You Are Here:
Speaking at a press conference in Sydney today to celebrate the arrival of the first export shipment of timber, Lake Murray landowner, Sep Galeva said that while it had taken his people a lot of hard work over the last few years to get the timber exported, this was just the first of many containers to come.
“What we have shown is that anybody can do this. Forest communities around PNG don’t have to rely on industrial logging for survival, they can do it themselves in a way that protects the environment and keeps the land for future generations,” Mr Galeva said. “Our bad experience with illegal and destructive logging from the Kiunga Aiambak road project, run by Concord Pacific, made my people choose ecoforestry instead so that we have control over our land.”
The people of Lake Murray approached NGOs Greenpeace, the Foundation for People and Community Development (FPCD), Barefoot and others to help them get their eco-forestry project off the ground.
FPCD runs a successful eco-forestry programme from Madang that is certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – the world’s gold standard eco-labelling scheme for forests and forest products. According to Yati Bun, Executive Director of FPCD, this kind of initiative is a way for landowners to take charge of their forest resources.
“We joined the Lake Murray initiative to support landowners manage the forests themselves and make sure they are getting the maximum benefits,” Mr Bun said.
“They are earning 2-3 times what they would get locally from logging companies for their sawn timber. Over the long term eco-forestry provides economic, social and environmental benefits to local communities, empower them to be self sufficient and ensures their valuable forest resource survives into the future.”
“We want other PNG forest owners to know that eco-forestry is a viable alternative to logging, and that they can make very good returns exporting timber to Australia but they also need to know that it is not easy. If people want to choose to control their own destinies they must commit themselves to working hard and not sit back and expect things to just come to them,” he said.
“By doing this they will continue to enjoy all the benefits their forests traditionally provide them and get real income from cutting their timber for generations to come.”
The container of eco-timber from Lake Murray has been bought by the Woodage a timber exporter and wholesaler based in Mittagong, NSW. Will Mussett from the Woodage believes that there is high potential for growth in the market for timber from eco-friendly sources.
“The Australian market for eco-timber is increasing, and people are willing to pay more for good wood,” Mr Mussett. “What we need now is more of it and a regular supply.”
“There has been a lot of pressure on communities in Lake Murray to sign their land away to logging and palm oil interests and landowners need to make informed decisions before they agree to the big companies, otherwise they could find themselves regretting their decision and facing ongoing social, environmental and legal issues,” Greenpeace Forest Campaigner Sam Moko said.
“The Lake Murray people involved in eco-forestry have thought about their options and have decided to take their future in their own hands.”
The Lake Murray eco-forestry initiative has been supported by funding from The Doen Foundation in the Netherlands.
“What we have shown is that anybody can do this. Forest communities around PNG don’t have to rely on industrial logging for survival, they can do it themselves in a way that protects the environment and keeps the land for future generations,” Mr Galeva said. “Our bad experience with illegal and destructive logging from the Kiunga Aiambak road project, run by Concord Pacific, made my people choose ecoforestry instead so that we have control over our land.”
The people of Lake Murray approached NGOs Greenpeace, the Foundation for People and Community Development (FPCD), Barefoot and others to help them get their eco-forestry project off the ground.
FPCD runs a successful eco-forestry programme from Madang that is certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – the world’s gold standard eco-labelling scheme for forests and forest products. According to Yati Bun, Executive Director of FPCD, this kind of initiative is a way for landowners to take charge of their forest resources.
“We joined the Lake Murray initiative to support landowners manage the forests themselves and make sure they are getting the maximum benefits,” Mr Bun said.
“They are earning 2-3 times what they would get locally from logging companies for their sawn timber. Over the long term eco-forestry provides economic, social and environmental benefits to local communities, empower them to be self sufficient and ensures their valuable forest resource survives into the future.”
“We want other PNG forest owners to know that eco-forestry is a viable alternative to logging, and that they can make very good returns exporting timber to Australia but they also need to know that it is not easy. If people want to choose to control their own destinies they must commit themselves to working hard and not sit back and expect things to just come to them,” he said.
“By doing this they will continue to enjoy all the benefits their forests traditionally provide them and get real income from cutting their timber for generations to come.”
The container of eco-timber from Lake Murray has been bought by the Woodage a timber exporter and wholesaler based in Mittagong, NSW. Will Mussett from the Woodage believes that there is high potential for growth in the market for timber from eco-friendly sources.
“The Australian market for eco-timber is increasing, and people are willing to pay more for good wood,” Mr Mussett. “What we need now is more of it and a regular supply.”
“There has been a lot of pressure on communities in Lake Murray to sign their land away to logging and palm oil interests and landowners need to make informed decisions before they agree to the big companies, otherwise they could find themselves regretting their decision and facing ongoing social, environmental and legal issues,” Greenpeace Forest Campaigner Sam Moko said.
“The Lake Murray people involved in eco-forestry have thought about their options and have decided to take their future in their own hands.”
The Lake Murray eco-forestry initiative has been supported by funding from The Doen Foundation in the Netherlands.
For further information or comment
Yati Bun, Executive Director of FPCD (in Port Moresby) 687 0611; Tiy Chung, Greenpeace Communications Officer (in Sydney) phone +61 2 9263 0380 or mobile 61 409 604 010
