FAO Forestry country profiles - legislation

Cook Islands

Forestry legislation

The Cook Islands have no specific forestry legislation to provide for the management and protection of forests. There is, however, a range of by-laws on the individual islands that provide protection against fire damage, in addition to a 1957 Native Timber Preservation Ordinance, although this is inadequate for practical forest management or conservation purposes. The Conservation Act of 1988 provides a framework for conservation activities in the Cook Islands, although it also provides little effective protection for forests. The 1995 Rarotonga Environment Act caters for protection of the environment on the islands of Rarotonga and Aitutaki.