Forest Management in the Solomons

• Noel Standbye runs the Isabel Sustainable Forest Management Programme on the island of Isabel in the Solomons.
• The real importance of the forest to the locals is the food, medicine and materials it provides, the programme aims to conserve these things better.
• The programme does not use bulldozers - therefore the surrounding vegetation is not damaged and habitats aren't disrupted.
• 2 trees are felled per hectare per year - this minimises the effect of logging on the ecosystem in the rainforest and gives the forests a chance to regrow in the areas that the trees were felled.
• Trees are replanted - this keeps the programme sustainable.
• The villagers benefit from it - they recieve 50% of the value of a log.

On the island of Isabel in the Solomons, Noel Standbye's 'Isabel Sustainable Forest Management Programme' aims to conserve all the things that are important to the locals (food, medicine and materials) while logging.

The programme is different to other logging companies because it does not use bulldozers to fell tress because using bulldozers damages a lot of the surrounding vegetation and distrupts habitats. Also, only two trees are felled per hectare per year because this minimises the effects of logging on the forests ecosystem and gives that area a chance to regrow. All the trees felled are replanted to keep the programme as sustainable as possible. The community benefit a lot from this type of programme because they recieve 50% of the value of a log (approximately $1000 per cubic metre) and their natural resources for food, medicine and building materials are conserved.