Other indicators for legal timber trade of Solomon Islands

Bans & quota

Existing Solomon Islands’ legislation prohibits the export of some key commercial species except as processed timber. These species cannot be exported in round wood (log) form. They are: vitex (Vitex cofassus), kwila (Intsia bijuga), rosewood (Pterocarpus indicus), and white beech or canoe tree (Gmelina moluccana). Additionally, some species may only be exported with approval from the Director of the Ministry of Environment, Disaster Management and Climate Change, and Meteorology. These species are: ngali nut (Canarium indicum) and tubi (Xanthostemon melanoxylon) (Timber Legality Assurance in Solomon Islands, 2013).

CITES and protected species

Regarding CITES, the regulations and restrictions of trade in specimens of wild animals and plant through a certification system for imports and exports, and instrument of ratification are being prepared by the Solomon Islands.

National action on timber legality

Under goal 11 of the proposed National Forest Policy 2020, the objective is to assess the feasibility to participate in the FLEGT- Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade-mechanism and implement a national program with the anticipated result of implementing incentives to promote the production of legal timber and reduce illegal logging (Ministry of Forest and Research, National Forest Policy, 2020).

At the time this report was prepared, the Ministry of Forest and Research together with Solomon Islands Timber Processors, and Exporters Associations, were preparing the Forest Resources and Timber Utilization Regulation 2021 aiming at controlling and maintaining good practices in the felling of logs, milling and exporting of processed or sawn timber.

The Ministry of Forest and Research works with the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Program (PHAMA) to improve markets for sawn timber products formed. In 2012 they formed the Solomon Islands Timber Processors and Exporters Association (SITPEA) that comprises of all timber exporters in Solomon Islands. SITPEA is presently seeking a group certification with NEPCON after they signed a contract in 2013. The Ministry of Forest and Research and PHAMA also developed a timber legality guideline for Solomon Islands in 2013 enabling continuous market and export of sawn timbers into Australia and New Zealand markets.