The Queensland forest industry has been an integral part of the Queensland economy since the beginning of European settlement. The processing of forest products was one of the earliest manufacturing activities in Queensland, and the industry´s products and activities underpinned much of the state´s early development. The forest industry continues to play a vital role in Queensland´s contemporary economic, social and environmental wellbeing, especially in many rural and regional communities. This publication profiles the contribution of the forest industry to the Queensland community.

The community expects our forests to deliver a wide range of products and services, ranging from commercial forest products such as timber and fibre for paper production, to environmental outcomes such as the conservation of biological diversity and water quality. Community perceptions about the contribution and role of the forest industry will greatly influence future policy decisions. In 1998, the then Department of Primary Industries (DPI) produced the report 'An overview of the Queensland forest industry' to highlight and describe the various segments of the Queensland forest industry, and to provide information and statistics on the industry´s history, development and status. This report was extremely well received and widely referenced.

The main objective of this new publication, which updates most of the information contained in the earlier report, is to profile the contribution of the forest industry to the Queensland community. However, it also aims to increase community awareness of the scope, diversity and complexity of forest industry activities,its products and markets, the research and development initiatives being undertaken to develop new products and improve productivity, the government´s role in forest activities, a description of the future impacts on the forest industry.

A number of profiles of forest industry organisations are included. These provide concrete examples of the diverse range of organisations in the Queensland forest industry, and help illustrate the way these organisations, and the forest industry as a whole, is responding to changes to its markets, operating environment and government policy.