WWF restates call to Barama for major commitment to responsible forestry

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_general_news?id=56519586
Stabroeknews.

Saturday, May 5th 2007

Following a visit to its north west concession and a mixed assessment of what it saw, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has reiterated its call to Barama Company Limited (BCL) and its parent company Samling to make a "high level commitment to responsible forestry". WWF staff visited Barama Company Limited's forest concession in Guyana in late February early/March 2007 to observe the company's on-the-ground response to the suspension of BCL's Forest Stewardship Council's FSC certificate and corresponding corrective action requests issued by SGS Qualifor in January 2007. "The WWF visit was a follow up to the meeting between BCL, FSC and WWF held in Bonn, [Germany] in February 2007 to review the findings of the SGS-Qualifor and Accreditation Services International audits that led to the suspension and the actions necessary by BCL to secure the reinstatement of the FSC certificate," the WWF said, emphasising that the visit was not a pre-audit inspection of BCL's operations by WWF. Contacted yesterday, General Manager of BCL Girwar Lalaram told Stabroek News that there will be an audit no later than the end of July this year to determine the company's status with the FSC and it is confident that the company will pass the inspection. "I will soon extend an invitation to all stakeholders to make a visit to BCL's operation so that they could see for themselves that we are serious," Lalaram said. He asserted that the company is fully committed to completing all the corrective actions required of it. The WWF said that its visit included a limited survey of compartment 5 of the BCL concession, the Buck Hall sawmill and management centre, main field camp, logging crew camps, as well as three non-BCL concessions where BCL is currently conducting harvesting operations. The visit revealed that forest management activities in compartment 5 of the concession include a solid geographic information system, well organised harvest planning, log-tracking and road networks and the general application of many principles of reduced impact logging. The visit found that there is a lack of consistent decision making and authority by BCL managers who truly understand the details of FSC certification and cutting edge, modern sustainable forest practices. "High staff turnover in management, coupled with [cross-cultural challenges] have inhibited consistent application of BCL policies. This situation has also exacerbated a breakdown in dialogue with many key stakeholders." The release said. WWF said that average harvest rates on the BCL concession have been lower than the volumes authorised by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), through BCL plans to increase harvest levels in line with annual allowable cuts as determined by the Commission. "However, additional emphasis is needed on the silvicultural management of those species being harvested the heaviest," the WWF said. The release added that analysis is being conducted of data from permanent plots to monitor forest dynamics which should be used to adapt forest management systems to ensure viable commercial populations of these species in the future. The visit revealed that BCL does not practice reduced impact logging (RIL) on third- party concessions. According to WWF, BCL said that the investment required to implement RIL on these concessions is difficult to justify given their lack of long-term tenure; the concession owners could terminate their supply contracts with BCL at any time.While some aspects concerning workers' living conditions, health and sanitation were being improved, others remain wanting. "BCL appears, however, to have taken this issue seriously and is making many improvements since the SGS-Qualifor surveillance audit of November 2006. Whether these efforts are sufficient to meet the FSC standard needs to be further assessed," the WWF said. After the company had prepared numerous studies and plans over the years for a range of responsible forestry practices, particularly on environmental impact assessment and monitoring, these have not been fully implemented, the WWF added. "Particular emphasis is needed to ensure effective restoration of disturbed sites such as retired log landings, erosion control on retired road networks and minimal disturbance during road construction," the release said. WWF said that while BCL does have a detailed management plan for compartment 5, where current harvesting is focused, this is lacking for compartment 4. The release said that since compartment 4 also falls under the scope of the suspended FSC certificate, it should be covered under the management plan. BCL said that compartment 4 will not be harvested until 2009 and there is no access to it. "BCL needs to make a concerted and sustained effort to improve internal and external communications, and to engage with Guyanese stakeholders to advance responsible forestry practices and independent certification," WWF said. The WWF said it has transmitted these findings to BCL and continued WWF support to BCL for the restoration of FSC certification "will be considered in light of BCL's response to the above challenges". BCL has come under increasing scrutiny from the WWF, civic groups and the government over its forestry practices in its huge north west concession.