[Photo: FILE]

After decades of waiting, the people of Lakeba will finally begin benefiting from pine plantations planted by their forefathers more than 80 years ago.

The long-awaited harvesting of the island’s pine forests is set to begin this week following the handover of logging machinery to Lakeba Nexus Limited.

Fiji Pine Trust Chairman Semi Degei says the milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter for Lakeba, ending years of delays that prevented landowners from accessing the value of their resource.

Previous attempts to start harvesting stalled despite years of effort by the Lakeba Development Committee, with the COVID-19 pandemic further setting plans back.

Degei says the establishment of Lakeba Nexus Limited and stronger governance structures have finally cleared the way for operations to commence.

The first phase of harvesting will focus on the production of pine poles and posts, while a jetty planned for Wainiyabia will allow timber to be shipped for processing and export instead of using the main jetty for these heavy timber shipments.

The estimated pine resource is worth around $52 million, making it one of the largest community-owned pine developments in the country.

Covering more than 1,000 hectares, the plantation was established by the people of Lakeba and has remained largely untouched for generations.

Degei says the project is the result of cooperation between the Fiji Government, the Ministry of Forestry, Fiji Pine Trust and Lakeba Nexus.

“I think they’ve been waiting for a long time, for years, decades, and I think it’s the right time. With due process and governance in place for Lakeba Nexus to come and take over the pine industry here in Lakeba. And we are grateful, the Fiji Pine Trust and its board are grateful that it’s happening this year”

The development is expected to create economic opportunities for landowners and could serve as a model for other resource-owning communities looking to take a greater role in managing and benefiting from their natural assets.