The timbers of guyama

The forest of Guyana covers some 16.45 million hectares of 76.6% of the total land area. Of this area only about half (8.7 million hectares) is considered accessible for economic exploitation. This forest is generally considered tropical moist evergreen rainforest, though represented by various forest types. The permanent State Forest Estate, which covers some 13.58 million hectares, is administrated by the Guyana Forestry Commission. The remaining forest areas are either Private Property, Community Titled Area or State Lands administered by the Guyana lands and Surveys Commission. The forests are heterogeneous in nature. About 70 species of timber are regularly extracted with another forty (40) species being extracted in more irregular manner. The forestland is dissected by many large rivers that provide a means of transporting forest produce to the processing centers. Some of these rivers, however, are very difficult to navigate due to masses of rock outcrops in their channels and periodic low water patterns. Forests are allocated to loggers under a three-tiered system. Firstly, there is the State Forest Permission (SFP), which is granted for small, short-term operations (two years) and where no heavy investment is required. The SFP does not give exclusive rights to the area it covers. Holders of State Forest Permissions generally concentrate on the production of fuelwood (charcoal and firewood), posts and timber. When the area exceeds 400 hectares, an acreage fee is payable. Secondly there is the Wood Cutting Lease (WCL) which grants rights to extract timber and other forest produce for periods between 3-8 years. Simple forms of Management Plans are required and a stipulated minimum royalty level is a vital obligation under this system. The areas granted are much larger than those under the State Forest Permission. Thirdly, there is the Timber Sales Agreement (TSA), which is considered the major wood cutting license currently being granted to large operators. This level of operation requires large investment and sufficiently large areas (over 25,000 ha) to amortize the investments. These licenses (agreements) grant harvesting rights to the grantee for the period of 15-25 years. Under this system, it is essential that a detailed forest inventory and Management Plan be prepared and submitted to the Guyana Forestry Commission for approval. To date approximately six (6) million hectares of accessible forest have been allocated, of which about 3.7 million hectares are under TSAs. In Guyana emphasis is placed on formulation and implementation of Forest Management Plans not only for exploitation, but to apply appropriate systems to ensure forest conservation, forest protection, forest for multiple benefits and long- term sustained supplies of wood for industrial and energy needs.