Independent Forest Monitoring

Independent Forest Mionitoring- Scoping Report 2011

Background
1.1 Introduction
This report presents the findings of an independent legality assessment conducted by an Independent Forest Monitoring team of specialists representing the GFA Consulting Group S.A. The purpose of the assessment was to evaluate the forest monitoring system in Guyana and its implementation in preparation of an audit of forest monitoring in Guyana which will take place in July 2012.

This report contains five main sections of information and findings and several appendixes.
1.2 Forest law enforcement and legality in Guyana
In a global context, illegal logging and deforestation cause severe environmental damage, including a loss of biodiversity and impacts on climate change. In many countries, livelihoods of local communities who depend on forests – including indigenous people – are affected by it. Generally, legitimate operators who are trying to manage forests sustainably find it hard to compete with illegally produced timber…Click here for more information


Independent Forest Monitoring – First Assessment Report 2013

Independent Forest Monitoring Statement

Independent Forest Monitoring - First Assessment Report 2013Context

In 2009, Guyana and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding cooperation on issues related to the fight against climate change, in particular those concerning reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD-plus), the protection of biodiversity, and enhancement of sustainable, low carbon development. According to the Joint Concept Note (JCN) Independent Forest Monitoring is required to verify Interim Indicators for REDD-plus performance in Guyana related to emissions resulting from 1) forest management (i.e. selective logging) activities in natural or semi-natural forests and 2) illegal logging activities.

GFA Consulting Group has been contracted by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) to perform an independent assessment of Guyana’s laws and regulations relevant to forests, their enforcement systems, and legal compliance, against pre-specified, non-accredited criteria, under the Guyana-Norway REDD-plus partnership…Click here for more information


Independent Forest Monitoring – Second Assessment Report 2014

Independent Forest Monitoring - Second Assessment Report 2014Introduction
In 2009, Guyana and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding cooperation on issues related to the fight against climate change, in particular those concerning reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD-plus), the protection of biodiversity, and enhancement of sustainable, low carbon development.

According to the JCN, independent forest monitoring is required to verify Interim Indicators for REDD-plus performance in Guyana related to emissions resulting from 1) forest management (i.e. selective logging) activities in natural or semi-natural forests and 2) illegal logging activities. Relevant interim performance indicators are respectively: ad.1) All areas under forest management should be rigorously monitored and activities documented (i.e. concession activities, harvest estimates, timber imports/exports); and ad.2) Areas and processes of illegal logging should be monitored and documented as far as practicable…Click here for more information


Guyana Independent Forest Monitoring Report 2018

Introduction

In 2009, the Governments of Guyana and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation on issues related to addressing climate change, in particular, those concerning reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD-plus), protection of biodiversity; enhancement of sustainable and low carbon development.
According to the Joint Concept Note (JCN) of the MoU, independent forest monitoring is required to verify Interim Indicators for REDD-plus performance in Guyana, related to emissions resulting from:

  • forest management (i.e. selective logging) activities in natural or semi-natural forests; and
  • illegal logging activities.

Relevant interim performance indicators agreed by the Parties are:

  •  All areas under forest management should be rigorously monitored and activities documented (i.e. concession activities, harvest estimates, timber imports/exports); and
  • Areas and processes of illegal logging should be monitored and documented as far as practicable.

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Guyana Independent Forest Monitoring Report 2019

Executive Summary

The Independent Forest Monitoring (IFM) assesses on a biennial basis the legal compliance system for Guyana’s forestry sector at the broader country level. Its main objective is to provide stakeholders with a third-party independent assessment of:

  • the adequacy and relevance of Guyana’s forest law enforcement systems;
  • implementation of the forest law enforcement systems; and
  • how operators within the forestry sector are complying with the nationally agreed legality requirements based on the specified Criteria for Monitoring…Click here for more information

Terms of Reference for Independent Forest Monitor – Guyana

Background
One of the main focal areas of Guyana Forestry Commission’s (GFC) work has been on forest law enforcement and legality. This has been due not only to the legal requirements as set out in the Forest Act, but also to a recognition of the importance of legality in ensuring that the benefits from forest resources utilization flow to the right beneficiaries, preventing unfair competition between illegal and legal produce, maintaining a low rate of deforestation and forest degradation, ensuring sustainable development of forest dependent communities, and mitigating against climate change in a REDD+ framework.

A Programme of work has been coordinated by the GFC, with support from its partners including, the Forest Products Development and Marketing Council, the Forestry Training Centre Inc. and private sector counterparts. One of the outputs from this process is the development of the Guyana Legality Assurance System (LAS). In June 2006, an international firm specializing in forest legality systems, Proforest, was contracted by the Guyana Forest Commission (GFC), the Forest Products Development and Marketing Council (FPMC) and the Forestry Training Centre Inc. (FTCI), to assist in the development and field testing of an independent, transparent and suitable timber legal verification system for Guyana’s forestry sector. The development of this voluntary system was done though a process of stakeholder consultation and participation…Click here for more information

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