National Forest Policy Statement.

The overall objective of the National Forest Policy is the conservation, protection, management and utilisation of the nation’s forest resources, while ensuring that the productive capacity of the forests for both goods and services is maintained or enhanced. Whereas the specific objectives are to: a) promote the sustainable and efficient forest activities which utilise the broad range of forest resources and contribute to national development while allowing fair returns to local and foreign entrepreneurs and investors; b) achieve improved sustainable forest resource yields while ensuring the conservation of ecosystems, biodiversity, and the environment; c) ensure watershed protection and rehabilitation: prevent and arrest the erosion of soils and the degradation of forests, grazing lands, soil and water; promote natural regeneration, afforestation and reforestation ; and protect the forest against fire, pests and other hazards; and d) identify and quantify environmental services to generate forest incentives for national development.