Engaging with Community

VAFI is committed to maintaining and improving dialogue with many sectors of the community, and engages with its diverse stakeholders in a variety of ways.

Stakeholders are identified as those impacted by forestry and related operations, regulators and those with interest or involvement with forest industries.

The mechanisms used to engage with stakeholders vary – including one-on-one meetings, group meetings, information sharing seminars, consultations with External Advisory groups and informal discussions.

One of VAFI's goals is also to have "ongoing involvement in local community organisations and activities".

Activities

In 2006/07, VAFI members continued to be involved in a broad range of community activities. Activities cover the breadth of cash and product donations, use of facilities and equipment, and staff volunteering their time. 

Most mills have an involvement with their local sporting clubs, and many also are involved in local community projects, schools and hospitals. 

Initiatives in the past year include:

• hosting over 10,000 students and teachers over mill sites, in conjunction with the DSE forest education program;

• staff volunteering their time for local essential community services such as SES, CFA, Red Cross and the Volunteer Ambulance;

• undertaking community leadership roles, for example as school councillors; 

VAFI also contributed to the broader community through donations to PLAN, an international development organisation.

Enagaging with Government

One of VAFI's key aims is to:

"Work with the State Government to develop policies supportive of robust and sustainable forest industries in Victoria, economically and socially viable, long term."

VAFI's enagement with the government includes communicating with politicians, developing and advising on policies, and contributing submissions to Government.

Submissions

Below is a collection of submissions from VAFI and other industry bodies in regard to forest policy