A two-day regional workshop aimed at promoting sustainable chainsaw milling in the Guiana Shield/Caribbean got underway yesterday at the Regency Suites Hotel, with the importance of the sector being underscored but a warning also that recovery rates need to be improved.
The European Union-funded project called “Towards sustainable chainsaw milling in Ghana and Guyana” aims to reduce the level of conflict and illegality associated with chainsaw milling.” Guyana and Ghana have been identified as the two pilot countries for the programme. The project focuses on the role of multi-stakeholder dialogue as a mechanism to reduce conflict, adjust perceptions of the nature of the problems and create shared views of solutions among stakeholders. This dialogue is supported by analysis and research that help to identify and accept the issues surrounding chainsaw lumbering and reduce the controversies.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud delivered the feature address at the opening ceremony and commended the initiative as he underscored the importance of this sector to the country, especially as it generated economic and social benefits.
Chainsaw lumber production locally is a significant part of the output from the forestry sector, Persaud said. In 2000, the production was about 28,800 cubic metres while last year it reached 67,000 cubic metres.
He also said the sector provided several opportunities for employment. Persaud also pointed out that there were 27 community logging associations in Guyana, which he said formed an important part of small and medium-size operators, within the country.
He said that Guyana has an “internationally proven track record of sound, sustainable management.” According to him, chainsaw milling has been addressed at several levels in terms of policy and operational aspect.
The Minister said that chainsaw milling at the policy level is allowed in Guyana and its existence is supported by the necessary institutional framework to permit and regulate its use.” He pointed out that the forum was even more important given Guyana’s thrust on finalizing a low-carbon development strategy which the country intends to advance for wide international support. This type of forest activity has a significant bearing on the strategy since it supports rural and hinterland livelihoods for many and at the same time can have various environmental and social impacts, he explained. He emphasised that the government was not going to compromise the livelihoods of its citizens as it sought to implement the strategy.
“The policy objective of chainsaw milling is to ensure that there is a working framework where the goal of attaining economic and social benefits does not contravene environmental sustainability and sound forestry management”, he said.
Meanwhile, Persaud pointed out that the sector faced serious challenges. He said that the recovery level overall was lower than expected and identified the need for capacity building in the use and maintenance of chainsaws. He acknowledged that “while some efforts have been made in the past involving the use of guides to enhance recovery, more still needs to be done to increase recovery, execute better practices and decrease the level of wastage generated.” Persaud also acknowledged that more needed to be done in increasing safety standards to protect operators, and he pointed out that occasionally there are reports of persons being injured or even killed when engaged in chainsaw milling.
The Minister said that chainsaw use for logging activity has to be approved by the Guyana Forestry Commis-sion through a licensing process and the body is contemplating that operators have to be certified as part of this process.
Ambassador of the European Commission Delegation, Geert Heikens said that the project makes available significant resources for the improvement of forest governance in Guyana and Ghana. He explained that the support is part of a global effort by the European Union towards promoting the sustainable use of the environment. He said that $600 million has been poured into this initiative.
The Ambassador explained that the European Union adapted its Environment Integration Strategy which seeks to integrate the environment with development. He added that in 2006, the European Union developed another programme to target the environment and sustainable management of natural resources including energy.
Ambassador Heikens identified this year as being crucial in terms of advancing climate change initiatives, and said preparations are being made for the Copenhagen conference.
He said that the European Commission was looking towards facilitating a fair, comprehensive and effective climate change agreement in Copenhagen.
Persaud, in his address , commended the EC for the support the body gives to climate change and the forestry sector. He also expressed his hope that in Copenhagen, bold and decisive action in mitigating and supporting adaption work for climate change will see the European Union undertaking an agreement that will see deep cuts in emissions and which will provide tangible resources to help in the adaptation.
Meanwhile, Heikens also expressed the desire that the discussions coming out of this workshop would lead to better forestry governance within the region.
The project is a collaborative effort between Tropenbos International, the Forestry Training Centre, and the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development.
The attendees at yesterday’s workshop were also addressed by Dr Roderick Zagt , a representative from Tropenbos and a statement was read by Deputy Commissioner of Forests, Edward Goberdhan on behalf of Commissioner James Singh.
