Developments in Forestry over the past 10 years

Ministerial Conference on

Environment and Development

in Asia and the Pacific 2000

Kitakyushu, Japan 31 August - 5 September 2000

Developments in Forestry over the past 10 years

(FSM Country Report, 1996 Heads of Forestry Meeting, Port Vila, Vanuatu. SPFDP Field Document No. 11).

Heads of Forestry | government partnerships | community partnerships | sustainable development | reduced impact | mangroves | genetic resources | carbon offsets | forest certification

	Forest density is diminishing in Pacific island countries due to a combination of population pressures, loss of traditional controls, shifting cultivation under population pressure, pasture development, mining and logging activities. Much publicity has been given to the increasing impact of logging operations in recent years, particularly in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Pressure on forests from logging operations is also an issue in the Cook Islands, FSM, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau and Tonga.
	Few data are available to show exactly how serious the loss of intact forest has been since the ADB report in 1992. However, in some countries of the region, such as Samoa, rates of deforestation in recent years have approached 2% per annum a rate that is similar to the estimated rate at which the world’s tropical forests are being cleared (GOWS 1994). In the Federated States of Micronesia, aerial photography of Pohnpei taken in November 1995 showed only 15% of the land under undisturbed forest compared to 42% in 1976.
	The loss of forest as a result of agrodeforestation is also an issue in those countries with substantial population densities e.g. Cook Islands, FSM, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Niue, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Samoa. The use of fire to clear land for agriculture is thought to be responsible for the destruction of large tracts of forest and agricultural plantations during a severe drought in Samoa in 1998. Similarly, the Federated States of Micronesia describes increased human caused wildfires destroying forest areas more so than land clearing or timber extraction in recent years.

Some studies (eg GOWS 1994) show that most deforestation is a result of agricultural activity rather than commercial timber extraction. This may be true in terms of forest loss in the statistical sense, but extractive logging operations frequently bring heavy impacts on soil quality, including fertility. Attempts to introduce sustainability criteria into the management of production forests have been made in some countries, but they will take time to show any real effect. For example, the Codes of Logging Practice developed by Fiji, PNG, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands (in the latter three countries, following an initiative of the 1994 South Pacific Forum meeting to develop a regional code of conduct for logging).

There are few recent spatial or temporal data on forest types and distributions which help define the rate and extent of national forest loss or quantify the causes. Attempts have been made to compile a data table from various studies and analyses in the region of forest cover and the rate of deforestation in Pacific island countries (see Martel et al. 1998)

Forests throughout the Pacific region are being removed at an unsustainable rate. In some countries (such as Samoa), merchantable timber resources are forecast to run out before the end of this decade (GOWS 1994). In most countries, the rate of deforestation far out-strips the rate of deforestation, which has until recently focussed primarily on plantation establishment. Greater emphasis should be placed on the use of natural regeneration to provide the next forest crop, and on the effective implementation of reduced impact harvesting techniques to enhance the natural regeneration. Greater emphasis should also be placed on the sustainable harvesting of non-timber products (e.g. food, medicines, clean water, biodiversity of flora and fauna etc). Given the critical importance of forests to the region - socially, economically and ecologically - it is imperative that the effective implementation of sustainable forest management practices be a priority policy issue for Pacific island countries.

Heads of Forestry Meeting 21-25 September 1998 Nadi, Fiji

ABRIDGED REPORT OF MEETING

INTRODUCTION

The Heads of Forestry (HoFs) of seventeen (17) Pacific Island states and territories, and representatives of more than twenty agencies met in Nadi, Fiji from 21 – 25 September 1998. The meeting was organised by the SPC/UNDP/AusAID/FAO[1] Pacific Islands Forests and Trees Support Programme (PIF&TSP, RAS/97/330).

Over 80 participants from government, non-government, regional, international, donor and other agencies attended. However, as had been the tradition in past meetings, the HoFs or their representatives were delegates and all others were observers.

In the first two days, 22 papers were presented on “Regional and Other Initiatives in the Forests and Trees Sector in the Pacific,” and on the third and fourth days, 20 papers were presented on the theme “The Role of Forests and Trees in Mitigating the Impacts of Climate Change on Pacific Island Communities.” The last day was devoted to the discussion and adoption of the meeting report, and the tripartite review of the PIF&TSP. Country reports and agency statements were distributed for information only.

The observations and recommendations of the HoF meeting were as follows;

Sub-theme 1: Partnerships and modes of collaboration between governments, donors, regional programs and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)

The September 1998 Heads of Forestry meeting noted that,

The roles and contributions of forests and trees in supporting socio-economic development and sustainable livelihoods is now more widely appreciated.

There is serious concern over the continuing loss and degradation of forest and tree resources in the Pacific, and over the impacts on the livelihoods of Pacific Island communities.

There are a large number of initiatives on forests and trees in the Pacific being undertaken to address these and related concerns by government, non-government, regional and donor agencies, including

	the Pacific Islands Forests and Trees Support Programme, funded by UNDP and AusAID, executed by SPC and implemented by FAO, covering 22 Pacific Island countries and territories;
	the SPC/Pacific-German Regional Forestry Project (PGRFP), which has been providing useful support to five Pacific island countries in the fields of natural forest management, national forest policy development and community awareness development;
	the USDA Forest Service through its Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry in Hawaii, which provides financial, technical and research support directly to American-affiliated islands and collaboratively with regional organisations such as the PIF&TSP to other island countries;
	CIRAD-Foret, which has been providing useful technical support to the French-affiliated territories as well as other Pacific island countries, especially in the fields of sandalwood research and development;
	the Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International (FSPI), which is implementing an eco- and community-forestry project, funded by the European Union (EU), in five Pacific Island countries;
	the South Pacific Regional Initiative on Forest Genetic Resources (SPRIG), funded by AusAID, which since late 1996 has provided much-needed support and training in the fields of assessment, conservation, management and enhancement of forest genetic resources in four (recently increased to five) Pacific Island countries;
	the South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), which has been implementing a biodiversity conservation programme, including promoting a community-based conservation area approach for forests and marine areas; and
	Substantial bilateral and regional assistance provided by AusAID to countries in the region;
	various national and regional activities funded by New Zealand, EU, ACIAR, WWF,etc and other activities carried out by NGOs like Greenpeace, SIDT, VDT, Wainimate, etc.

There is a need to ensure close coordination and collaboration among these initiatives and agencies to minimize duplication and overlap, and optimize application of limited resources.
More financial and technical resources are needed in the region, and all parties need to work together, appreciating the resources both government and NGO organizations can bring to bear on common challenges.
The recently-approved UNDP Small Grants scheme will provide useful support to community efforts for sustainable use and management of forest and tree resources.
The EU “Tropical Forestry Budget Line” provides another grant program available to NGOs, individuals, universities, research bodies, government departments, etc., not necessarily with the endorsement of governments.
The focal point/clearing house functions developed by PIF&TSP have been effective in improving the level of coordination and collaboration among the many agencies involved in the sector of the region, and in increasing support to PICs.
The PIF&TSP will end in December 1999, and although the SPC will place a Forests and Trees Programme under its core-funding, the resources available for programme activities will be reduced considerably unless additional external support is obtained.
The FAO has concluded the process of decentralization of operations. All projects in the Asia – Pacific region are now administered from the Bangkok office. This will result in improved support for the PIF&TSP. Two working groups on the theme of Sustainable Forest Management and Information Exchange have been established under the Asia Pacific Forestry Commission.
Qualified and motivated local forestry professionals are the long-term key to national programs and their coordination with outside assistance. Many islands have difficulty recruiting and retaining local foresters. The small size of the forestry sector in many Pacific Island Countries often leads to professional isolation of forestry staff, making it difficult for them to upgrade skills and maintain enthusiasm.
The work of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF), especially the debate concerning a potential international legal instrument on forests, has implications for the region.
Under the World Trade Agreement, export barriers will be reduced and phased out; log export bans and protection of domestic processing industries will also be phased out or severely limited, even though these mechanisms have been very useful to some countries for slowing depletion of natural forest resources.

and recommended that,

R1.1 The transition of PIF&TSP from FAO to SPC implementation should be well planned and adequately funded to avoid interruption in momentum and activities, especially its coordination (focal point/clearing house) role to maximize effectiveness of forestry assistance in the Pacific.

R1.2 The respective donors and authorities are strongly urged to support the continued contribution to forests and trees to maintaining the development and livelihoods of Pacific island countries and communities, by providing funding support to the SPC Forests and Trees Programme and national forests and trees programs.

R1.3 The PIF&TSP should continue to seek donor funding for the SPC Forests and Trees programme activities after 1999.

R1.4 A sub-regional association or committee of atoll island states should be established within the HoF body.

R1.5 The USDA Forest Service’s Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, CIRAD-Foret, FSPI, SPRIG, and other programmes and agencies should continue or increase their collaboration with PIF&TSP, its client forestry agencies, and other regional organizations to provide technical assistance to Pacific island states.

R1.6 Agencies operating small grants programs in the region should coordinate to avoid duplication and to refer rejected but worthy applications to more appropriate sources of funding.

R1.7 EU should review the standard financial size of its projects and its mechanisms of financial assistance, to allow small communities to request assistance.

R1.8 FAO member countries in the region should participate in the Sustainable Forest Management and Information Exchange working groups organized under the Asia Pacific Forestry Commission.

R1.9 Financial and educational support for post-secondary education of Pacific Islanders in forestry and closely allied fields should be a priority for assistance to the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands.

R1.10 Programmes to develop systems of information exchange, study tours, and short term training within the region should be maintained and expanded.

R1.11 Arrangements should be made to ensure that HoF are kept informed of developments in the IFF process.

R1.12 With the reduction of trade barriers, Pacific islands must implement appropriate stumpage pricing, enforce codes of logging practice and allowable annual cuts, and competitively develop local processing industries, to develop their economies and sustainably manage their natural resources.

R1.13 A regional study should be initiated to review the impact of World Trade Organization rules on the ability of Pacific Island countries to slow the depletion of their natural forest resources and to achieve sustainable forest management.

Sub-theme 2: Partnerships and modes of collaboration with communities and community-based non-government organizations (NGOs)

The meeting noted that,

a) Consultation with all stakeholders is an important component of developing national forestry policies.

b) Communities have a sense of “ownership,” commitment to and cooperation with project implementation only if projects are designed with the community in a fully participatory manner.

c) Donor organizations rely on governments and NGOs to serve as intermediaries and facilitators with communities.

d) Community-based NGOs often understand better than government the needs felt by the people, but community NGOs may lack capital, technical abilities, or management skills to propose and implement projects.

e) Social structure, including land tenure, in the Pacific is complex; understanding of social structure is essential to the success of any project.

f) The implementation of conservation measures or establishment of conservation areas usually affects the freedom of landowners or communities to make their own choices or pursue economic opportunities.

g) Gender analysis is a useful tool in development programs. Roles in production (agriculture), perceptions of resources, access, control, and benefits from resources are different between men and women. Therefore, the introduction of new management techniques (such as Sustainable Forest Management) and new technologies may have different impacts on women and men.

and recommended that,

R2.1 Fully participatory processes should be used in project design where appropriate and feasible, to facilitate community development.

R2.2 The participatory approach to development programmes may require extended start-up times that must be included in project design and programme schedules.

R2.3 The complementary role of NGOs to the efforts of government in community development should be recognized, and closer cooperation and collaboration between government agencies and NGOs should be encouraged.

R2.4 Effective NGOs should extend their work and their models to more countries to strengthen the capabilities of local, community-based NGOs.

R2.5 Grant programs offered to communities should have simple and concise proposal procedures and prompt processing and response mechanisms.

R2.6 Projects should include plans to ensure that communities are able to continue activities on their own after the external inputs end.

R2.7 Conservation measures and conservation areas should continue to be established with the full commitment and involvement of local communities and forestry agencies.

R2.8 Where feasible, management recommendations for conservation should be expressed in traditional forms of land management and enforced by traditional authorities.

Sub-theme 3: Sustainable economic development

The meeting noted that,

a) The definition of sustainable forest management is still under debate. Economic benefits must be derived, and forest management must continue to provide net environmental and social benefits after intensive outside assistance comes to an end.

b) Limitations to sustainable, profitable, small-scale forest use and management often include lack of knowledge, poor post-production handling and processing, lack of transportation, lack of access to marketing information and markets, lack of business & management skills, inconsistent quantity & quality, poor forest management skills, and lack of capital.

c) The recent financial crisis in Asia has resulted in a dramatic fall in the price of logs from Pacific Island countries. This, in turn, has provided various small scale ecotimber initiatives with additional opportunities to demonstrate their effectiveness.

d) While community-scale logging operations may seem to provide higher per-unit economic returns to forest owners, their long-term viability has not yet been demonstrated, and needs to be carefully studied.

e) The desire for primary processing by governments and communities can create dilemmas in balancing sustainable forest management and producing sufficient raw material to economically support primary processing industries.

f) Looking beyond traditional models and partnerships may be necessary to take advantage of opportunities created by a rapidly changing business environment.

g) Management models such as the Fiji Model of Indigenous Forest Management (funded by Pacific German Regional Forestry Project) are effective tools in the development of forestry programs for communities, industry and government.

h) Carbon off-set projects are business arrangements between governments and private corporations, companies, and entities requiring sound management and financial analysis.

i) Agroforestry and nursery training for atoll countries, coordinated by PIF&TSP, have been appreciated for their contribution to the agroforestry sector in the unique conditions of atolls.

and recommended that,

R3.1 Subsistence and domestic needs and markets should be balanced with export markets; domestic processing should be implemented as much as possible.

R3.2 Financial and economic analyses of eco-forestry community based projects should be done to evaluate the viability of investments made.

R3.3 Overall profitability should not be the sole measure of success of a development project; social impacts and the distribution of costs and benefits within the community should also be considered.

R3.4 Communities should be equipped to implement and benefit from sustainable forest management; they need

· full awareness of factors in their decision to participate;

· technical and entrepreneurial training; and

· financing, including trust funds as appropriate.

R3.5 Within countries, regional facilities should be established to address marketing, quality control, extension, and possibly certification for small producers.

R3.6 Increased funding should be provided to extend market-based approaches to sustainable natural resource management to more countries.

R3.7 National policy measures and incentives should be developed to encourage private and community investments in sustainable management of existing forests and forest plantations.

R3.8 Forestry agencies must periodically assess and redefine their roles and working relationships with other stakeholders in the forestry sector, to best contribute to sustainable economic development.

R3.9 Annual training opportunities for atolls should be continued. Another agroforestry training workshop should be held in 1999.

R3.10 A project should be initiated to introduce, cultivate, harvest and market bamboos on atolls and high islands.

Sub-theme 4: Reduced impact logging

The meeting noted that,

a) Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) techniques can effectively and efficiently reduce the impacts of logging on forests, soil and water.

b) Techniques for RIL are evolutionary in nature, building upon earlier work (such as that of the Queensland Forest Service) and being improved and adapted to local situations (as in Sabah). Each contributor to its improvement should be recognized.

c) The experience in Vanuatu shows that the application of RIL can eliminate the need to carry out enrichment planting by providing for sufficient natural regeneration.

d) Essential elements for the wide-scale implementation of RIL are the existence of a legally sanctioned Code of Logging Practice, Variable Silvicultural Prescriptions, and RIL guidelines.

e) Sustainable forest management that employs RIL may result in lower amounts of logs extracted per hectare compared with current logging practices. This could lead to additional costs to the operators and to the country. However, given that sustainable forest management should result in greater production of environmental services, including reduced emissions of carbon, the adoption of sustainable forest management practices could potentially generate carbon off-set credits that could compensate for the additional cost.

and recommended that:

R4.1 All forestry agencies in the region should be made aware that RIL logging methods developed in Queensland, Fiji, Vanuatu, and other countries are available for use and modification by all. Innoprise should clarify the implications of its placement of a trade mark on carbon sequestration quantification associated with RIL.

R4.2 Further assessments of the environmental and economic benefits of RIL should be undertaken by the forestry agencies in the region.

R4.3 Countries in the region should consider introducing RIL. RIL guidelines and variable silvicultural prescriptions suitable to the specific conditions of the different countries should be developed.

Sub-theme 5: Mangrove forest and native upland forest management and conservation

The meeting noted that,

a) Conservation of native mangrove forests provides economic benefits by conserving a sustainable source of forest products and crabs; these products are most often used for subsistence, which when priced give mangroves a per-hectare value comparable to productive agricultural land.

b) Non-timber products from mangrove ecosystems, such as crabs, are often more important than timber and other tree-derived products. In Kosrae, the annual island-wide values of fuelwood, crabs and fish from mangroves were estimated to be US$278,000, US$550,000, and US$170,000, respectively, comprising a total land value of US$6350/acre or (US$15,690/hectare).

c) Mangroves also provide valuable environmental services such as coastal protection. Management of the mangrove forest by island nations in the Pacific could reduce the impact of gradually rising sea level and storm surges.

d) Even a low intensity of tree harvesting may result in negative impacts on mangrove systems, resulting in a decrease in supply of other mangrove products.

e) Codes of logging practice have been developed in Fiji, PNG, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, and are being developed in Samoa.

f) The regional code of logging practice developed for Pacific Island countries in 1994/1995 has been emulated by a similar exercise for the Asian countries in 1996/1997 through FAO and AusAID.

g) Owing mainly to the land tenure system, apart from the planting of mahogany in Fiji and limited forest plantation activities on government land in other countries, no post-logging silvicultural operations are carried out.

h) There is a need for continued development of timber plantations of native and exotic species to meet domestic (and export) timber demands and reduce pressure on native forests.

i) Nutrient deficiencies are widespread in tropical plantations and often limit growth without foliar symptoms being readily observed.

and recommended that,

The local studies of mangrove forests done at Kosrae should be extended and generalised to other areas in the Pacific.

The value of the indirect benefits of mangroves, such as ecosystem services, should be investigated to allow their full economic worth to be assessed.

Mangrove forests should be managed to ensure that suitable habitat is maintained for fish and crabs, and the continuation of ecosystem services, such as shoreline protection and sediment trapping.

In the conservation of mangroves, the most important role for forestry and agroforestry agencies is to provide strong leadership to bring together agencies and organisations from all sectors (including environmental protection, marine resources, and public works) to create public awareness of the importance of the mangroves and assist in mobilizing both human and financial resources to promote an integrated approach to manage the mangrove resources.

Silvicultural research and management programmes should be sufficiently flexible and adaptable to include native species newly recognised as having economic potential.

A regional review of Codes of Logging Practice should be conducted to see if they are being followed in the field.

A regional program on sustainable forest management, including the development of methods for the rehabilitation of logged areas and addressing forest certification issues, should be initiated. The PIF&TSP is urged to initiate steps in this direction.

Island countries must initiate and continue forest plantation programs to reduce pressures on natural forest resources.

A regional program should be initiated to develop methods for the afforestation of grassland areas.

Each country should periodically review inventories, growth & yield analyses, and research and management recommendations to bring allowable annual cuts, timber lease agreements and silvicultural prescriptions in line with sustainable forest management.

Research on the silviculture of native species, including conditions for natural regeneration, fertilization, and growth rates, should be incorporated into the SPRIG or ACIAR programme.

Sub-theme 6: Forest genetic resources

The meeting noted that,

a) Forest genetic resources are a major and under-utilised asset of the South Pacific and their conservation, evaluation and improvement for economic and environmental benefit must be a fundamental component of sustainable development and poverty alleviation in the region.

b) Many Pacific Island countries have ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity and are actively implementing their commitments under this Convention. These commitments will have major implications for the conservation of forest genetic resources.

c) There are tree species endemic to the Pacific that are relatively unknown as commercial species but that have highly desirable characteristics including fast growth and cyclone resistance; examples include Endospermum medullosum and Terminalia richii.

d) Considerable variation in economically important attributes, such as tree form and oil composition, exists at species and provenance level of Santalum.

e) Conservation of genetic diversity is essential for the maintainance of ecological integrity and resiliency from environmental stress and disturbance.

f) Invasive pest species (plants, animals, insects and diseases) are a threat to isolated high island ecosystems, due to these islands’ relatively small numbers of native species and the lack of competitive mechanisms in many endemic species.

g) Little information in a readily accessible form is available on species that are presently or potentially invasive in Pacific Island countries; several regional and international initiatives have begun to gather information about invasive species.

h) It is difficult to assess the invasiveness of many non-native species. Plant invasions are often characterized by long periods when little or no natural regeneration is observed, followed by a rapid expansion phase that occurs very suddenly.

i) Eradication of naturalized species is a very difficult and expensive task.

and recommended that,

R6.1 Many of the activities conducted under SPRIG, such as institutional strengthening, evaluation of tree genetic resources, tree improvement, and provision of benefits to communities, are of a longer-term nature and need support beyond the present 3-year pilot phase.

R6.2 SPRIG’s activities should be extended more widely in the region, through greater networking and sharing of technologies, information and genetic materials, and development of parallel activities in more countries. Planting materials for atolls should be included.

R6.3 Recognising the numerous threats to forest genetic resources, a Pacific Sub-regional action plan for forest genetic resources should be developed, based on national action plans, as a matter of urgency; the proposed “Pacific Sub-regional Workshop on the Conservation and Use of Forest & Tree Genetic Resources” (to be held in April 1999 in Apia, Samoa) is strongly supported and endorsed.

R6.4 The proposed sub-regional workshop on forest genetic resources should include as a topic risk analysis and risk management of introductions of new species and genotypes.

R6.5 Management decisions affecting forest and tree resources should consider their effect on genetic resources and diversity of species’ genetic bases.

R6.6 Where possible, priority should be given to in situ methods of genetic conservation of native species, over ex situ methods.

R6.7 Caution should be used in the exchange and dispersal of species and varieties that may hybridize with or displace local species and varieties, resulting in homogenization or loss of diversity of local gene pools.

R6.8 Non-native species that may become invasive weed problems should not be introduced.

R6.9 Identified weed problems should be addressed with financial and technical assistance in a timely manner when and if eradication is still feasible.

R6.10 The efforts of SPREP, USDA Invasive Species Taskforce in the Pacific, and the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) are endorsed and supported; co-ordination and cooperation between different initiatives should be continued and enhanced, and a Pacific-wide data base of information on invasive species should be compiled as soon as is practical.

R6.11 SPREP, USDA, and IUCN (ISSG) should jointly conduct training for Pacific Island foresters, quarantine officers, and other individuals and organizations, in the recognition, exclusion, eradication, and control of invasive species.

R6.12 Forestry agencies, in collaboration with national environmental agencies, should plan and implement activities related to the conservation of forest genetic resources, both under the Convention on Biological Diversity and national action plans to implement this Convention, and the Sub-Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of Forest Genetic Resources to be formulated in the near future.

Sub-theme 7: Climate change and carbon-offset incentives

The meeting recognizes, and is sensitive to the fact, that international inter-governmental negotiations on climate change, which involve Pacific Island nations, are taking place. The meeting notes that a wide range of international, regional and national considerations will be taken into account in the formulation of national and regional positions in these negotiations, including ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and details of the operation of flexibility mechanisms.

In this context, the meeting noted that,

a) In the Pacific region, the natural variability of weather patterns and sea level strongly affects the economy, environment, and socio-cultural sectors of Pacific people and countries.

b) The combined effect of greenhouse gas-induced climate change and sea level rise can contribute to coastal erosion/land loss, flooding, salinization, and intrusion of saltwater in the groundwater. The quality and quantity of available water supplies can affect agricultural activities, production and human health. Any changes in ocean circulation and upwelling could affect the fish populations and catch. Tourism, a very important economic activity in the Pacific, could be affected by beach erosion, loss of land and degraded reef ecosystems as well as changes in the seasonal patterns of rainfall.

c) Small changes of climate have substantial impact on forests, forest cover and composition. Plant species associations and their locations are expected to change. Some might be more exposed to fire and become more vulnerable to invasion of exotics; other communities may have increased productivity.

d) The carbon (C) cycle is a complicated mechanism that is not yet clearly understood, particularly concerning soil C retention and the relationship to ocean C sinks. Despite uncertainties about the C cycle and climate change, action is desirable.

e) A carbon offset is an action that is specifically taken to remove carbon dioxide from or reduce its release to the atmosphere. Carbon-offset forestry projects must ensure long-term C storage through appropriate cultural, legal and forest management mechanisms.

f) Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) and potential Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) markets can be financial opportunities for forest-related activities. The international agreements regulating carbon offsets are currently being developed.

g) There is uncertainty over the extent to which forest management activities will be allowable under the proposed CDM. This relates to the inclusion of forest “C sink” projects overall, and particularly to the inclusion of forest conservation, protected area and management projects. This will be further clarified at the Conference of Parties 4 in Buenos Aires in November 1998. Precluding sinks from the proposed CDM may eliminate a potentially important mechanism for investment in forest projects.

h) Political and industrial interest in the potential CDM market is high and increasing. Development of carbon offset projects during the last four years has been rather slow, given that this is an experimental phase and the funds available are limited.

i) Costa Rica is a leading country in the implementation of carbon offset initiatives; with strong political commitment, they have been successful in arresting deforestation and increasing forest cover. The application of economic instruments has provided incentives to the resource owners, inducing them to conserve and replant forests.

j) The FACE (Forests for Absorbing Carbon-dioxide Emissions) Foundation has been investing in afforestation programs in different continents. FACE may be interested in investing in projects in the Pacific region to achieve its targets.

k) Important criteria for carbon offset projects are consistency with government priorities, monitoring and verification protocols, community involvement, cost/benefit ratios, national UNFCCC focal point support, and reliable teaming partners.

l) Pacific islands may be at a disadvantage for inclusion in potential CDM projects because of their small size and dispersed geographic distribution.

m) There have been limited requests to the HoFs to participate in their national governments’ UNFCCC negotiations with AOSIS.

and recommended that,

R7.1 Research on the linkages between climate change, short- and long-term climate variability, and impacts should be carried out in order to provide practical recommendations for the people of the Pacific islands.

R7.2 Pacific Island Countries need to identify and develop strategies to monitor and where possible mitigate the impacts of short- and long-term climate variability.

R7.3 Integrated Coastal Management at a national and community level should be pursued; it is an adaptation strategy that would be beneficial even without climate change.

R7.4 The PICCAP training package should be extended to cover biodiversity and other environmental matters, in additional geographical areas. The training programme should be integrated into USP or appropriate Island Institutions.

R7.5 Workshops (national and regional) should be held to increase awareness and understanding of climate change, AIJ and CDM, and their implications for the Pacific Islands forests and trees sector.

R7.6 An important goal under the FCCC should be the full accounting of carbon in the land use change, forestry and conservation sector.

R7.7 Additional research and policy studies should be conducted on the effects of Reduced-Impact Logging on the carbon cycle; eligibility of RIL for carbon-offset programs; and adjustment of compensation as RIL and other improved practices become standard practice.

R7.8 The PIF&TSP should seek donor funding for at least six foresters and planners from PICs to visit Costa Rica to learn about their experience with the use of economic instruments to provide incentives to resource owners for forest conservation and reforestation, bioprospecting, and other initiatives.

R7.9 HoFs should actively participate in national task forces that have been convened by SPREP to provide AOSIS/national government UNFCCC negotiators with input on CDM and the forestry issue.

R7.10 The PIF&TSP should continue with its efforts to develop carbon-offset and related initiatives for Pacific Island countries.

Sub-theme 8: Forest certification

The meeting noted that,

a) Third-party certification is a voluntary, commercially-driven activity entered into by forest owners and managers.

b) Certification of forest products is a potential tool leading to sustainable forest management; however, it is not clear that changes are being made in forest management practices as a consequence of competition from certified products.

c) Certified timber should have a higher value due to market demand; however, it is still a niche market, and studies by ITTO and others have shown that there is still no significant price premium for certified timber. This means that the producer has to carry the cost of certification.

d) The cost of certification is currently high, as it requires that a certifier from outside the Pacific region travel to the operation to be certified. Costs per hectare or per unit of wood produced are especially high since primarily small operations are currently seeking to be certified.

e) There is a proposal by some NGOs to establish regional forest certification capacity.

and recommended that,

R8.1 The economics of certification should be further studied.

R8.2 The alternative certification systems (e.g. by the Forest Stewardship Council [FSC], International Standards Organisation [ISO] International Tropical Timber Organisation [ITTO]) should be assessed, and the most appropriate approach pursued by the Pacific region.

R8.3 Regional capacity for certification should be developed, to reduce costs to certifiable Pacific islands operations.

R8.4 Sustainable forest management should be approached in a holistic form at the

national level (encompassing policy, large-scale resource management and conservation, and a continuous improvement process). Certification of small forest areas using international standards and certifiers is secondary to holistic national efforts.

See also the Forests and Trees Support Programme

[1] Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) / United Nations Development Programme / Australian Agency for International Development / United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

Ministerial Conference on

Environment and Development

Heads of Forestry | government partnerships | community partnerships | sustainable development | reduced impact | mangroves | genetic resources | carbon offsets | forest certification

Last updated: May 18, 2000.