Forestry operations, monitoring targeted for improvement
-part of sustainable development plan

Georgetown, GINA, October 03, 2007.

Government remains committed to sustainable forestry development and is giving attention to the introduction of modern and improved technology to timber extraction and monitoring activities.
            It is recognised that most of the existing methods used to harvest forest resources and conduct monitoring of these activities are outdated by more advanced technology such as portable sawmills and computerised bar-coding systems.
Government through the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) is working to encourage these advanced techniques among forestry stakeholders as part of its vision for more growth in the forest sector.
            During a recent visit to Orealla, Region Six, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud witnessed directional felling of a tree which is being promoted under GFC’s Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) or Low Impact Logging (LIM) programme.
The activity was held as part of Agriculture Month 2007 which is being observed under the theme ‘The Right to Food- A Reality in Guyana.’
Directional felling involves identification of the tree to be harvested and establishment of a skid- trail in a manner that will minimize the impact of vehicles for the extraction process.
The RIL programme is offered at the Forestry Training Centre (FTC) and provides stakeholders with knowledge on directional felling and other activities, including identification of trees to be harvested. Employers in the forestry sector are being encouraged to utilise the training opportunities.
            Additionally, small loggers associations are being urged to invest in the use of portable saw mills to ensure maximum utilisation of forest products and reduce the level of wastage.
            At present, most timber extraction is done with the use of chain saws. Through GFC’s Social Development Programme, several small loggers associations have been assisted in acquiring portable sawmills.
           Efforts are being made to introduce the technology to other communities especially in Amerindian reservations where State forests are made available for utilisation by residents.
           At Orealla, villagers were urged to invest in the portable mill to ensure further development of the 19, 000 acres of forest granted to them under a State Forest Permit (SFP).
           The GFC is also working to integrate a computerised bar-coding system into the existing national tracking system. This technology, which is being used in many South American countries, including neighbouring Brazil, targets the use of modern devices to combat illegal logging activities.
           It will enable the GFC to better monitor production of logs and other timber products extracted from a particular location and make it easier to track the volume/quantity of products harvested from the forest.
        Over the years, GFC has made significant investments to continuously improve its monitoring capabilities through which focus has been placed on establishment of more forest monitoring stations to complement the existing 21 located countrywide.  
     The forestry sector contributes about six percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employs about 25 000 persons and plays a key role in the country’s development, particularly in the rural and hinterland communities where forestry activities generate income for many households and contribute to the national economy.

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