April Salome Case Study

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Papua New Guinea is one of the founder members of the Kyoto Treaty and is one of the first National Governments in the world to seek to adopt the UNFCCC (REDD) initiative to structure a revenue for the preservation of carbon-sink programme, specifically designed to financially compensate landowners for not continuing to pursue commercial logging, thus protecting the remaining rainforest. Learn more about the REDD initiative here.

A Charitable Foundation, the April Salome Sustainable Forest Management Project Foundation (ASSFMPF), has been established to distribute the benefits from utilising the UNFCCC (REDD) programme with April Salome Forestry Assets. April Salome is a parcel of 521,000 hectares of virgin rainforest in the East Sepik region of the country.

The April Salome Sustainable Forest Management Project Foundation has a Board of Trustees which is responsible for the selection and funding of projects with the proceeds from carbon credit sales. Landowners will submit project proposals to the foundation for funding. Once approved, the foundation will then provide the funds for the project. The Board of Trustees includes a representative from the Landowner Company.

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The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare has described the Foundation as "Potentially the most far-reaching initiative to save rainforests that has been seen.  We want our country to be regarded throughout the world as a beacon in the fight to save this precious resource and, at the same time, enhance the lives of the people who live and hunt in the rainforests."

To create the framework to reduce deforestation The Papua New Guinea Government has formed The Office of Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability (OCCES) , which operates under the Designated National Authority (DNA) to monitor and oversee a structured approach to reduced deforestation.

Under the carbon certification mechanism, our projects will first, be developed to achieve Community, Climate and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS) and second, to the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS). The methodology for the VCS standard is identified and currently under review. It is anticipated to be issued during 2010.

The first pilot REDD initiative PNG forest project to be identified by the Government of Papua New Guinea to take advantage of the UNFCCC (REDD) structure is a parcel of 521,000 hectares of virgin rainforest in the East Sepik region of the country known as April Salome (Historically known as April Salumei FMA within the East Sepik Province).

On 21st May 2010 The Government of Papua New Guinea released a statement announcing that the Project Design Document for April Salome Forest Management Area was complete. The Project Design Document (PDD) is shortly to be approved to Community Climate and Biodiversity (CCBS) Gold standard, another first for Papua New Guinea.

Rainforest Project Management Limited (RPM) is responsible for assisting the ASSFMPF with the commercialization of the project and other potential projects in the future.

RPM, with endorsement by the Government of Papua New Guinea (OCCES and Prime Minister and NEC Department), supports this REDD project’s implementation and related activities including monitoring, verification and reporting of carbon and sustainable development monitoring.

RPM management structure utilizes the services of the best available institutions, human resources and individuals and seeks advice from local communities. In addressing the April Salome project the management team will embrace the skills and knowledge of some of the best people available in PNG. We have specifically utilized PNG people wherever possible as the country is unique and no one knows its climate, environment, cultures, traditions, and languages better than its own people.

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To read about RMA projects in April Salome, and the rest of Papua New Guinea,
click here.