The Minster said this during a ceremony commemorating International Day of Forests yesterday (March 21).
Tomuriesa said conserving the country’s forests was everyone’s responsibility.
He said for too long, critics have been bad mouthing the Ministry and PNGFA that millions of hectares of the country’s forests were being destroyed, which is not true.
“And my challenge to them (critics) is stop this nonsense, get on a plane and fly down to Milne Bay. Stop this nonsense and fly into Western Province, Gulf Province and Hela… the forest is still there,” he said.