest Estate. Both are Karst cave systems in the Mole Creek and Gunns Plains area. These areas have been established with these features in mind and will continue to be managed to minimise the impacts that operations may pose.

Climate Climatic data was sourced from weather stations, maintained by the Bureau of Meteorology, within the vicinity of the Forest Estate to provide a guide to general climatic conditions. Figure 3 shows the variation in temperature across the year.

Figure 3 Mean monthly temperature




…continued Mean Annual Rainfall ranges from 775 mm at St Helens to 1068 mm at Marrawah. St Helens, unlike the other locations shown, has significantly reduced rainfall with low variability in mean monthly rainfall (

Figure 4).

Figure 4 Mean monthly rainfall

Water Water quality and flow is affected by numerous natural and man-made factors, such as annual rainfall, vegetation type and age, soils, geology and topography. Human influence stems from clearing, roading, dams, cultivation and any other operation which may alter natural drainage patterns. Inappropriate chemical usage may have adverse impacts on water quality. Storm events and natural disasters may also have a negative influence, through turbidity and erosion processes. In managing the risks associated with forest operations, PF Olsen Australiaassesses catchments, categorising streams and applying management strategies to minimise the possible effects. These are implemented through the FPPs and associated operational plans.

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For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Biodiversity Values


9. Biodiversity Values

Introduction Indigenous biodiversity management in or associated with plantations is an essential component of PF Olsen Australia’s forest management. Although plantations can provide a level of biodiversity, the areas of native forest are usually the source of most indigenous biodiversity. Rare and threatened species may also be found within planted areas and require special attention for management. This section details protected ecosystems and rare and threatened species found in the Tasmania Forest Estate.

Significant Biodiversity Values

PF Olsen Australia is progressively reviewing properties for the presence of Significant Biodiversity Values in accordance with its High Conservation Value Best Practice Guide and local Tasmanian requirement. The process involves checking government databases for the presence of rare or threatened species or ecosystems and associated ground truthing by suitably qualified professionals5 Details of Significant Biodiversity Values and related management objectives are recorded in the GIS, FIPS and on relevant FPPs and operational plans. Operational monitoring will review and assess the appropriateness of these objectives.

Protected Ecosystems

Areas of remnant native vegetation are located throughout the forest estate. These areas are predominantly steep inaccessible land in the North and West, and dry rocky areas in the South and North East, that were too difficult or too poor to convert to pasture by farmers, in years past. In the North and North West, the vegetation type is wet sclerophyll forest, with Eucalyptus viminalis, E. obliqua and some minor patches of rainforest. In the North-East and South, poorer areas are generally dry sclerophyll E. amygdalina forest with some areas of wet sclerophyll containing E. globulusand E. obliqua. These areas are field verified as Forest Practices Planning is undertaken on a property.


5 PF Olsen Australia employs FPO’s. However, the FPO’s use the expertise of relevant FPA experts to review plans.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Biodiversity Values


…continued Assessments are based on the relevant Bio-regional “Forest Botany Manual” issued by the FPA. At a regional level un-verified forest typing is available on the LIST and Conserve data bases. These are derived from aerial imaging and interpretation, based on the Forest categories from the Tasmania Regional Forest Agreement (1997) with protection given to forest types based on the Comprehensive Adequate and Representative (CAR) reserve system, ensuring that 95%, of the 1996 assessment, is reserved from conversion to other land uses. This addresses the Permanent Native Forest Estate Policy. PF Olsen Australia has a strict exclusion zone policy for areas of remnant native vegetation. This means that areas of remnant native vegetation are not to be damaged or disturbed by forest operation and where possible steps will be taken to enhance the quality of these areas of vegetation by weed management and the exclusion of stock. As a last resort if an existing track through remnant vegetation is required to be upgraded for safe access to or egress from the planted areas, the specific patch of remnant vegetation will be assessed for any significant biological diversity values by a relevant expert prior to any work beginning. Records of vegetation condition before and after shall be maintained on file. Areas of protected ecosystems are identified in the GIS and details of their type, rarity and quality are recorded on in FIPS. Monitoring of native vegetation is undertaken using a series of permanent photo points and the PF Olsen Australia Bio-physical Natural Assessment methodology6.

Rare and threatened species

Through the Forest Practices System, the identification and management of threatened species is administered and then delivered via Forest Practices Plans (FPP’s). PF Olsen Australia utilises databases of known sites and predicted zones, administered through, Sustainable Timbers Tasmania’s (STT) Conserve Database and the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment (DPIPWE) Biodiversity Values Database (BVD). These systems are interrogated by PF Olsen Australia’s Forest Practices Officers and utilised in the desktop and field verification component of the FPP’s. As the possible presence of rare and threatened species is identified, they will be listed in FIPS and management requirements developed. During the management of the plantations our trained staff also record sightings of rare and threatened species that they observe directly or are bought to their attention by other stakeholders.


6 Knight, R.I. (2013). Rapid assessment method for surveying and mapping biophysical naturalness. A report to PF Olsen Australia Pty Ltd. Natural Resource Planning, Hobart, Tasmania.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Non-Timber Forest Products and Values


…continued Examples rare and threatened species that are regularly managed through the FPP system are Wedge Tailed Eagle nest searches and operational management around known nests through the breeding season, Grey Goshawk nests searches and Giant Freshwater Crayfish habitat identification.

10. Non-Timber Forest Products and Values

Introduction Forest plantations may also provide for non-timber forest products that enhance the economic wellbeing of the owner or legitimate forest users. Non-timber products are an important means of maximising the production capacity of the forest whilst maintaining environmental and social values. The forest management plan provides procedures for developing and managing these resources. Forests can also provide many other special values, which are also provided for and managed through the forest management plan.

Non-timber forest products

The following non-timber products are currently being produced or may be produced or developed in the Forest Estate:

building rentals

grazing and hay cutting

apiary

carbon stocks

Building rental A number of properties have houses or sheds that are rented out. Local real estate agents manage the leases of these assets, with PF Olsen Australia responsible for approving maintenance as necessary on the properties. Details of the infrastructure on the properties that are leased out and which Agent is responsible for them is maintained



Grazing & Hay Cutting

Grazing is an effective method of fuel reduction and is conducted (under agreement between the agistee and PF Olsen) throughout the estate area. Grass levels and stocking rates are to be monitored by the agistee and the forest manager. Hay cutting is also used for fuel reduction on unplanted areas. Consideration of other values on a property, such as native vegetation, and the effect that grazing will have on them will be considered prior to agistment being allowed.

Apiary Bee-keeping is another potential source of seasonal income. Apiary permits are managed by PF Olsen Australia.

Carbon An estimate of current and future carbon is calculated using equations developed specifically for Tasmanian native forests and Eucalyptus nitens in plantation. The calculations are based on inventory estimates for merchantable volume for native forest and plantation. The equations developed by industry partners, have been based on best available current information. The carbon cost of extraction relates to carbon emissions for harvesting and transport, equating to 8.36 tonnes of carbon per 1,000 tonnes of wood extracted. RMS endeavours to minimise fossil fuel use and maintain or enhance forest carbon by; • Encouraging the use modern fleets of fuel efficient plant (including

vehicles), having them regularly serviced and maintained, • Utilise the shortest legal cartage routes where we can, and • Maintain a productive vigorous plantation estate. A number of strategies to reduce the overall fossil fuel use on the Tasmanian Forest Estate are in place. These include:

Working to identify the most efficient combinations of equipment for harvesting crews

Changes to Silvicultural Standards to reduce ripping depth, decrease use of cultivation and burning.

The current year (2017) estimate of current carbon is based on the SOP Carbon Calculation RMS.




…continued Table 3 Estimate of current carbon

Crop Tonnes of C

Eucalypt plantation 6,948,163

Pinus radiata 28,440

Native forest 603,386

Non forest vegetation 495,365

Total 8,075,353

Based on the annual harvest estimates of 2000ha/year and an average rotation age of 12 and an average MAI of 19 the annual carbon is assumed for eucalyptus plantation to remain relatively stable. The Native forest and non forest vegetation will remain relatively stable within the next rotation of 12 years.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Commercial Crop Establishment


11. Commercial Crop Establishment

Introduction Crop establishment is a critical sequence of operations that can set up a plantation to achieve its potential. The chosen species has to be suitable for the site and meet the objectives of the Forest Estate. It is also important to ensure that the planting material is of a high quality.

Crop species The crop species within the Forest Estate is Shining Gum (Eucalyptus nitens) with small areas of Tasmanian Blue Gum (E. globulus). The Tasmanian Blue Gum is endemic to Tasmania and parts of southern Victoria, including the Otway Ranges. Shining gum is endemic to eastern and southern Victoria and NSW as well as small areas in Tasmania.

A range of genetic material has been used in the existing RMS Estate. This ranges from wild seed, particularly in the earlier plantings to improved seed. RMS have a number of seed orchards throughout the estate, managed by seedEnergy. These orchards will the main source of seed for new plantings.

Shining Gum and Tasmanian Blue Gum are recognised as excellent species for production of high quality chemical pulp that is used in the production of printing papers, due to the whiteness of the wood and short fibre length. Tasmanian Blue Gum has superior pulp yields to Shining Gum. Eucalyptus globulus is the preferred species on most sites. Eucalyptus nitens is suited to high quality high rainfall sites where there is a high risk of frost damage to young seedlings. The estate will be replanted almost exclusively to E. nitens (Shinning Gum). There are no plans to establish Tasmanian Blue Gum (E. globulus) or softwoods (Pinus radiata) on the forest estate. E.nitens has optimal growth on a wide range of sites, well suited to the forest estate.

Wildings Eucalyptus globulus seed is one of the largest eucalypt seeds while Eucalyptus nitens has tiny seed. In general seed from these trees does not fall far from the parent tree. Wilding establishment is quite rare. Annual perimeter inspections of planted areas will identify any wildings in adjacent fire breaks or native vegetation and recommend appropriate control measures.

Hybridisation The risk of hybridisation between plantation E. nitens and susceptible native eucalyptus species adjacent to plantation areas is managed through monitoring as directed by the Forest Practices Code.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Commercial Crop Establishment


Establishment The operations undertaken for plantation establishment are dictated by the RMS Silvicultural Standards. Depending on the site quality of the plantation, and harvest type, the operations involved in plantation establishment may include:

Clearing – windrowing of harvest slash. These windrows may be burnt either the reduce risk or allow the target stocking to be achieved at planting.

Cultivation – depending on the soil type, secondary cultivation breaks up large soil clods along the planting rows and provides a good micro-site for planting.

Pre-plant weed control – to ensure the planted seedlings have minimal competition for site resources.

Game-control – to minimise impact of browsing by native mammalson seedlings.

Planting – by hand. Planting is closely monitored through Quality Assessment plotting during the operation.

Fertilising – Controlled release fertiliser can be applied by hand during the planting process or post planting by hand or aerially. This is required to replace nutrients harvested during the first rotation or address specific nutrient deficiencies associated with the particular site.

Post-plant weed control – conducted on an ‘as needed’ basis following site surveys indicating weed competition. When necessary,post-plant weed control will be achieved through boom spraying over the planted seedlings, depending on species and chemical options. More than one post-plant weed control operation may be necessary.

Insect control - conducted on an ‘as needed’ basis following site surveys indicating lower than targeted growth rates. When necessary insect control will be achieved through spraying over the planted seedlings, depending on species and chemical options. More than one treatment may be necessary.

Survival Assessment – a survival count is conducted through the planted area to achieve a minimum survival.

PF Olsen Australia Best Practice Guidelines are in place for each of these operations to ensure environmental impacts and health and safety risks are minimised, and all legal and other obligations are met.

Research Trials The Forest Owners have acquired a plantation estate that has several seed orchards located strategically across the estate. These are managed by a separate entity called Seed Energy. There are numerous progeny and operational trials as well as permanent growth plots. Further research and development with new chemistry and stocking variation is ongoing.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Silvicultural Operations


12. Silvicultural Operations

Introduction Silvicultural operations are implemented to ensure a good quality forest and maximum growth. Several site specific silvicultural regimes throughout the DFA. Selection of an appropriate regime is pivotal in the pursuit of sustainable forest management. Management objectives, whilst driving the final outcome, are influenced by local conditions (soil, rainfall, altitude and exposure). From this, the estate is broadly broken into four site quality categories with varying stocking rates. These options are determined collaboratively between RMS Timberlands and PF Olsen Australia. All operations require a suitable plan that documents the operation, the expected outcomes, and how these outcomes will be measured (i.e. through quality assessment). The operation plans include:

a written prescription

a map detailing the area to be treated and special values to be protected

a site safety plan

This ensures:

safety of staff and contractors

activities are undertaken consistent with internal and external requirements

a documented history of every activity.

Getting ready Before silvicultural operations commence a plan is prepared. This plan will be based on the following considerations:

Terrain - what method can be used that is safe for the operators

Soil and water – the impact on soil and water will be minimised and/or mitigated

Safety – to ensure forest operations are carried out safely and comply with all legal requirements

Compliance – all relevant legislation and codes of practice must be complied with.

Wildlife habitat and ecosystems – these will be maintained where possible or the impact on such habitats will be minimised and/or mitigated.


For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Silvicultural Operations


…continued Other forest values – to ensure that other forest values such as

recreation and non-timber products are recognised and where practical protected.

Offsite impacts – to identify and minimise the adverse impacts of forest operations on people and the environment.

Financial – to ensure forest operations are carried out in an efficient and effective manner and consider both short and long term implications.

Operations will be undertaken by contractors and supervised by the forest manager.

Chemical usage Chemicals listed on the World Health Organisation (WHO) class Ia and Ib are not used within the Forest Estate. All pesticides and fertilisers are risk assessed and pre-approved prior to inclusion in silvicultural regimes. Chemical usage is strictly controlled. Operational plans working within legislative framework and Codes of Practice are used to provide neighbours and operators confidence in the procedure. All chemical usage is within label or approved off-label permit requirements. Application contractors are suitably qualified and appropriate PPE is worn. The usage of chemicals on the estate is minimised through the use of;

Timing – applying at the most appropriate time for greatest efficacy,

Targeted application – applying only where required, and

Correct rates – applying minimum quantity to be effective.

The forest manager and forest owner are committed to researching alternatives and reviewing the use of existing approved chemicals across the estate. All chemical use is recorded in FIPS.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Forest Inventory and Quality Assurance


13. Forest Inventory and Quality Assurance

Introduction Forest inventory and quality assurance checks are critical to ensuring growth is optimised and risk minimised. The following types of checks are conducted:

Pre-operational assessments

Operational quality checks

Mid-crop inventory

Pre-harvest inventory

Permanent growth plots

Pre-operational assessment

Pre-assessment is the collection of stand parameters prior to a silvicultural operation. It allows for:

The calculation of contract rate for the operation.

A final check on the validity of the regime and timing of commencement of operations e.g. stocking can be achieved or crop height is sufficient for scheduled coppice thinning.

Sampling intensity is low with typically a minimum of five randomly located plots per stand and data is collected from only six trees per plot. Data collected is then used with the time standards set out in the relevant Best Practice Guideline to calculate a man-day target and hence a contract rate per hectare. Contract rates are often set by tender or negotiation, reducing the need to pre-assess each and every block. Pre-assessment however does provide good quality information on the work content involved in each silvicultural operation and sets a base price for negotiation.

Quality control Quality control is carried out during and after a silvicultural operation. The aims of the quality control system PF Olsen Australia have established are to:

Collect sufficient data to monitor a contractor's performance and correct this if necessary, with minimum delay.

Collect sufficient quantitative data to provide reliable estimates of the state of the crop.

Provide data as input for growth modelling.

Provide data for estimating timing of the next silvicultural operation.


For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Forest Inventory and Quality Assurance


…continued All sampling and measurement is completed in line with procedures developed by PF Olsen Australia.

Data is summarised by forest compartment or stand prior to being entered into FIPS – Land Information Module where it is retained as a permanent record. The records can then be directly accessed for growth model and Computer Growth Simulation Programmes, annual reports and valuations. PF Olsen Australia’s "Best Practice Guidelines" detail the procedures to follow pre-assessment and quality control assessments.

Mid-crop inventory

The principal aim for the mid-crop inventory is to collect stand data for inputs for growth modelling. Under current silvicultural regimes mid-crop inventory is scheduled for between 4 and 5 years of age. Sampling intensity is targeted to achieve an acceptable precision on a stand by stand basis. Smaller stands may be aggregated into crop types to achieve this.

Pre-Harvest Inventory (PHI)

The principal aim for the PHI is to obtain estimates of recoverable volume. This information can then be used to develop marketing and harvesting strategies. A PHI will be undertaken when stands reach two years or less from harvesting. Sampling intensity is targeted to achieve 15% confidence limits on volume on a stand by stand basis. Smaller stands may be aggregated into crop types to achieve this, as in mid-crop inventory.

Permanent Growth Plots

Permanent Growth Plots (PGP’s) have been established across the estate in order to monitor current and predict future growth and yields. The forest manager will continue to measure and re-establish plantation on existing PGP sites. RMS may also establish new PGP’s where/if they are required for additional data.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Harvesting Strategy and Operations


14. Harvesting Strategy and Operations

Rate of harvest RMS Timberlands is responsible for determining the rate of harvest. It utilises Pre-Harvest Inventory (PHI) and growth models to determine the sustainable level of harvest. RMS currently sells its timber to international customers for both wood fibre and solid wood products. In order to best take of advantage of fluctuating international markets, RMS models a “pool” of possible areas with differing product mixes. These pools are then manipulated around several factors (such as weather limitations, cart distance etc) to give a good spread of differing blocks over the harvest year.

Growth Models RMS Timberlands uses permanent and temporary plot sampling strategies to guide management decisions and help ensure growth and yield models are appropriate for the properties under management in Tasmania. RMS growth and yield models for Eucalyptus in Tasmania are based on models originally published by Candy (1997), and refit by Musk (2010). Growth and yield system outputs are used in Woodstock planning and optimization software to help produce strategic, tactical and operational plans that meet RMS business goals.

Harvesting strategy & Allowable Cut

The optimum timing of harvesting of properties is dependent on a range of factors including:

Plantation growth;

Market conditions;

Contractor and port access availability; and

Seasonal constraints.

A number of different harvesting systems can be used to harvest hardwoodplantations for woodchip. These are:

Shortwood stystems, where trees are felled, delimbed and forwarded to roadside where they are loaded into trucks and transported to a static chipper; and

Longwood systems, where trees are felled, skidded to roadside where they are processed into logs which are loaded into trucks and transported to a static chipper or export log yards.


For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Harvesting Strategy and Operations


…continued The actual harvesting method utilised for each plantation will be dependent on:

Plantation yield and form;

Future land use;

Impact on future site productivity;

Safety;

Contractual availability;

Contractual Obligations; and

Access to port facilities and chippers.

Getting harvest ready

Before harvesting commences a FPP is prepared. This plan will describe the harvesting method to be used based on the following considerations:

Terrain - what method can be used that is safe for the operators.

Soil and water – the impact on soil and water will be minimised and/or mitigated.

Safety – to ensure forest operations are carried out safely and comply with all legal requirements.

Compliance – all relevant legislation and codes of practice must be complied with.

Wildlife habitat and ecosystems – these will be maintained where possible or the impact on such habitats will be minimised and/or mitigated.

Other forest values – to ensure that other forest values such as recreation and non-timber products are recognised and where practical protected.

Future site productivity – to maximise future site productivity.

Offsite impacts – to identify and minimise the adverse impacts of forest operations on people and the environment.

Financial – to ensure forest operations are carried out in an efficient and effective manner and consider both short and long term implications.

Access – routes for appropriate access into the property. Where necessary this will involve consultation with relevant shires regarding impacts on their roads.

FPPs must be authorised by a registered FPO. Harvesting operations will be undertaken by contractors and supervised by the FPO. Records of inspection are generated throughout the operation.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Property Management and Protection


15. Property Management and Protection

Introduction General property maintenance is an important factor in forest management and can include maintenance of roads and tracks and other assets such as buildings, fences and water systems. Protection of the forest from a number of elements are also important. Such elements are:

animal and plant pests

diseases

fire.

Access and security

There are numerous access agreements over properties within the Forest Estate, covering all manner of activities, such as horse riding, hunting, access to other internal blocks, grazing and apiary. Public access to, and security of, the Forest Estate is controlled through several platforms. Boom gates and fencing are in place on many properties where access needs to be limited, due to grazing, hunting or the need to protect other values. Other properties, whilst gated, are often not locked unless the need arises to prevent access (due to issues such as rubbish dumping or illegal firewood collection). Properties have signs erected at access points detailing the property name, management contact details and stating “private property – no unauthorised access”. Given the dispersed nature of the Forest Estate, it would be prohibitively expensive and unlikely to be effective to gate and lock all properties to prevent illegal access. PF Olsen Australia is progressively evaluating the risk of illegal activities on each properties on a regular basis and uses risk management principles to determine the level of security it employs for any given property. The legal use of properties within the Forest Estate is encouraged, through the aforementioned agreements. Generally these users are protective ofthe property and become the eyes and ears for the forest manager. PF Olsen Australia encourages a culture of reporting of suspicious activity by neighbours and locals.

Statutory pest obligations

There are specific requirements for landowners to manage and control various pests, at the national, state and local level. Measures specific to the pests found on the Forest Estate are listed below.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Property Management and Protection


Animal pests Rabbits are present in parts of the Forest Estate. Rabbit populations will be controlled as part of the establishment phase of plantation management.

Plant pests A number of declared weeds are found in the Forest Estate. PF Olsen Australia aims to prevent spread of all declared weeds in and from the Forest Estate, and where possible, control and eradicate weeds. The location of declared weeds will be recorded during regular property inspections. The presence of declared weeds on a property that may be inadvertently spread will be indicated to contractors on Works Prescriptions. All people leaving properties with declared weeds on them are responsible for ensuring all plant and equipment are free of weed seeds and vegetative material. Contractors are responsible for ensuring that plant and equipment moved onto the properties are free from weed seeds and vegetative material. PF Olsen Australia supervisors check compliance with this requirement.

Forest health Forest Health and vigour is fundamental for an economically sustainable forest estate. PF Olsen Australia undertakes annual monitoring programs to detect the presence of pests and diseases within the forest estate. Property inspections are also regularly undertaken to assess impacts from other sources such as weeds and browsing mammal pressure. Where required, intervention strategies are implemented, to control health issues. These include:

spraying,

fertilising, and

insect browsing control programs

Insect damage and population monitoring is conducted throughout the high risk months. Monitoring intensity varies dependant on the presence or absence of potentially damaging insects and predator insects. If numbers of damaging insects reach critical levels over sufficient area, then intervention actions are put in place.

Three damage agents of concern are:

Phytophthora cinnamomi,

Myrtle rust and

Kirramyces.

Staff are aware of these and any signs are reported during management inspections.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Fire Management


Insect control PF Olsen Australia has an integrated pest management strategy that aims to minimise the use of harmful chemicals. However, climatic conditions sometime lead to large scale insect outbreaks that should be quickly controlled to reduce the likelihood of further outbreaks and minimise damage to the tree crop. Monitoring of insect levels will be carried out as part of regular plantation inspections. Monitoring for chrysamelids is undertaken on high risk properties during summer.

Insect control will only be carried out where it is believed that there will be an economic benefit.

16. Fire Management

Fire prevention and control

Fire within forests is generally one of the highest risks to the forest asset. This risk can be minimised by:

Having an effective fire management plan.

Active prevention measures which include; restrictions on allowable access, fire prevention signage, publicity when fire danger prevails, access to adequate water sources, and selective forest grazing to reduce fuel within stands.

Effective detection systems which includes; co-operation with neighbours and local authorities, good communication systems, mapping, and fire alert and response procedures.

A close link with the relevant fire authorities, and an understanding of available resources.

Good forest management that recognises the influence of terrain, roading network and accessibility, and fuel build-up from silvicultural practice that will influence fire prevention and control measures.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Fire Management


Forest management requirements

The following forest management practices may be employed to assist fire prevention measures:

Develop suitable internal access systems, predominantly firebreaks, with road construction at a later stage closer to harvest.

Maintain existing firebreaks and develop others as the need arises.

Time silvicultural operations to minimise the potential of fuel build-up and for better control of work activity.

Have forest areas grazed where fuel build-up can be reduced.

Endeavour to control access, and limit only to legitimate land users.

Develop a fire management plan that encompasses prevention, detection and control procedures.

Fire authority responsibilities

According to the Tasmanian Fire Service Act (1979), the occupier of the land is responsible for ‘taking diligent steps’ to extinguish a fire or to prevent it from spreading (if there was no authority to light the fire). The occupier of the land must also report the fire. The Tasmania Fire Service is the local authority for fire management. Fire management arrangements for the Tasmania Forest Estate are described in the Tasmanian Fire Management Plan.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Monitoring


17. Monitoring

Introduction To ensure that the management objectives identified in this plan are being achieved, various monitoring protocols are being developed. Monitoring may include assessing:

conditions

pressures on identified values

effectiveness of management responses.

Results of monitoring programs may be made publicly available, subject to approval of the forest owner. Future versions of this plan will include summaries of past monitoring and actions taken to address trends.

Values monitored Monitoring includes, but is not limited to:

Aspect Values monitored

Chemical usage quantity used

impact on water quality

effectiveness

Consultation activities number of complaints

Flora & fauna biophysical naturalness

fuel hazard rating

photo points

species counts

presence and condition of rare and threatened species

Forest growth rate

standing volume

future crop value

Site productivity long term trends

Forest health damage levels

OH& S contractor monitoring

review of records and procedures


For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Monitoring


…continued

Operations compliance with plans

Pests population levels

Recreational and non-timber activities

value

Watercourses integrity of protective buffers

presence of chemical residues

Infrastructure condition

value

Financial Budgeted versus actual expenditure is monitored through PF Olsen Australia’s FIPS system and presented to RMS Timberlands in monthly reports. This information is not made public.

Social Consultation with stakeholders has been undertaken and feedback from these stakeholders (and others as they become apparent) is monitored. This includes actions taken to resolves disputes and issues.

Compliance with laws and other requirements

Periodic audits and inspections will be conducted to assess compliance with laws and other requirements. The FPA may conduct independent audits of FPPs

Non-conformances

Incidents, injuries, unplanned impacts and other non-conformances shall be recorded and trends noted. Rigorous investigations shall be conducted and findings developed to reduce the risk of future re-occurrences.

For the period January 2017 to December 2019 Review and Future Plans


18. Review and Future Plans

Introduction This plan pertains to the management of the Forest Estate and will be adhered to for the next 3 years. Any deviation from this plan will be justified only on the basis that the changes do not adversely affect the environment or forest owner’s interests. Any changes, which are contrary to the policies contained in this management plan, require a full review of this plan. This plan will be reviewed annually of following external audits. The next review date for this plan is: February 2018. The forest management plan is used for both medium and long term planning.

Annual plans For short term planning we use annual budgets. These budgets are prepared in accordance with this Management Plan. This annual budget is subject to approval by RMS Timberlands at the beginning of each calendar year.

Monthly review The forest manager is required to report its performance against these plans and budgets each month.

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