Kelera Ditaiki 
The Ministry of Forestry says it is stepping up support for communities managing forest woodlots, stressing that properly run woodlots are critical for supplying timber and firewood while easing pressure on Fiji’s natural forests.
Minister for Forestry and Fisheries, Alitia Bainivalu, told Parliament that although the Ministry does not plan a nationwide inventory of every woodlot, landowners can request targeted assessments, which will be carried out at cost.
She says pre-harvest inventories are now compulsory for all harvesting licence applications to ensure transparency and protect both landowners and operators from disputes.
Bainivalu also highlighted Fiji’s long history of national forest inventories, saying the 2021 assessment was the most detailed ever conducted, capturing carbon data, biodiversity information and woodlot mapping.
She says replanting after harvesting remains a priority under the Reforestation of Degraded Forests Programme, and landowners are encouraged to replant to maintain long-term sustainability.
Concerns were raised in Parliament about untreated timber being sold at treated-timber prices, with termite infestations now posing serious risks to homeowners.
Bainivalu says the Ministry is treating the matter urgently, and forestry officers have been instructed to advise woodlot owners and plantation managers on proper timber treatment for construction.
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