PNG Forest Authority

The signing paves the way for the commercialisation of the customary land belonging to Tinaka LLG of Kavieng, New Ireland Province.

The landowners of Tikana LLG have freed up their entire land and have given it to PNG Forest Authority for commercial forest plantation and associated infrastructure development.

This afternoon's MOA signing now establishes the framework for business partnership arrangements between the Tikana landowners and PNGFA and provides certainty to the developer in undertaking long term investments.

Acting Managing Dircteor, Tunou Sabuin, said over the last five years K133 million had been paid directly to DDA’s. Last year alone, K29 million in Log Export Development Levy was paid.

Speaking at the 2017 Leadership Summit in Port Moresby, Sabuin said so far only five DDA’s have provided acquittals.

The five-day workshop commenced on Monday, February 6, conducted by the United Nations Forum on Forest (UNFF) in collaboration with the PNG Forest Authority (PNGFA).

At the end of the workshop, government officers will be able to identify and formulate a project proposal that can be submitted to donor partners to consider and fund.

UNFF sustainable development officer, Benjamin Singer, highlighted that they are working in collaboration with PNGFA upon request of the Minister for Forest.

This was announced during the Madang Investment Summit recently by the acting managing director of the PNG Forest Authority, Goodwill Amos.

Amos says the tree planning operation is consistent with the National Government’s Vision 2050 and the 2009 National Forest Development Guidelines, to plant up to 800,000 hectares of trees by the year 2050.

The tree planting operation was highlighted as one of the plans by PNGFA for Madang Province.

This was launched today by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and witnessed by PNG Forest Authority staff, representatives from European Union and United Nations, JICA and Food and Agriculture Organisation.

The NFI is multi-purpose covering not only the timber stocks, but the carbon stocks, biodiversity, the non-timber forest products including soils type and small plants.

Information data collected will also be used by the public, Non-Government Organisations and other government departments such Climate Change, Mining and Petroleum and Agriculture.