PNG what are we doing about DEFORESTATION?

"Humans are destroying a beautiful, living resource. Time is running out for the biodiversity of life that inhabits our planet and for our quality of life. We are dependent on the health of our planet and if it continues to decline, as it has done over the past century, then human health and wellbeing will decline as well. The window of opportunity for us to organise globally to create a sustainable society is open - but it is closing. The time to act is now!" `Information For Action

Deforestation in PNG

There are several direct and indirect effects of the loss of rainforest in PNG. Despite little study having been completed on this subject in PNG, studies in other areas of the world would suggest the problem is serious.Research shows that continued depletion of forests does lead to major climate change. Increasing Westernisation of our diverse culture through logging is one of the indirect effects of forest destruction.

Our Government's policy is that logging companies must employ PNGeans before recruiting non nationals. In practice, this does not usually happen and jobs often go to skilled immigrants rather than locals. This situation really needs to be addressed.

Land owners receive some money from the logging industry but they do not fully understand the environmental implications. Forestry is not sustainable; once an area is logged, the forest does not grow back quickly. Soil erosion degrades the land and it becomes useless for farming within a couple of years.

The Suggested Solution`

As with many environmental issues a major step is education. Recently an increase in NGOs lobbying against the destruction of rain forests have build projects such as:

• Small-scale forestry
• Training in sustainable forestry
• Awareness patrols in remote areas.

Non-government organisations in Japan are also working to educate their people on the use of wood-derived products. As a major buyer of wood from PNG, these organisations are also very important.

Political support from other countries is needed to overcome the corrupt industry involving bribed officials and “blind” policing that is PNG’s logging economy. Groups need to come together to build long-term programmes and approaches to resource management.

For PNG's to live in an economy not reliant on logging, an infrastructure must be put in place to accommodate their needs for housing, clean water, food supply, waste disposal, health care and recreational facilities.

Some alternatives to logging as an industry are:

• Eco-forestry
  

• Tapa Cloth
  

• Export of Traditional Craft works and Galip Nuts
  

• Tourism- Papua New Guinea has possibilities as an ecotourism destination – hence the natural environment of our country must be preserved and not destroyed.

Preservation of PNG’s rain forests can only happen if money from logging is derived from other sources. These alternative industries will not wholly sustain the economy, and support in debt relief is essential from other governments, the IMF and World Bank.

source: http://www.informaction.org