The Republic of Congo’s decision to encourage Indian private companies to invest in its forestry industry has been welcomed by FRA.

Seattle, United States, February 07, 2012 — The Republic of Congo’s decision to encourage Indian private companies to invest in its forestry industry has been welcomed by Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

FRA welcomed the news that Henri Djombo, the Forestry and Environment Minister in the Congo, spoke out in favour of Congolese forestry investment at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit.

Speaking to the Economic Times in India, Djombo said, “We have a big timber industry and would want Indian private companies to come and invest in the our timber companies.”

He also took the opportunity to call for more funding from developed nations to help the Congo and other developing nations to manage their forests sustainably. He explained, “There is a financial and climate injustice being done to us. We are making so much efforts for forest management compared to the Amazon forest in Brazil or rainforest in Indonesia but compensation is less.”

FRA, a research and analysis consultancy specialising in sustainable forestry and investment, said that Djombo’s views highlight how important funding in the form of forestry investment is. “Attracting foreign investment into the forestry industry in developing countries is vital to ensure that those working in the industry can benefit form their forests being managed sustainably,” claimed FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins.

FRA believes that developing countries need to be compensated for forestry management in order to highlight the fact that forests can be worth more standing than as timber. This is due to importance of living forests for the absorption of carbon dioxide.

In addition, FRA said that money can be made for investors, through schemes like those run by Greenwood Management in Brazil, where investors buy up sustainable plantation land and sell the timber when the trees have reached maturity. This schemes also offer an alternative to native timbers for the production of charcoal.

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

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