Governor supports climate change project in Aitape

National

WEST Sepik Governor Tony Wouwou,is all for a climate change REDD+ project in his Aitape district if it is what the people want.
“You (people) selected the developer and that is why they are here. The decision – good or bad – is yours, whatever the outcome,” Wouwou told the people during a government-sanctioned public hearing on the project in Aitape last Thursday.
“As for me, I will allow the project to proceed if you say yes.”
The people of Ause area in the Aitape district consented to giving 45,000 hectares of their customary land to a proposed forest plantation development in their area. The project will adopt selective harvesting techniques of timber of larger DBH (diameter at breast height) of 50-plus-cm as well as adhere to all other practices set out in the Logging Code of Practice.
A forest-clearing authority (FCA) application was sought by PNG Hills Ltd (PHL) that proposes to PNGFA to achieve all the objectives of the government – PNG forest target of establishing 800,000 hectares of plantation forest by 2050 under its “Painim Graun Planim Diwai” initiative.
The project should assist in natural regeneration of new high-value seedlings to be reforested into gaps created as a result of selective harvesting and count towards the country’s low carbon emission pathway – serving as an environment buffer for carbon sink.
The project also aims to protect and conserve the natural habitats for endemic animal species such as the endangered Tenkile (tree Kangaroo) found only on Torricelli and Bewani Mountain Ranges.
PHL country manager Kevin Mansu said: “The method of natural regeneration as a technique to reforest deforested and degraded areas of Aitape is not new. PNG Forest Authority, with funding from AusAID, piloted the technique in the Kandrian-Gloucester district of West New Britain.
Under the FCA, the role of PNG Forest Authority at no cost to itself was important in supervising and training locals of the Ause area as well as other areas within Aitape, to participate in the managed natural regeneration (reforestation) activities to establish high value species timber plantations.
“The financial reward schemes available through the UNFCC REDD+ schemes do support the promotion of plantation forests.
Remuneration for other forest values such as carbon sinks has generated much interest in PNG, particularly as an alternative income source to large-scale timber harvesting.
In particular, tropical forests have been recognised for their ability to absorb and store carbon in forest biomass.
“REDD+ can potentially offer economic, environmental and social benefits for PNG and, if implemented appropriately, could provide wider social and economic opportunities for indigenous people.”