Primary goal
Improve timber supply and income for Papua New Guinea and Cape York Peninsula (PNG and CYP) landholders through development of smallholder planted forests by increasing germplasm supply and refining working models for viable smallholder teak and Indigenous sandalwood production.
Project outcomes
- Development of a sustainable teak and sandalwood sector, from seed to finished product, embedded within the local community.
- Establishment of successful tree nurseries across multiple local farm communities, supporting long-term economic growth.
- Creation of seed orchards providing locally sourced, sustainable seeds for local growers.
- Production of silviculture training guides and implementation of training programs to enhance local forestry skills.
- Partnership with a local timber processor to manufacture desks for schools, providing an eco-friendly alternative to imported plastic furniture.
Progress
This project commenced in 2020 and was completed in Dec 2025.
Lead researchers
- David Spencer
- David Lee
- Micah Scudder
- Katherine Warner
- John Herbohn
- Flora Kwapena
Project funded by
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Sustainable Development Goals
This project works towards these UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 1: No poverty
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 15: Life on Land
Learn more about this project.