FAO Forestry country profiles - forest management

Management plans

The Vanuatu Country Report to the 1996 Pacific Heads of Forestry Meeting notes that the development of forest management plans is a major issue for the medium term. At present, however, preparation of forest management plans is voluntary and covers only small areas of forests. For example, the Fasak Community Forestry Project Timber Company is being run under a forest management plan, which will enable timber to be sold internationally as certified eco-timber. The Code of Logging Practice for Vanuatu requires compliance with a number of forest management conditions relating to harvesting. For example, all harvesting must be carried out in accordance with an approved coupe harvesting plan. For some forestry development projects, the Department of Forestry may require a Memorandum of Agreement and/or an Environmental Impact Assessment depending on the project being proposed. The Environment Unit has also promulgated a set of special guidelines for use in development planning in Vanuatu.