Forest Certification in Developing and Transitioning ... - UTas ePrints

forest certification in papua new guinea
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Forest Certification in Papua
New Guinea
Yati Bun* and Israel Bewang**
abstract
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), 97 percent of the land and forest resources are customary
owned and constitute some of the most important assets that sustain livelihoods. As
a result, people have a direct relationship with both.
With the introduction of commercial logging, landowners have been marginalized
in decision-making concerning their forest resources. Forest resource owners continue
to have to deal with the negative consequences of decisions made by others. While
such individuals are interested in forest certification because they think it can be a
solution to the ongoing problems related to large-scale logging, they do not have the
economic, technical and resource capacity to undertake it. The high cost of forest
certification precludes implementation in PNG, meaning that forest management that
is economically viable, socially beneficial and environmentally sound cannot be
achieved using this tool.
The Papua New Guinea Government, through the National Forest Authority’s
administrative arm, the National Forest Service, is aware of certification, but most
large-scale logging companies show no interest. These companies can be attracted to
certification if there is a price premium, market demand, and the costs of getting
certified are affordable. There is a need too for greater publicity about forest
certification so that stakeholders can make an informed choice. Forest certification in
PNG will require continued assistance if it is to promote change from unscrupulous
forest management to improved certified practices. Medium- and small-scale
producers are very interested in FSC forest certification and are working on it; only
community-managed forests are certified in PNG.
* Yati Bun, M.F.M.
Executive Director Foundation
for People and Community
Development Inc (FPCD) P.O.
Box 5134, Boroko, NCD, Papua
New Guinea
yabun@datec.net.pg
** Israel Bewang, B.F.S.
Forest Certification Officer
Foundation for People and
Community Development Inc.
(FPCD) P.O. Box 297,
MADANG 511, Saidor District,
Madang Province,
Papua New Guinea
ifbewang@fpcd.org.pg
yale school of forestry & environmental studies