Personnel at Fiji Pine Ltd’s (FPL) Nabou Forest Station in Nadroga are holding talks with landowners and farmers around the company’s leased land in efforts to minimise forest fires and animal damage to the plantation.
Forest ranger Nabou Kitione Rasotale said all stakeholders had conducted their first round of consultation in Vagadra and Nasovotava villages in the interior of Sigatoka Valley.
Parts of FPL’s leased land in Nasovotava were written off last year because of forest fires and damage to pine plantations by cattle and goats.
“The involvement of all stakeholders is very beneficial. We’ve put together a plan of action, which we will carry out within a timeframe we discussed, to ensure the fences around the boundary are repaired by livestock farmers in Vagadra, and animals within company leases are pushed outside the fence before the restocking operation commences,” Mr Rasotale said in a statement.
“The fencing of animals is important so that they don’t damage the planted pines once the replanting program of the written-off areas begins later this year.”
He said a team from Nabou station did a joint operation with the Forestry and Agriculture ministries.
“The joint consultation is a successful approach in efforts to eliminate intruders,” he added.
Ministry of Agriculture representative Navitalai Vasuca emphasised the need to fence livestock and discussed opportunities available for cattle and goat farmers.
Farmers were reminded of harsh legal measures in place should the situation deteriorate.
This month is FPL’s fire awareness campaign month as the company looks to restocking leased land with pine.
