Logging Planners Complete Harvesting Planners Training
The Ministry of
Forestry undertook a two week long training to certify Harvesting Planners
formally. A group of 19 logging planners
completed this training at the Forestry Training Centre in Colo-i-Suva on
Friday.
The Training
aimed to standardize and improve the quality of logging plans submitted to the
Ministry, as a requirement for any harvesting license to be issued as well as
equipping these planners with the skills accurate map these plans on the
ground.
Past monitoring
of logging operations revealed that the quality of submitted plans was
inadequate, leading to overcutting or encroachment into unlicensed areas
including plantation leases. It was recognized that harvesting teams were
unable to relate map information to actual on the ground markings. This
resulted in substantial losses of revenue for both natural resource and
plantation owners.
The training
program was comprehensive with participants learning how to read maps manually,
use instruments like compass and clinometer in forest harvest operations and
create standard maps using QGIS software for license approval.
This training
will empower and equip harvesting planners to efficiently plan harvesting
operations. The skills gained will
ensure that these planners are more accurate and efficient in locating and
plotting designated areas as per the ministry's requirements and the guidelines
in the Fiji Forest Harvesting Code of Practice.
Additionally,
the program will provide logging planners with a better understanding of the
environmental impact of logging activities, helping them incorporate factors
such as protected areas, biodiversity hotspots, or erosion-prone areas into
their planning process.
Ultimately, the
training aims to ensure that logging planners adhere to Fiji's Forest
Harvesting Code of Practice and the Fiji Forest Act 1992. By accurately
utilizing QGIS software, logging planners can factor in legal boundaries,
land-use restrictions, and other regulatory requirements into their plans.
The Ministry
will continue such trainings and refreshers to ensure that Fiji’s forests are
managed sustainably while managing illegal operations arising from lack of
skills I the industry.
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