The Southern Wood Council Inc was set up in 2001 to promote, encourage and coordinate the sustainable economic development of the forest products industry in the Otago and Southland regions of New Zealand.
This grouping includes all the major forest owners within the region, the larger wood processing and manufacturing companies, the port authorities and each of the three economic development agencies from local councils. SWC member companies own or manage the majority of the larger plantation forests (126,700 ha or 58.7%) within the region. Note, 36.7% of the forest estate is owned by growers with forests of less than 1000 ha.
It is one of few truly independent groups of its type that have been set up and currently one of the most active regional forestry groupings operating in New Zealand.
SWC Evening Meeting 8 February 2012 
