Forests for People

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Sabah shows the way to sustainability

Frederick Kugan, Deputy Director, Sabah Forestry Department, Malaysian Borneo

orldwide, rainforests support a myriad of plants

and animals, each with a crucial role in keeping the

ecosystem alive and vibrant. A healthy rainforest

ecosystem is central to the survival of humans, in particular

the millions of indigenous people who depend on the forest for

food, shelter, traditional ways of life and culture. In Malaysian

Borneo, the state of Sabah is leading the way by actively pursu-

ing the true principles of sustainable forest management (SFM)

– timber extraction based on well thought through harvest-

ing plans, care for people and conservation of key areas that

host iconic wildlife and flora and unique landscapes. Sabah’s

commitment to sustainably managing its forests was born out of

the harsh reality that indiscriminate logging had led to a crisis

point. The only other choice was to continue timber harvesting

until there was nothing left, a choice that Sabah knew would

be the wrong path.

In 1989, the Sabah Forestry Department started on a journey that

would see it delicately balance the use of its forests for timber,

research, tourism, watersheds and a plethora of other

needs. The Department decided to collaborate with

the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ),

which picked the Deramakot Forest Reserve in central

Sabah for a joint Malaysian-German Forestry Research

Project. This reserve, comprising 55,139 hectares of

mixed dipterocarp forest, had at that time been logged

at least once with subsequent silvicultural treatment.

Numerous studies were carried out under this collabo-

ration, including some that indicated the timber industry

was grossly oversized, both in terms of processing and

logging capabilities. At this point, the Department knew

there was no turning back if it was to salvage what was

left, and continued with the project. Substantial invest-

ments were made as part of the commitment, covering

the training of foresters in new techniques, the purchase

of low impact harvesting equipment and forest planning.

Despite challenges, especially in its early years, the

Deramakot Forest Reserve has gone down in history

Local community engaged in forest restoration works

Image: Peter Lagan