The Chainsaw Milling Multi-Stakeholder Project began with a local partnership between the Forestry Training Centre Inc, and Iwokrama, with support from Tropenbos in the Netherlands to educate chainsaw operators and millers about best practices in harvesting forest products. Tropenbos International is a non-governmental tropical forest research organisation.
The goal of the project is to sensitize the millers about these practices so they can utilize the whole log and adopt the best practices to become more efficient and ultimately this would lead to the cutting down of fewer trees.
Under this project several consultations will be held in three main target areas – Ituni, Orealla and Annai – in Region Nine. Already a meeting was held at Annai and another is planned for June in Ituni.
Non-timber craft products
Linden Duncan, the Community Forestry Worker based in Ituni, disclosed that some 20 women, mostly homemakers, are committed to a training programme that enables them to make non-timber craft products. The women are a part of the Women in Action Group that was formed last year as a result of the chainsaw milling project. So far the items made by the women are sold and exhibited in and outside of the community.
Chainsaw operator Glen Naipaul whose wife is part of the group, says his family is now benefiting from an alternative source of income as a result of the craft products his wife makes and sells.
He explained that he and other operators will retrieve non-timber forest products such as nibbi, ‘kufa’ and cockrite seeds, which the women use to make baskets, curtains and chairs, among other craft products.
He said that at present he would not stop harvesting logs totally, but he has become more knowledgeable about other ways to profit from the forest.
Project Coordinator Rohini Kerrett, who is located at the Forestry Training Centre, Kingston, said that they are particularly targeting chainsaw millers but there are plans to widen the target area to deal with issues surrounding sawmilling.
He noted that the community forestry component is exploring other means of a livelihood, similar to what is being done by the Women in Action Group. She also pointed out that the aim is to gear the chainsaw operators and millers towards better forest management practices while promoting other opportunities for a livelihood.
In addition, during the two-day consultation sessions held under the project, those attending have a dialogue session where the stakeholders can raise whatever questions they have and on the second day a practical demonstration exercise is held.
Meanwhile, the agriculture equipment firm Farfan and Mendes has participated in the practical demonstrations to show the millers the best practices to ensure the maximum use of the timber they harvest and alternative machinery is also inspected.
