April Salumei Forest Management Area April — Salumei Rainforest | |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | Papua New Guinea |
Coordinates | 4°38′15.3″S 142°46′37.0″E / 4.637583°S 142.776944°E |
Area | 521,500 hectares |
Ecology | |
Ecosystem(s) | Tropical rainforest |
April Salumei Forest Management Area also known as April Salome Rainforest [1][2] is a forest management area in April — Salumei tropical forest covering over 600,000 hectares[3] in Ambunti-Dreikikir District of East Sepik Province, of Papua New Guinea.[4] The forest is located in the basins of two rivers: April[5] and Salumei.[6] The town of Ambunti serves as a gateway to the April Salome Forest Management Area.[7]
The project area has previously been recognised as an exceptional biodiversity hotspot by the Climate Community and Biodiversity Standard (SCS, 2011).[8] Before becoming a carbon project, the area was planned to be cleared for logging.
The project also channels climate finance to the community via a benefit sharing agreement that provides 60% of the revenue from sale of offsets to autonomous local landowner groups, helping reduce poverty and enhance the wellbeing of local communities.[3]
The April Salumei Working Group, formed to assist with managing the project, provides employment opportunities to the local community. The project promotes culturally inclusive, sustainable community development via a new five-year Sustainable Development Plan, agreed by locals.[3][9][10]
Previous project activities have delivered benefits including: