500 timber harvesters need clearance
It may take several months before timber can be harvested in north-eastern Namibia with a long due process that needs to be followed by land owners and lessees.
About 500 timber harvesters in north-eastern Namibia have to apply for environmental clearance certificates in order to resume operations.
This requires an environmental impact assessment, which is not only expensive but can take months to complete.
The forestry ministry this week confirmed that a public auction would be held next week to sell all confiscated timber that was illegally obtained.
Minister Alpheus !Naruseb said the issue of illegal logging had been in the spotlight in recent months and reached a peak when all timber harvesting was suspended.
He explained that a land owner or a legal occupant has a right to use the resources on the land in line with national laws.
In the case of timber harvesting though, a person must obtain a timber harvesting permit to fell trees for whatever purpose.
The minister said timber harvesting was allowed in terms of the Forest Act.
“However, the applicants must ensure that other legal instruments and their requirements are taken into account. In this case timber harvesting is one of the listed activities in the Environmental Management Act of 2007.”
Therefore, all applications for timber harvesting permits must be accompanied by an environmental clearance certificate.
Forestry ministry permanent secretary Percy Misika further explained the process, saying someone applying for a logging permit must be a Namibian who privately owns land or has leased it for a long time.
Misika said a forest inventory assessment is then conducted to establish the allowable quantity that can be harvested on the land, after which the applicant must conduct an environmental impact assessment.
“This is not done by the agriculture minister, but the onus is on the applicant to get an environmental clearance certificate.”
A permit would only be issued once the clearance certificate was received, said Misika.
According to the director of forestry, Joseph Hailwa, about 500 existing timber harvesters will have to apply for environmental clearance certificates. He said a list had been sent to the environment ministry and they were now dealing with that.
Responding to concerns about where timber is shipped, Misika said that was beyond the ministry's control. “People should understand that it is not a choice of the ministry where the ministry timber is going to, but a choice of the owner. When a person applies for a permit we cannot dictate to them whom to sell to and for how much. It is a business venture.”
!Naruseb said although most timber harvesters were in possession of valid harvesting permits, illegal logging did take place at various places and at different times.
He said such incidents would be jointly investigated by the ministry and the police.
“Currently there are officials in all regions monitoring the situation. However, given the size and long distances in our country, there is always a need for additional resources.”
He said based on the lessons learnt in recent months the ministry was reviewing its strategies to ensure that resources were made available to prevent illegal logging.
ELLANIE SMIT
This requires an environmental impact assessment, which is not only expensive but can take months to complete.
The forestry ministry this week confirmed that a public auction would be held next week to sell all confiscated timber that was illegally obtained.
Minister Alpheus !Naruseb said the issue of illegal logging had been in the spotlight in recent months and reached a peak when all timber harvesting was suspended.
He explained that a land owner or a legal occupant has a right to use the resources on the land in line with national laws.
In the case of timber harvesting though, a person must obtain a timber harvesting permit to fell trees for whatever purpose.
The minister said timber harvesting was allowed in terms of the Forest Act.
“However, the applicants must ensure that other legal instruments and their requirements are taken into account. In this case timber harvesting is one of the listed activities in the Environmental Management Act of 2007.”
Therefore, all applications for timber harvesting permits must be accompanied by an environmental clearance certificate.
Forestry ministry permanent secretary Percy Misika further explained the process, saying someone applying for a logging permit must be a Namibian who privately owns land or has leased it for a long time.
Misika said a forest inventory assessment is then conducted to establish the allowable quantity that can be harvested on the land, after which the applicant must conduct an environmental impact assessment.
“This is not done by the agriculture minister, but the onus is on the applicant to get an environmental clearance certificate.”
A permit would only be issued once the clearance certificate was received, said Misika.
According to the director of forestry, Joseph Hailwa, about 500 existing timber harvesters will have to apply for environmental clearance certificates. He said a list had been sent to the environment ministry and they were now dealing with that.
Responding to concerns about where timber is shipped, Misika said that was beyond the ministry's control. “People should understand that it is not a choice of the ministry where the ministry timber is going to, but a choice of the owner. When a person applies for a permit we cannot dictate to them whom to sell to and for how much. It is a business venture.”
!Naruseb said although most timber harvesters were in possession of valid harvesting permits, illegal logging did take place at various places and at different times.
He said such incidents would be jointly investigated by the ministry and the police.
“Currently there are officials in all regions monitoring the situation. However, given the size and long distances in our country, there is always a need for additional resources.”
He said based on the lessons learnt in recent months the ministry was reviewing its strategies to ensure that resources were made available to prevent illegal logging.
ELLANIE SMIT
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