Manual of Procedures for Forest Resource Management Planning.

This Manual has been written to guide forest officers responsible for preparing and implementing forest resource plans but will also be of value to other interest groups outside of the Forest Service particularly the resource owners and District Assemblies. Forest resource management planning is a core activity of Forest Service and shall be carried out in order to adequately plan for forest resource management in the high forest zone in the interest of the nation and for the benefit of the resource owners. The planning process can be divided into strategic and operational planning. Strategic planning sets objectives to guide forest resource management in the long term. Operational planning ensures that programmes of operations to achieve strategic objectives are adequately planned and sufficiently resourced. The new planning process will also provide for local consultation in resource management planning. The Manual is produced in two sections: Section A - Strategic Planning: Prescribes the requirements for strategic planning at national, forest reserve and district levels. Instruction sheets describe the procedures to be undertaken by the Forest Service in all high forest zone districts in conjunction with the resource owners and District Assemblies and other interest groups. Section B - Operational Planning: it prescribes the requirements for planning of forest operations for forest reserves and Timber Utilisation Contract (TUC) operations off reserve by the Forest Service in all high forest zone districts in order to successfully implement strategic plans.