The government last week promulgated a law governing forests and trees, which, among other provisions, forbids residents to harvest 'immature trees,' as the government counts on them to tap into the global carbon market by selling its forest capacity to absorb emissions.
The law defines a pole as an immature tree, with a diameter of less than 20 cm, measured at 1.30 m from the ground. This provision is different from the initial proposal which consisted of imposing an administrative fine of Rwf3 million on a person who trades poles. The fine would be Rwf500,000 if poles were used on a ground-level building that does not exceed 300 square metres, and if it were a storeyed building, the fine would be Rwf500,000 for each floor on which poles were used.
This consideration was informed by the fact that, in some cases, a person can use more poles on a building without floors than those used on a storeyed building .A person who harvests his or her forest without a permit commits a fault. He or she is liable to an administrative fine equivalent to the value of the trees harvested.