Saw millers in Vanua Levu have been urged to offer their assistance to landowners who have been recently affected by TC Yasa.

In a recent forestry stakeholders meeting in Labasa, Conservator of Forests Sanjana Lal urged the millers to lend a hand in the rehabilitation of homes.

The stakeholders’ meeting brought together some of the biggest saw millers in Vanua Levu to discuss how best they can help with the rehabilitation efforts currently underway following the devastation left behind by TC Yasa.

Lal says with the rehabilitation efforts underway, it’s only fitting that saw millers salvage damaged trees to help build homes.

“If you have areas you can easily access with landowners, which are outside Fiji Pine lease and pine planted areas, I think you can go ahead. I think that is what we should all do.  Look at your sawmill location where is your sawmill location, look at the areas around it. Can you salvage those logs first? I think that will be the best strategy. It will cost you less to transport logs, you won’t have to pay much for cartage.”

Lal says special licenses will be issued to interested saw millers in this regard.

Pine plantations suffered the most damage as a result of the Category 5 Tropical Cyclone.

The Ministry of Forestry is still in the process of conducting a detailed assessment on the extent of damage in the forestry sector and the cost of damage