What does one ha of softwood plantation actually produce? [AU]Friday 24 Jul 2026
These figures help illustrate the significant value that can be generated from a relatively small area of sustainably managed plantation forest. They also demonstrate how a single harvested resource can be transformed into a wide range of products that support housing, manufacturing, construction, and renewable energy. This article explains how these estimates were calculated, the assumptions underpinning the analysis, and what they reveal about the efficiency and versatility of Australia’s softwood plantation resource. The Starting Point: 125 m³ of Wood Product per Hectare The estimate begins with two numbers from FWPA-ABARES research collaborations. First, the average sawlog yield across softwood plantations in the National Plantation Inventory (NPI) regions1 is about 300 m³ of sawlog per hectare. Second, not all of that log converts into usable sawnwood. Some is lost to processing, offcuts and residue. The recovery rate is the ratio of sawnwood production divided by sawn log harvested. It has averaged 41.8% over 2010–2025. Multiplying the two gives the headline figure: 300 m³ sawlog/ha × 41.8% recovery rate ≈ 125 m³ of wood product per hectare That 125 m³ is then split across end-uses using the average product mix from FWPA’s monthly softwood sales volume data. This is the same series that tracks how much of Australia’s softwood goes to structural timber, packaging, and other outdoor and appearance products. Structural timber: enough to build four houses Structural timber used for framing detached houses accounted for an average of 50.6% of total softwood sales volume between 2010 and 2025. FWPA’s residential construction research found that a typical detached house requires approximately 14.58 m³ of structural timber. Based on these findings, the volume of structural timber produced from a single hectare of softwood plantation is sufficient to frame and build around four average detached houses. More >> Source: FWPA | ||
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