THE Guadalcanal province through its newly launched strategy policy is looking to reduce logging activities in the province and monitor and strengthened the management of forest and natural resources for sustainable harvest and future preservation.
Guadalcanal premier Francis Sade during the strategy policy launching on Friday said many aspects of development concerns is now worrying for his government.
This include the environment, conservation, climate change, disaster management and managing of the province natural resources.
“We are becoming conscious about our resources particularly the forestry sector.
“Guadalcanal is the only province breaking the record of harvesting the forest above 400 meters beyond the jurisdiction of the forestry act.
“For this reason the policy is looking at reducing the logging activities and focuses on conservation and reforestations,” said Mr Sade.
The strategy’s policy objectives monitor and strengthened the management of forest and natural resources for sustainable harvest and future preservation are ;-
- to temporary suspend all logging activities and do an environmental impact assessment
- to control and minimize logging activities through allocation of license quotas annually
- to establish a forestry and environment trust fund to support forest development programs
- to review logging licenses with additional potential areas of revenue
- to encourage and support forest resource owners to venture into downstream and processing timber milling
- to coordinate market for forest resource owners through collaboration with the Guadalcanal Investment company Limited (GICL)
- to develop forestry conservation park model to encourage preservation and sustainable use of forestry resources
- To establish a development partnership with SIG, development partners and stakeholders.
By BRYAN LUVENA
