o_19ko2dt161ng2j4e1tgnoqv1s45a.pdf

NAZIR KHAN NIZAM KHAN & MOHD YUNUS ZAKARIA (2007)
STATUS OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN MALAYSIA &
THREAT ASSESSMENT OF PLANT SPECIES IN MALAYSIA
FOREST RESOURCES TREND AND
SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN
PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
1
Nazir Khan Nizam Khan & 2 Mohd Yunus Zakaria
ABSTRACT
Malaysia is well endowed with some of the world’s richest forests, a richness not only in
terms of numbers and uniqueness of species but also diversity of habitats and ecosystems. The
total forested area in Peninsular Malaysia is about 44.7% (5.88 million hectares) of its land
area. Of this total, some 35.7% (4.70 million hectares) are within Permanent Reserved Forests
(PRFs). PRFs are legally gazetted Forest Reserves, managed sustainably for economic, social
and environmental values. During the implementation of the New Economic Policy in 1970,
the need to eradicate poverty and distribute wealth among the various communities saw the
massive development of large-scale agriculture, particularly in the rural areas. This has resulted
in the conversion of forest areas to plantation crops such as oil palm and rubber. Although
large forest areas were cleared for this purpose, at the same time, there was a significant
increase in the gazettement of PRFs. In 1970, the total forested areas was approximately 8.0
million ha and this dropped to 5.87 million ha in 2003 or a decrease of 27%. During the same
period, the area gazetted as PRFs was 3.3 million ha in 1970 and it was increased to 4.7
million ha or an increase of 42% in 2003.
In an attempt to conserve the species and genetic resources in various forest and ecological
types, the Forestry Department has also set aside pockets of virgin forests known as Virgin
Jungle Reserve (VJR) and has taken actions to classify relevant areas of the PRFs into eleven
different functional classes. Efforts are also being taken by the Department to ensure in situ
conservation of biodiversity during forest harvesting in the PRFs. The Forestry Department is
committed to forest conservation and protection of the environment, where PRF areas open
for harvesting are subjected to forest management certification processes and the acreage of
the PFR areas opened for harvesting are regulated and controlled. From another perspective,
the Forestry Department had, to date, organised eight scientific biodiversity expeditions.
INTRODUCTION
The tropical rainforest has long been valued as a source for food, fuel, medicine and materials,
for shelter and livelihood. It will continue to play an important role in the country’s socioeconomic
development and environmental conservation.
Forest Department Peninsular Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Salahuddin, 50660 Kuala Lumpur; 1 nazir@forestry.gov.my;
2
yunus@forestry.gov.my
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