European Tropical Forest Research Network

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TALES AND TRUTHS IN THE FORESTS OF SURINAM

By Linda van der Valk

Globalisation is the process of integrating economies world-wide, particularly through trade and financial flows. In terms of the global timber trade, the transnational logging companies play a more important role than the local companies as exemplified in the following quote: 'The international trade in wood, pulp and paper is worth around US $ 100 billion per year, making timber the third most valuable natural resource in the global market place. Around 80 - 90 % of this trade is now controlled by transnational corporations' (www.eia-international.org, 16-7-2002).

These companies not only dominate the world timber trade, they also dominate local logging operations in countries where forest and timber resources abound. This is why it is important to investigate what role these companies play in forest destruction and degradation at country and resource level, in particular in countries where environmental legislation is lacking.

We conducted such a study in Surinam, a former colony of the Netherlands, where forest resources are abundant, several transnational logging companies are active and forest degradation has also been reported .

Tales and truths
The title of our study - Tales and truths in the forests of Surinam - reflects that the situation in the field does not always correspond with the image that comes to the fore in international literature and reports. The first striking discrepancy concerns the role of transnational logging companies. Whereas these companies are said to have a negative influence on the Surinamese environment, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Suriname claim that transnational logging companies operate on a sustainable basis. Obviously, the logging companies have changed for the better.

Hence the objectives of our study are twofold:

• To describe and explain organisational change in logging companies in Suriname
• To compare these results with international criticism

We would not preclude the possibility that transnational logging companies were influenced by these criticisms and have changed as a result. The main research question is therefore: What organisational change with regard to sustainability that has taken place in logging companies as a result of social pressure?

Greening of organisations
We conducted a survey among different stakeholders in the logging and timber industry, such as NGOs, the government and several local and transnational logging companies, departing form the theoretical notion of the 'greening of organisations' at different organisational levels. This notion distinguishes between the image of a company (what it says it is) and what the company actually does (Boons et al., 2000).

We found that institutional strengthening and improved environmental legislation and control in Suriname resulted in the 'greening of organisations' in two ways:

• The transnational companies that caused much damage and were not inclined to manage the forests on a sustainable basis have left the country;
• More recently established transnational companies are showing an interest in forest management programmes primarily because it is obligatory, but they comply with the legislation and invest in sawmills, which suggests that they are willing to operate in Suriname on a long-term basis.

The results suggest that the discrepancy between legislation and the way transnational logging companies operate in the field have altered. The organisations seem to have changed directly or indirectly as a result of national and international criticism.

References:
Boons F. (ed.), Baas, L., Bouma, J.J., Groene, A. de and Le Blansch, K. (2000). The changing nature of business. Utrecht: Jan van Arkel International Books.
Valk, L.A. van der and Kruft, A. (2002). Tales and truths in the forests of Suriname. MSc Thesis Wageningen University.

Further information:
Linda van der Valk
Esschilderstraat 29 R
2012 BC Haarlem
The Netherlands
E-mail: lindavandervalk@hotmail.com

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