Reduced Impact Logging and Fiji’s National Harvest Code of Practice

Fiji has in place a revised national code of harvesting practice (NCOHP). This Code provides the instrument for the implementation of reduced impact logging. It provides practical guidance to forestry officers, landowners, contractors and the forest industry on how forest harvesting should be conducted so as to achieve best practice and minimize any adverse impacts.

However, the Code is just a guideline and currently has no legislative backing to enforce its implementation. For RIL to be implemented effectively, it is considered desirable to develop a legal framework in order to strengthen enforcement. It is hoped that the implementation of RIL in Fiji will reflect a change from the “business as usual” operations to a more sustainable harvesting of Fiji’s forests. This consultancy identifies actions and issues to be addressed to support this implementation.