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FOREST RESOURCES TREND AND SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
In 2003, natural forest cover in Peninsular Malaysia was 5.88 million ha or 44.7 % of the total
land area of Peninsular (Abdul Rashid, 2005). The bulk of these forested areas comprised the
Dry Inland Forest (5.4 million ha), followed by Peat Swamp Forest (0.30 million ha), Mangrove
Forest (0.10 million ha) and Planted Forest (0.08 million ha).
Permanent Reserved Forest and Protected Areas in Peninsular Malaysia
Out of the 5.88 million ha, 4.70 million ha or 35.7% of the total land area had been designated
as the Permanent Reserved Forest (PRF) to be managed sustainably for the benefit of the
present and future generations (Abdul Rashid, 2005).
Of the total PRF, approximately 3.18 million ha (24.2% of the total land area) are classified as
production forest with the remaining 1.52 million ha (11.6 % of the total land area) being
classified as protection forest (Abdul Rashid, 2005). Based on the National Forestry Policy,
the role of the production forest is to ensure the supply in perpetuity, at reasonable levels, of
all forms of forest produce that can be economically produced within the country. On the
other hand, the role of the protection forest is to ensure favourable climatic and physical
conditions of the country, the safeguarding of water resources, soil fertility, environmental
quality, conservation of biological diversity and the minimization of damage by floods and
erosion to rivers and agricultural lands.
Apart from the protection forests within the PRF, other protected areas, which had been gazetted
as national parks, wildlife and bird sanctuaries amounted to 0.89 million ha (6.8% of the total
land area) (Abdul Rashid, 2005). Of this total, 0.58 million ha are designated as National and
State Parks, while 0.31 million ha are wildlife and bird sanctuaries. A total of 0.12 million ha
(0.9% of the total land area) of the wildlife and bird sanctuary areas are located within the PRF.
Table 1. Forested Area and Permanent Reserved Forests (PRF) in Peninsular Malaysia (1970 to 2003)
Year PRF (ha) Forested Year PRF (ha) Forested
Area (ha)
Area (ha)
1970 3,337,708 8,009,000 1987 4,288,408 6,348,000
1971 3,307,770 7,875,000 1988 4,928,646 6,288,000
1972 3,434,326 7,583,000 1989 4,866,201 6,320,000
1973 3,412,113 7,450,000 1990 4,866,470 6,270,000
1974 3,412,113 7,319,000 1991 4,748,057 6,111,000
1975 3,448,007 7,290,000 1992 4,675,021 6,042,000
1976 3,448,007 7,199,000 1993 4,698,459 6,024,008
1977 3,164,439 6,968,000 1994 4,687,463 6,003,000
1978 2,948,351 6,839,000 1995 4,684,904 5,991,000
1979 2,932,943 6,588,000 1996 4,684,094 5,820,547
1980 3,124,045 6,505,000 1997 4,731,927 5,852,869
1981 3,083,103 6,438,000 1998 4,730,216 5,838,860
1982 3,064,837 6,378,000 1999 4,853,646 5,938,068
1983 3,064,837 6,373,000 2000 4,837,500 5,979,649
1984 2,999,655 6,353,000 2001 4,840,431 5,924,407
1985 3,274,008 6,353,000 2002 4,701,858 5,892,901
1986 4,617,010 6,455,000 2003 4,696,211 5,879,723
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