Illegal logging is happening and we are losing a lot not only in money but our land is being invaded.

That is the sentiment of Peter Goulding who woke up last Wednesday morning to a phone call from a family friend that some people were chopping down trees on his property in Wainunu in Bua.

Goulding said the forty two trees that were cut down on the family estate in Davutu near the Wainunu River were over a 100years old and they consisted of Dakua and mixed species.

Goulding said he alerted the Police and the Forestry Department in Savusavu as the family were residing in Savusavu and the Estate in Bua was empty at that time, but when they reached his family property in Bua, only the stumps were left.

He said that this is not the first of its kind, as he has heard from other families and villagers that such practices are happening.

Meanwhile, the Forestry Department confirms receiving the report adding that illegal logging on free hold land is an issue that is affecting landowners in the North.

Deputy Conservator at the Forestry Ministry, Ratu Tomasi Kubuabola said the matter was brought to their attention and by the time, the officials got to the scene there was only stumps left, they are now carrying out assessments to verify and quantify the volume of the trees logged and are also having talks with the saw miller and with Police.
 
According to the Department, illegal logging is where trees are being taken off the land without the landowners knowledge and stressed that this is a very touchy issue as they have to first see whether the land is private or freehold.

Kubuabola adds that once they finish with the quantifying process, a report will be handed to the Prime Ministers Office before any action is taken.

A recent study by the United Nations has shown that an estimated about 350 square kilometres of forest are lost on a daily basis worldwide.


Story by: Paradise Tabucala