A joint project between the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management (APFNet) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has been launched this week in Nadi, Fiji.
The
three-year initiative will focus on providing effective strategies and mechanisms for the effective
implementation, enforcement and monitoring of forest management plans and codes of logging and harvesting practices.
The Assistant Executive Director of
APFNet, Xia Jun, was optimistic about the project and said his organisation was
keen to work with SPC to support Pacific Community members.
“We look forward to working with SPC
and the economies of Fiji, Niue and Tonga to support them in managing their
forestry resources sustainably, as the Pacific region is very important to us,”
Mr Xia said.
Sustainable forest management is a dynamic and evolving concept that
aims to maintain and enhance the economic, social and environmental value of
all types of forests, for the benefit of present and future generations.
Fifteen senior forestry officials from
the participating governments have just completed two days of training in Nadi
to kick-start the project.
According to a Deputy Director of SPC’s Land Resources Division, Sairusi
Bulai, the new project would enable Fiji, Niue and Tonga to make further
progress with their forestry policies and legislation and to access assistance
from SPC with on-ground implementation of their respective national codes of
harvesting practices and forest management plans.
"Such
projects are vital for Pacific Community members to enhance their capacity in managing their forestry resources in a sustainable manner, and training of stakeholders in the industry
will be one of the project’s main components,” Mr Bulai said.
“I wish to acknowledge the support of
APFNet for coming on board for such a great initiative.
“Our member countries and territories have different challenges in terms of their forestry resources. Through this project we’ll assist three of them to develop appropriate strategies to help them implement their existing policies, such as code of logging practices,” Mr Bulai said.
He added that Fiji, Niue and Tonga
would be equal partners in implementation for its success.
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