Forest Certification in Solomon Islands

Wairiu, Morgan (2006) Forest Certification in Solomon Islands. In: Confronting Sustainability: Forest Certification in Developing and Transitioning Countries. Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, USA, pp. 137-162. ISBN 0-9707882-5-8

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Abstract

A systematic assessment of the role and effects of forest certification in Solomon Islands was carried out from January to May 2004. It was conducted through review of literature and interviews with various stakeholders involved both directly and indirectly in forest certification. Only a few NGOs supported through external funding are promoting forest certification among landowners at a time when unsustainable commercial logging of forest resources of Solomon Islands is the major economic activity. Although certification is market driven, NGOs see it as an additional tool for implementing sustainable forest harvesting by landowners. NGOs’ pro-certification programs target landowners and village communities because they own 90% of the total forestland area in the country through customary tenure. NGOs have invested time and resources in training and building the capacity of selected landowner operations for certification. However, adoption of and compliance with certification standards by landowners has been slow. There is limited awareness or knowledge of forest certification among responsible authorities and decision makers. Consequently, policy change towards forest certification at the national level and government support for its implementation at the community level will take a long time. Certification has had very little effect at the provincial and national government level, or on the forestry industry at large. KFPL is currently the only FSC-certified commercial forest plantation in the country. Areas under commercial forest plantations are small. The major players in the forestry industry in Solomon Islands are the logging companies and SIG, and none of them are directly involved in certification. Domestic support for certification will require donor funding, international markets, and commitment from international and local NGOs and government agencies. Moreover, to raise interest in forest certification there must firm commitment from the government to promote sustainable forest harvesting

Item Type:	Book Chapter
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SD Forestry
Divisions:	Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PACE-SD)
Depositing User:	Fulori Nainoca - Waqairagata
Date Deposited:	03 Mar 2017 02:44
Last Modified:	03 Mar 2017 02:44
URI:	http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/9642

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