Company applies for forestry operation at Kartabu Triangle

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56530558

Company applies for forestry operation at Kartabu Triangle
Stabroek News, Monday, October 8th 2007

The Guyana Lumber and Timber Company (GLTCI) Inc has submitted its
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for a forestry operation in the Cuyuni.

The 40,000 hectare operation will be located at Kartabu Triangle on the
right bank of the Cuyuni River. However, the concession will be fully
approved only after the EPA grants an Environmental Permit for the
operations. The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) will also have to
carry out due diligence on the investor, an area that it has been found
wanting in the past. The summary said that subject to consultations
with the GFC, GLTCI contemplates an annual production of 180,000 cubic
metres of timber covering about 30 species. The company projects an
annual turnover of US$2M and major increases in spin-off businesses
contributing indirectly to the volume of businesses within the Kartabu
Triangle.

According to the project summary, GLTCI aims to harvest about 30
species and haul 240 cubic metres of timber daily from the concession
area to Iteballi.

US$1.5M investment

The company said that to achieve this, it will invest US$1.5M over the
next five years and recruit 75 Guyanese over the next three years.

The project summary of the EIA said that GLTCI is already involved in
the forestry sector through its subsidiary Willems Timber and Trading
Company Limited, holder of Timber Sales Agreement (TSA) 1/91.

The company said that it will build its capacity through regular
training of field staff and ensure the implementation of appropriate
occupational safety and health procedures and practices.

The summary said that the company has produced an environmental policy,
a human resource policy and an occupational health and safety policy.
"The company is committed and amenable to forest management
certification from a recognised agency and will ensure that every phase
of its operation meet national requirements, and where practical and
feasible, international requirements as well," the summary said.

The company said that although the operations in the new TSA will be
separate and distinct from that which obtains in TSA 1/91, where GLTCI
subsidiary Willems Timber operates, the new operations will piggy-back
on the existing operations at TSA 1/91 through its road network, in
sharing some machinery assets and in sharing expertise. The company's
first activity will be to extend the road link of TSA 1/91 to the
eastern boundary of the new concession. It said that this access route
will facilitate the transfer of production inputs from the new
concession.

According to the summary, on receipt of the environmental permit, the
company will finalise its forest management plan for approval by the
GFC. "GLTCI anticipates that on the approval of the forest management
plan, a Timber Sales Agreement will be issued to the company," the
summary said.

Risks

The EIA said that the proposed project will have negative direct and
indirect impacts to the socio-economic environment. "The negative
impacts will include increased sediment likely resulting from logging
and road building operations. This is likely to increase the sediment
load in the Cuyuni and Puruni Rivers and reduce the level of aquatic
life in these rivers," the EIA said.

It said too that the construction of skidder trails, unless properly
managed, can place significant pressure on the biodiversity in the
area.

Another area of concern is the reduction in water quality and increased
turbulence due to river traffic. The EIA said that since some of the
residents in the community depend on this water for domestic purposes,
this can lead to contamination and the increased presence of water
borne illnesses.

The construction and the regular maintenance of logging roads create
direct environmental impacts through the need for grubbing, cut and
fills, side ditches, super elevation and bridge and culvert
construction.

These activities lead to the scarification of the soil surface,
exposure to sub soils, erosion, degradation of soil structure and
compaction.

The repeated passage of heavy machines over bare ground results in
compacted soils which, beyond reducing soil permeability, also makes it
much more difficult for natural vegetation to take place. The EIA
stated too that the project has potential for impacting negatively on
air quality and noise.

The company had in July submitted its application for environmental
authorisation to the EPA which then invited the public to make written
submissions setting out those questions and matters stakeholders
require to be Answered or considered in the EIA.