National Forest Policy.

The National Forest Policy outlines a dual purpose that lies at the heart of Papua New Guinea’s evolving approach to forest management. First, it emphasizes the importance of sustainability—ensuring that forests, while utilized, remain unexhausted and continue to thrive as renewable resources through sound stewardship. Second, it recognizes the economic potential of forestry by encouraging its role in driving national growth, creating employment opportunities, increasing the involvement of Papua New Guineans in the sector, and fostering domestic value-added processing.
Integral to this policy is the creation of a statutory body: the Papua New Guinea Forest Authority. Designed to enhance governance and encourage broader consultation on forestry matters, the Authority is structured to include a National Forest Board, a unified National Forest Service, a Provincial Forest Management Committee in every province, and other advisory bodies as needed. Together, these components aim to bring coherence, efficiency, and transparency to the country’s forestry landscape.
This policy addresses the protection of the rights of the customary owners of a forest resource and supports full recognition and respect in all transactions affecting the resource. Based on proper forest inventories and national land use related policies, each Provincial Government shall identify production forests, protection forests, reserve forests, salvage forests, and land suitable for afforestation. This classification takes into account the multipurpose nature of the forest resource including environmental conservation, recreation, provision of subsistence and cultural requirements and the supply of timber and other forest products. The forest resources of Papua New Guinea, including non-timber products, will be managed in accordance with the sustainable yield management principle. The allowable cut will be set in each province to prevent excessive harvests.
All agreements and permits relating to commercial use of forest resources will be conditional upon land use plans and environmental plans. Environmental guidelines for forestry projects will be prepared and circulated by the Department responsible for environmental matters. Reforestation and afforestation will be promoted to support a sustainable forest estate for industry, guided by economic viability and feasibility for processing diverse plantation materials. This policy requires a permit for all commercial activities involving forest products, regardless of whether they originate from State, freehold, or customary land, and provides for the procedures of granting permits for commercial harvesting, logging, transport, sale or purchase of forest products. The national forest inventory will be undertaken, including forest resource assessment and mapping, forest identification, and the development of growth and yield models. The national forest plans and working plans will be developed in consistency with this policy and based upon data contained in the national forest inventory. Forest management agreements may be concluded between resource owners and the Forest Authority to guarantee rights of access to the Forest Authority for the purpose of planting, managing and harvesting timber, constructing infrastructure etc.
Private investment in forest plantation programmes and processing plantation material will be actively promoted and negotiated as part of major timber agreements or as commercial enterprises in their own right. The National Forest Service will establish a forestry extension capacity to coordinate and provide guidance and support to community forestry. Equal opportunities in training and employment will be given to both men and women. Forestry industry, including small-scale forest based industries, will be promoted. Efforts will be given to maximize revenue to the national and provincial governments, and the benefits to resource owners. The licenses for the export of forest products will be issued by the National Forest Board. Measures will be taken to improve local processing, develop domestic demand and to replace the importation of timber products and wood substitute materials with local timber and timber products. The Papua New Guinea Forest Research Institute will conduct research on the development of silvicultural, forest management and logging techniques for enhancing the continuity of forest resources; protection of forests and forest products from biodegradation and fire; agroforestry and community forestry; and environmental and social impact of forest exploitation.