About the FAA

The Firewood Association of Australia was established in October 2005 to represent the Australian commercial firewood supply industry. The need for a whole of industry representative body was highlighted during the development of the government's Voluntary Code of Practice for Firewood Suppliers.

After the Code was accepted by the Natural Resources Management Ministerial Council the next step was to encourage its adoption by the firewood industry. Government policy was to encourage consumers to buy from the environmentally responsibility members of the industry who comply with the Code, and to reduce the environmental impact of unregulated self-collection and illegal harvesting. There are plenty of firewood sellers who create a negative image for the industry, by selling wet or incorrectly measured firewood, or by stocking environmentally unacceptable firewood.

To be a member of the FAA a firewood supplier must make a commitment to comply with the Code of Practice. Compliance to the Code is assessed by audit before FAA membership is granted.

The constitutional division of powers in Australia means that most legislation concerning the harvesting and sale of firewood is controlled by the individual states and their local governments. However, the federal government has an important role to play in the industry due to its administration of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and also the National Trade Measurement Regulations 2009.

This complexity of legislation covering the industry, combined with the fact that firewood is often transported across state boundaries, makes it essential that the industry representative body is national. The firewood industry faces many political, environmental and commercial challenges that affect resource access and availability, wood heater regulation, wood smoke, industry image and consumer demand. The FAA is the only organisation that is working effectively to protect and grow the firewood industry.

There is clear evidence that firewood buyers are "choosing for the environment" by seeking out sustainable firewood suppliers, so FAA membership also provides strong and immediate commercial benefits. FAA members are promoted directly to consumers through this website and through a 1300 phone number.

FAA Membership

There are three categories of membership in the Association. Full members, Associate members and Affiliate members.

Full Members

Full membership of the Association is open to all persons and enterprises actively involved in the commercial firewood supply industry, including firewood cutters, firewood wholesalers, retail merchants and bagged or packaged firewood distributors. To be a full member of the Association a person or enterprise must comply with the Code of Practice for Firewood Suppliers. The following rights and benefits apply to full members:-

• Issued individual Member Number.
• Entitled to use individual sustainable firewood supplier logo in advertising, documentation and promotion.
• Web listing, opportunity to advertise and set up web-links.
• FAA promotion through the website, 1300 number responses and referrals, print media.
• Reviews and summaries of relevant legislation.
• FAA stakeholder relations, representations and statements on issues affecting the firewood industry.
• Access to website database.
• General member support and advice.
• Member networking opportunities.
• User-pays participation in specific industry benefit projects.
• Voting rights at general meetings. Entitled to serve as an office bearer on the Committee of Management.

For an application form click here.

Associate Members

Associate membership is open to all persons and enterprises involved in the commercial firewood supply industry. This membership category is suitable for persons or enterprises that wish to support their industry through the Association, but do not seek the benefits of being recognised as sustainable firewood suppliers. The following rights and benefits are provided for associates:-

• Use of associate logo.
• FAA stakeholder relations, representations and statements on issues affecting the firewood industry.
• Web listing and opportunity for sponsorship.
• Access to website database.
• General member support and advice.
• Member networking opportunities.
• Entitled to serve as an ordinary member on the Committee of Management.

For an Associate membership application form click here.

Affiliate Members

Affiliate membership of the Association is open to all persons and enterprises that are not directly involved in the commercial firewood supply industry, who wish to support the Association. The following rights and benefits are provided for affiliates:-

• Use of affiliate logo.
• Web listing, opportunity to advertise and set up web-links.
• FAA promotion through the website and print media.
• FAA stakeholder relations, representations and statements on issues affecting the firewood industry.
• Access to website database.
• General member support and advice.
• Member networking opportunities.
• User-pays participation in specific industry benefit projects.
• Entitled to serve as an ordinary member on the Committee of Management.

For an Affiliate membership application form click here.

For a copy of the Firewood Association of Australia Inc. Rules of association click here.

The FAA Management Committee