NGOs want reform in forestry industry
The National, Copyright 2000
November 28, 2000
A GROUP of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) is calling on the Government to make fundamental changes in the forestry industry.
They are calling for the continuation of the current moratorium on new logging concessions until reforms are in place to deal with the many problems in the sector.
Eco-Forestry Forum chairman Sasa Zibe Kokino said in a statement yesterday that "the Prime Minister has already admitted that the forestry industry is in a mess, with poor practice, corruption and unsustainable logging operations".
"We are now calling on the Government to ensure that the necessary reforms are made before the current moratorium is lifted," he said.
The NGOs' recommendations are included in their "Submission on the Forest Industry Moratorium and Reviews", a document that was presented to the Prime Minister yesterday.
The submission contains an assessment of the reasons behind the current state of the forestry industry and recommends changes that are needed.
The NGOs want the Government to honour its promise to review current forestry operations, and to complete its current review of proposed new concessions.
They also want to see the recommendations from these reviews fully implemented to prevent the same problems being repeated in the future.
The NGOs are also calling for a new and effective method of enforcing the logging code of practice which, they say, is currently being ignored.
They also want to see a new National Forest Plan that properly considers all land use options and reflects the wishes of resource owners.
The Forum's submission is the result of a collaboration between 18 national and international organisations and their local partners.
It was developed over a number of months and has included patrols to many remote areas of the country to gather the views of resource owners and to assess current practice in the forest industry.
As Mr Kokino explained: "We see the current moratorium as a last chance for our forests.
"The moratorium must be maintained and fundamental reforms implemented before it is lifted."
The Forum says it is in support of integrated rural community development and sustainable resource use through a viable and sustainable eco-forestry industry.