Forest survey reveals threat

 DEFORESTATION is a threat to the country’s forests, says Dr Ruth Turia of the Forest Authority.

She said there had been a lot of deforestation caused by mining and logging companies.

Participants from the forestry sector who attended a workshop last week agreed that forests should be preserved.

A survey revealed that the vast deforestation came from mining companies.

Turia said giving up customary land for open pit mining was very harmful to the environment. 

She said the best example was the Paguna mine in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. After the mine closed, the surrounding environment had been completely destroyed. Trees failed to grow back.

Authority officials will be visiting all provinces to conduct multi-purpose national forest intervention to help save forests from being destroyed.