Forestry Commission exceeds production targets as sector expands

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) surpassed its production targets for the years 2023 and 2024.

In 2024, there was an increase in production from 2020 at over 20,000 cubic metres. Commissioner of the GFC, Edward Goberdhan said the production increases were a testimony to good governance in the forest sector.

Commissioner Goberdhan and Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat spoke extensively on the commission’s successes in the forestry sector on Tuesday during the Ministry’s annual year-end press conference.

Currently, there are over 25,000 Guyanese employed in Guyana’s forestry sector.

The year 2024 also saw 12 new lumberyards and 25 new sawmills established throughout the country.

The Commission also expanded its Forest Reclamation project that was started in Region 10 in 2023, to Regions 6 and 8. This is where degraded and mined out areas are restored by using native tree species.

Minister Bharrat also made mention to Indigenous communities that have used their funds from the LCDS to set up portable sawmills and small workshops.

He said, “We have been supporting them from the Ministry and from the GFC so that they too can be engaged in value added processing and thereby (earn) greater revenue and creating employment opportunities in those communities.”

For 2025 and beyond, the Commission’s focus will include expanding species utilisation, increasing production, an improved quality of forest products in the market, and more.

Goberdhan said the GFC will also continue to work with stakeholders to advance the productive capacity to ensure an adequate supply of raw materials for both the local and export markets.

In addition, Minister Bharrat said the GFC has been tasked to look at the forest economy and how to create alternative economic opportunities in the forestry sector other than the harvesting of trees. This will further tie into Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which speaks to keeping the forest intact and maintaining a low deforestation rate.

“Moving towards value-added and finding alternative economic opportunities in forested communities will significantly go towards reducing deforestation even further while keeping the sector viable,” said Bharrat.

Further, the GFC is also looking at the cultivation of different varieties of bamboo in mined out areas. The Minister said this “can lend towards further economic opportunities in those communities.”