FAO Forestry country profiles - legislation

Kiribati

Forestry legislation

Kiribati has no forestry-specific legislation, although a number of regulations affect forestry development. At the most basic level, the Constitution of Kiribati states that, the natural resources of Kiribati are vested in the people and their Government. This is reinforced by the 1956 Native Lands Ordinance, which holds that native land cannot be alienated, though it can be sold to the state, local government councils, or a variety of state-owned organizations. Forest management is primarily regulated by the Local Government Act of 1984, which gives town councils the power to initiate by-laws to regulate the establishment and control of tree nurseries, forests and woodlands, as well as oversee areas and methods of tree planting and the destruction of vegetation in public places. Kiribati¿s legal basis for nature conservation is the 1975 Wildlife Conservation Ordinance, which makes provision for the declaration of wildlife sanctuaries. The 1957 Prohibited Areas Ordinance also contains provisions for setting aside areas for conservation. These Ordinances, however, do not provide much protection for forests and vegetation, which may be cleared without contravention, unless such areas are also declared Closed Areas. A Recreational Reserves Act of 1996 establishes additional provisions for the declaration of recreational reserves.