Faced with declining forest reserves, T&T’s sawmillers say they would like to help replant the forests once the Ministry of Agriculture can supply seedlings.
The decline developed over the past decade, with 213 hectares of forests being destroyed due to unscrupulous quarry operators, miners, slash-and-burn farmers and squatters.
Speaking to the media at the annual Sawmillers Lottery Draw allocation at the San Fernando Hill last Friday, sawmiller Keith Mahabir said the industry was dying because trees are not being replanted. He said sawmillers were being given licenses to clear forests but the Forestry Division was not replanting.
“My suggestion is all these sawmillers who are recipients of State materials should be made to get involved in replanting via their contracts which they have with Forestry and that way, we will ensure that we do not deplete the acreages that we have,” he said.
He explained that pine reserves were low because the State had failed to replant the trees that were cut down 30 years ago.
“Today, we are giving out material to clear fell and not one single tree has been replanted,” Mahabir said.
However, Conservator of Forests Denny Dipchansingh said this is not so. Under the Reforestation Programme, Dipchandsingh said trees are being replanted at Ecclesville, Rio Claro, the Northern Range and the Tamana Reserves.
“The division aims to replant 880 to 100 hectares per year. Our nurseries produce 250,000 seedlings per year and these are a mix of pine seedlings and mixed hardwood species. The teak requires second rotation management because teak grows as a coppice, it grows back to the side where it has been cut,” Dipchandisngh said.
He added that some sawmillers have expressed an interest in being part of the second rotation process management.
“We can propose this to the Minister so that the policy can be amended to have them involved in the process of replanting,” he added.
He also said during the COVID-19 pandemic, illegal logging was prevalent and this was exacerbated by manpower shortages which continue to plague the Forestry Division.
“Currently, there is a shortage of between 70 to 80 foresters and a shortage of 50 forest rangers,” Dipchandsingh revealed.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein said there are over 700 applications for the positions of forest rangers and foresters. He said he was thankful all vacancies for game wardens were filled.
“We are slowly coming out of COVID and everything is falling back. I want to give the assurance that we will have these rangers soon,” Hosein said.
With regard to declining forest reserves, Hosein said: “We have a reforestation programme in the ministry and we are ensuring that while we cut this set of forests, we replant so we will have wood for the generation to come.”
He added: “I will liaise with the Conservator and start planting as soon as possible. The seedlings are available. We have appropriate staff to have the planting done.”
As it relates to land grabbing, Minister Hosein said this had escalated during the pandemic.
“People need to be honest. If people want to get land, go and make the application for available land. There is a process. Let the public know what the Ministry has to offer, how you become a farmer, how you get grants,” he said.
Eighty-eight licensed sawmillers received allocations for teak but because of the shortages of pine fields, only 45 sawmillers received pine allotments.