4.1. National forest policy
4.2. Laws and others rules
4.3. Institutions involved in FGR
Laws of conservational nature were enacted in 1901, 1908 and 1917. They placed the full custody of the forests on the government to avoid the misuse of the genetic resources. Wood harvesting was limited to species that are sure to regenerate naturally like Acacia nilotica. Creation of forest reserves was started in 1923 and tree harvesting for commercial use was confined these reserves.
The Governor of Sudan issued the first forest policy statement. This defined the role and relationship between the states and the central government. It called for the reservation of 15% of the area of the country as forest. It also emphasized importance of conservation of the forest germplasm.
The policies and laws evolved and changed with the country political changes but mainly remained with conservational nature. The latest policy revision was issued in 1986 with a prime objective of reserving and developing the forest resources. The policy raised the goal of forest reserves to 20% of the country area. Accordingly, new forest laws were enacted in 1989 to enforce the new policies. Item 17 of the law gave the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry the right to ban the cutting of any tree spp. that is endangered or requiring some special attention. Several directives were issued to protect the following tree species and banning their cutting: Acacia senegal (if density is more than 50%), Balanites aegyptiaca, Commiphora africana, Dablergia melanoxylon, Hyphaene thebaica; Salvadora persica (roots), Sclerocarya birrea and Sterculia setigera.
A new policy was formulated in 1997 due to national changes and the international agreements especially the Rio declaration in 1992. The policy calls for:
Sudan attended UNCED in Rio in 1992 and signed the conventions on biological control and agreement on climate. In 1994 it also signed the convention to combat desertification. The country is committed to abide by those conventions.
The ministry of Agriculture and Forestry: Forest National Corporation (FNC)
Conservation of the forestry resources and consequently that of the forest genetic resources as carried by the Forest National Corporation (FNC) as part of the ministry. The FNC is the custodian of the country forest resources by law and it evolved through the past years. In 1901 the Woods and Forests Department was created as a pioneer governmental institution. Its major objective was to supply fuelwood for the steamers and first forest laws were then enacted. Then it developed into a Forest Department that observed conservational measures. Tree planting was effected using indigenous and exotic species. Important species introduced included Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus spp., and Azadirachta indica between 1919 and 1934. Reservation of forests started in 1923.
The Forest Department evolved into the Forests National Corporation (FNC), which is a parastatal body in 1989. The FNC is technically responsible for all forests in the Sudan and is responsible for the protection of forest areas adjacent to the desert, watercourses and streams and watersheds. It shares the forestry administrative responsibilities of other forests with the 26 State governments. The FNC provide technical assistance to local communities managing village and communal forests and to companies, organizations and individuals running private forests. Also, the FNC is responsible for the forest in the national parks, which are managed by the Wildlife Department.
The Native or Tribal Administration aided the Forest authorities in conservation of forests. The Native Administration backed by the laws and using its own local wisdom has been very instrumental in tree conservation.
