Objective: To Achieve Sustainable Forest Management at all Levels of Forest Utilization.
The following are list of activities and utilization procedures that are currently implemented to manage and control certain types of practices in commercial forest areas where utilization activities are conducted. Main activities are:
- Monitor sandalwood harvesting and quotas
- Monitor sandalwood harvesting and quotas
- Train forest operators
- Issue sandalwood and timber licences
- Produce quarterly and monthly reports
Administration of Forestry Utilization
Foreign Logging Companies :| 1. | Foreign companies indicate interest in logging the forest of Vanuatu through VIPA (Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority) |
| 2. | On VIPA’s approval, they can issue an investment certificate to the foreign company. |
| 3. | VIPA informs relevant departments such as Forestry, Environment and Lands to facilitate the foreign company’s interest. |
| 4. | The Department of Forest submits to the company the Application to Negotiate form. |
| 5. | The application form is completed by the company and submitted to the Forestry Board for their consideration and approval or non approval. |
| 6. | If negotiation form is approved by the forestry board then a certificate to negotiate is granted and issued to the company. The company then pays to the Forestry Board a fee of one million. |
| 7. | The company has now the legal rights to conduct negotiations with the Provincial Government, chives, communities and individual land owners of particular forested areas. |
| 8. | Company informs the Forestry Board about the landowners who have resources like timber, quarry and other important resources that could be utilized during the logging operation. |
| 9. | The investigation officer from the department is dispatched into the area to conduct investigation and identify the indigenous groups of landowners who have indicated selling their rights to the company. |
| 10. | The Investigation Officer documents the indigenous groupings and submits to the Forestry Board for approval. |
| 11. | If the board approves the landowner groupings, the investigation officer is once more sent to the site to conduct the signing of the Timber Rights Agreement between individual landowners and the company. |
| 12. | This then is submitted to the board for their approval. |
| 13. | After the approval the board releases a public statement on all the media net works for any claimants of any land signed in the Timber Rights Agreement. |
| 14. | Forestry Board gives the company the application for a timber licence. |
| 15. | Company submits the application for a timber licence to the Director of Forests. |
| 16. | Foreign company submits business proposal outlining details of proposed investment and areas to be logged. |
| 17. | Company submits coupe harvesting plans (CHP) to the Department of Forests. |
| 18. | Department of Forests field checks the plan and make changes. |
| 19. | Submit CHP to DOF for approval. |
| 20. | Logging operation commences. |