By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 6: Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) director Datu Hamden Mohammad has revealed that the State currently has 25 certified natural forests covering more than 2.2 million hectares, as well as seven certified forest plantations covering approximately 97,000 hectares.
According to Hamden, forest resources play an important role in Sarawak’s economic development.
“To balance the need for environmental conservation and economic needs, we have reduced our harvesting operation to approximately two million cubic metres per year, with strict requirements on forest management certification for both natural and planted forests,” he said at the International Conference on Sustainable Management of Tropical Forests that took place at a hotel here today, according to his speech text made available to the media.
The two-day conference (March 6-7), held in conjunction with the International Day of Forests on March 21, featured the unveiling of a handbook on reduced impact logging (RIL).
“Through our partnership with the STA (Sarawak Timber Association), we have developed a handbook on reduced impact logging (RIL) aimed at aiding on-ground personnel in effectively implementing RIL practices.
“This handbook is an adaptation of the harmonised RIL Guideline for ground-based timber harvesting in Sarawak, which was jointly developed with the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)).
“The guideline marks a significant stride towards standardising timber harvesting practices and enhancing regulation within Sarawak’s timber industry,” Hamden said.
He further noted that the FAO has affirmed that the guideline adheres to international best practices, not only in its content but also in terms of stakeholder engagement and participation in its refinement.
Meanwhile, according to a press handout, the conference is being held in collaboration with FDS and WWF-Malaysia, with support from the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).
“It serves as a platform for international and national experts, practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore the crucial interconnection between forestry and sustainable development towards establishing a comprehensive strategy that is key to conserving the long-term vitality of tropical forests.
“The two-day conference has received overwhelming response from approximately 200 participants representing multi-level stakeholders, thus indicating their interests in sustainable forest management (SFM) and conserving the tropical forests,” read the press release. — DayakDaily
