Forestry in Victoria
Victoria is Australia's smallest mainland State. The population is relatively large in Australian terms with over five million people living in an area of 228,000 km2.
Victoria contains wonderful landscapes from alpine to semi-arid environments, coastal areas to temperate rainforests and rolling grasslands. It also has one of the most diverse and representative reserve networks in the world, comprising over four million hectares of wilderness, State and regional parks and reserve areas.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) manages Victoria's 3.4 million hectares of State forest for a variety of uses. These uses include the conservation of flora and fauna, the protection of water catchments and water supply, the provision of timber through sustainable harvesting, visual landscapes, archaeological and historic values and recreational and educational opportunities.