Audit background 

The Forestry Corporation of NSW is a state-owned corporation that supplies timber to sawmills in New South Wales, including with timber harvested from public native forests. Forestry Corporation is responsible for the management of around 1.8 million hectares of public native forest. In undertaking its operations Forestry Corporation must comply with Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (IFOAs), which set out rules to protect species and ecosystems where timber harvesting is occurring and ensure forests are managed in an ecologically sustainable way. The NSW Environment Protection Authority is responsible for regulating Forestry Corporation’s compliance in conducting its public native forestry harvesting, including by maintaining and enforcing a compliance program.  

Audit objective 

This audit will assess how effectively Forestry Corporation of NSW manages its public native forestry activities to ensure compliance, and how effectively the Environment Protection Authority regulates these activities.  

Estimated tabling period 

June 2023 

Agencies audited: 

• Forestry Corporation of NSW 
• Environment Protection Authority