Forests and tree resources are an integral part of land use within Pacific Island countries. However, many of the forest resources have been depleted through agricultural clearing and unsustainable harvesting practices. The adoption of sustainable forest management practices has the potential to substantially improve the environmental, social and economic benefits that forests and trees can bring to landowners and communities.
This project, Capacity Building Towards Effective Implementation of Sustainable Forest Management Practices in Fiji, Tonga and Niue, seeks to enhance the capacity of forest owners, forest users and governments to manage the forests of Fiji, Tonga and Niue in a sustainable manner through improved strategies and mechanisms for the effective implementation, enforcement, monitoring and reporting of outcomes under forest management plans and codes of logging practice. The project is supported by the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet) and the Pacific Community (SPC).
The objective of the project is to enhance the capacity for sustainable forest management in Fiji, Tonga and Niue, through-
1. The development of a national forest management plan (FMP) for Tonga and the completion of the national FMP for Niue
2. The development of strategies and mechanisms for effective implementation of the FMPs and codes of forest practices in Tonga, Fiji and Niue
3. The development of mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the FMPs and codes of forest practices in Tonga, Fiji and Niue.