Forest Resource Management & Technical Service Division
Mr. Terence Titiulu, Deputy Commissioner
Tel : 24215, Email : ttitiulu@mofr.gov.sb
The Division is responsible for the management and execution of certain delegated responsibilities of the forest resources in the country. The Division is mandated to achieve the Policy Strategies of the Government within the delegated responsibility and competency to manage the forest resources of Solomon Islands in perpetuity by ensuring that future generations of Solomon Islands continue to receive maximum advantage with higher returns from their resource.
- Policy Planning and Inventory Section
- Licensing Section
- Enforcement Section
- Technical Services Section
- REDD+ Implementation Unit
Policy and Planning Section
Activity
- Review new forestry legislations and progress its enactment, implementations and monitoring.
- Planning and policies development.
- Preparation of proposal for institutional strengthening of the Ministry
The section is mandated to achieve the following core programs and strategies
- Improve regulation, monitoring and enforcement within the forest sector by conducting
multi-stakeholder consultation on proposed forestry legislation, undertaking assessment of the value of standing forest, strengthening the application of the development consent process in forests areas, strengthening the management of information on licenses, as well as improving downstream processing and market access for timber through training on timber processing, establishing an internationally recognized timber legality system and strengthening landowner led timber milling. - Strengthen the existing reforestation and plantation development programme by strengthening incentive mechanisms for reforestation and plantation development by landowners.
- Establishment of Forest Reserves to conserve watersheds by developing a framework for the establishment and management of forest reserves that can be included within legislation and building the capacity of MoFR, MoAL, and MECDM staff to establish them.
Licensing Section’s responsibility include assisting the Commissioner of Forest to process milling and felling licenses, create & maintain a viable license data base, attend timber right hearing, witness execution of Standard Logging Agreement, offer advice to clients regarding timber rights, carry out timber rights awareness with Provincial Executives, rural communities and perform other administration duties such as filling of correspondences within the Unit. Periodic activities:
- Establish and maintain the license data base (Anniversary Fees & land covered under license).
- Manage and facilitate the timber rights process.
- Liaise with operation on the monitoring of forestry activities for compliance of conditions of timber harvesting license.
- Enforce and collect Non-Taxable Revenue such as licenses fee.
- Liaise with Provincial Government Treasury for provincial business licenses fee.
- Attend Timber Right hearing.
- Attend execution of Form 4 (Standard Logging Agreement)
- Ensure that applicant fulfil the requirements before applying for a felling license (Form 1 – Application to negotiate for timber right).
- Assist the Commissioner of Forest Resource to administer and facilitate the processes to process felling license.
- Carry out timber right awareness for Provincial Government, Provincial Forest Officers and rural people of Solomon Islands.
- Carry out license surveillance of felling licenses.
The Section is to effectively monitor and enforce the forestry legislation and its regulations for better use of our forests to improve and maintain forest sustainability of our Nations’ Forests for maximum benefit and continuous forest services to our future generations. Core functions are;
- Provide relevant documents to other Ministries, forest stakeholders and the general public on logging issues and procedures.
- Attend to clients in office regarding logging issues.
- Response to incoming and outgoing correspondences in relation to logging issues.
- Undertake field tours to investigate, verify and advise the Commissioner of Forests on possible course of action to be taken.
- Prepare affidavits with AG on behalf of the Commissioner of Forests.
- Attend combine seminars and tours with Law Enforcement Section e.g. Immigration, Labour and etc.
- Activities:
- Liaise with the Attorney Generals Chambers to file defense on behalf of the Commissioner of Forests on matters pertaining to forestry before the Courts.
- Assist the Licensing Section with the training of Provincial governments regarding the Timber Rights Acquisition processes.
- Assist forest stakeholders with relevant forest information related to compliance and enforcement of forest legislations and procedures.
Technical Services Section (Mapping and Inventory)
Activities:
- Monitor and compile field assessments of logged areas, the extent of harvest of nation’s forest and update on the status of the nation’s forest.
- Update and maintain forestry information system.
- Facilitate national workshops on awareness on importance of forest.
- Collect, review and liaise to update the status of the forest resources in the country for the State of Forests Report.
- Implementation of the National Forest Inventory.
Activities:
1. Monitor and report extent of forest cover, forest condition and forest carbon emissions and removals.
2. Develop and Implement the National REDD+ Strategy to attain REDD+ Readiness and become eligible for performance-based payments for emission reductions from the forest sector
3. Develop and implement the National REDD+ Pilot Program
1. Monitor and report extent of forest cover, forest condition and forest carbon emissions and removals.
2. Develop and Implement the National REDD+ Strategy to attain REDD+ Readiness and become eligible for performance-based payments for emission reductions from the forest sector
3. Develop and implement the National REDD+ Pilot Program
