Primary forests in danger
By MADELEINE AREK
ACCESSIBLE primary forests are likely to be logged out in 15 years, posing an economic threat to the country’s revenues from log exports and a devastating impact on the flora and fauna, forest research experts have warned.
They have expressed determination not to
let this happen and
have been working in
collaboration with experts in Australia
to promote the attainment of a positive vision for country’s forestry.
The experts believe that properly-managed forest resources have the capacity to make a major and sustainable contribution to economy while maintaining many of the other values the society derives from the forests.
With the help from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research project (ACIAR), scientists at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Lae are working to improve the contribution the country’s cut-over forests can make to the national and local economies through development of appropriate strategies for their management and marketing.
Through the assessment, management and marketing of goods and services from cut-over native forests in the country project, ACIAR and FRI aim to:
* Classify country’s cut-over forests in terms of condition and capacity for future growth and timber production and other products and services such as carbon storage and sequestration;
* Assess the future market opportunities for different products and services and develop effective methods for linking local producers with purchasers of sustainably-produced timber;
* Analyse options for future supply in collaboration with forest owners, based on supply of different products and services, taking into account their community and external market values and design appropriate management and marketing strategies; and
* Train community-based non governmental organisations (NGOs) staff in forest assessment and analysis of different forest management options that would allow local forest-owners to obtain future sources of revenue from their forests.
Developing more sustainable management options for forests would also improve the market reputation.
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