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

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forest certification in developing and transitioning countries
fined or prosecuted. Area Forest Managers take the lead in implementation of forest
activities in place of DFOs in the new NFA structure. Under the NFA timber tracking
initiatives piloted at Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve, area managers, sector managers
and field supervisors have specific codes on their stamps defining the forest zone,
supervisor, and forest codes on top of the block, species and licensee codes. Four
classes are used to charge royalties of trees that are felled in a forest or plantation
(Table 2).
Table 2
Timber classes used to charge royalty in Uganda
Class Royalty (U Shs M -3 ) Examples of Tree Species
1A 100,000/= Elgon teak (Olea capensis)
Mahoganies (Entandrophragama spp ie E. utile, E.
cylindricum, E. angolense, E. excelsum, Khaya spp. i.e.
K. anthotheca & K. grandifoliola),
Nkoba (Lovoa trichilioides)
Mvule (Milicia excelsa)
1B 45,000/= Cordia sp.
2 28,100/= Musizi (Maesopsis eminii)
Musambya (Markhamia lutea)
3 17,000/= Eucalyptus spp, Antiaris toxicaria
The classification is based on the scarcity of species, mechanical properties, and
the rotation time. The royalties for threatened species are hiked to encourage use of
alternatives. However, royalties are not paid for the timber that is sourced from
private land. Moreover, registered timber dealers desire that the timber-monitoring
unit becomes more effective to ensure price stability. Prices are normally unstable
mainly due to illegal timber trade.
Applications (by saw millers) for licenses to harvest are addressed to the Minister
of Water, Lands, and Environment, who then forwards them for consideration by the
Licensing Committee in the Ministry. Approved applications are given licenses on
payment of a statutory fee. The license has conditions, which the licensee accepts by
signing. The conditions cover legal, technical, administrative and social aspects that
deal with responsible harvesting and conversion of timber. A copy of the license is
sent to the AFM, who in turn gives copies to the district leaders. The license is
normally valid for one year subject to revision unless the licensee contravenes the
conditions of the license and the law established. Harvesting in natural high forests is
done by pit-sawing. At present, there is only one sawmill (Budongo saw mill)
operating in natural forest harvesting, mainly Cynometra alexandrii for floor
parquets. Its operation is at a very small scale. The same licensing procedure used in
sawmilling applies to the pit sawyer except that the pit sawyers apply through the
Local Council authorities. Pit sawyers provide timber for industries.
Sometimes saw millers are licensed to plant trees. Nileply is a big company that
makes plywood and flash doors. The company has also planted its own trees,
yale school of forestry & environmental studies