CEPA stops Kulawood operations on Woodlark Island
Post Courier, 17 Nov 2025
A Logging company operating on the island in the Milne Bay province has been ordered to shut down operations immediately and show their logging permit to Conservation and Environment Protection Authority to operate.
Managing Director Jude Tukuliya issued an Environment Protection Order to Kulawood Limited on Woodlark Island after initially failing to produce an environment permit on sight.
“In the investigations done by our officers, we received reports that there has been logging activities here for the last five to six years by Kulawood.
“We found out that the company that is been harvesting wood did not obtain an environment permit from our organisation to harvest trees or go into any resource extraction.”
Mr Tukuliya said at the company’s logging camp north of the island.
The CEPA Managing Director by virtue of powers conferred under the country’s environment law has powers to shut down operations of companies that are allegedly non-compliant to the laws of the land. Kulawood has been given a week to respond to the issues raised and if failure to comply, relevant penalties will be applied forthwith.
“Penalties will be discussed after they respond in a week’s time following the notice.”
Mr. Tukuliya said, the environment authority further warned firms to take heed.
“This is a message to the developers of our resources, if you are not compliant to the permit conditions or you are breaching the permit conditions, there are massive penalities stipulated under the environment act,” Mr Tukuliya concluded.
