MIRI: Sarawak Forest Department (FDS) currently has 2.059 million ha gazetted forests which include 65 totally protected areas (TPAs), said its director Datuk Hamden Mohammad.
The TPAs, he added, consisted of 45 national parks, 15 nature reserves and five wildlife sanctuaries.
This made Sarawak the state with the most TPAs in the country, he pointed out on Friday during the FDS dinner gathering held in conjunction with its 100th anniversary.
The gathering was attended by the Forest Department staff from Miri and Limbang.
Also present were Miri Resident Mastapa Julaihi and Miri Forestry Department chief Asan Odau.
Hamden also revealed various initiatives had been initiated by the department over the years via smart partnerships.
“We believe innovative projects can help us create more possibilities for a sustainable future in protecting the forest,” he said.
The department, he added, would continue its smart partnerships with various local and foreign agencies.
Sarawak’s efforts in sustainable forest development have proven to be fruitful.
Under a project ― Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ― the Forest Department is expected to be granted a fund totaling $7.368 million which will be shared with Sabah in April next year.
