Forest Certification in Malaysia - Yale University
Forest Certification in Malaysia - Yale University
Forest Certification in Malaysia - Yale University
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forest certification <strong>in</strong> malaysia<br />
79<br />
future productivity, and without undue undesirable effects on the physical and social<br />
environment.<br />
Further, certification is be<strong>in</strong>g actively pursued to ensure cont<strong>in</strong>ued market access<br />
of <strong>Malaysia</strong>n timber products particularly <strong>in</strong> environmentally sensitive markets.<br />
<strong>Certification</strong> is seen as critical for long-term access to key markets <strong>in</strong> Europe, United<br />
States and Japan s<strong>in</strong>ce the market is be<strong>in</strong>g undercut <strong>in</strong> less green-sensitive markets<br />
like Ch<strong>in</strong>a, Taiwan and South Korea by low-cost producers <strong>in</strong> Indonesia and<br />
Cambodia.<br />
Typical of decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g approaches adopted <strong>in</strong> the country, the nation formed<br />
two committees at two different levels: (i) a National Committee on Susta<strong>in</strong>able<br />
<strong>Forest</strong> Management (NCSFM) compris<strong>in</strong>g of representatives from relevant<br />
Government agencies and universities, with the task of sett<strong>in</strong>g the elaborated ITTO’s<br />
CMSTFM for implementation; and (ii) a Work<strong>in</strong>g Party on Susta<strong>in</strong>able Natural<br />
<strong>Forest</strong> Management (WPSNFM) compris<strong>in</strong>g of state forestry departments <strong>in</strong><br />
Pen<strong>in</strong>sular <strong>Malaysia</strong>, Sabah and Sarawak with the task of operationaliz<strong>in</strong>g the ITTO’s<br />
C&I on SFM at both national and forest management unit levels.<br />
In order to ensure that the agreed activities are implemented <strong>in</strong> the field by the<br />
respective state forestry departments <strong>in</strong> <strong>Malaysia</strong>, a task force was formed to develop<br />
an effective mechanism and procedures for the periodic monitor<strong>in</strong>g of the implementation<br />
of all the activities, and produce reports on their progress to the higher<br />
authorities <strong>in</strong> <strong>Malaysia</strong> for their <strong>in</strong>formation and further action. This task force,<br />
established <strong>in</strong> May 1996, comprised of representatives from the M<strong>in</strong>istry of Primary<br />
Industries, <strong>Malaysia</strong>; the <strong>Forest</strong>ry Departments of Pen<strong>in</strong>sular <strong>Malaysia</strong>, Sabah and<br />
Sarawak; the <strong>Forest</strong> Research Institute, <strong>Malaysia</strong>; the <strong>Malaysia</strong>n Timber Industry<br />
Board; the <strong>Malaysia</strong>n Timber Council; and the Faculty of <strong>Forest</strong>ry, <strong>University</strong> Putra,<br />
<strong>Malaysia</strong>. To complement this effort, Pen<strong>in</strong>sular <strong>Malaysia</strong> also formed a Technical<br />
Monitor<strong>in</strong>g Committee at the <strong>Forest</strong>ry Department Headquarters, Pen<strong>in</strong>sular<br />
<strong>Malaysia</strong> <strong>in</strong> October 1995 to monitor the implementation of all the activities undertaken<br />
by the respective state forestry departments.<br />
To enhance the implementation of the certification scheme, the National Timber<br />
<strong>Certification</strong> Council, <strong>Malaysia</strong> (NTCC) with representation from academic and<br />
research and development <strong>in</strong>stitutions, timber <strong>in</strong>dustry, non-governmental organizations<br />
(NGOs) and government agencies was <strong>in</strong>corporated as a company limited by<br />
guarantee <strong>in</strong> October, 1998. NTCC was later renamed the <strong>Malaysia</strong>n Timber<br />
<strong>Certification</strong> Council (MTCC).<br />
The academic <strong>in</strong>stitution selected was the Faculty of <strong>Forest</strong>ry, Universiti Putra<br />
<strong>Malaysia</strong> while the R&D <strong>in</strong>stitution was the <strong>Forest</strong> Research Institute, <strong>Malaysia</strong>. In<br />
addition to a representative from the timber <strong>in</strong>dustry, environmental NGOs were<br />
represented by WWF. The activities undertaken by the MTCC, among others, <strong>in</strong>cluded<br />
the follow<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
●<br />
Development and implementation of a timber certification system <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>Malaysia</strong> to ensure susta<strong>in</strong>able forest management, as well as to facilitate<br />
the trade <strong>in</strong> timber from <strong>Malaysia</strong>;<br />
yale school of forestry & environmental studies