Lesser known timber species Suriname (phase 1)
94% of the land surface of Suriname is covered with forests. The management principles under which they are managed are based on the Celos Management System that was developed from the ‘60’s up until the ‘80’s. Based on this system the yearly permitted harvest has been determined at 25m3 per ha in a cycle of 25 years. In practice the average yearly harvest lies below 8m3 per ha. One of the most important reasons for this low number is the heterogeneity of the forest and the focus on the harvest of approximately 20 tree species.
To lower the pressure on these 20 tree species it is important to be able to harvest more species. This is also encouraged under the umbrella of the certification of sustainable forest management (SFM). The promotion of harvesting lesser known timber species (LKTS) will improve the business case of SFM in Suriname. This could also result in a higher contribution of the forestry sector to the BBP of Suriname, thereby influencing the perception of forests as valuable. As a result the forest can be better maintained.
Within the project the use and export of LKTS is encouraged by the development of specific market information for 10 promising LKTS in the Suriname forest and initiating experimental projects in which the use of the selected LKTS is demonstrated. Additionally, activities will be organized to make LKTS in general, and the Suriname species specifically, more mainstream. The project is divided into three phases.
In phase 1, carried out between the end of 2015 and beginning 2016, the availability and the botanical and technical characteristics of the ten species from FSC certified forests in Suriname will be assessed and collected in factsheets. In this phase it will become clear which technical data is lacking or unreliable and for which species additional (laboratory) research is needed. To prevent making the same mistake twice and to not reinvent the wheel, best practices for the introduction of LKTS on the market will be collected. Phase 1 will be completed with the identification of and the involvement of (specialised) timber importers. In close collaboration with the importers and the involved Surinamese exporters the most promising LKTS for introduction on the European market will be selected.
Phase 1 resulted in a more detailed budget, workplan and SMART-formulated targets for the R&D (phase 2) and the commercial phase (phase 3). In consultation with the financial donors it was be decided to continue with phase 2 and 3.
Information
Consortium: Probos Foundation (Lead coordinator); Tropenbos International Suriname (Lead coordinator Suriname); Greenheart Group Suriname; E-Timber/Dennebos Ltd.; Caribbean Parquet Flooring / TWC Ltd.; Suriname Foundation for Forest Management and Production Control (SBB); Stichting Hout Research (SHR); Innovita; FSC Netherlands; Soekhoe & Zonen NV
Expert(s) involved: Mark van Benthem, Joyce Penninkhof & Jan Oldenburger (Probos)
Client(s): European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) / IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative; Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI); SKH; Surinamese FSC-certified companies; The Guiana Shield Tropical Timber Program; the Dutch Embassy in Paramaribo, Suriname
Year(s): 2015 - 2018
