Forest management in original source (in French) http://www1.onf.fr/guyane/sommaire/guyane/connaitre/domaine/@@index.html

Table of contents

1 The managed area ...... 4

1.1 Forests on the Atlantic coast ...... 5

1.2 Forests in the permanent forest domain (DFP) ...... 6

1.3 Forests in the intermediate zone between the Guiana Amazonian Park (PAG) and the permanent forest domain (DPE) ...... 7

1.4 Forests in the membership zone of the Guiana Amazonian Park (PAG) ...... 7

1.5 National Nature Reserves ...... 7

1.6 Adaptations made by the Forestry Code to the Guyanese context ...... 8

2 The permanent forest domain ...... 8

3 Sustainable forest management ...... 9

3.1 Regional forestry guidelines for French Guiana ...... 10

3.2 Regional Forest Planning Guidelines (DRA) ...... 10

3.3 Forest management ...... 11

3.4 Forest management plans ...... 11

3.5 The Regional Forest Development Program (PRMV) ...... 14

3.6 The silviculture guide for timber production in northern French Guiana ...... 15

4 The main rules for sustainable management ...... 15

5 Taking traditional uses into account ...... 17

5.1 The national legislative and regulatory framework ...... 17

5.2 Building the local management framework ...... 18

5.3 The participation of indigenous peoples in forums for dialogue on forest management ...... 18

5.4 Traditional uses in everyday life ...... 18

6 Supplying the timber sector ...... 18 6.1 Strong demand for timber ...... 19

6.2 Logging ...... 19

6.3 Low-impact logging ...... 20

6.3.1 Sustainable management objectives ...... 20

6.3.2 Controlled operation ...... 21

6.4 The certification of forests in French Guiana ...... 21

The managed area

The Guianese forests cover more than 8 million hectares. Among them, the conservation and management of 6 million hectares of forests in the private domain of the State are under the responsibility of the National Forest Office (ONF). The legal framework for this management is governed by the 2005 French forestry law and the 2008 decree adapting forestry law to French Guiana.

Broadly speaking, there are 5 major areas in French Guiana as a whole, which are subject to special management practices and are shown on the map above. 1.1 Forests on the Atlantic coast

The coastal strip represents 782 000 ha with 73% of natural habitats, among them half are forests. ONF manages 400 000 ha of forests in this area.

The coastal strip is constituted by a wide variety of natural environments

 Different types of forests (forests on sandy cords, forest on the ancient coastal plain, forests on white sand, coastal forests on rocks, high forests, low forests, flooded or swampy forests, mangroves, plantations)  Savannas  Sandy beaches  Bare rock, savannah rock  Swamps

Located near the main roads and population centers, this area has a high concentration of agricultural, urban and industrial areas, which are essential for the future development of French Guiana. However, within this area, some forests are protected for their ecological, social, cultural or recreational values.

ONF monitors public forests, ensuring that forestry and biodiversity issues are fully integrated into land use planning policy. In this forest strip is the domain of the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) which represents 70 000 ha, of which about 48 000 ha are forests. This private forest is managed by ONF on behalf of the CNES. 1.2 Forests in the permanent forest domain (DFP)

The permanent forest domain or permanent forest estate (DFP, « domaine forestier permanent » in French) represents 2.4 million hectares.

 These forests fall under the forestry regime. This establishes a legislative and regulatory framework for sustainable management of public forests, the main objective of which is to guarantee the long-term forest and natural use of these lands, and the renewal of wood resources.

In French Guiana, this regime applies only to DFP.

 In addition to the managed forests, this area includes the large national nature reserves of Nouragues, Trinité, Mont Grand Matoury, Kaw (in part) et the Lucifer Dékou- Dékou integral biological reserve.  Within this area, the forests are subject to sustainable, multi-year, multi-functional management, detailed in documents called forest management plans (“aménagement forestier” in French). The aim is to allow wood production, protection and conservation of remarkable ecosystems of 29 large forests (forest massifs), as well as public activities and outreach. Two other forests, outside the DFP, are subject to a management plan that is currently being developed or revised: the Saul Forest and the Forest. They belong to communities of Saul and Maripasoula.

These regulatory and legislative provisions have been incorporated into the new forestry law since July 1st 2012.

1.3 Forests in the intermediate zone between the Guiana Amazonian Park (PAG) and the permanent forest domain (DPE)

These forests that do not come under the forest regime are also managed by ONF, which mainly carries out monitoring activities. 1.4 Forests in the membership zone of the Guiana Amazonian Park (PAG)

This involves 1.4 million hectares of forests that are managed by the ONF.

 These areas are on the periphery of the core area of the National Park PAG (“Parc Amazonien de Guyane”).

ONF contributes to the objective of sustainable local development by revising or drawing up management plans for forests close to settled areas, performing forest inventories and organizing harvesting operations, thus ensuring the supply of wood to small local industries. ONF also participates in monitoring this landscape.

 The forests in the core area of the (“Parc Amazonien de Guyane” (PAG) represent 2 million hectares, which are managed by PAG services. 1.5 National Nature Reserves

In French Guiana, ONF also manages, alone or in partnership, several national nature reserves (reserve naturelle nationale) and integral biological reserves (reserve biologique intégrale), which are located in the Permanent Forest Domain. The goal of these areas is mainly the conservation of ecological and biodiversity values.

 the Réserve naturelle nationale de la Trinité (76 908 ha)  the Réserve naturelle nationale des Nouragues (106 241 ha) in co-management with an NGO (named AGEP) and in partnership with CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research)  the Réserve naturelle nationale du Mont Grand Matoury in co-management with the municipality of Matoury (2 123 ha)  the Réserve biologique intégrale de Lucifer Dékou-Dékou (64 373 ha)  the Réserve biologique intégrale des Petites montagnes Tortue (2 364 ha)

ONF also works with the ‘Conservatoire de l'espace littoral et des rivages lacustres’ (a French public institution in charge of coastal conservation). 1.6 Adaptations made by the Forestry Code to the Guyanese context

 The Forestry Code, a legal document that sets the framework for the sustainable management of public forests in , has been adapted to the Guyanese context. Implemented through the publication of an ordinance in July 2005, it thus defined the state forests benefiting from the forestry regime.  It also provides for the creation of community forests for inhabitants traditionally drawing their survival from the forest. These forests will be sold to the communities free of charge, but will continue to benefit from the forestry regime, which guarantees their sustainable management.

Through these adaptations, the identity and cultural role of forests is thus recognized.

2 The permanent forest domain

From a regulatory point of view, the Permanent Forest Domain designates all areas of strict forestry vocation in Northern French Guyana.

These areas were defined in decree n°2008-667, published on 02 July 2008. This decree complements Order No. 2005-867, published on 28 July 2005, which implements the Forest Code in French Guiana.

Covering an area of 2.4 Mha, the Permanent Forest Domain includes the Nouragues and Trinité National Nature Reserves, as well as the entire forest part of the Kaw National Nature Reserve, the Lucifer Dékou-Dékou Biological Integral Reserve, and the main timber production areas of French Guiana.

Regional Forest planning Guidelines (“Directives Régionales d’Aménagement forestier” DRA) are public documents that synthesize the main challenges and the state of knowledge, and set out the main principles of forest management in northern French Guiana. These are then applied to each forest through a forest management plan (“Aménagement forestier”).

3 Sustainable forest management

Sustainable forest management plans are based on gathering the maximum available knowledge on these forests to identify the medium and long term objectives.

- Regional forestry guidelines (orientations régionales forestières, ORF)

- Regional Forest planning Guidelines (directives régionales d'aménagement , DRA)

- Forest management plans (aménagements forestiers)

- The forest enhancement program (programme de mise en valeur forestière, PRVM). 3.1 Regional forestry guidelines for French Guiana

The Regional Forestry Guidelines (ORF) are a strategic orientation document for regional forestry policy.

They were defined by the Regional Forestry and Forest Products Commission (CRFPF), which brings together all the stakeholders concerned with forests, and were approved by ministerial order on 22 March 2005, in application of the Forest Code. 3.2 Regional Forest Planning Guidelines (DRA)

The DRAs are a central element in the implementation of the Regional Forest Orientations of French Guiana and a guiding document for forest management in a given forest region. They have a legislative basis and legal value (art. L4 of the Forest Code). The ONF is responsible for drawing them up, as they relate to State forests. The result of several years' work and a logical follow-up to the 2005 Forestry Ordinance and its implementing decrees, the DRAs for the North Guyana region were approved by ministerial order of 2 March 2010.

They make it possible to set the main principles of sustainable management and define the guidelines assigned to all the forests of Northern Guyana, representing more than 3.5 Mha.

For this purpose, 5 types of "series" or areas are identified based on their social-ecological value:

 the series of ecological value for the protection of the diversity of forest habitats, the conservation of remarkable habitats and species.  the series of physical environmental value for the protection of drinking water catchment areas as well as the heads of catchment areas, the banks of the main rivers and for erosion control on steep slopes.  the production series, for the production of timber and other forest products, while ensuring the overall protection of environments and landscapes.  the recreation series, for zones where there are tourism or environmental issues requiring special equipment or management facilities .  the traditional use series for ensuring that people who traditionally derive their livelihoods from the forest can practice their social and economical activities.

Read (in French)

 Directive régionale d'aménagement de la région Nord Guyane

3.3 Forest management

Forest management in French Guiana is divided into two documents:

- the forest management plan, specific to each forest

- the Regional Forest Development Program (PRVM), which is regionally based.

3.4 Forest management plans

This document, mandatory for all forests under the French law, is approved by ministerial order for each managed forest massif. It brings together analyses of the characteristics and issues specific to the concerned forest, making it possible to define the major objectives (zoning into series). The overall management framework, defined by the DRAs, is applied to 31 identified forests in French Guiana (2 of which are outside the permanent forest domain), with areas that can range from 13 000 to 373 000 ha. Each forest constitutes a large, coherent management unit, whose delimitation is based on the logic of interfluves (e.g. between the Oyapock and the Approuague), identity and access, in order to avoid the implementation of heavy and impacting structures (as bridges).

The production “series” is divided into forest plots, with an average surface area of 300 ha, which constitute the basic management unit of forest harvesting (from the inventory of the resource to the removal of wood from the forest).

Map from the Balata forest management plan, illustrating series

These forest management plans offer greater accuracy than the DRAs in terms of environmental scanning and expectations of people on this territory. Decisions on zoning, on trails to be created, are made at this level. They provide for complementary forest inventories and, on this basis, set the objective assigned to each plot of forest by linking it to a type of series.

The preparation of forest management plans and the inventories prior to these plans receive financial assistance under the Rural Development Programme for French Guiana. These subsidies are provided by Europe (EAFRD) and the State (Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Overseas in France).

Example of management plans (in French)

 • Aménagement de la forêt domaniale de Bélizon

• Aménagement de la forêt domaniale de Régina Saint-Georges

• Aménagement de la forêt domaniale de La Counamama

3.5 The Regional Forest Development Program (PRMV)

It is the operational view of forestry development for the whole of French Guiana. It is drawn up for a period of 5 years, and updated every year according to the needs of the timber industry.

It determines, at the level of French Guyana, all the actions programmed in production forests

- inventories (diagnostics prior to the management plans and complete plot inventories before harvesting)

- Creation or restoration of forest roads and trails

- Harvesting It is approved by the Regional Commission on Forestry and Forest Products (CRFPF), which brings together all stakeholders concerned with the Guyanese forests, under the direction of the Prefect (local authority, representing the French State in French Guiana).

Inventories of the harvestable resource and creation of roads and trails receive financial assistance under the Rural Development Programme for French Guiana. These subsidies are provided by Europe (EAFRD), the State (Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Overseas France) and the National Centre for Space Studies.

To learn more (in French)

 • Le programme régional de mise en valeur forestière pour la période 2015-2019

All these documents provides the sustainable management framework, guaranteeing the requirements of sustainable forest management recognized by the PEFC eco-certification label. 3.6 The silviculture guide for timber production in northern French Guiana

 The sylviculture guide for the forests of northern French Guiana synthesizes all the scientific knowledge acquired in recent years concerning the ecology of the forests of French Guiana and their applications in terms of silvicultural rules.  This document only concerns silviculture for timber in production forests.

Read (in French)

 Guide de sylviculture pour la production de bois d'oeuvre des forêts du nord de la Guyane

4 The main rules for sustainable management

The central objective of ONF in French Guyana is to ensure sustainable, multifunctional and exemplary management that respects the economic, ecological and social functions of the forest.

Forest planning (setting long-term objectives and developing the resulting management plans) is the necessary first step towards sustainable management.

Management choices involve effective trade-offs, to ensure consistency between the different sustainability and multifunctionality objectives.

In Guyana's tropical forest, even more than elsewhere, the sustainability of the production function depends essentially on respecting the balance between harvesting rate and low forest productivity.

This equilibrium is mainly based on the following three silvicultural parameters :

 the intensity of harvesting: intense enough to justify the financial investments made by forest management, it must not however cause high disturbances to switch to the secondarization of primary forests. This optimal harvesting intensity is set at 25m3/ha harvested, i.e. around 4 to 5 stems/ha.  the rotation period: it must allow both a reconstitution of the wood resource and a forest dynamics that benefits to the renewal of shade-tolerant species, which are disadvantaged by too short cycles and frequent disturbances. Based on the analysis of data from the Paracou experimental facility, the rotation is provisionally set at 65 years, which is supposed to be a reasonable duration to rebuild the stock of the main commercial species. Researches in progress within the framework of the GUYAFOR network or permanent plots will make it possible to define, once the variability of forest dynamics is better known, durations differentiated according to forest regions.  the logging methods: Disturbances can vary greatly depending on the harvesting methods (distribution of harvested trees, logging and skidding techniques). It is therefore necessary to define low-impact logging methods to avoid destroying the forest and moreover, to guide the future regrowth (such as a real silvicultural operation) while improving economic productivity.

ONF in French Guiana works daily to optimize the combination of these three parameters in order to guarantee the sustainability of forest management applied to the Guyanese forest over the long term.

5 Taking traditional uses into account

The implementation of forest sustainable management in French Guiana is based on a multifunctional management framework, integrating the multiple functions of the forest ecosystem: ecological functions, production functions, but also social functions (recreation, tourism, heritage, traditional uses, etc.).

In French Guiana, the presence of forest populations with many traditional forest uses gives this third function a special importance.

Taking into account the uses of the forest by these neighboring populations is essential if we want to avoid the disappearance of practices that contribute to the cultural diversity of French Guyana and to the heritage of humanity. It implies community forest management with people in the territories concerned by these traditional uses.

Furthermore, although the human pressure and uses of forest products observed in French Guyana are not comparable to those in Africa, Asia or , conflicts of interest do exist, however, and could intensify with the strong demographic development.

The consideration of traditional uses in forest management today takes place at several levels: 5.1 The national legislative and regulatory framework  Article R170-56 of the State Domain Code providing for the possibility for the Prefect to establish by decree rights for the benefit of communities of inhabitants who traditionally draw their means of subsistence from the forest.  Article L.172-4 of the Forest Code, which sets out the terms and conditions for the free transfer or concession of forests in French Guiana to legal entities with a view to their use by communities of inhabitants who traditionally draw their livelihood from the forest. 5.2 Building the local management framework

 669 426 ha of forests on which use rights have been recognized in French Guiana, in application of Article R170-56 of the State Domain Code, taken into account in the regional forestry guidelines, considering the need to better define use rights in terms of their content and methods of exercise in order to ensure that they are part of a sustainable management process  Definition in the Regional Planning Guidelines of a series specifically dedicated to traditional uses. 5.3 The participation of indigenous peoples in forums for dialogue on forest management

 Representation in the Regional Commission on Forestry and Forest Products  Consultation process with indigenous populations since 2005 in the context of the construction of the PEFC principles, criteria and indicators adapted to French Guyana (forum and meetings).  Consultation processwith the indigenous populations in 2011 as part of the construction of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) indicator principles and criteria adapted to French Guiana.  Consultation process with the indigenous populations concerned in the framework of each forest management development. 5.4 Traditional uses in everyday life

 In accordance with the prefectoral decrees establishing the ZDUCs, ONF is not the manager of the ZDUC forests, with the exception of one ZDUC (ZDUC Palikur community of the commune of Macouria).  The forests in the ZDUCs under the forest regime are integrated into forest management, as a series of traditional uses - application of user rights for the harvesting of non-timber forest products  Surveillance of the territory  Incentive to build a simplified community management plan (example: the Balaté forest below).

6 Supplying the timber sector

ONF has the role of supplying the national timber industry in French Guiana. 6.1 Strong demand for timber

Demand for wood, particularly for construction, is high in French Guiana, a region marked by strong population growth. It is therefore essential to provide logs to sawmill in order to meet local demand. On the opposite, there is no big foreign logging companies in French Guiana, wood is harvested in small quantities

Saw millers and loggers have contracts for periods ranging from 1 to 5 years with prices revised annually. These contracts are gradually approaching the market prices of wood raw material in the Amazon basin.

 The majority of timber in French Guiana is sold to loggers or sawmills in the form of standing trees.  Part of it is also sold directly to sawmills in the form of logs placed at the roadside, called “bois façonnés”. This type of sale, which is widespread in other parts of France, is gradually being introduced in French Guiana. It allows ONF to store an additional stock of logs, in order to facilitate the supply of sawmills during the rainy season, when logging activity is reduced. 6.2 Logging

ONF allocates to the wood buyer, whether he is a logger or a sawmiller, one or more plots of forests from which he can take a defined number of trees that have been inventoried and numbered beforehand.

The main steps in the ONF's operations before logging:

 Forest management with the definition of the series of logging operations and the division of these series into plots.  Designation: identification and location of the trees to be harvested using GPS systems, by ONF workers. They attach a numbered plaque to each selected tree. This marking will enable further traceability of felling by other ONF workers.  Road infrastructure: construction and maintenance of trails and roads, to allow access to logging areas, with the constant objective of minimizing their environmental impact. 6.3 Low-impact logging

The objectives of recognizing the sustainable management of Guyana's forests are reflected in the obligations imposed on forest operators.

6.3.1 Sustainable management objectives

In order to ensure that logging is consistent with the principles of forest management in Guyana, a charter for low-impact logging was signed in 2010 by the main players in the timber industry and is now a minimum requirement for working in the Permanent Forestry Domain. Low-impact logging can be defined as "a logging operation that is intensively planned, carefully implemented and controlled to minimize its impact on the forest stand and soils, usually based on a selection of individual trees to be felled" (FAO, 2004).

6.3.2 Controlled operation

Low-impact logging requires at least the following points to be controlled in order to achieve the best use of the resource at the lowest ecological cost:

 Knowledge of the resource  Planning and logistics of the different phases of logging  Control of the direct impacts of logging operations on the environment  Knowledge and implementation of the most effective techniques available.

In addition to reducing the environmental impact, this well-managed approach improves the economic performance of loggers. 6.4 The certification of forests in French Guiana

The purpose of forest certification is to guarantee to the consumer that timber products come from a sustainably managed forest.

Since 2012, the sustainable forest management carried out by the ONF for many years has been recognized by obtaining the PEFC eco-certification label for the forests of the Permanent Forest domain, representing 2.4 Mha.  The certification process involved all the actors concerned: forest operators, sawyers, decentralized State services, local authorities, representatives of civil society, research organizations, experts, associations, etc.  Through its membership of PEFC Guyana, the ONF is committed to continuing its efforts to implement sustainable and multifunctional management of the permanent forest domain, which is internationally recognized and guarantees the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainability of forest resources.  In order to ensure the proper implementation of this management, compliance with the owner's commitments (the State, represented by the ONF) was the subject of an initial audit in 2012 by an independent control office, Bureau Veritas, and is subject to regular internal and external audits as part of the ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications obtained by the ONF nationwide.

Financial assistance was provided for the coordination and the audit prior to the implementation of PEFC certification, as part of the Rural Development Program for French Guiana. These subsidies were provided by Europe (EAFRD), the State (Ministry of Agriculture) and the French Guiana region.