You are here: Home > Orientation Hall > Annex >

PNG and the Solomon Islands: Unsustainable forestry exploitation

Amongst the highest profile sustainability issues in the region relate to the forestry sector in western Melanesia, particularly PNG and the Solomon Islands. The PNG and the Solomon Islands have huge tropical hardwood resources (offering world class commercial volumes of 30 to 80 m3/ha.) These forests also have outstanding biodiversity in terms of both flora and fauna. Logging in both countries have proceed well above sustainable rates. Hughes (1996) suggests that with "current logging methods it is unlikely that much of the cut forest will ever regenerate to valuable timber stands, while soil degradation is reducing the productive potential of the land and nearby reefs". This situation is a reflection of both countries' inability to put into place effective natural resource management regimes.

In the case of the Solomon Islands the unsustainable rate of logging has been further fuelled by the need to finance an over sized public service and other government expenditure. The Solomon's has also become heavily dependent timber revenue to maintain a reasonable balance of payments. The Solomon Island situation is consistent with the findings of Kahn and McDonald's study 'Third World Debt and Tropical Deforestation'. This empirical study showed a correlation between debt and deforestation. They argue that debt burdens cause "myopic behaviour which results in over-depletion of forest resources". Such over-depletion is brought about by deforestation rates that may not be optimal in the long-run, but are "necessary" to meet short-term economic and political needs. Hughes reports that a sharp decline in the logging activity and revues in the Solomon Islands, as commercially exploitable natural forest is logged out, is now within a planning horizon of 5-10 years. It is only now with the recent change of government, that planners in the Solomon Islands are starting to address the post-logging economy.

The forests of Melanesia are much more than commercial timber that provides foreign exchange, government revenue, and cash income for villages. With some 80% of the population living in villages, their forests supply most of their timber needs together with a wide range of food, medicinal, building, and household products. They are also a source of immense, and often unique, bio-diversity in terms of fauna and flora.