Rwanda had made a global commitment to increase its forest cover to 30 per cent in its vision 2020. This target has been achieved and even been surpassed - now registering 30.4%. In the subsequent pledges (NST1), the country is determined to maintain the acreage and improve the quality of the forests.
Sustainable forest management has been given a priority to improvethe productivity of the forests in the country.
To attain this goal, state forests have had their management transferred to private operators for better management. As for the smallholder farmers’ forests, which constitute 67% of the national plantation area, sustainable forest management has been a challenge.
The National Forestry Inventory of 2016 showed that the standing stock in the private forests was very low following a harvesting frequency of once in every 2 to 3 years.
This implies that the private forests are being harvested prematurely, thus contravening the principle of sustainable forest management where a simplified forest management plan is elaborated and followed to the letter.
The second management practice has been banning the harvesting, transporting, and trading of young tree poles (imishoro) especially those meant to be used in scaffolding in the construction sector. Regulations and instructions have been published and widely disseminated.
These regulatory instruments have been further presented in the media and this is scheduled to continue.
Forests are recognized globally for their role in the construction industry and the important ecosystem services they provide. Knowledge of recovery rates and responses of forest to past forms of disturbance may facilitate our understanding of the capacity of these ecosystems to respond to present and future events.
Although it is generally accepted that if left long enough, forest can recover, there is much debate about the nature of forest re-growth and the time taken for it.
As indicated earlier, forests in Rwanda are often cut down prematurely. The Government has set up a mutually beneficial process of re-forestation. Farmers are allowed to plant their crops in gazetted forest areas on the condition that they preserve and look after the newly planted trees until such a time when the tree canopy makes it difficult for further cropping.
Forestry will continue to occupy an important strategic position in Rwanda as a major resource providing multiple functions to the population’s livelihoods, providing critical ecosystem services and contributing to the national socio-economic development.
Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA) wishes to inform the general public that young trees (imishoro) are not yet mature to be harvested, and those who use them as scaffolds are violating the law No 41bis/2013 of 28/06/2013 determining the management and utilization of forests in Rwanda.
Before harvesting, a licence shall be provided to avoid illegal cut of young trees brought in urban areas for construction of long buildings. This affects environment in large and it is one of bad practices in forestry management.
In the forestry law, article 66, any personal violating the provisions of this law shall be liable to an administrative fine from 100,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandan francs.
In accordance with laws governing seizure, any person caught carrying out an act in violation of the provisions of the forestry law, all the forest products she/he is found with and tools used shall be seized. The products shall be sold at auction and tools seized shall be returned to the owner, after paying the fine imposed on him/her.
The writer is Director General, Rwanda Forestry Authority.
The views expressed in this article are of the writer.