ACC Membership comprises representatives of industry bodies, trade unions & employees; community leaders; training providers; & local government, Aboriginal Lands Council & tertiary education representatives. Established under the employment services act 1994. ACCs advise the minister for employment, education, training & youth affairs (DEETYA) on employment issues & on ways to improve job & training opportunities in their regions. Key roles include: assisting DEETYA in monitoring the implementation of the new employment services market; promoting the take-up of government priority initiatives such as entry level training & small business development; functioning as a network for informing & involving communities in issues of economic & employment growth; providing advice & direction on wider regional development policy; nominating local business people to represent DEETYA on next advisory committees.

Consultant to farmer and other community groups on environmental strategy and action. Specialist in watercourse management, farm forestry and catchment planning.

Farm forestry advisor - planning, establishment techniques, management of existing timber stands (regrowth) for timber production, 'broker' for finding contractors, markets, investors & investment. Australian Forest Growers field officer - development of Victorian forestry directory.

Murray Regional Development Board is part of the Department of State and Regional Development. Currently four people are employed on a project called Murray Riverina Farm Forestry. The aim of the project is to promote farm forestry. As part of this some research & development, investment analysis activity is done. I am an extension officer at Albury and cover the south west slopes region of NSW.

Hardwood silviculture. As a neighbouring region the south west slopes forms part of the same resource region. My knowledge of farm forestry may be of use.

Murray Riverina Farm Forestry is a committee of the Murray riverina Regional Plantations Committee based in Southern NSW and is located immediately to the north of Plantations North East Inc. The project manager is based at Nathalia with farm forestry extension staff based at Albury, Narrandera, and Wagga Wagga. The objective of the project is to promote the development of commercial timber plantations on cleared agricultural land. Both hardwood and softwood species are promoted and recommendations are matched to conditions where the species grow best. The key areas of operation include the Murray, Coleambally and Murrumbidgee Irrigation areas, the dryland area around Wagga Wagga, and the higher rainfall zone of the South West slopes, generally to the east of the Hume freeway.

Murray Riverina Farm Forestry is a committee of the Murray riverina Regional Plantations Committee based in Southern NSW and is located immediately to the north of Plantations North East Inc. The project manager is based at Nathalia with farm forestry extension staff based at Albury, Narrandera, and Wagga Wagga. The objective of the project is to promote the development of commercial timber plantations on cleared agricultural land. Both hardwood and softwood species are promoted and recommendations are matched to conditions where the species grow best. The key areas of operation include the Murray, Coleambally and Murrumbidgee Irrigation areas, the dryland area around Wagga Wagga, and the higher rainfall zone of the South West slopes, generally to the east of the Hume freeway.

Farm forestry information and industry development.

Tumblegum Trading is a supplier of imported Scandinavian firewood mills. Currently, firwood mills are sourced from two Finnish companies. The Palax firewood mill is available as either a tractor driven or self powered unit. It consists of a circular saw, a hydraulic log splitter and a conveyor in one unit. When a block is docked from the log, the block falls into a chamber where a hydraulic ram pushed the block onto a splitting blade. As each block is docked off and the ram pushes the block onto the splitter, the previously split wood is pushed beyond the splitter and onto a conveyor which can then load the firewood onto a truck or trailer. The Hakki Pilke firewood mill is also available as a tractor driven or self powered model; however, this unit has a hydraulically driven in-feed belt which carries the log up to the chain saw bar used to dock the log. Once again, the block falls into a chamber, is pushed onto a splitter and then onto a conveyor. This machine is a little quicker than the Palax unit as it utilises a two ram, two splitter system that does not require the operator to wait for the ram to retract before making the next cut. Both units are ideal for converting heads of trees, woodlots or plantation thinnings into firewood and can be operated by one or two people. Colour brochures and videos are available from Tumblegum Trading. Demonstrations of these machines can be arranged by appoinment.