Timber organization’s backing ‘one step’ toward ‘peace park’ in Borneo
In December 2020, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) endorsed a proposal by the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) for what’s come to be known as the Baram Peace Park, covering 2,835 square kilometers (1,095 square miles) on the island of Borneo.
Proponents of the park say it will protect wildlife, forest-dependent livelihoods, and the last remaining primary forest in the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
But they also acknowledge that the ITTO’s announcement is only a step toward the park’s designation, and industrial logging continues to threaten the region’s forests.
Contrary to common belief, Malaysia has only counted its dipterocarp forests, montane forests, as well as the freshwater, peat and mangrove swamp forests in the country’s total forest cover statistics, says the writer.
A world that is increasingly worried about an atmosphere that is fast-saturated by greenhouse gases emitted by anthropogenic activities is looking for every possible means to slow down the trajectory of a warming planet.
The role of carbon-absorbing forests, especially tropical rainforests, in regulating climate has never been more important. Once again, protecting the remaining forested areas which lie in the territories of developing countries has regained international attention, and is thrust into the forefront of the battle to reverse the planetary emergency.
Muhtar: SFM has been built into the industry since the 1900s.
IN recent years, sustainability has been a key concern with primary industries such as timber. But what many may not know is that sustainable forest management practices (SFM) have been built into the industry’s foundation for nearly a century.
Under SFM, only specific trees with the right specifications are allowed to be harvested via the selective management system.
“Sustainability has been at the core of the timber industry since 1901, when the British introduced the SFM system in Malaya, which is still being practised today, ” said Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) chief executive officer (CEO) Muhtar Suhaili.