The  Act promotes the use of sustainable forestry, through participation with local communities. It also provides for the declaration of Protected Areas within the framework of the Environmental Protection Act, along with the establishment of a code of practice which can be amended as required. The Act increases coordination with mining, introducing the requirement of a consultation before granting any licence for mining or petroleum prospecting or production.

The Act was unanimously passed by Parliament in 2009. The Act replaces the previous 1953 Act, amended in 1972, 1979 (which established the Guyana Forestry Commission), 1982 (which introduced large-scale harvesting concessions), and 1996 (which introduced timber exploratory permits).