On Monday, 1 December, the Parliament of Fiji passed the Forestry Bill 2025 into law, officially enacting the Forestry Act 2025.

As discussed in our previous update this legislation marks a defining moment for Fiji’s forestry sector. The new Forestry Act 2025 will, when it is brought into force by the Minister, replace the outdated Forest Decree 1992, and ensure alignment between the law and Fiji’s progressive policy landscape, including the Fiji Forest Policy 2007 and the Climate Change Act 2021.

While the Act is now law, the commencement date remains to be confirmed. The Ministry of Forestry will now undertake a structured implementation phase to draft necessary secondary legislation (regulations) and prepare the operational systems required to bring the new framework to life.

From Extraction to Ecosystem Management

Fiji's Parliament has endorsed a fundamental shift in philosophy for its forestry management. because the Act moves the sector away from a regulatory model focused narrowly on timber extraction and state control, toward an integrated, ecosystem-based approach. The new Act balances the "production" of high-value timber with the "protection" of biodiversity, carbon rights, and biosecurity.

Key Provisions of the New Act

Please see our previous update for a more detailed analysis, but in summary The Forestry Act 2025 introduces several technical reforms designed to modernise the sector:

• Strategic Regulation: The Conservator of Forests is elevated from an administrator to a strategic regulator. The focus shifts from day-to-day policing to high-level auditing and standard-setting.

• Co-Regulation: The Act empowers the Conservator to accredit Forest Practices Officers (FPOs)—potentially from within the private sector—to certify plans. This is supported by "smart enforcement" tools, including Fixed Penalty Notices for minor breaches and Absolute Liability for environmental damage, ensuring swifter, proportionate justice.

• Diversified Licensing: A modernised framework introduces Forest Management Licences for long-term security, alongside specific licences for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) such as sandalwood (yasi), recognising the economic diversity of the forest.

What This Means for Fiji's forestry sector

The enactment of this legislation offers immediate strategic advantages:

• Global Market Access: New provisions for traceability and log scaling align Fiji with strict international standards, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), securing market access for Fijian exports.

• Landowner Empowerment: By mandating Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and clarifying carbon rights, the Act empowers iTaukei landowners to meaningfully participate in the sector and access climate finance.

The Road Ahead

While the legislative hurdle has been cleared, the operational challenge begins now. As highlighted in the Draft Implementation Plan, operationalising the new framework is resource-intensive. It will require significant investment in human capital—specifically the training of officers in prosecutorial duties and the certification of industry professionals.

The Forestry Act 2025 provides the tools to secure the economic and environmental future of Fiji’s forests; its success is now wholly dependent on the hard work to come to ensure the quality of its implementation. 

Implementation challenges aside, this is a moment to congratulate the Ministry of Forestry team on a job well done!