Community forestry will continue to be a major project area in 2009 in terms of the coordination of Community Forest Organisations and the provision of technical support.This is according to Minister of Agriculture with responsibilities for forestry,China Jerseys, Robert Persaud.Community extension activities including capacity building,Jerseys NFL China, forest planning and management were conducted in 2008 in several communities with the active participation of community members.Last year, a project aimed at promoting the lesser used species was completed.This project entailed physical and mechanical tests being done by internationally credible laboratories on 15 chosen species, Persaud added.The project will result in the broadening of the special utilization base in Guyana and has been implemented over 2007/8 with encouraging test results now being taken forward by the industry. Forest inventory activities were executed in seven communities.Community development and forest management plans were developed for two pilot communities and are being implemented.Additionally, the Forestry Training Centre Inc has provided Reduced Impact Logging training for several community groups, Persaud said.Monitoring continues to be a priority in the sector and as such an additional 50 forest rangers have been recruited and each large concession will have a minimum of two officers to monitor harvesting activities.The GFC is implementing a project aimed at addressing the level of efficiency and quality of forest products produced by the processing sub sector in Guyana.The GFC is now ensuring that all forest produce for export is graded, he said.Funding was secured last June from ITTO for a project on value adding and kiln drying, targeting small and medium sized operators.This project will be fully implemented this year.Speaking of his Ministry’s direct involvement in the sector, Persaud said that the Ministry of Agriculture has engaged the Brazilian Government in discussion for assistance to conduct satellite monitoring of our forestry resources.The project to reduce illegality in traded timber through the introduction of computerized log tracking system and remote sensing is about 60 percent completed.The project will be completed in 2009.Log exports for 2008 declined considerably when compared to 2007.The exports for 2008 were 92,Authentic Jerseys Wholesale,400 cubic metres representing 33.6 percent of total log production (275,Cheap Authentic Jerseys,320 m3) as compared to 2007 where log exports (157,097 m3) represented 48 per cent of total log production (330,NFL Jerseys Cheap,374 m3).The export of sawn lumber in 2008 was 47,602 cubic metres representing 71 percent of total production (66,958 m3) when compared to export of sawn lumber in 2007 which was 43,NFL Jerseys Wholesale,824 cubic metres or 58.9 percent of total production of 74,363 m3.Last week, Persaud also presented the select committee report of the Forest Bill 2007.He is optimistic that this will be approved by Parliament very early in this year.