Villagers of Nabavatu in Dreketi, Macuata have expressed their interest in participating in carbon trading.

Villagers of Nabavatu in Dreketi, Macuata have expressed their interest in participating in carbon trading.

Dreketi District Representative, Eseroma Lava says they have had talks with the Ministry of Forestry and REDD+ as they want to be able to conserve and sustainably manage their forest.

Lava says the landowning units agreed to this, seeing the benefits it would bring to the community.

The interest comes amidst plans for the harvesting of part of their native forest to support their housing plans once the process of their relocation to a new village site is settled.

Lava says last month, the Ministry of Forestry was carrying out an inventory of the Nabavatu forest area, which will give them a fair idea of the extent of their forest and the different tree species in it, so they can make a guided decision.

Carbon trading comes under Fiji’s Forest Emission Reduction Program with the Ministry of Forestry.

Permanent Secretary for Forestry Pene Baleinabuli says under the program, a sustainable approach to harvesting will be adopted, which means lower volume removal.

Baleinabuli says the program will provide an alternative income stream for the village through the carbon (monetary) payments and also support the harvesting of their forest for their housing project.

He adds that they will be able to make a much clearer decision once the inventory is completed.

Fiji’s Forest Emission Reduction Program (ER-Program) has five activities aimed at improving the manner in which Fiji’s forest and land resources are managed and utilized to sequester carbon and other greenhouse gases.

These include forest conservation, sustainable forest management, climate-smart agriculture, and tree planting.

The current market rate for carbon trading under Fiji’s Emission Reduction Program with the FCPF of the World Bank is USD $5 per ton.