PNGFA signs MOUs for eaglewood pilot projects
 

By Fay Duega of PNG Forest Authority

THE Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNGFA) has signed three emorandum of Understanding (MOU) with three provincial governments and other relevant stakeholders for eaglewood pilot projects to be established, with an additional pilot project for the East Sepik province being considered.

The signing of the MOUs is the result of a meeting of the Eaglewood Project Steering Committee in Lae, Morobe province on March 23rd, 2004. The committee has representatives from the PNGFA, Department of National Planning and Rural Development, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Department of Environment and Conservation and non-governmental organizations.

During the meeting, out of a umber of areas that were considered, the three that were chosen for the eaglewood pilot projects are Amau community in the Abau district of the Central province, Kapiri community in the Gulf province and Elam/Itapino community in the Enga province.

Eaglewood is a valuable resource that was only a few years ago brought to the attention of the PNGFA and it became concerned over reports that people were crossing the border from West Papua and Indonesia into Papua New Guinea in search of eaglewood and cheating villagers off their precious resource, often buying them at very low prices and then selling them for much higher prices when they returned. Although the PNGFA was very concerned when it received the reports, it could not do much because of financial constraints. As a guideline the PNGFA categorizes the eaglewood into five different grades and prices them as follows: The top grade which is Super A is sold for K2,000 per kilogram; A grade is sold at K1,500/kg; B grade is sold at K1,000/kg, C grade at K500/kg and D grade which is the lowest grade sells at K50/kg.

However, in 2001 the PNGFA together with the Worldwide Fund (WWF) and the European Union funded Eco Forestry Programme designed a project proposal seeking funding from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to set up an eaglewood management project in the country. The FAO responded positively last October with a K1.2 million (US$355,000) funding for the 20-month PNG Eaglewood Management Project.

This set the ball rolling with an inception workshop in November 2003 followed by the March meeting during which Gulf, Central and Enga provinces were chosen for the eaglewood pilot project. An additional pilot site is also being considered for the Hunstein Range of the East Sepik province.

The project headed by PNGFA’s Aid Coordinator Michael Avosa, as the National Project Coordinator, has since met all the community representatives and conducted awareness for the resource owners. The project team has also met with the provincial administration of the selected provinces and briefed the staff on the aims and objectives of the eaglewood project.

One of the large eaglewood trees in the Kapiri community of the Gulf province being admired by (l-r) NBC Gulf reporter Sumeo Kakarere, PNG Eaglewood Management Project Coordinator Michael Avosa and Gulf Provincial Forest Officer Allanson Avae. In the background are some resource owners.

The MOU signing for the Amau village in the Central province was the first to be signed in the PNGFA headquarters here in the National Capital District on June 8th, 2004. It was well attended by all parties concerned including the landowners, and representatives from the Central provincial government and PNGFA. Also in attendance were representatives of WWF who are also carrying out eaglewood management work in Amau and work alongside the PNG Eaglewood Management project.

On June 16, the signing for the Kapiri project in the Gulf province took place in Kerema town Catholic Hall. It also was well attended with respective stakeholders present including the landowners, provincial government representatives with Mr Avosa and PNGFA’s Southern Region Area Manager Mark Martin representing the PNGFA.

Then came the MOU signing for the Elam/Itapino eaglewood project in the Enga province which took place on July 6th, 2004. Present were representatives from all stakeholders concerned including the villagers on whose land the project will be established, the Enga provincial government and the PNGFA which was represented by its Acting Managing Director Terry Warra, Director for Policy and Aid Coordination Dike Kari, and Mr Avosa.

The final MOU will be for the Hunstein Range project. After the MOUs, the next step would be for an environmental impact study to be conducted for each selected site. This will be followed by a social impact study of each area. The PNGFA will also conduct inventory of eaglewood in each of the four areas.

The objectives of the FAO funded eaglewood project are to:

• Strengthen institutional capacities of technical staff from governmental and non governmental organizations at the national level and the management capacities of local resource owners and producers at the grassroots level; and
• Assist government organizations concerned in the on-going process of elaboration and implementation of a national eaglewood conservation and management strategy. In this context, the project will assess the ecological and socio-economic impact of eaglewood production and will identify appropriate processing and harvesting technologies, including sound inducement techniques to promote oleoresin production. Collaboration among all stakeholders concerned will be enhanced at both the national and international levels.

Ends..

PNGFA Acting Managing Director Terry Warra signing the MOU for the Amau project. Behind him are some of the resource owners who were present during the sigining ceremony held at the PNGFA headquarters in Port Moresby.