Search

The operation to clean up the precious woods sector and improve the economic performance of the forestry sector sets the following objectives:
(...)
• regulate the exportation of forestry products;
• develop eco tourism;
• promote the traceability of wood products;
• combat the illegal trafficking and exportation of precious woods and CITES products;
• issue the text on traceability;
• rationally manage forestry resources by taking an integrated approach that can deliver sustainable management.

The Ministry of the Environment, Ecology and Forests (MEEF) has indicated in connection with this report that one of its current goals is to "restructure" the precious woods subsector, in collaboration with the public and private bodies concerned and civil society, whether national or international. In September 2014, measures were announced to halt the illegal felling and export of precious woods.

Commercial forestry policy is implemented by the MEEF's Directorate of Forest Resources Development, through forestry commissions on which are represented forestry operators and NGOs working to protect the environment. The main forestry authorization is an agreement on forest exploitation, which is accompanied by specifications and development, management and operating plans. The specifications define the general and specific technical clauses as well as each party's obligations. Operating permits are issued annually.

From this year (2015 2017), the project financed by the ASTF and managed by the FAO will also provide support to Madagascar to implement phytosanitary surveillance and monitoring measures to protect our forests from the adverse effects of pests and diseases that can result in a fall in national forestry output. Leaving aside the not inconsiderable value to the country of annual exports of forestry products (both in the rough and processed), wood is still the chief source of fuel for homes in Madagascar (fuelwood and coal).

The authorities have also announced as an objective the setting up of eight priority Koloala sites. Koloala is a response to the desire to strike a balance between the need to protect the biological and ecological heritage of Madagascar's forest system, guaranteed by the system of protected areas, and how to satisfy the ever growing population's need for wood and energy, which must be provided sustainably. The following measures have been taken:
• adoption of Decree No. 2013/785 of 22 October 2013 laying down the terms for delegating forest management, including the protected areas, to public or private organizations;
• updating of all actors involved in the subsector; training and building traceability capabilities for forest agents;
• inclusion of rosewood and ebony in Appendix II to the CITES in March 2013; and submission of an action plan for the rosewood subsector to the CITES Standing Committee in Geneva in July 2014. Madagascar has decided on a moratorium on the sale of rosewood until 2015.

Although Madagascar's regulatory framework for forestry has not evolved since the first trade policy review in 2001 , since September 2014 the Ministry responsible for forests has been drawing up a new forestry policy in partnership with the FAO, in accordance with the REDD process. [28] Moreover, the Protected Areas System, introduced in 2003 for ecological reasons, has been expanded from 1.7 to 6 million hectares. The aim is to turn 17% of national territory into protected areas by including the marine area.

[28] United Nations Collaborative Initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. Viewed at: http://www.un-redd.org

Signatories to such agreements undertake to pay timber royalties (Table 4.6). All the operators pay a levy on collection, defined at regional level, which varies from region to region. Exporters, including free zone exporters, also pay an export levy. These levies are paid into the National Forestry Fund, whose aim is sustainable exploitation of this subsector.

Table 4.6 Forestry taxes on exports, 2015
Type of tax Products affected Amount
Tax on unlawful transactions: Confiscated forestry products (offence) Defined in tender

Export tax:
Live natural fauna and flora products and products of their direct exploitation (for example, orchids, frogs, chameleons) 5.0

Source: Order No. 25 608/2014 of 8 August 2014 determining the forestry taxes for commercial hunting permits and authorizations to collect and export fauna and flora products, as well as their exploitation, and samples for scientific purposes; Ordinance No. 60 128 of 3 October 1960 determining the procedure applicable to repression of offences against forestry legislation pertaining to hunting, fishing and nature protection.

Before they can leave the forest, any resources exploited must in principle bear the regulatory marks prescribed in the specifications. (...) Since precious woods were included in Appendix II to the CITES, the system for their exploitation and marketing has been subject to a quota fixed by the CITES. By March 2015, Madagascar had not been given any quota for precious woods.

(...) Export of unprocessed forestry products from natural forests has been prohibited since 2006, especially precious woods such as palisander, ebony and rosewood. As a result of these bans, only pinewood (grown on plantations) may be exported, in semi processed form. (...)