SUMMARY

A Brief on the Forestry Outlook Study

by

Michel Jacques de Ker Sauzon

Assistant Director of Forestry

Ministry of Environment and Transport

PO Box 445, Mahé, Seychelles

Fax: 248-22 45 00

[email protected]; [email protected]

The forestry sector is generally perceived as marginal. The sectoral GDP contribution, including wood industries, is no more than 0.4%. However, the indirect economic and environmental benefits of the sector are considerable.

Institutional Framework

The Forestry Section of the Division of Environment under the Ministry of Environment and transport is responsible for the controlling and management of the forest resources of the country. The Forestry Section has been mainly concentrated on production forestry and plantation establishment. The trend has now moved to forest management of conservation areas.

There is a forest policy document but the main policy framework is provided by the Environmental Management Plan of Seychelles and the National Land Use Plan. There are several acts and ordinances regulating forestry. However, part of the legislation is outdated or has not been ever enforced. For example, not a single forest reserve has been gazetted which effectively prevents the enforcement of respective legislation.

It is recommended that the forests of Mahé, Praslin, Curieuse, La Digue and Silhouette be classified in four zones and managed according the following management objectives:

ha

• Biodiversity Zones Conservation of biodiversity 2,050

• Catchment/ Conservation of water, soil and 6,420

Biodiversity Zones biodiversity

• Catchment/ Conservation of water and soil, 5,730

Production Zones and production

• Production Zones Production of wood and non-wood 520

forest products

Total 14,720

Based on the proposed economic and environmental objectives and respective forest sector priorities, the following strategic guidelines are proposed:

Define clear forest policy and improve and make use of legislation.

Improve the planning, coordination and monitoring capacities of the forest administration.

Promote formal education, on-the-job training, and short courses on special subjects.

Mobilise human resources also outside the Forestry Section.

Build up revenue sources for financial sustainability.

Promote tree growing outside forests.

Re-orient nurseries to produce more seedlings of indigenous species.

Support the crafts, sawmilling and other industries using wood and non-wood raw materials.

Participate actively in regional cooperation programmes.

Respective development programme is proposed to be implemented. The emphasis is on sustainable management and conservation of the various forest zones, and on institutional strengthening, particularly human resources development. The development programme is divided into 5 main programmes with 15 sub-programmes:

Conservation of Biodiversity:

- Integrated Management of Biodiversity Zones

- Propagation of Endemic Trees and Ex Situ Conservation

Conservation of Soil and Water Resources:

- Integrated Management of Catchment Zones

- Protection of River Reserves

Production of Forest Products:

- Management of Production Zones

- Management of Trees Outside Forests

- Sawmilling

- Carpentry and Crafts Industries

- Non-wood Forest Products

Forest Protection:

- Forest Fire Contingency Plan

Strengthening of Institutions:

- Forest Policy and Legislation

- Forest Administration

- Human Resource Development

- Financing

- Monitoring, Information Systems, Research and Planning