In the Media
SPC: Tree seeds take front seat in forest protection
August 06, 2012
Pacific News Center
Pacific Islanders depend on forests and trees for food security, fuel, timber, and for their traditional medicines. Forests and trees are also an integral part of islands cultural activities; they are of importance in improving soil fertility, water quality and supply, and environmental protection. But according to Mr. Sairusi Bulai, Forestry Team Coordinator for the Land Resource Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the region’s forests are under threat.
“Continual deforestation and forest degradation primarily resulting from unsustainable practises, coupled with extreme climate events, including climate change, have highlighted an urgency for Pacific Island countries and territories to better conserve, manage and use their forest and tree genetic resources.”
To address the threat, the Pacific is Island countries and territories agreed on a regional action plan for the conservation, and management and sustainable utilisation of forest and tree genetic resources in the Pacific. The action plan which was endorsed by the Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry Meeting in Apia, Samoa, in 2008, has the establishment of a regional tree seed centre to facilitate germplasm exchange and sharing as one of the plan’s core strategies for the achievement of its goals.
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Keywords: deforestation, Fiji, Forest, Pacific, PNG, SPC