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The Government of Fiji, through the Ministry of Forestry, has undertaken a comprehensive review of the legal framework governing the nation’s forest sector. Supported by a technical expert team from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), this intention was to align Fiji’s legislation with its evolving national policies, such as the Climate Change Act 2021, the National Development Plan, and importantly, the Fiji Forest Policy 2007. The result is the Forestry Bill 2025, which will replace the Forest Decree 1992 with legislation that addresses contemporary resource management challenges.
The Forestry Bill 2025 when compared to the legislation it will replace represents a fundamental shift from a regulatory model that focused primarily on timber extraction to one of integrated sustainable management. While the 1992 Decree was instrumental in regulating licensing and royalties, it predated significant developments in ecosystem services, carbon rights, and modern biosecurity. The new Bill addresses these gaps while incorporating the extensive stakeholder consultations regarding the importance of better governance and economic development in the forestry sector.
While the enactment of the Bill is an encouraging first step it is only the initial phase of reform. The successful operationalisation of the new regulatory framework will require a structured implementation strategy to address technical requirements, from the establishment of new governance councils to the training of officers in updated enforcement protocols. This article outlines the technical advancements within the Bill, and evaluates what this shift ultimately means for Fiji.