Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Forestry Law Fires Debate

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

TEGUCIGALPA, Mar 17 2003 (IPS) - The Agro-Forestry Alliance, a coalition of environmental groups, say the changes made to the forestry law — currently being debated by the Honduran Congress — would be detrimental to the country's woodlands. Sections of the legislative bill on investigating the illegal settlement of protected areas and revoking irregular land titles could be eliminated, says the Alliance.

The reforms would be a step backward from “the consensus achieved between civil society, environmentalists and lawmakers at the end of last year,” Alliance activist Rigoberto Sandoval told Tierramérica.

Three-quarters of Honduran territory are suitable for planting trees, and half is already covered by forest, but the pace of deforestation reaches 80,000 hectares a year, according to official figures.