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Business |
Big push for domestic processing
National Forest Service’s new policy
part of reforms in the forestry sector
DOMESTIC processing of forest
products is the highlight of a new set of policies to be
instituted by the National Forest Service (NFS) as part of
reforms in the forestry sector.
This was revealed by NFS managing director Kanawi Pouru at
PNGFA's Momase regional workshop held at the Forest Institute in
Lae last weekend.
NFS is a unit of the PNG Forest Authority.
Under the new policies, resource developers like logging firms
are now required (after a time) to initiate projects – with
local people's participation – that would lead to processing of
logs into various products that include sawn timber and veneer.
Mr Pouru said the policy on domestic processing was the
Government’s response to the increasing concerns raised by
resources owners and environmental advocates on forest
destruction caused by timber companies.
Resource owners have complained over the years that timber
developers were only concerned about cutting down logs and
shipping them out, leaving their traditional forests deforested
and without sustainable livelihood for the local people after
logging activities were over.
It was understood that except for one or two companies, logging
groups in Papua New Guinea are concentrated mainly on timber
export.
Domestic processing would give added value to forest products
like timber when processed into exportable veneer board and sawn
timber, and thus create new industry in which local people were
employed.
“NFA’s six-year corporate plan culminating in 2012 was intended
to position PNGFA with the changing Government development plans
and aspirations, the trends in the attitudes of the resource
owners, the timber trade as it responds to climate change and
human impacts,” Mr Pouru said.
He presented an overview of the industry during the workshop on
past trends on forestry, sector contributions to national
development, international perception on PNG's forestry sector,
international timber trade and landowners' response to the
Timber Review Permit and Forest Management Act Extension.
Mr Pouru said NFS would primarily carry out projects and
programmes in line with the medium-term development strategy to
improve national economy through increased export earnings.
“In response to this, PNGFA had committed 10 impact projects and
to date, we have signed eight … one is currently under
evaluation and the 10th project is being dealt by the National
Court,” Mr Pouru said.
He stressed that NFS’s corporate plan was aimed at making PNGFA
an autonomous authority “that will plan, develop, manage and
protect the nation’s forest interest as renewable asset that can
provide sustainable economic growth and employment to the
village people”.
 
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