Annual Report 2006Managing and Coordinating Projects with External Funding & CollaborationProjects with external funding and support that are being implemented by the <strong>Forestry</strong> <strong>Department</strong> in the reporting year are asshown in table below:-ProjectsThe Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Peat Swamp Forest and AssociatedWetlandsInternational Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)Development of Agro-forestry Technology for the Rehabilitation of Tropical ForestsDisturbance and Recovery of Tropical ForestsPromote the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Resource in MangkuwaguForest Reserve through Capacity Building and Community <strong>Forestry</strong>Assessment of FMU17, FMU25 and Ulu Segama-Malua (USM) for CertificationUlu Segama-Malua (USM) Sustainable Forest Management ProjectUNDP/GEFPartner OrganisationsInternational Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)Japan International Research Centre forAgricultural Science (JIRCAS)Centre of Ecological Research, Kyoto University.UNDP MalaysiaCountry OfficeWWF-MFTN/GFTNMultiple partners(Please see separate report)New projects with external supports that are awaiting MoU and MoA are as shown in table below:-ProjectsHSBC Small Grant to Implement a Project in Deramakot Forest Reserve (FR) to restoreorang utan habitat at the southern partPreservation of Rhinoceros in <strong>Sabah</strong> in their natural habitatsThe Mobile Unit for Wildlife Enforcement and Monitoring Unit in Tangkulap-PinangahForest Reserve (FMU 17A)Study on the Diversity of Ground Vegetation in a given oil palm plantation in <strong>Sabah</strong>Tabin Wildlife Reserve – Publication of guidebook, promotional video and educationalposterRestoration of Ulu Kalumpang FRPartner OrganisationsHSBCSOS Rhino (Borneo) BhdMalaysia Palm Oil Council (MPOC)MPOCMPOCBorneo Tropical Rainforest Foundation (BTRF)The signing ceremony on the Memorandum of Understanding between State Government of <strong>Sabah</strong>/ <strong>Sabah</strong> <strong>Forestry</strong> <strong>Department</strong> &EC UNDP for the Small Grant Programme For Operation s to Promote Tropical Forests (SGP PTF)Apart from that, the department is also involved in projects implemented by other agencies as follows:-• Project on The Conservation and Sustainable Use of Highlands of <strong>Sabah</strong> and Sarawak by EPU-UNDP;• Small Grant Programme for Operations to Promote Tropical Forest (SGP-PTF) by UNDP-EU;• Borneo Biodiversity Ecosystem Conservation (BBEC) Project by UMS, JICA and <strong>Sabah</strong> Government;• A Community Based Approach to Conservation and Development in Ulu Padas by WWF-DANIDA; and• Tourism Area Concept Plans for Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Sipitang by the State Government of <strong>Sabah</strong> by IDS86
Forest Sector PlanningInternational Conventions, Forum and CouncilUnited Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)The UNFF continued with its 6 th Session to address unfinishedbusiness of the 5 th Session of the UNFF regarding thedevelopment of an International Arrangement on Forests(IAF). The session concluded with consensus on the fourglobal objectives i.e.; (i) reversing the loss of forest coverand increasing efforts to prevent forest degradation, (ii)enhancing forest benefits and their contribution to internationaldevelopment goals. (iii) increasing the area of protected forestsand areas of sustainably managed forests, and (iv) reversingthe decline in official development assistance for SustainableForest Management. In addition to that, the meeting alsoagreed to meet annually and to review the effectiveness of theIAF in 2015.ITTO and Related ActivitiesThe department continued its active engagement with ITTOand had attended to its Council Meetings and related meetingsas follows:-1. Follow-up Meeting on the 39 th Session of the InternationalTropical Timber Council (ITTC), 16 th Jan 20062. The 41 st Session of the International Tropical TimberCouncil (ITTC) and Associated Session of the Committeesin Yokohama, Japan, 6 th -11 th Nov 20063. Preparatory Meeting for the United Nations Conferencefor the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to theInternational Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) 1994,Fourth Part, 17 th Jan 2006As part of the measures to improve and strengthen the ITTOproject cycle, a Project Evaluation Committee was establishedat the national level. Mr. Frederick Kugan & Mr. ChristopherMatunjau were appointed as the department’s representativeand alternates to the project committee. In the reporting year,two meetings were held as follows:-1. 1 st Meeting on the Project Steering Committee on ITTOProject. 17 th July 20062. 2 nd Meeting on the Project Steering Committee on ITTOProject PD, FRIM, 20 th Nov 2006.Projects with <strong>Sabah</strong>’s component, that are under implementationand consideration are shown in Table 16.3Convention on the International Trade in EndangeredSpecies of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)Relevant to the implementation of CITES, a National Act inWild Flora and Fauna was proposed. The <strong>Sabah</strong> <strong>Forestry</strong><strong>Department</strong> with the State’s Wildlife <strong>Department</strong> and theState Attorney General had participated in the formulation ofthe new legislation. Apart from that, the department had alsoparticipated in the following meetings and CITES relatedactivities as follows:-• Workshop on the Trade Dynamics of Agarwood (Gaharu)on Malaysia and Considerations of CITES Non-DetrimentalFindings, KL, 1 st -3 rd Mac 2006• CITES International Committee Meeting, KL, 6 th Mac 2006• ITTO Expert Meeting on the Effective Implementation ofthe Inclusion of Ramin (Gonystylus spp.) in Appendix II ofCITES, KL, 16 th -18 th May 2006• Malaysia Preparatory Meeting for Plant Committee Meeting(PC16) CITES on 3 rd – 8 th July, KL , 19 th June 2006• Clarification on Specific Species Nomenclature andPublication Export Quotas for Gonystylus, KL, 19th June2006• Post-Mortem of ITTO Expert Meeting on The EffectiveImplementation of Ramin (Gonystylus spp.) in the AppendixII of CITES, KL, 19 th June 2006• Preparatory for Workshop on Capacity Building on Trade inAgarwood, KL, 19 th June 2006• The Preparatory Meeting for the 54 th Meeting of the StandingCommittee of CITES, KL, 2 nd -6 th Oct 2006• Expert Meeting on Agarwood – Capacity BuildingWorkshop for Improving Enforcement and Implementationof the Listing of Aquilaria malacensis and other Agar wood-Producing Species, KL, 14 th – 17 th Nov 2006Other related conventionsBesides all above, the department had also participated inconferences as follows:-• Urban <strong>Forestry</strong> Conference, Kuala Lumpur on 6 th – 8 th Jun2006• The International Conference & Exhibition on Mangrove ofIndian & Western Pacific Oceans, Kuala Lumpur on 21 st-24 th Aug 2006.• 4 th Asia Pacific Ecotourism Conference, KL on 2 nd -5 th Nov2006.Promoting and Facilitating CertificationDeramakot, covering 55,083 ha, still remains as the onlycertified forest in <strong>Sabah</strong>. Nevertheless, efforts are continuedto bring other forest areas under certification. In pursuit ofthis endeavor, the <strong>Forestry</strong> <strong>Department</strong> in collaboration withthe WWF Malaysia has planned to bring a total of about 0.5million hectares of forest reserves i.e: Tangkulap Pinangah-FMU 17 (83,820 ha), Ulu Segama (240,000 ha) and FMU25 (Kalabakan-Sapulut-119,695 ha) under the certificationprocess. The process began with the appointment of Global<strong>Forestry</strong> Services (GFS), an independent assessor, to conductan assessment of gaps and to draw up the action plans tobring these forests under certification. It is planned that allthese areas will be certified within 2 to 5 years. Other forestareas, being for considered for certification include, TrusmadiFR (Conservation) and Ulu Kalumpang FR (Conservation).Table 16.3 : ITTO Projects with <strong>Sabah</strong>’s Component (Under Implementation and Consideration)ITTO ProjectsThe Establishment of Tree Seed Orchards for Selected IndigenousTree Species in <strong>Sabah</strong>, MalaysiaProject Improving Utilizing and Value Adding of Plantation Timbersfrom Sustainable Sources in Malaysia (Project lead by FRIM)A Comprehensive Information System For Sustainability of theWooden Furniture Industry in Malaysia (Coordinated by FRIM)Integrated Conservation and Management of Mangrove Forest inMalaysia.Selection and Mass Production of Quality Teak Clones withSuperior Yeild to Fulfill Worldwide Demand of High Value TimbersImplementingAgencyFRIM/FRCFRIM/FRCFRIM/FRCNRE<strong>Sabah</strong> FoundationImplemented in progressImplemented in progressImplemented in progressStatus(Project is now being implemented under the RMK9funding.) Awaiting financing from ITTOBeing considered by the National EvaluationCommittee87