Glossary · Acronym RF
Forestry Registry (RF)
Official registration of a plantation or forestry harvest operation with Panama's Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente), regulated by Law 1 of 1994 (Forestry Law) and subsequent regulations. It is a prerequisite to access fiscal incentives under the current framework (Law 69/2017) and for an operator to qualify as a Forestry Visa vehicle.
Definition. Administrative entry with MiAmbiente that formally recognizes a natural or legal person as the holder of a specific forestry operation (plantation, harvest, nursery), with unit data: location, area, species, owner, and associated management plan.
How to read a RF number
Modern numbers follow the pattern RF-DRPO-NNN-YYYY, where:
RF= Forestry RegistryDRPO= Regional Direction / Resources Direction / issuing office (varies)NNN= sequential numberYYYY= year of registration
Example: RF-DRPO-005-2018 = Reforestadora La Ilusión (Foresteak), registered in 2018.
Older registrations may have a simple format No. 092-097 (United Nature case).
Why it matters to investors
- Forestry Visa eligibility. Decree 199/2021 requires the project to be registered in the Forestry Registry and operational.
- Fiscal incentives. The current regime (Law 69/2017 + Decree 129/2018) conditions benefits on registration and management plan compliance.
- Verifiability. The RF is public — it can be consulted / a copy requested at DIFOR (MiAmbiente's Forestry Direction).
How to verify a RF independently
- Request from the operator the RF number + exact name of the registered holder.
- Ask for a copy of the registration document (or a recent DIFOR certification).
- Cross-reference against the historical registry Panforestal indexes — search the Forestry Registry 1979-2026.
- Verify that the RF holder matches the legal entity signing the investment contract.