THE Forests (Amendment) Bill 2022 will give power to the government to formulate new provisions for better management of the state’s forests by creating Amenity Forests for Education, says Kennedy Chukpai Ugon (GPS- Murum).
He said the creation of Amenity Forests could also be used for research and recreation purposes, as well as enable forest carbon activities to be carried out in permanent forests on government land and land owned to create certified Carbon Stocks and Carbon Credit Units under globally recognised carbon standard regulations.
“Our natural forests have unique and beautiful landscapes that meet the needs of exciting recreation and ecotourism. The creation of amenity forests or eco parks in forest reserves is in line with the National Forestry Policy, 1978 (revised 1992) to maintain a sufficient number of areas as places of recreation, ecotourism and public awareness of the importance of caring for and preserving our forests.
“Our forests are part of our natural heritage and play an important role in the protection and restoration of biodiversity. It isolates carbon and also serves as a Carbon Sink or Carbon Stock because it absorbs Carbon dioxide stored in the tree. So the bigger the trees, the more the trees and the younger the tree is, therefore we will have more carbon stock.”
He said this in his debate speech on the Bill, on Thursday.
He also mentioned that the Bill would allocate power to the State Executive Council to make regulations on forest carbon activity and other matters related to Carbon Stocks or GHG Stocks, Carbon Credits and Carbon Trading as well as introduce Forest Carbon Licence.
“So it will create new industrial development and evolution to existing industries as well as our environmental sustainability will also be guaranteed in line with the government’s aspirations and efforts to address the phenomenon of climate change on a large scale.”
