Sandalwood Regulations 2016.

These Regulations regulate the growing of sandalwood in Tonga and the trade in sandalwood grown in Tonga. Their purpose is to: (a) ensure the sustainable management of the sandalwood resource in Tonga for current and future generations; and (b) promote the planting of sandalwood in Tonga in order to substantially increase the size and value of the resource so as to maximise its contribution to the economy of Tonga. They shall apply to a — (a) landholder on whose land sandalwood trees are planted, grown, cultivated and maintained for the sandalwood trade; (b) person involved with planting, growing or trading in sandalwood; and (c) person who intends to, or is an exporter of sandalwood. The Ministry is responsible for establishing a system and implementing the framework for the development and advancement of a sustainable sandalwood trade in Tonga. The Minister responsible for forests shall establish a system and implementing the framework for the development and advancement of a sustainable sandalwood trade in Tonga.
The Regulations, among other things: establish a Forestry Division and a Sandalwood Appeals Tribunal; define functions of the Forestry Division; set requirements for a person trading in sandalwood or persons growing sandalwood; provide for tagging and recording of harvested sandalwood trees; provide with respect to monitoring and compliance.
At the time of an agreement between the grower and trader to harvest a sandalwood tree, the trader shall ensure that he firmly attaches a tree tag to each sandalwood tree that has been agreed for harvest.