0536-C2
Rainee Oliphant 1
The ability of the Forestry Department of Jamaica to ensure the sustainable management of the island's forest resources is restricted by several factors, one of the main ones being the jurisdictional limitations placed on it by the issue of land ownership, namely private ownership. To meet this shortfall the Department has taken the decision to adopt a more proactive stance in relation to the privately owned forested lands, which currently do not benefit from any protection. The intent is to increase the likelihood of their preservation by encouraging private investments in the forestry sector.
The Department cannot assume actual management of the over 200000 ha of forested lands in Jamaica, but this can be achieved through cooperation with the relevant stakeholders. As a technical organization it has the necessary expertise to assist the potential investors and has been disseminating technical advice and assistance through its private planting programme. This incentive will not induce private landowners to restrict their land usage to preserve and protect its natural resources. There are currently other attractive options available to the Forestry Department, which although they are not totally comprehensive, are sufficient to generate at least moderate interest at this time.
It is accepted that the Department is faced with the monumental task of coordinating the forestry industry in Jamaica, which of necessity requires that the private and public sectors work together in a coordinated and efficient manner. All the targets set by the Department could be realized if the mindset of the owners or occupiers of these areas could be shifted to reflect the viability of the production of forests as a worthwhile investment. The commitment of the Forestry Department is unwavering and this has resulted in the development of alternate and innovative ways to achieve its mandated responsibilities despite limited resources.
The Forestry Department of Jamaica has in the past few years been exploring the concept of protecting and conserving forested lands that are vested in private individuals. The potential impact that the sustainable management of these areas could have on the landscape of the island is one of the crucial factors which guides the Department in its prioritisation of activities. Sustainable management of Jamaica's forest resources extends beyond government owned forestlands, as the Forest Act 1996 mandates the Department to promote the development of forests on private lands. As will become clear, the combination of statutory requirements and the vast amount of unprotected privately owned forest lands, has resulted in the Department concentrating its efforts on the implementation of an efficient and effective private planters programme.
The aim of this Paper is to:
It is currently estimated that approximately three hundred and thirty-five thousand, nine hundred (335,900) hectares of land in Jamaica can be classified as forest. This amounts to just a little over one third of the entire area squared of Jamaica. Of this total area, Two hundred and fourteen thousand, nine hundred and seventy-six (214,976) hectares remain without any form of protection. (See figure 1). Ownership of this unprotected portion of forest is divided between the State and private individuals, with the greater portion of these areas being held by private landowners. What this translates to, is that, the Forestry Department has in theory managerial responsibility and jurisdiction, over a mere thirty-three (33%) percent of the areas which have forest cover within Jamaica. This equates to approximately One hundred and nine thousand, five hundred and fourteen (109,514)2 hectares of land with varied categories of forest cover. This division results directly from the Forest Act 1996 which restricts the jurisdiction of the Department to the delineated boundaries of the gazetted forest reserves3, forest management areas and protected areas within the island.
Figure 1: Forest Area by type and protection status4
The Forest Act requires that the Forestry Department manage these forested Crown lands in a sustainable manner, thereby ensuring their conservation. This restriction has resulted in the majority of the forested lands in Jamaica, falling outside the jurisdiction of the Department since they were privately owned, yet the Department is still bound to provide `efficient technical and professional leadership in the conservation, protection, management and development of the forest resources of Jamaica'5. What this in effect means is that the Department has had to find innovative ways of working with the owners of these forested areas to preserve them.
Boundaries and legal limitations are not factors that are considered when obvious degradation on a medium to large scale is pinpointed in Jamaica's forests. As far as the public is concerned, it is the duty of the Forestry Department to protect and preserve these ever-dwindling stocks of natural resources notwithstanding private ownership issues. The enormity of the impact a concerted input from these owners or occupiers could have on the forestry sector has not been lost on the Department, which recognises that such an input could assist it greatly in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities. This has resulted in the Department seeking in recent times to revamp its private planting programme in an attempt to attract members of the public with an interest in establishing forest on lands held by them, or maintaining existing forests on these sites.
An attempt was made via the promulgation of the Forest Regulations 2001 to expand the areas to which the jurisdiction of the Department could be applied by introducing the Forest Estate. This served to incorporate all lands managed by the Department, which would by extension incorporate all forest reserves, undeclared crown lands, as well as any others areas over which the Department exercised some control. Though this served to extend the boundaries somewhat, this could not result in an automatic extension of the boundaries without the cooperation of the owners of these lands. The Forest Act has provided a means by which privately held-forested lands could be brought under the auspices of the Department. That is via the voluntary declaration by the landowner of these lands as either a forest reserve, a forest management area or a protected area. Notwithstanding the fact that the Act allows for the declaration of these private holdings as forest reserves, forest management areas or protected areas, there have been no declarations to date. Recent attempts have been made to address this disparity by declaring private holdings under the Act.
To establish and sustain a private planting programme there are certain key elements that are required to ensure its longevity. These include but are not limited to:
The attainment of an efficient and sustainable private planting programme is one of the main thrusts of the Department at this time. The shortage of resources within the Department (both human and financial) has forced the organization to utilize innovative means to ensure the success of the programme. This lack of resources has seriously affected the capacity of the Department to fulfill this function whilst simultaneously carrying out its other statutorily prescribed responsibilities.
Private sector involvement: The lack of data to substantiate the Department's claim that an investment in the forest industry by a private individual, is a viable one has definitely affected its ability to pursue the proposal to reforest private lands vigorously. Due to the fact that there are very few philanthropists in Jamaica who would be willing to invest their finances without having to look towards the bottom line, the Department has had to concentrate its efforts to portraying the economic benefits of the industry as against adopting a purely conservationists stance. It has been dogged by the non-acceptance of the landowners and / or occupiers of the concept of deriving a financial benefit from establishing and / or maintaining forest cover in the long term. Data currently exists on the quality and price of lumber imported into Jamaica during 1999 but these only assists to a certain degree, as the lumber imported is mainly softwood, and as such there are no indicators of the local market for hardwoods. Stumpage rates as indicated in the following table are somewhat dated and do not provide an accurate portrayal of the value of hardwoods in Jamaica today.
Figure 2: Forestry Department Stumpage price for selected species, 19966
Species |
Large end of Log (> 20cm) |
Small end of Log (< 20 cm) | ||
Cubic feet (J$) |
Cubic metre (J$) |
Cubic feet (J$) |
Cubic metre (J$) | |
Jamaica Mahogany |
120 |
4236 |
100 |
3530 |
Cedar |
110 |
3883 |
90 |
3177 |
Mahoe |
80 |
2824 |
60 |
2118 |
Sweetwood |
60 |
2118 |
50 |
1765 |
Spanish Elm |
80 |
2824 |
60 |
2118 |
Caribbean Pine |
70 |
2471 |
60 |
2118 |
Mere supposition, is not sufficient to encourage the potential investors who would include but not be limited to small, medium and large scale farmers, persons holding interests in land (including absentee owners), the bauxite and tourism industry, pension funds or other such long-term investors.
There are also other forestry-related industries other than growth for lumber purposes, which could realise a profit for interested persons or rural communities. These are
There is a lack of reliable data on these industries that would provide a basis on which to found economic projections for the foregoing activities. The Department has recognised this fact and is in the process of collecting the information, as it becomes available. Certain aspects of this information currently reside in the Department for example, it is modestly estimated that the start-up costs per hectare of plantation, would require approximately fifteen hundred United States dollars (US $1500.00)7 for an initial period of three years. The full cost of production and the estimated revenue to be derived for a specific species is however not available at this time.
It is submitted that the ready availability of this statistical data, along with a comprehensive incentive package, would result in a strong expression of interest both from persons who have lands which currently have forest cover or which have the potential for such. This could also solve the problem presently being faced by the Department, which results in crown lands with the potential for reforestation, being left unplanted because of the limited funds available to the Department. The possibility of leasing such lands for example, to develop a plantation of hard or soft woods would definitely be endorsed by the Forestry Department, along with the offer of more tangible examples of support.
Antiquated legislation: Another impediment is the existence of poorly drafted and archaic legislation such as the Land Development and Utilization Act. This Act has the potential to thwart any real investment by the private sector because of the somewhat haphazard wording, which can result in land being classified as idle by the State. The possibility of this arises where it appears that the occupier of any agricultural lands greater than 10 acres in size is not fulfilling his or her responsibility to farm any agricultural land. Private land owners, especially those with existing stand of trees on their property, are therefore slightly wary of utilising their land in this manner, so as to avoid it being declared idle lands. Though the Act actually states that "agriculture" should be taken to include `.. seed growing, forestry, ... and nursery grounds' this does not stop the landowners from putting up some resistance to the proposal of land reforestation.
Seedling Production: Another hindrance to the promotion of the private planting initiative is the unreliable source of seedlings for use by the private planters. The main source of timber seedlings is the Department, which had until recently four operating nurseries8 dedicated to the production of timber seedlings. This has been reduced to three functioning nurseries as the Clydesdale nursery was closed due to the lack of financial resources to cover its daily costs. The current estimate for the reforestation of private lands currently stands at three thousand, eight hundred and sixty (3860) hectares of land being reforested by the year 20059. (See figure 3 below.)
This will require an estimated one thousand seedlings per hectare for reforestation purposes, taking into account those required as replacements and for culling purposes. Production based on the Department's current capacity, will have to be increased to fulfill the expectations of the private planters. The cost to the private planter for seedlings is currently being assumed by the Department, but this is as a result of the fact that the offer of free seedlings is a major incentive to persons interested in planting trees.
Table 3: Target for Government and Private Reforestation
Area to be planted each year (hectares) | ||||||
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
Total | |
Government planting |
||||||
- Pine |
24 |
23 |
22 |
20 |
18 |
107 |
- Hardwood |
176 |
167 |
158 |
150 |
132 |
783 |
Sub-total |
200 |
190 |
180 |
170 |
150 |
890 |
Private planting |
||||||
- Pine |
67 |
92 |
126 |
155 |
169 |
609 |
- Hardwood |
233 |
368 |
594 |
875 |
1181 |
3251 |
Sub-total |
300 |
460 |
720 |
1030 |
1350 |
3860 |
Total |
||||||
- Government planting |
200 |
190 |
180 |
170 |
150 |
890 |
- Private planting |
300 |
460 |
720 |
1030 |
1350 |
3860 |
Grand total |
500 |
650 |
900 |
1200 |
1500 |
4750 |
To meet these targets seedling production will have to be increased. The Department has with the assistance of several private sector organizations, found a means of producing seedlings to be utilized in the reforestation prgramme.
Figure 4: 10 Seedling production to meet reforestation targets
Item |
Number of seedlings per year | |||||
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
5 -yr total | |
Pine |
146,000 |
184,000 |
236,000 |
280,000 |
299,000 |
1,145,000 |
Hardwood |
368,000 |
481,000 |
677,000 |
923,000 |
1,182,000 |
3,631,000 |
Total |
514,999 |
665,000 |
913,000 |
1,203,000 |
1,481,000 |
4,776,000 |
1/11 |
2/12 |
|||||
Competing agricultural interests: A prime example of the problems resulting from competing agricultural interests is the coffee industry. One of the most pronounced end results of this particular industry has been the denudation of the slopes located in the higher altitudes. During the 1980's many long-term and large-scale leases were granted to coffee farmers by the State to facilitate the expansion of this industry. This has resulted in a conflict arising between the farmers and the Department because the areas that are ideal for coffee cultivation, are also very suitable for timber tree reforestation. This overlap of interests has taken a toll on the work of the Department as many of the leases granted, dealt with lands in the gazetted forest reserves, and they more often than not make little or no provision for the maintenance of any environmental standards.
Process of declaration: The bureaucracy related to the declaration of the private holdings is currently excessive, and as such the process has proved to be a somewhat lengthy one. A move is being made by the Department to declare privately owned lands. The land in question is located in the western region of the island, a portion of which is being utilised as an eco-tourism attraction whilst the remainder of the land is a Caribbean Pine plantation. It is proposed that it be declared a forest reserve, thereby ensuring that the same level of protection that currently exists for forest resources on Crown lands, would be afforded to those on this private holding. It is hoped that this will be completed and the property brought under the auspices of the Act in the near future.
The foregoing factors (along with others that were not listed) have served to hinder the role played by the Jamaican government through the Forestry Department, in the push to sustainably manage and conserve the wooded areas located on private lands. It is accepted that the capacity of the Department is not sufficient to properly carry out its role in the forestry sector, but steps are being taken to offset this. The decision has been taken to adopt a more pro-active stance in relation to these lands that are currently not benefiting from any protection so as to increase the likelihood of their preservation. Not many persons are willing however to expend the required energy, if they are not guaranteed some benefit for doing so.
The Department cannot assume actual management of all the forested lands in Jamaica, but this can be achieved through cooperation with the relevant stakeholders. As a technical organisation we have the necessary expertise required by the potential investors and are very willing to disseminate this via the provision of technical advice and assistance. On its own this incentive may not be sufficient to induce the land owners to agree to restrict the use of their lands to preserve and protect the natural resources contained therein, but there are other attractive options available. This it is submitted, which though it may not be as comprehensive or all encompassing, is sufficient to get the ball rolling.
The other incentives which are currently available for use by the Department to promote the development of reforestation and sustainable forest projects on private lands include
the offer of `protection' for the forest products under the Forest Act 1996 and the Forest Regulations 2001 via the application of sanctions on conviction, as the penalty for carrying out prohibited activities on these forested lands.
Steps have been taken by representatives from the Department in conjunction with other public sector agencies and non-governmental groups to explore the possibility of introducing the concept of the conservation easement as a conservation tool. This investigation would of necessity require that the target audience be reviewed to establish what incentives would be of benefit to them. These incentives will attract some persons to invest in this arrangement, but it is an accepted fact that, that participation by potential investors could be maximised, if the Department had a more comprehensive package of incentives, tailored to meet the very different needs of the various interest groups that it would be hoping to attract.
Another factor which may inadvertently serve to boost the interest in reforestation by private individuals is the gloomy economic outlook that currently pervades the country. This has resulted in a downturn in the agricultural sector, which has resulted in a shift from the traditional types of agricultural cultivation of cash crops and husbandry to alternate means of utilising their property and implements, as well as the imposition of a new property tax regime by the government in 2002.
It is accepted that the Department is faced with the monumental task of coordinating the forestry industry in Jamaica, which of necessity requires that the private and public sectors work together in a coordinated and efficient manner. All the targets set by the Department and more could be realised if the mindset of the owners or occupiers of these areas could be shifted to reflect the viability of the production of forests as a worthwhile investment. The commitment of the Department is unwavering however, and it has found alternate and innovative ways to achieve its mandated responsibilities despite limited resources.
National Forest Management and Conservation Plan March 2001 - Ministry of Agriculture - Forestry Department of Jamaica
Forest Policy 2001
The Forest Act 1996; The Forest Regulations 2001
1 Legal Officer - Forestry Department of Jamaica. [email protected]
2 98,962 hectares are forest reserve, while the remaining 10, 552 hectares are crown lands. All are managed by the Forestry Department.
3 All the Forest Reserves were gazetted in the early to late nineteen fifties.
4 National Forest Management and Conservation Plan, Figure 2. Forestry Department, November 2000
5 Mission statement of the Jamaican Forestry Department
6 Table 9: National Forest Management and Conservation Plan 2001
8 Williamsfield, Clydesdale, Mount Airy and Moneague nurseries.
9 Table 14 - National Forest Management and Conservation Plan 2001. Forestry Department of Jamaica
10 Table VIII(2)-6 ibid pg VIII-10
11 1999 actual production = 492,000
12 the current capacity of the three functioning nurseries is 1.5 million