The Fiji Hardwood Corporation is actively managing its mahogany forests as a calculated effort to strike a balance between conservation initiatives and sustainable harvesting procedures.

Fiji Hardwood General Manager Semi Draunibaka states that the company has replanted 4,000 hectares of mahogany out of the 5,000 hectares that were harvested since 2003.

Draunibaka explains the necessity of harvesting the overgrown mahogany.

“We need to harvest those forests to avoid old growth and also give back the shares for each mataqali through stumpage and land management fees that we paid to the landowners.”

Draunibaka notes that the length of leases has an impact on replanting initiatives, where a 99-year lease will allow the Corporation to have two rotations of harvesting and replanting.

Fiji Hardwood Board Chair Iowane Naiveli highlights the value of forests for people and the country.

“Forest and innovation, new solutions for a better world. Forests are the lungs of our planet; let’s breathe in their beauty and preserve them for generations to come.”

The Fiji Hardwood Corporation’s approach reflects a commitment to sustainable forestry practices, ensuring the conservation of mahogany while meeting the economic needs of communities and the nation as a whole.