[Source: GBT]

Fiji’s native trees, particularly Dakua, Vesi, Yaka and Sacau are classified as high-value species, according to the Ministry of Forestry.

Forestry Minister Alitia Bainivalu says plantation species like mahogany are deemed more valuable than pine, while sandalwood, local and introduced varieties is regarded as the most valuable of all species.

The Ministry, she says has made significant strides in tree planting over the past decade.

Bainivalu states that starting in 2012, initiatives such as the Million Trees campaign, Reforestation of Degraded Forests, and the Four Million Trees in four years program were launched.

In 2019, the target was expanded to planting 30 million trees over 15 years, following commitments made during the UN Climate Change Summit in New York.

Bainivalu says the Ministry has since planted around 19.2 million trees with the majority approximately 14.9 million or 78 percent being pine seedlings, mostly managed by Fiji Pine Limited.

Other species planted include mahogany with 776,081 seedlings, 930,920 mangroves, 17,114 sandalwood seedlings and around 2.5 million seedlings of mixed species including indigenous trees.

The reforestation program for this financial year has been allocated a budget of $2.5 million, focusing on maintaining and replacing dead seedlings in previously planted areas.

The Ministry has reduced its target from 1,800 hectares in the last financial year to 600 hectares this year to allow for maintenance and monitoring efforts across its operational divisions.