1. SEEE 5123
NATURAL RESOURCES ECONOMICS
LOGGING IN MALAYSIA : THE
CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE
FOREST MANAGEMENT.
RASHIDAH BT ABDULLAH 810163
2. INTRODUCTION
Malaysia's deforestation rate is accelerating faster
than that of any other tropical country in the
world, according to data from the United Nations.
Analysis of figures from the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows
that Malaysia's annual deforestation rate jumped
almost 86 percent between the 1990-2000 period
and 2000-2005.
Declining of forest cover in Malaysia is because of
urbanization, agricultural fires, and forest
conversion for oil-palm plantations and other forms
of agriculture.
3. Logging is the process in which certain trees are
cut down by a lumberjack or machine, such as the
feller butcher, for forest management and timber.
In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a
narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving
wood from the stump to somewhere outside the
forest. For example, lumber yard.
Illegal logging refers to what in forestry might be
called timber theft. It is the
harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber
in violation of laws. It has serious economic and
social implications for the poor and disadvantaged.
4. Malaysia has probably one of the best rainforest
protection policies in developing Asia, but in
practice logging still carries on as it always has.
The majority of Malaysia's remaining forests are
managed for timber production, and each state is
empowered to formulate forest policy
independently.
During the past two decades, sustainable forest
management has been non-existent. While
Malaysia has the policy framework for sustainable
forest management in the form of the National
Forestry Act of 1984, it has failed to enforce the
legislation.
5. LITERATURE REVIEWS (1)
ZULKIFLI, Y. & ANHAR, S. 1994. Effects of selective
logging methods on suspended solids concentration
and turbidity level in streamwater. The impacts of
'conventional‘ and 'closely-supervised' selective logging
methods on streamwater quality were studied in three
small catchments in the Berembun Forest
Reserve, Negeri Sembilan, Peninsular Malaysia.
With increasing demand for timber and non-timber
forest products, demand for forest areas to be logged
would be expected to increase. This linkage has
resulted in logging operations in Peninsular Malaysia to
move toward the hill forest (Farid and Abdul
Rahman, 1999).
6. Based on studies by Pervaze A. Sheikh, about the
illegal logging in United States was found that
Illegal logging is a pervasive problem throughout
the world, affecting countries that
produce, export, and import wood and wood
products. Illegal logging exists in the United States
but is primarily done by individuals or small
operations.
Research by M. Auer et al (2003), also came out
with the empirical evidence of some other countries
that allegedly contribute to illegal logging by
importing illegally obtained wood products.
7. THE ISSUES OF LOGGING IN
MALAYSIA
Logging and Sustainable Forest Management.
Based on Brutland Report (1987), sustainable development
can be defined as a development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the organization on the
environment's ability to meet present and future needs.
The timber harvest rates in Malaysia have always been
dissimilar. Diminishing forest resource, heightened public
awareness of and opposition to forest degradation, and other
adverse environmental consequences had reduce logging in
Peninsular Malaysia. Till it is hard for us to manage a
sustainable for the forest resources.
Besides that, it is also hard for us to achieve sustainable
forest management as illegal logging activities have affected
the forest reserves in Malaysia.
8. Impact of Illegal Logging in Malaysia.
If illegal logging is characterized as large-scale destructive
logging, it can potentially lead to the conversion of forests to
grassland, depletion of plant species (e.g., tree species such
as mahogany), and in some cases depletion of animal
populations that depend on the habitats being logged.
If logging is not done according to mandated management
plans, it can potentially lead to collateral damage, whereby
other tree species and younger trees are damaged, risk of fire
is increased, and potential for sustainable harvesting of timber
is lowered.
In several countries where illegal logging takes place, the
volume of timber extracted illegally is greater than the official
harvested total.
Further, illegal logging and trade are connected to other illegal
activities such as corruption, tax evasion, and money
laundering, among other things. If illegal logging is prevalent
in a country, there may be a low propensity to invest.
9. THE WAYS TO PREVENTING AN
ILLEGAL LOGGING IN MALAYSIA
1)Law Enforcement of Illegal Logging Policy.
National Forestry Act (1984).
-In 1984, the National Forestry Act was amended to provide for stiffer penalties
for illegal logging and enlisting the Police and Armed Forces to assist the
Forestry Departments in carrying out enforcement to curb illegal logging, timber
theft and encroachments.
Environmental Quality Act 1974 (EQA).
- This guidelines provided that environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report
of a certain project should be made available to the public upon request. Those
who are about to makes development in the forest areas should have a
permitted by the government first and follow all the rules provides by the
goverment. Those who fail to comply will be fined and compound as set forth
in the acts of EQA 1974.
The Malaysian Timber Certification Council Process,1994 (MTCC).
-MTCC has been established to monitor the implimation of all the forestry
activities. MTCC also provided the rules to be followed in the standard setting
to develop the forest management and chain-of-custody certification standards
used in the Malaysia.
10. 2) Implementing of Forestry Public Education.
This is a best way to create a good motivation to
the public to appreciate the wealth of forest
resources. Prior to the amendments of the National
Forestry Act, 1984, very little effort has been done
by the Forestry Department to educate the public
on the importance of forest law enforcement.
However, since the revision in 1993, nation wide
seminar and dialogs were conducted with the
objective of informing loggers, sawmillers and the
general public on the importance of forests and
forest industries, including forest law.
11. 3) Reforestation Programme.
Reforestation is the restocking of
existing forests and woodlands which have been
depleted, an effect of deforestation.
Reforestation can be used to improve the quality of air
pollution, rebuild natural habitats and
ecosystem, mitigate glonal warming and harvest for new
forestry resources, particularly timber.
4) Forest Reservation.
A reserve forest or a reserved forest is a specific term
for designating forests and other natural areas which
enjoy judicial or constitutional protection under the legal
systems of many countries.
The term forest reserve may also be used in some
contexts in these countries.
12. CONCLUSION
Illegal logging is not good activities for the
forest development since it brings a lot of adverse
effects on the environment. It is also effect the
sustainable forest managemant are quite difficult to
achive in the long term. Thus, to avoid illegal
logging continues to destroy forest resources in the
future, so prevention action must be taken by the
various parties. Finally, in future, the next
generation will be able to see the forestry areas.
