Logging firm ordered to do EIA at Kartabu

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56524627

Logging firm ordered to do EIA at Kartabu
Sunday, July 15th 2007

A new logging company, which has applied for a concession at
Kartabu, must conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has decided.
Guyana Lumber and Timber Company Incorporated plans to develop a forest
concession of about 40,000 hectares within the Kartabu Triangle on the right
bank of the Cuyuni River. The company plans to produce logs and lumber for
the local market and for export.
It submitted its application for environmental authorisation to the EPA and
members of the public have 28 days from the EPA's notice of July 13, 2007 to
make written submissions to the agency, setting out questions and matters
which they require to be answered or considered in the EIA. The submissions
will also be used to finalise the Terms of Reference (TOR).
According to the project summary, the operation is a basic one requiring the
company to build and maintain access roads, carry out timber harvesting
activities in accordance with the principles of reduced impact logging, and
act in accordance with national guidelines.
The company said it plans to invest US$500,000 and employ about 75 persons
on a regular basis over a 60-year period.
It said more than 25 species would be harvested within the first five years
and monthly production was anticipated at about 1.500 cubic metres of
timber.
The company said it anticipated a number of negative impacts arising from
the project and was prepared to collaborate with all stakeholders to address
concerns.
The company said it also expected many positive impacts and envisaged
heightened economic activity, poverty reduction and improved livelihoods
within the Kartabu district.
According to the project summary, the TOR set out for the Environmental
Impact Assessment include collating and describing the topographic, edaphic
(relating to soil) and ecological features of the concession area and
quantifying the basic parameters of the commercial timber stocking with
emphasis on species composition and the distribution of diameter classes.
The summary said the team would prepare an environmental management plan
that addresses mitigating measures for perceived negative social and
environmental impacts associated with the project.
The EIA team will also review all legislation, standards and policies and
practices that determine the approved framework for local logging
operations. It will collect data on the socio-economic issues that prevail
in the Mazaruni-Potaro district in general and the concession area in
particular, including matters related to demographic events, land use
events, social infrastructure, indigenous issues and archaeological issues.
The EIA will seek to describe the proposed timber-harvesting project, in
terms of project inputs, activities and outputs and identify and describe
appropriate alternatives for project operations.
It will characterise in detail the sources and receptors of impacts and
recommend forest management prescriptions that address issues emerging from
the EIA.
The EIA team comprises Godfrey Marshall, team leader and forester; Dr Mark
Bynoe, social economist; Mike Tamessar, biodiversity expert, fauna; and
Khallawan (only name), biodiversity expert, flora.