o_19ko2dt161ng2j4e1tgnoqv1s45a.pdf

FOREST RESOURCES TREND AND SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
The economic contributions of the forest are well recognized particularly to the wood and
non-wood based industry and trade. This is reflected by the fact that the country has emerged
as one of the main supplier of the world’s tropical hardwood products. In 2003, the forestry
sector contributed RM 16.3 billion, which is 4.3 percent of the total export earnings, of which
Peninsular Malaysia contributed RM 8.13 billion. The forestry sector also provided employment
opportunities for over 330,000 people in Malaysia. In Peninsular Malaysia, the sector provided
direct employment to 87,000 people. Forest revenue collected by various states in Peninsular
Malaysia amounted to RM 335 million in 2003.
Although not easily translated into financial values, the roles of forests in watershed protection,
conservation of soil and water resources, conservation of flora and fauna, conservation of
genetic resources and support for agricultural and environmental conservation have long been
recognized by forest managers. To meet the environmental as well as socio-economic needs,
Permanent Reserved Forest (PRF) areas, wildlife reserves and water catchment areas were
established.
This paper highlights the trends and current status of forest resources. It also elaborates on the
forest management practices and biodiversity conservation in Peninsular Malaysia and the
various initiatives and actions undertaken to achieve sustainable forest management. Forest
coverage and timber production are briefly discussed here.
SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT
The World Conservation Strategy, which was initiated by the United Nations Environmental
Program (UNEP), defines conservation as follows (IUCN 1980):
All human lives depend on the natural environment for survival and long-term well-being.
Hence for any economic development to be sustainable, it must first be ecologically sustainable,
and must satisfy three conditions:
• Ecological integrity of the ecosystem must be maintained;
• Renewable resources must be used sustainably; and
• Biological diversity must be maintained.
Article 2 of the Convention of Biological Diversity defines ‘sustainable use’ as the use of
components of biological diversity in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term
decline of biological diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations
of present and future generation (Anonymous 2005).
The sustainable forest management concept in Malaysia is in line with the conservation and
sustainable use definitions outlined by the World Conservation Strategy and Convention of
Biological Diversity respectively. The definition adopted by Malaysia and the International
Tropical Timber Council is “Sustainable forest management is the process of managing
permanent forest land, to achieve one or more clearly specified objectives of management
with regard to continuous flow of desired forest products and services, without undue reduction
in its inherent values and future productivity and without undesirable effects in the physical
and social environment” (Mohd Yunus et al. 2003).
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