o_19ko2dt161ng2j4e1tgnoqv1s45a.pdf

NAZIR KHAN NIZAM KHAN & MOHD YUNUS ZAKARIA (2007)
Timber Tagging
Subsequently, timber tagging is carried out where harvestable trees are marked. This activity
is carried out to ensure that only marked trees are felled, as well as to control the amount of
timber output from the forest. The timber tagging system has proven to be an efficient
mechanism in controlling and tracking the movement and removal of logs from the forest.
During Harvesting Activities
During harvesting, prescribed forestry activities would have to be conducted in accordance
with rules and regulations as stipulated in the logging license issued by the State Forestry
Department. Among others, matters given due consideration during forest harvesting include:
• directional felling to ensure minimal damage to residual stand;
• construction of forest roads, skid trails and log landings according to prescribed standards
to ensure minimal adverse environmental impact; and
• demarcation of adequate buffer zones along rivers and streams to mitigate soil erosion.
Post-Harvesting Activities
Forest Survey
Immediately after harvesting, a forest survey is carried out to check on felled and un-felled
trees and compliance to license conditions.
Post-Felling Forest Inventory
Normally, at two to five years after harvesting, a post-felling forest inventory is conducted to
assess the status of the residual stand, as well as to determine any appropriate silvicultural
treatments to be carried out.
A similar inventory is conducted at year 10 to assess the status of the regenerated forest. The
sequence of operations under SMS is shown in Table 2.
Annual Harvesting Coupe
The annual harvesting coupe for the natural forests is determined for a period of five years,
which follows the Malaysia Plan. For the Eighth Malaysia Plan (2001–2005), the annual
harvesting coupe is 42,870 ha. This is expected to provide an annual yield of 3.43 million
meter cubic (Abdul Rashid, 2005). Table 3 shows the trend of annual harvesting coupe from
1994 to 2003. Table 4 shows the log consumption by the sawmill and plywood/veneer industries.
Based on the current production capacity of the forest, acreage of PRF and current log
consumption, it is concluded that log supply from the PRF (natural forests) will not be able to
meet the industry’s demand and this supply will continue to decline further in the long term.
In terms of resource sustainability, current forest planning and integrated operational studies
have shown that, with average growth rates of trees over 30 cm dbh of 0.8–1.0 cm per year in
diameter and 2.0–2.5 cubic meters per hectare per year in commercial gross volume, the hill
forests in Peninsular Malaysia are capable of producing every 25–55 years of at least 45–85
net cubic meters per hectare.
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