Forest Management Plan - Sabah Forestry Department

% of the total FMU 17A area is restricted to the northwest and extends to Tawai FRwith flat to gently sloping terrain.2.4.2 Diversity of FloraA survey conducted by the Forest Research Centre (FRC) has recorded a total number of1,502 plant species/taxa from 140 plant families (including those retrieved from theherbarium specimen record at SAN). Of these, a total of 160 species are endemic toBorneo, including 21 species that are endemic to Sabah. Most of the plant species underthis category are confined to ultramafic substrates around Sabah (e.g. Ulu Tungud, Mt.Silam, Kinabalu etc.). However, none of the species recorded from the survey is endemicto FMU 17A. Some fruit trees, like Durian (Durio spp.), Kawang (Shorea mecistopteryxand Shorea pilosa), Mango (Mangifera spp.), and Rambutan (Nephelium spp.) were found inthe area.Past logging activities are believed to have increased the threat to those plants thatwere identified or categorized as threatened species. Most of the identified endangeredspecies from the study are from the Dipterocarp family.2.5 Past Management2.5.1 Timber production and implicationsCommercial exploitation in FMU 17A started as early as the 1970s’. This forestexploitation continued until the year 2002. The issuance of short-term logging licensesat very short intervals, as well as poor logging practices, have resulted in over-logging.Historic records of the volumes of commercial timber extracted from FMU 17A are notcomplete. However, it is estimated that more than 6.0 million m³ of commercial timberwere removed from Tangkulap Forest Reserve since the early 70s’ equating to an averageof 120m3/ha being extracted.As such most of the forest area is considered degraded and would need timber standimprovement to enable harvesting to resume within the next 20 years. The main focus ofthe management system will be through restoration of severely degraded areas based onintensive methods such as planting of fast growing native species in blocks of about 30ha or less to form a mosaic of planted and natural regenerating forest areas.12