THE ROLE OF AGROFORESTRY IN INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS - THE SOUTHERN-HEMISPHERE PERSPECTIVE WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON AUSTRALIA AND NEW-ZEALAND

Agroforestry in Australia and New Zealand is dominated by silvopastora lism Farmers may employ combinations of shelterbelts, shade trees, wid ely spaced trees over pasture, or more densely planted woodlots. In ad dition to wood production and shelter, erosion control, amenity and la ndscape planting, and conservation of natural forest are often importa nt. Many farm forestry people show considerable innovation. In tempera te wetter areas of Australia, eucalyptus and, to a lesser extent, Pinu s radiata (radiata pine) dominate agroforestry tree plantings for wood , shade, shelter, and salinisation and erosion prevention, The One Bil lion Tree Program, initiated by the Australian Federal Government, pro vides limited funding for tree planting. Joint farmer ventures with th e State or local industry are also common. Most State governments also provide advice, and planting is tax deductible. Local landcare groups , formed to encourage sustainable agriculture, often promote tree plan ting, particularly where soil degradation is a problem. Melbourne Univ ersity and other Technical Institutes offer training in agroforestry. In New Zealand, a third of the farms require trees for soil conservati on. This, together with the growing recognition of the financial benef its of planting trees, has resulted in small landowners doing most of the current planting of 80,000 to 100,000 ha yr(-1). Most farmers plan t radiata pine, but eucalyptus and other hardwoods, including willows and poplars, are also widely used. There are almost no government ince ntives for tree planting in New Zealand. The Farm Forestry Association is the major extension organization. Lincoln University has an import ant teaching and research commitment, and the New Zealand Forest Resea rch Institute Limited has developed very useful management models.