KUCHING: Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) through a partnership with Sarawak Timber Association (STA) has developed a handbook on Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) aimed at aiding on-ground personnel in effectively implementing RIL practices.
FDS director Datuk Hamden Mohammad said the handbook, launched during the conference is an adaptation of the harmonised RIL Guideline for ground-based timber harvesting in Sarawak, which was jointly developed with the Food and Agriculture Oganisation (FAO).
“The guideline marks a significant stride towards standardising timber harvesting practices and enhancing regulation within Sarawak’s timber industry.
“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,” he said.
He said this in his speech during the launching of International Conference on Sustainable Management of Tropical Forests at Hilton Hotel here today.
On a related note, he said it is important to underscore that Sarawak is a developing nation, where forest resources play a pivotal role in the economic development.
“To balance the need for environmental conservation and economic needs, we have reduced our harvesting operation to approximately 2 million cubic metres per year, with strict requirements on forest management certification for both natural and planted forests.
“We currently have 25 certified natural forests covering over 2.2 million hectares, as well as seven certified forest plantations covering approximately 97,000 hectares.
“With this, I extend my congratulations to all stakeholders who have played a role, directly or indirectly in this journey, paving the way for a more environmentally sustainable future,”he said.
Meanwhile, the conference, hosted by STA in collaboration with FDS and WWF-Malaysia and supported by International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), served 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.
It also aimed to advocate for the continuous conservation of existing forests and revitalise the valued Permanent Forest Estates (PFEs) by shifting the paradigm on sustainable forest management (SFM) to create more values of the state’s tropical forests.
The conference held four sessions to deliberate on Valuing our Forest – Future Directions and Policies; Climate-smart SFM – What Are The Options?; Finance, Market and Branding – Building Opportunities; and Collaboration and Partnership – Research, Risk and Safeguards.
