Reforming multinational loggers in Solomon Islands

Abstract

By the mid-1990s, multinational loggers in Solomon Islands were working at a pace that would have depleted the commercial forests in about 13 years. The 1997?98 economic downturn in East Asia, however, has at least temporarily slowed log production, providing a window of opportunity for reformers. Since coming to power in August 1997, the government of Bartholomew Ulufa?alu has announced ambitious plans to reform forest management. This paper shows that the government has good reasons for wanting to alter the actions and impacts of multinational loggers, which includes destructive harvesting practices, tax evasion, and questionable deals with landowners. It also demonstrates that the government will face powerful obstacles as it attempts to move beyond bold declarations toward concrete changes.