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FOREST RESOURCES TREND AND SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
A total of 29 indicators, 87 activities and 49 standards of performance under 6 criteria of the
MC&I were used to assess forest management practices in 8 states in Peninsular Malaysia;
Pahang, Selangor, Terengganu, Johor, Kedah, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Kelantan. To date,
a total of 4.68 million ha of PRF covering the eight State Forest Management Units (FMUs)
had been given MTCC’s Certificate for Forest Management.
MS ISO 9002
The MS ISO 9000, in brief, is a series of standards for quality management and quality assurance
system. The adoption of MS ISO 9000 series will ensure the establishment of quality systems,
products and services. The MS ISO 9000 processes can help to attain sustainable forest
management because the processes will ensure activities are carried out according to the
standards.
The core process identified for the Forestry Department was sustainable timber production
from the PRF while the major activities identified to ensure the achievement of this core
process are forest boundary demarcation, pre-felling forest inventory, timber tagging, forest
harvesting, post-felling forest inventory and silvicultural treatments.
The Forestry Department Headquarters, and eight State Forestry Departments namely, Johor,
Kedah, Pahang, Selangor, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Perak and Terengganu have been
awarded the MS ISO 9002 certificates.
FOREST BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY CONSERVATION
The tropical rainforest of Malaysia is one of the most complex and rich ecosystems in the world.
The forest has long been recognized as a repository of genetic resources for both flora and
fauna. As one of the 12 mega-diverse countries in the world, the forests are home to at least
14,500 species of flowering plants and trees, 600 species of birds, 286 species of mammals, 140
species of snakes and 80 species of lizards (Zul Mukhshar, 2000, Mohd Yunus & Mangsor
2002). In an attempt to diversify and expand the conservation of genetic resources of various
forest and ecological types in their original conditions, the Forestry Department has also set
aside pockets of Virgin Jungle Reserves (VJRs). A total of 87 VJRs covering 23,002 hectares
were established throughout Peninsular Malaysia. These VJRs represent samples of the many
forest types found in the PRFs. Represented forest types include Mangrove Forest, Heath Forest,
Peat Swamp Forest, Lowland Dipterocarp Forest, Hill Dipterocarp Forest, Upper Dipterocarp
Forest and Montane Forest (there are no VJRs in the upper hill and montane forests). These
VJRs are unique and represent an integral part of sustainable management practice in Peninsular
Malaysia. Besides VJRs, there are other protection areas under different functional classes. There
is 0.12 million ha of protected areas in the PRF or 2.5% of the PRF area.
Efforts are also being taken by the Forestry Department to ensure in situ conservation of
biodiversity during forest harvesting in the production forests of the PRFs. In this context,
even though the prescribed minimum cutting limit for the Dipterocarp species in Peninsular
Malaysia is 50 cm dbh; for the species Neobalanocarpus heimii (Chengal), the minimum
cutting limit has been raised to 60 cm so as to better conserve populations of this species. In
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