The PNG Forest Authority (PNGFA) successfully launched the EU – FCCB (European Union – Forest and Climate Change and Biodiversity) National Forest Inventory (NFI) Program for East and West Sepik provinces on Friday 20th of February, 2026 in Wewak – East Sepik Province at the Village Inn Resort.
The Acting Managing Director of PNG Forest Authority John Mosoro said the purpose of the NFI for the two Sepik provinces is to determine the total forest stock to enable future carbon trading as an alternative to logging.
” This includes the biodiversity valuation and enumeration of all insects, plants, birds and soil samples for soul nutrients.
” The information collected will be useful to calculate the initial carbon stock for the two provinces in future for carbon trading based on these datasets, ” said Mr Mosoro at the launch.
Mr Mosoro said East Sepik will be the first province to trial carbon trade as an alternative to logging and will build its first Climate Change and Carbon Trade Office in Wewak.
He specifically thanked and acknowledged EU – FCCB and FAO for funding and assisting the NIF program.
The launch was one of the two important events that took place in Wewak – the main town of East Sepik province last Friday.
The first event was the swearing in ceremony of three new East Sepik provincial forest management committee members.
Forest Minister Salio Waipo who was given the honour to launch the National Forestry Inventory Program after the swearing in ceremony of provincial committee members acknowledged the initial effort of PNG’s first prime minister the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare who advocated for climate change mitigation and carbon trade (REDD +).
Minister Waipo said he was pleased to launch the National Forest Inventory Program for East and West Sepik provinces.
” The Forest Inventory Program is key to developing our forest resource in a sustainable way.
” Our forests are the lungs of planet earth. Our people who are landowners are key custodians of our forest resource. We must keep our forests intact to save our future generations, ” Minister Waipo said.
Minister Waipo also acknowledged and congratulated the new provincial forest committee members.
“They will play a crucial role in allocating equity benefits of the forest resources in the province. They will be involved in ensuring the equal distribution and sustainable development of the forest resource for the future.
Acting Managing Director of the PNG Forest Authority John Mosoro, the East Sepik provincial administrator Samson Torovi and key donor partners from the European Union – FCCB Forestry, Climate Change and Biodiversity nexus program, FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation, Officers of the National Forest Authority and Provincial Forestry officers were present to show their support.
The Acting Managing Director of PNGFA Mr Mosoro said the East Sepik Provincial Forest Management committee was not functioning for the past 15 years because it was incomplete. Now with the swearing in ceremony of the three new provincial committee members the committee is able to official meet and make decisions on its forest resurce.
Mr Mosoro said the Provincial Forest Management Committee is a subsidiary arm of the National Forest board and plays a key role in decision making at the provincial level in relation to province forest landowner’s benefits and issues.
He thanked the forest minister Salio Waipo for taking the lead in officiating the two events.
Mr Mosoro acknowledged and thanked the supporting donors EU-FCCB and FAO in funding the National Inventory program.
” The NFI National Forest Inventory in the two Sepik Provinces will determine the total forest stock including the biodiversity valuation and enumeration of all insects, plants, birds and soil samples for soil nutrients. This information collected will be very useful to calculate the initial carbon stock of these two provinces in future for carbon trading based on these datasets,” he said.
He thanked Minister Waipo for his continuous support in progressing the PNG Forest Authority.
“East Sepik will be the first province to trial carbon trade of its forest to replace logging, and East Sepik will be the first to build its provincial carbon trade and climate change office.
Mr Mosoro said major forestry reforms will happen after parliament passes the forestry reform bill in June/ July of this year which will allow for better equity participation for landowners, tree planting and plantations and carbon trade as an alternative to logging.