LETTERS: July 2022 has been a momentous month for forest sustainability for two reasons.
First, the adoption of ecological linkages within the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Master Plan as a guideline for forest planning and development in Peninsular Malaysia.
Second, the recent amendment to the National Forestry Act (Amendment) 2022 in tightening excision regulations of permanent reserve forest (PRF) lands, a new forest conservation classification, and increased penalties for forest offences.
The adoption of ecological linkages within the CFS Master Plan was approved during the 40th Meeting of the National Physical Planning Council, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on July 20.
This is a clarion call for building forest connectivity, arresting further forest fragmentation and re-enforcing forest ecosystem sustainability.
More forests of Peninsular Malaysia are being cleared, resulting in large blocks of forests being separated from the other contiguous forests complexes within the CFS.
Thus far, 37 ecological linkages have been identified to bridge these segregated forests through primary and secondary linkages to enable wildlife and genetic resources to move freely as well as the maintenance of the nation's biodiversity.
Primary linkages are unbroken stretches of forests connecting isolated forest islands to the main contiguous blocks of forests in the CFS.
Secondary linkages are individual forests separated by vast areas of non-forested lands or too far apart to be connected.
To improve habitat permeability, collaboration with surrounding landowners using the "stepping stones" approach is adopted, by using unprotected forested patches to link up with isolated forests, like stepping stones. Floodplains, water ways and river courses are good candidates for this purpose.
Of equal importance is the need to focus on health of pollinators (small animals, birds, insects and thrips) to enable them to proliferate and be a catalyst for healthy trees and vegetation.
Effective execution will be dependent on all agencies and stakeholders collaborating.
Since these are just "guidelines", much work is still required by the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia to translate them into policies and procedures.
These guidelines will modify future land development and spatial control, consistent with forest conservation objectives.
The amendments to the National Forestry Act (Amendment) 2022 by the Dewan Rakyat on July 18, is timely as the last amendment was over three decades ago.
The amendment will be a more comprehensive legal framework in line with current forest management practices.
Among the major items are provisions on forest excision, a new category of forest conservation and increased penalties for forest offences.
Forestry is under the purview of the states. However, the urgency of forest excision has always been a bone of contention.
The amendments now require state authorities to conduct public consultations about forest excision within the PRF, as well as the need to replace the excised area by an equal or larger size of land area.
Sadly, missing in the amendment is the follow up to the public consultation to ensure transparency, accountability and good governance, without which, excision tends to be shrouded in secrecy.
There is also a new category of PRF — the state park. This will encourage states to gazette more forests.
Offences committed in PRF will now incur stiffer penalties. Offences include illegal logging, rubbish burning and littering.
We welcome the passing of the amendment by Parliament and hope this process can be expedited through the Dewan Negara.
DR DAVID CHIN
Fellow / Past President
Institut Rimbawan Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times