Forest Management Certification a must by 2022, says Johari
KUCHING: All long-term forest timber licensees are required to obtain Forest Management Certification by 2022.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said this is to ensure that timber concessions are managed sustainably.
He was speaking at the launch of “Stakeholders Consultation on the Proposed Forestry Policies” here yesterday.
So far, six Sarawak Forest Management Units (FMU), namely, Anap Muput FMU were able to maintain Forest Management Certification for more than 10 years.
Ravenscourt FMU, Kapit FMU, Linau FMU, Bahau-Kahei FMU and Ulu Trusan FMU were certified last year.
Johari said to date, the total areas of natural forests that have been certified are 561,703 hectares of which 347,862 hectares are within the PFE and the remaining 213,841 hectares are state land.
“I strongly urge the other FMUs to follow suit very soon. This initiative not only widens the market access and acceptance for our timber products but it also enhances the state’s global image with regards to forest management,” he said.
The state government, he said, has also embarked on industrial forest since 1998 by issuing licences for planted forests to reduce pressure on natural forests and to ensure sustainable supply of raw materials to the timber industry.
“We have set a target of one million hectares to be planted by 2020. Unfortunately the progress is still very slow. After 20 years, only 420,146 hectares have been planted,” he said.
Therefore, he said, the government would like this effort to be intensified by all the LPF licensees. The Forestry Department and Sarawak Forestry Corporation would provide assistance to facilitate and expedite the process.
To date also, 64 percent of the 12.4 million hectares of Sarawak’s landmass is under forest cover.
Johari said that the state government has achieved about 4.32 million hectares or 72 percent of the land mass as Permanent Forest Estates (PFE), whereas for the Totally Protected Areas (TPA), it has achieved about 816,512.40 hectares or 82 percent.
“For forestry, the government has targeted to constitute six million hectares of land as PFE and one million hectares as TPA,” he said.
