SURINAME

COUNTRY REPORT: FORESTRY OUTLOOK STUDY FOR THE CARIBBEAN

by

Mohamed Asraf

Roy Hilgerink

CURRENT STATUS OF THE FORESTRY SECTOR

INTRODUCTION

This Country-report has been prepared for the EC-FAO Partnership project "Data Collecting and Analysis for Sustainable Forest Management: Linking National and International Efforts". This result in a Caribbean workshop held on Trinidad and Tobago in February 2000.

The purpose of this report is to provide the participants more information about Forestry and Forests and Forest production, Forest statistics and Forest-policy in Suriname and discuses furthermore the developments in data.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

The country

The Republic of Suriname, situated at the north coast of South America between Guyana and French Guyana, a part of the well-known Guyana shield. The country is about 16.4 million hectares in area.

Figure 1 Map of Suriname

The climate

Lying between 2^o - 6^o N. latitude, the country has a typical tropical climate with a mean daily temperature of about 27^o C with an annual range of 2^o; annual rainfall varies between 2 000 - 2 500 mm and a general high humidity prevails throughout the year.

Geomorphology

Geomorphologic features, rather than climate, are responsible for ecological and forest diversification in Suriname. The following are the broad ecological zonations:

­  the young coastal plain - consisting of the marine swamps at or below the high tidal water with the natural vegetation of mangrove forests, open herbaceous swamps and several types of swamp forests;

­  the old coastal plain - between 4 - 11 m above mean sea level and consisting of rainforests, marsh forests and swamp vegetation;

­  the Zanderij formation - between 10 - 70 m above sea level and consisting of sandy deposits with natural vegetation of open and shrub savannah interspersed with the savannah forests and high rainforest on unbleached moist soil;

­  the interior zone - comprising ¾ of the land is rugged country formed on a complex geological formation called the Guyana Shield with natural vegetation of primarily evergreen rainforest interpressed by savannah/savannah forests on ridges and swamps / swampy forests along creeks and stream valleys.

Society/culture

Suriname has a small population, about 435 000 but a wide ethnic and cultural diversity which includes the native Indigenous peoples (2.6%), Maroons - former run a way slaves- (10.3%), people of African descent (30.8%), Hindustanis (37.0%), Indonesians (15.3%), Chinese (1.7%), Europeans and others (2.3%). More than 65.5% of the population live in the capital Paramaribo and its vicinity, and the rest in small towns or settlements along the coast. Only the native Indigenous peoples and the Maroons (ca 13%) are living in the interior.

ECONOMY AND ECONOMIC POLICY

The economy of Suriname was developed historically on plantation agriculture (coffee, sugar, citrus). However, agriculture fell into neglect by the beginning of the 20^th century under the changing situation of the world. Shortly there after, mining of bauxite became the main source of income, which was further boosted during the Second World War. In the meantime large-scale plantations of rice and bananas have revived the agricultural sector.

By around 1930 bauxite mining replaced the declining plantations as the mainstay of Suriname's economy. The construction of the hydroelectric dam in 1965, alumna plant and smelter further increased the importance of the bauxite industry.

During the last 15 years the economy has been in decline dramatically. The external international debt is presently estimated at US$600 million. There is however, US$600 million still unclaimed development aid from Holland granted at the independence in 1975.

Previously the contribution of the forest sector to the economy was very low. After the renewing of the forest taxes in 1998 the contribution from this sector to the economy is increased significantly. The new tariffs of retribution on forest products are based on the FOB US$-value of the product. Consequently the income of this source will not be affected by inflation in Suriname. Concession Fees are not free from the influences of the inflation. There is no longer road use fee.

Table 1: Forest taxes after and before

Retribution for non-wood forest products are 3% of the FOB value and for shingles from Epurua falcata Sf. 5.00/piece

Table 2 Shows the estimated increase of the income from the forest sector before and after the renewing of the forest taxes.

Table 2: The estimated increasing of the income after renewing the taxes in US$

Over 3 500 employees are working in this sector.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF TREES AND FORESTS

Forests and trees are very important for Suriname. They protect the soil and conserve the watershed. Especially for the peoples living in the hinterland, the Maroons and the Natives, the forests are of great importance, because of the food, the medicines and the wildlife they produce.

Nowadays the upcoming ecotourism and research on climate change is also of great importance.

Lack of optimal use of the forest resource control on the harvesting results in a poor contribution to the GDP.

FOREST RESOURCES

Forestland ownership

The Forests in Suriname are owned by the State and managed by the Foundation for Forest Management and Production Control. Previously the Forest Service, a Department of the Ministry Of Natural Resources, did this.

Concessions are conferred upon qualified persons or legal entities, which thereby receive the right, to harvest and transport wood from the designated concession areas.

The following three categories of concessions are designated in article 27 of the Forest Management Act:

­  long term concessions: With a duration of more than 10 years but not exceeding 20 years, for a total surface area of not more than 150 000 ha. Log term concessions shall be only granted to integrated timber industries;

­  medium term concessions: With a duration of more than 5 years but not exceeding 10 years, for a total surface area of not more than 50 000 ha. Medium term concessions shall only be granted to sawmills with or without own forestry operations;

­  short term concessions: With a validity of not less than 1 years and not more than 5 years, for a total surface area of not more than 5 000 ha.

Article 28 of the FMA allows for concessions to be extended for once for an equivalent period of time.

Size of the forest resource

The forest area of Suriname covers slightly more than 90,5% of the entire land surface area of the country. The area covered by forest is about 14,8 million hectares. The forest is predominantly dry highland rainforest, although there are large areas of wet lowland forest in the coastal belt. South of the wet coastal areas and the dry land savannah / savannah forest and, in general north of the rapids or the fount line further south toward the interior, lies the area called the "Forest Belt". It is in the forest belt where most of the forest development and forestry activities have taken place over the last hundred years. Since there is no sharply defined boundary for the forest belt the area of this region is not precise but is determined to be between 2.2 and 2.7 million hectares. Of the total 14.8 million ha. 3.79 million ha lies north of the rapids and 11.07 million ha lie south of the rapids.

Forest land use

The use of the total land area is designated in Table 3.

(Source: Narena / Celos 1998)

Table 4: Currently valid license for timber cutting (Feb. 2000)

Source LBB/Planning Division

Protected areas

Within the forest area 1 956 900 ha (11.9% of the total land area) have been set-aside as Protected Areas. An additional 0.322 million ha have been proposed for classification as Protected Areas. If the proposed areas become protected areas, the total area in this category will be 2 278 900 ha or 13.9% of the total land area.

Area presently utilized for harvesting and forests management

An area of about 3.5 million ha, basically north of the rapids, is presently used for forest production and forest management. This does not include the existing Protected Areas or the 1.6 million ha north of the rapids, which is classified as non-exploitable forest.

The total forest area within which forest activities occur, and which is basically north of the rapids, is determined to be 3 515 million ha. This does not include the nature reserves but the following categories of forest:

Table 5: First approximation of forest classes according to the Forest Management Act of 1992

Plantation forest

In addition to the natural forest, Suriname has a small area of industrial plantations (Whiteman p 54) mainly established through 1960-1978. These plantations are commercially harvested using a selective cutting system. There is no government policy on establishment of plantation forests and no activities whatsoever are taking place in this regard. Fig shows the plantation areas and the species. The potential production of roundwood from these plantations is quite uncertain

Table 6: Area, Location and species of industrial forest plantations in Suriname

FOREST PRODUCTS PRODUCTION, TRADE AND CONSUMPTION

Forest products production

Industrial roundwood is the major forest product of Suriname, harvested for processing in the sawmills and the plywood factory. During the nineties the export of roundwood, especially to the Caribbean increased. The reason of this export growth can be the established Asian companies in some Caribbean countries.

There is no significant production of non-wood forest products. The Indigenous peoples and the Maroons use the major part of this forest product. They have the right to collect these products, tax and license free only if for own use. For commercial use the government-established taxes are based on the FOB-value of the product.

The production and trade of timber is shown in the Table 7.

Table 7: Production and export volume (m³) of roundwood, industrial roundwood, sawnwood and plywood

Paper, plywood and wood based panels are imported by Suriname. Data of the import is not available on this moment.

FOREST POLICIES, LEGISLATION AND INSTITUTIONS

Forest policies in Suriname

Primarily, formulation of forest policy is a government responsibility, but it is a political process influenced by the inputs from many interested parties. There is no clear description of forest policy in Suriname although there are statements of policy in Governments Acts, the Constitution and the Development Plan The Forest Management Act designated the basic rule of the forest policy chapter II article 2 and 3.

As part of the 1993-1996 Development Plan a general statement was made. In summary it is: The management and the use of the forest resources as the base for sustainable production, industrialization, regional development and employment. With development and conservation of the other functions as rationally as possible by:

­  adequate institutional / legal framework;

­  necessary preparation and support activities (training and extension).

The forest policy is focused on an optimal, accelerated and sustainable development of the sector. The focus is on:

­  effective forest management and efficient maintenance of forest institutions;

­  conserve the biodiversity;

­  optimize the benefits to the nation (Increase production, Increase employment);

­  respect tribal rights;

­  promote forestry education and training;

­  regional spread of activities;

­  observe international commitments.

Forest management law

With some minor exceptions such as private plantations reverted to forest) all of the forest is classified as public land (Mitchell 1996). In 1947, the Suriname Forest Service (LBB) was set up to administer and manage the nation's forest estate. The Timber Act was also established in 1947. Forest production was managed under a system of licences and concessions granted by regulations made in the Timber Act

In the 1970s the Suriname Government recognize that the Timber Act was not longer an excellent document to manage the forest. In 1992, the Parliament approves the current Forest Management Act. Mr. Schmithüsen largely bases this Act upon the report of a FAO-mission in 1973.

In spite the approval of the act in 1992, there were no secondary legislations so this Act was not operational. The FAO adopts this project and in cooperation with national and international forest and legal expert, a draft of majority part of the secondary legislations is made and soon the Government will approve this.

Forest institutions

The Suriname Forest Service with high-qualified managers was, after the deteriorating of the countries economy and the interior civil war during the second half of the eighties, no longer able to fulfil its task.

In May 1998, the Foundation for Forest Management and Production Control (SBB) is established by the Government as the forest authority. The SBB will be an embryo for a larger full self supporting Forest Management Authority as Mr. K. King mentioned in his report.

REFERENCES

Colchester, Marcus 1995, "Forest Politics in Suriname" International Books 1995 in Collaboration with the World Rain Forest Movement.

Edens Johan H, 1999, "Elaboration of Regulations for the Forest management Act GCP/SUR/001/NET.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 1994, " Forest Development Suriname Forest Legislation FO;DP/SUR/71/506.

Forest Management Act 1992 Official Gazette Of the Republic of Suriname.

Larsen Roy S 1995, "Forestry Policy of Suriname FAO project TCP/SUR/4551".

Mitchell, Andrew 1996, "Forest Management FAO project TCP/SUR/4551.

Mittermeier Russell A et al 1990, "Conservation Action Plan For Suriname.