Jailene Santana Forest Futures Specialist Webinar 27 January, 2026

Webinar: Hempwood, Housing and Forest Future

Speaker: Jailene Santana, Forest Futures Specialist, WWF-Australia
Host: iHemp NSW
When: 27 January 2026 — One hour
Registrations now open.

Join WWF-Australia’s Forest Futures Specialist, Jailene Santana, for a deep-dive webinar on how industrial hemp and hemp-derived timber alternatives – commonly called hempwood – could transform Australia’s approach to housing, regional development and forest protection.

In this one-hour session, Jailene will:

Explain the potential of locally grown hempwood as a scalable alternative to conventional timber, including how it could be incorporated into housing supply chains to reduce material shortages and price pressure.
Show how hempwood could create quality regional jobs, from farming and processing to manufacturing and construction — delivering economic benefits to rural and regional communities.
Demonstrate how substituting hempwood for native timber reduces pressure on Australia’s forests, helping to protect biodiversity, cultural values and critical habitats.
Outline WWF-Australia’s advocacy work to secure greater federal and state government support for industrial hemp — from research and processing grants to procurement policies that favour low-impact, locally manufactured building products.
Discuss sovereign capability and supply resilience, and how a robust domestic hemp industry could improve Australia’s manufacturing independence for critical building materials.
Frame the transition in terms of justice and sustainability: how policy design, workforce planning and community engagement can ensure an equitable industry shift that supports existing timber communities while creating new opportunities.
Highlight climate resilience benefits, including carbon sequestration in crops and products, lower embodied emissions for building materials, and potential circular economy outcomes.

This webinar is essential for housing policy makers, regional leaders, builders, architects, researchers, and anyone interested in sustainable materials and just industry transitions. Jailene will draw on WWF’s research and policy work to explain both the opportunities and the practical challenges — and what effective government support would need to look like.

iHemp NSW is proud to host this timely conversation. Don’t miss the chance to hear from a leading expert on how hempwood could help secure Australia’s housing future while protecting our forests and communities.

ABOUT JAILENE SANTANA

Jailene Santana Forest Futures Specialist In this webinar, Jailene Santana, Forest Futures Specialist at WWF-Australia, will explore how industrial hemp can play a vital role in Australia’s forest future. She’ll discuss how hemp-based timber alternatives like hempwood could strengthen Australia’s housing supply, create regional employment, and reduce pressure on native forests. Drawing on her expertise in sustainable development and just industry transitions, Jailene will outline how expanding support for the hemp industry could enhance Australia’s sovereign capability while protecting biodiversity and promoting climate resilience.

Follow Jailene on LinkedIn

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