FAO Forestry country profiles - forest management

Objectives

Management objectives for the forests of the FSM vary between states. In general, however, governmental management of the forest lands is aimed at maintaining or enhancing their ecological and environmental protection roles rather than exploiting their commercial potential. There has been a marked shift toward community-based forest management in the wake of the failed implementation of the Pohnpei Watershed Forest Reserve, the 1987 Mangrove Protection Act and the consequential realization that people¿s participation is necessary for effective forest management. A National Environmental Management Strategy was prepared under the guidance of a Presidential Taskforce on Environmental Management and Sustainable Development in 1991. This strategy reviews the resources of the FSM and prescribes 18 action strategies and 39 associated programmes. Priority areas for action included: institution building, policy making, programme development and training. A Second National Development Plan that identifies the priority areas for forestry, including training in the management of forest resources and farmer assistance in agroforestry reforestation, was introduced in 1994.