ANNEX 5: AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE PURPOSE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOREST MIGHT BE EXPLAINED TO STAKEHOLDERS

The Forestry Department has a "Mission Statement", which has been disseminated to staff at all levels. This is admirable, but it might also be useful to provide supplementary information to help staff, particularly at lower levels, to understand and implement this mission on the ground. One area where this might be done is to explain exactly what each of the different types of forest in Zambia should be used for and how the Forestry Department will manage such areas.

Currently, the 1999 Forest Act contains the only published statements about the purpose of each of the different types of forest in Zambia. However, these statements are very short (a few lines at most) and do not give very clear guidance about exactly what sorts of licence would be required in each type of forest and what would be the roles and responsibilities of all of the different stakeholders in these areas. It might be helpful to develop such guidance and disseminate this to staff and other stakeholders so that they can explain this to their constituents.

Such guidance does not need to be long (e.g. it should be less than one page per type of forest), but it should more clearly explain the Forestry Department’s policy in this area. If all staff are aware of and can understand the policy, it should enable them to take the initiative and develop a better working relationship with other stakeholders in the sector. It should also allow them to take more control over the process of managing harvesting through the licensing system, which would be an improvement on the current situation where the Forestry Department largely responds to developments on the ground.

As an example, a draft statement on National Forests has been prepared below, which could be used as a starting point for the development of such materials. This could be improved and similar statements could be developed for Local Forests, forest plantations, Joint Forest Management Areas and forests in open areas.

National Forests are permanent forest areas that will be reserved and managed by the state to secure the benefits of forest resources for current and future generations of Zambian citizens. National Forests will be demarcated into two types of areas: protected areas and productive areas. Protected areas within National Forests will be areas reserved for the conservation of ecosystems and biological diversity or the protection of water catchments. Productive areas will be utilised for the sustainable production of forest products following the principles of maximum sustainable yield.

National Forests will be managed by the Zambia Forestry Commission (ZAFCOM) on behalf of the Government and citizens of Zambia. ZAFCOM will be responsible for maintaining the boundaries of National Forests and protecting them from encroachment, fire, pests, diseases and other types of damage. ZAFCOM will also be responsible for identifying and designating, in consultation with other stakeholders, which areas in National Forests will be protected areas and which will be productive areas.

Information about the agreed boundaries of National Forests and the designation of protected areas and productive areas within National Forests will be stored on maps, copies of which will be held at District Forestry Offices, Provincial Forestry Offices and ZAFCOM Headquarters. Members of the public can view these maps at any time that is mutually convenient to themselves and the forestry office concerned.

Harvesting of major forest products will not be allowed in protected areas within National Forests, but harvesting of minor forest products may be allowed. Anyone wishing to harvest minor forest products in a protected area must first seek the permission of ZAFCOM and obtain a licence. The licence that will be used in such cases will be a casual licence (for the production of minor forest products for sale) or a letter of permission (for the production of minor forest products for personal use). The licensee will be responsible for paying fees for such production as set out in Statutory Instruments or any other written law. Harvesting of minor forest products will not be allowed where such harvesting would have a negative impact on the resource or resources that are being protected.

Productive areas within National Forests will be used for the sustainable production of timber logs. Timber logs may be harvested by ZAFCOM themselves or, with ZAFCOM’s permission, by the private-sector. The production of poles, fuelwood and charcoal from productive areas within National Forests will not normally be allowed, except where such materials arise as by-products from the production of timber logs.

Where timber logs are harvested by the private-sector, a licence will be required. A casual licence will be used to permit the harvesting of small volumes of timber logs, where this would be beneficial to the sustainable management of the forest. This licence will stipulate: the number and location of trees that may be harvested; the time within which they must be harvested; and any other conditions that the licensee must follow. ZAFCOM staff may mark the individual trees that may be harvested or may give more general written guidance about where such harvesting may take place. The licensee will be responsible for paying fees for such production as set out in Statutory Instruments or any other written law. ZAFCOM may alternatively sell the rights to harvest such trees by negotiation or competitive means (e.g. auction or tender), so long as the fees paid are above the levels set-out in Statutory Instruments or any other written law.

A forest concession licence will be used to grant permission to harvest significant volumes of timber logs. This licence will stipulate: the total area of the forest concession; the minimum and maximum allowable cut for that area; the duration of the forest concession licence; and any other conditions that the licensee must follow. Forest concession licence areas must not include protected areas, but may include other areas of forest outside of the National Forest that will be managed with it as one production unit. The licensee will be responsible for paying fees for such production as set out in Statutory Instruments or any other written law.

Information about production levels will be collected by licence holders and checked by ZAFCOM staff. Copies of this information, along with information about fee payment, will be held at District Forestry Offices, Provincial Forestry Offices and ZAFCOM Headquarters. Members of the public will be granted reasonable access to this information at any time that is mutually convenient to themselves and the forestry office concerned.