Forestry Ministry plans to increase forest cover through vafforestation and re‑forestation initiatives

Minister for Forestry Osea Naiqamu has revealed that the Ministry intends to take a lead role in collaborating with stakeholders to strategically increase forest cover through vigorous afforestation and re‑forestation initiatives.

While speaking to participants at the REDD+ Training of Trainers Program in Nadi Naiqamu adds that this is aimed at countering the decreasing capability of Fiji’s forests to provide essential products and services.

He has stressed that while the forest‑products demand at the local market has gradually expanded, the availability of indigenous forests resources are declining.

Naiqamu also noted Government’s continuous reforestation effort, particularly in logged over forests with mahogany and on grasslands with pine species.

He also revealed that presently, mahogany and pine account for around 15 per cent of Fiji’s total forest cover, while the country’s forest cover amounts to about 60 percent of Fiji’s total land area.

Naiqamu believes that there are still a lot of under‑utilized land that can be planted with trees, including indigenous tree species, for a diverse range of important services, and also to meet our commitments to reforest 5,300 hectares of native species by 2022.