National Forest Policy

This Policy addresses the need for new legislation and revisions of the following legislation to put the National Forest Policy into effect:
 - Environmental Management Act
 - Forest Act
 - Sawmills Act
 - Conservation of Wildlife Act
 - other key relevant laws and regulations.
 
 This Policy is formulated based on the understanding of relationship between deforestation and climate change. It recognises the important linkage between forest conservation and management, and climate change adaptation. Key aims of the new legislation include establishment of Forest and Protected Areas Management Authority and Forest and Protected Areas Fund, institutionalisation of participatory forest management and obligations in line with multilateral agreements and to enable revenue generation through payments for ecosystem services based on appropriate fee systems.
 
 While this Policy is not dedicated to tackle climate change issues, it recognises forests as important sinks of GHGs that need to be conserved and reforested. The goals of the National Forest Policy are as follows:
 - Sustainable management of forest resources to provide social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations
 - Contribution to the sustainable development of the country,
 - Enhancement of the quality of human life
 - Protecting biological diversity and ecological processes.
 
 Both private and state forests are subject for this Forest Policy. The government addresses land use and physical development planning implementation through the following:
 - Formulation and adoption of a National Forests System Plan to manage forests
 - Showing zero tolerance for squatting on forest lands, forest reserves and other protected areas
 - Taking into account the value of ecosystem services
 - Integrating forest-related issues and forest management into national land use and physical development policies by integrating the National Forest Policy into the National Physical Development Plan, local land use plans, permitting processes (e.g. Certificate for Environmental Clearance and planning approval processes of the Town and Country Planning Division) and other relevant national socio-economic development policies and processes (e.g. Tourism Policy, Energy Policy, Transport Policy Water Resources Policy and poverty alleviation strategies).