Page 5 - Tropical Peat Swamp Forests of Sarawak FA
P. 5
Preface Foreword
First and foremost, it is a special Congratulations to the authors and editors for
I am delighted with the publication Lastly on behalf of the State, I would like to thank honour to write the foreword to this their endeavour and for a job well done.
of this booklet on Sarawak’s peat all those who contributed towards the publication book which provides an insightful
lands and would like to congratu- of this booklet. account on the peat swamp forests
late the authors for their eforts. of Sarawak.
Peat lands were once regarded as wasteland. Peat swamp forest is the source of commercial
Sarawak with a huge area of peat lands lining its timber such as ramin and jongkong. On the other
coastal strip was faced with a dilemma of how hand, peat swamp forest also provides important
best to develop these areas wisely. ecological services to the local communities as-
sociated with the habitat while the peat itself is Datu Haji Ali Yusop
Since the 1950s, logging industries provided the an important carbon sink.
much-needed revenues and capital that drive de- Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud Director of Forests
velopment besides providing employment oppor- Sarawak is endowed with the largest tract of peat SARAWAK
tunities. In line with the politics of development, The Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak swamp forests in Malaysia that account for 9%
Sarawak explores the best possibility of convert- S.B.S., D.K. (JOHOR). D.K. (PAHANG), D.P., of the Sarawak’s total land area. Sarawak has set
ing these peat lands into sustainable agriculture P.S.M., S.P.D.K., S.U.M.W., S.S.D.K., S.S.A.P., aside 1 million hectares as national parks, wild-
areas without jeopardising its natural functions. D.G.S.M. S.S.S.A., S.P.M.T., KT, W.E. (THAILAND), life sanctuaries and nature reserves or Totally
KEPN (INDONESIA), S.P.M.B. (BRUNEI), K.O.U. Protected Areas.
Sarawak initiated numerous studies with inter- (KOREA), AO (AUSTRALIA), P.C.D.
national peat experts in particular on developing These totally protected areas include 72.170 ha
its water catchment guidelines and sustainable (5.6 %) still covered by peat swamp forest, name-
agriculture on peat lands before it embarked on ly the Loagan Bunut National Park, Maludam
its development programme at its peat areas. National Park and Ulu Sebuyau National Park.
An Environmental Impact Assessment is also
required for any huge development in Sarawak. Sarawak's conservation eforts further received
international recognition when Kuching Wetlands
Strong commitments have also been made to- National Park was declared as RAMSAR Site in
wards biodiversity conservation by setting aside 2005 and Gunung Mulu National Park as a World
areas of peat lands as its national parks that in- Heritage Site in 2000.
clude the Maludam National Park, the project site
of the Malaysia-Netherlands Joint Working Group Apart from that, some 25% of the peat swamp
Biodiversity Conservation Initiative completed in forests are in the Permanent Forest Estates. This
2004. Besides the protected areas, sizeable areas illustrates Sarawak’s commitment to protect
of Sarawak’s peat swamp are also conserved the peat swamp forests and its biodiversity: in
in our network of Forest Reserves as part of the Sarawak, conservation and development go hand
Permanent Forest Estates. in hand.
Sarawak has always used its natural resources This book is the culmination of much research
with sustainability in mind. I found it aptly that and enthusiastic eforts to document the valu-
this booklet entitled ‘Tropical Peat Swamp For- able resource which provides important baseline
ests of Sarawak - Sustainable Use and Biodiver- data and useful information that can contribute
sity Conservation in a changing environment’ towards sustainable management of the peat
was produced to highlight the challenges faced swamp forest in Sarawak. It also identiies the
by Sarawak as a developing State on the sustain- threats to sustainability of the peat swamp forest
able use and biodiversity conservation of its peat resource, and gives some new insights into the
swamp areas. possibilities of the rehabilitation – including tim-
ber plantations – of degraded PSF areas
4 4 5 5
First and foremost, it is a special Congratulations to the authors and editors for
I am delighted with the publication Lastly on behalf of the State, I would like to thank honour to write the foreword to this their endeavour and for a job well done.
of this booklet on Sarawak’s peat all those who contributed towards the publication book which provides an insightful
lands and would like to congratu- of this booklet. account on the peat swamp forests
late the authors for their eforts. of Sarawak.
Peat lands were once regarded as wasteland. Peat swamp forest is the source of commercial
Sarawak with a huge area of peat lands lining its timber such as ramin and jongkong. On the other
coastal strip was faced with a dilemma of how hand, peat swamp forest also provides important
best to develop these areas wisely. ecological services to the local communities as-
sociated with the habitat while the peat itself is Datu Haji Ali Yusop
Since the 1950s, logging industries provided the an important carbon sink.
much-needed revenues and capital that drive de- Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud Director of Forests
velopment besides providing employment oppor- Sarawak is endowed with the largest tract of peat SARAWAK
tunities. In line with the politics of development, The Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak swamp forests in Malaysia that account for 9%
Sarawak explores the best possibility of convert- S.B.S., D.K. (JOHOR). D.K. (PAHANG), D.P., of the Sarawak’s total land area. Sarawak has set
ing these peat lands into sustainable agriculture P.S.M., S.P.D.K., S.U.M.W., S.S.D.K., S.S.A.P., aside 1 million hectares as national parks, wild-
areas without jeopardising its natural functions. D.G.S.M. S.S.S.A., S.P.M.T., KT, W.E. (THAILAND), life sanctuaries and nature reserves or Totally
KEPN (INDONESIA), S.P.M.B. (BRUNEI), K.O.U. Protected Areas.
Sarawak initiated numerous studies with inter- (KOREA), AO (AUSTRALIA), P.C.D.
national peat experts in particular on developing These totally protected areas include 72.170 ha
its water catchment guidelines and sustainable (5.6 %) still covered by peat swamp forest, name-
agriculture on peat lands before it embarked on ly the Loagan Bunut National Park, Maludam
its development programme at its peat areas. National Park and Ulu Sebuyau National Park.
An Environmental Impact Assessment is also
required for any huge development in Sarawak. Sarawak's conservation eforts further received
international recognition when Kuching Wetlands
Strong commitments have also been made to- National Park was declared as RAMSAR Site in
wards biodiversity conservation by setting aside 2005 and Gunung Mulu National Park as a World
areas of peat lands as its national parks that in- Heritage Site in 2000.
clude the Maludam National Park, the project site
of the Malaysia-Netherlands Joint Working Group Apart from that, some 25% of the peat swamp
Biodiversity Conservation Initiative completed in forests are in the Permanent Forest Estates. This
2004. Besides the protected areas, sizeable areas illustrates Sarawak’s commitment to protect
of Sarawak’s peat swamp are also conserved the peat swamp forests and its biodiversity: in
in our network of Forest Reserves as part of the Sarawak, conservation and development go hand
Permanent Forest Estates. in hand.
Sarawak has always used its natural resources This book is the culmination of much research
with sustainability in mind. I found it aptly that and enthusiastic eforts to document the valu-
this booklet entitled ‘Tropical Peat Swamp For- able resource which provides important baseline
ests of Sarawak - Sustainable Use and Biodiver- data and useful information that can contribute
sity Conservation in a changing environment’ towards sustainable management of the peat
was produced to highlight the challenges faced swamp forest in Sarawak. It also identiies the
by Sarawak as a developing State on the sustain- threats to sustainability of the peat swamp forest
able use and biodiversity conservation of its peat resource, and gives some new insights into the
swamp areas. possibilities of the rehabilitation – including tim-
ber plantations – of degraded PSF areas
4 4 5 5
