THE Forestry Department last week officially presented its National Forestry Management and Conservation Plan at the department’s two-day international roundtable discussion on forestry management held at the Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus.

Representatives of the international donor agencies and corporate Jamaica, met to discuss the National Forest Management and Conservation Plan (NFMCP) which was developed by the Forestry Department with funding assistance from the Caribbean Industrial Development Agency (CIDA) Trees For Tomorrow project and the United National Development Programme (UNDP) Forestry Capacity Project.

The plan was approved by Cabinet last July and is designed to promote and improve the conservation and sustainable use of the forest resources of the country to meet local and national needs.

The Forest Plan recognises the primary importance of environmental services forests provide and their role in maintaining biological bio-diversity. At the same time, the plan promotes integrated land use systems which are environmentally-sensitive and which offer income diversification opportunities for small holder farmers.

“What we have is a comprehensive document, representing some two years of collaboration and consultation, with public and private interests,” said conservator of forests, Marilyn Headley.

Headley added that a major plank of the plan, is a public education programme to increase awareness and prompt greater community participation in forestry management programmes.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening, agriculture minister, Roger Clarke, said the completion of the plan represented a move into “higher gear” for the forestry programme and that conservation was now a matter for all stakeholders.

Minister Clarke identified protection of existing reserves as the top priority and pledged that regulations regarding the range of activities carried out in the island’s forests, would be vigorously enforced.

He also noted that Cabinet has approved the proposed Forest Fund which was now ready for capitalisation. This, he said, was one of the mechanisms being devised to meet the need for long-term funding in the forestry sector.

In respect of economic activities, the Clarke said that Government would be offering attractive incentive packages for investment in forestry and conservation. This move, he said, was in support of an expanded forest production programme, which in turn would reduce the pressure on natural forests and help to meet national demand for wood products.

Meanwhile, land and environment minister, Horace Dalley, highlighted the partnership approach demonstrated by the roundtable, and urged the local and international interests present to commit technical and financial resources toward expediting the implementation of the plan.

Some 336,000 hectares, or approximately 30 per cent of Jamaica’s land area is classified as forest, but of this, only eight per cent of the island remains as pristine, or natural undisturbed forest.

Last week’s meeting ended with a tour of forested areas by participants including representatives of international donor agencies and corporate Jamaica.