10 Questions… with Shaun Suitor 

1. What is your role?

I’m a Principle Policy Officer – Resources Policy for the State Government. However, I’m currently on loan to Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) for a year as a Natural Capital Manager to help develop a natural capital accounting framework for the organisation.

I still haven’t got my elevator pitch nailed yet, but basically the role is to put numbers around the full suite of natural values that STT manages and provides to the community (i.e. carbon, conservation, timber, honey, recreation, etc.) using a standard framework.

2. Who do you work for?

I am seconded to Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

3. How long have you been working in the industry?

Close to 20 years — firstly with UTAS in tree breeding, then the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (and its predecessors) in forest and fire management, specifically in forest policy and then forest and fire monitoring, evaluation and research. I’ve now been back in Tassie since late 2019.

4. What do you enjoy about your job?

I get to work with people like Graeme “Nibbsy” Nibbs from the Department of State Growth. In addition to this, working and having worked for organisations which have the responsibility of managing such large and important areas of the public land estate is not one that has ever sat lightly with me.

5. What fascinates you most about the forests and forest products industry in Tasmania?

I’m a bit of history nerd. And this industry is rich in history, both human and natural.

6. Where do you think the industry could improve?

There’s probably a bit of bias in this response, but making the most of swathes of data that we collect, could collect, or will be collected in the not too distant future. Everything from harvesting head data to track chain of custody, to leveraging off remotely sensed technologies to better calculate and communicate our carbon footprint.

7. What is your vision for the forest and forest products industry in our state?

Probably using the above to clearly articulate the industry’s benefits to society.

8. My favourite place in Tasmania to visit is…

Maria Island or Schouten Island.

9. On a weekend we’d find you…

Generally just catching up on household chores. However, I do enjoy fishing, and bushwalking and playing a bit of cricket.

10. What’s something we’d be surprised to learn about you?

I generally don’t have much to add with these types of questions – I’ve been learning French for about 8 years.