FAO Forestry country profiles - forest management

Trends

The principal forest management trends in Tonga relate mainly to ongoing pressures on natural forests, and the establishment of forest plantations as an alternative wood source. The few accessible parts of the country that are still forested continue to dwindle due to demands for agricultural land, building and handicraft materials, and fuelwood. Fuelwood collected from large hardwood trees remains the main source of energy in Tonga, but natural hardwood forests supply an ever-decreasing part of domestic fuel requirements and future fuelwood shortages are a concern. The establishment of Eua National Park and the development of Forest Conservation Agreements show clear evidence of a major shift in commitment to forest conservation. Efforts to establish a commercially viable plantation estate and promote agroforestry support these trends.

Promotion of sustainable forest management

Tonga has implemented a number of relatively small-scale programmes that promote sustainable forest management. These include the establishment of the ¿Eua National Park and plantation establishment programmes mentioned above. Other initiatives include the development of a National Agroforestry Programme, a Watershed Areas Management Programme on ¿Eua and a Coastal Protection and Rehabilitation Project on Tongatapu. A number of other forestry projects are being implemented with bilateral or multilateral donor assistance. Forestry and extension awareness programmes are carried out by Forestry Division and Agricultural Officers as part of the National Agroforestry Programme. This promotes tree planting through agroforestry and has raised awareness of the role and contribution of forests and trees to the sustainable development of agriculture.