The Papua New Guinea government will penalise logging companies that cut and waste small trees.
The Post Courier reported Forest Minister Douglas Tomuriesa saying loggers were harvesting logs smaller than 300 centimetres in diameter.
A review of the Forest Act meant the loggers, whether they cut and processed the logs or not, would be charged for them, he said.
The minister was responding to questions from Usino-Bundi MP Jimmy Uguro, who said landowners in Madang, Usino-Bundi and Middle Ramu had banned logging until companies honoured the commitments they had signed with landowner companies.
The National Forest Authority would hold a landowner consultation meeting in Port Moresby and had invited all leaders and landowners to attend, Mr Tomuriesa said.
