PRIME Minister James Marape has called on Provincial Forest Managers (PFMs) across Papua New Guinea to identify and map untouched forest areas in their respective provinces, saying the country can generate sustainable income by conserving forests rather than harvesting them.
Speaking at the opening of the three-day Inaugural National Workshop on the PNG Nature Pact on Tuesday, June 23, Prime Minister Marape returned to the podium with a special appeal directed at Provincial Forest Managers, who are responsible for implementing the decisions of the Papua New Guinea Forest Authority at the provincial level.
The Prime Minister said Papua New Guinea now has a unique opportunity to benefit financially from forest conservation through the Nature Pact Program, supported by the European Union and the Government of France with funding worth nearly K500 million.
He urged forest managers to work closely with provincial governments, provincial administrators and customary landowners to identify and map forest areas that have not been subjected to commercial logging.
“We must begin the journey of keeping our trees standing. Our forests are home to our rich biodiversity and carry enormous environmental value. If we cut them down today, we lose generations of benefits,” Prime Minister Marape said.
He reaffirmed the Government’s target of protecting at least 70 percent of Papua New Guinea’s remaining virgin forests while allowing sustainable traditional use by local communities.
The Prime Minister highlighted the Managalas conservation initiative as a successful model where communities have preserved their forests while generating income through crops such as cocoa and coffee instead of logging.
He warned that unsustainable logging provides only short-term financial gains while leaving lasting environmental damage, including degraded forests and damaged land.
Prime Minister Marape also called on coastal provinces to identify mangrove forests and important marine ecosystems that could be included in future conservation partnerships. He noted that more than 200,000 hectares of ocean between East Sepik and Manus have already been set aside for conservation.
He said Papua New Guinea’s participation in international conservation initiatives presents a significant economic opportunity, particularly following discussions at the recent Conference of the Parties (COP), where global attention was focused on protecting tropical forests.
“The European Union and France are ready to partner with us, but we must demonstrate our commitment by identifying and protecting our forests. If we do this properly, Papua New Guinea can earn from conserving its forests instead of harvesting them,” he said.
The Papua New Guinea Forest Authority maintains offices in all 22 provinces, managed by Provincial Forest Managers or Reforestation and Afforestation Coordinators, who are expected to play a key role in implementing the Government’s forest conservation agenda.