KUCHING, The Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) initiative in Sarawak has risen to a much higher level since the efforts were accelerated following its official launch about five years ago.

The official launching ceremony performed by Sarawak Premier, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at the Sabal Agroforestry Centre (now known as Sabal Forest Landscape Restoration Centre) in Simunjan district on June 15, 2019, marked the beginning of a new era of FLR in Sarawak.

Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) being the prime mover of the programme said the commencement of the new approaches in the FLR came as the continuation of about a century’s effort of reforestation activities by the department.

‘Motivating factors for initiating restoration in Sarawak are already relatively well in place.

‘Its principles, techniques and components in its approach have, in fact, been in existence as early as 1920s through reforestation activities by FDS, as well as the gazettement of Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) and Permanent Fores
t Estates (PFEs),’ it said in a statement.

The launch of the FLR programme signified the Sarawak Government’s continuous support towards the restoration activities that had been carried out by FDS, as the programme became one of the State’s main agendas to ensure its forest remained vibrant and its complex ecosystem could carry out its natural functions.

Since its launch, the programme has been significantly progressing over time and this was also to ensure that Sarawak would maintain 62 per cent of its forest cover to remain as the largest in the nation and always be sheltered by green trees.

The programme also aimed to enrich logged-over areas with high-value timber species, while restoring and conserving degraded forests, especially in Permanent Forest Estate (PFE).

This FLR programme would also benefited forest-dependent communities by elevating their livelihood, in addition to reducing pressure on natural forests by shifting timber production towards plantations of fast-growing species.

‘Implementa
tion of FLR in Sarawak is also in line with the national ‘100 million Tree Planting Campaign’ led by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. Hence, FDS has rebranded the FLR Programme to ‘Greening Sarawak Campaign’ to cover a broader scope,’ FDS said.

FDS being at the forefront of FLR implementation in Sarawak, aimed to enrich degraded forest areas with high-value timber species through its main focus of active restoration activities at degraded areas within the Permanent Forest Estate and State Land.

Their action plan also covered other areas like Totally Protected Areas (TPA), Hydro Electric Project (HEP) and water intake catchments, buffer zones, ex-mining/quarry areas, as well as parks and greens, while the campaign encourages planting of all types of trees, be them indigenous species, commercial species, fruit or landscape trees.

In this regard, FDS further intensified their goal by planting 35 million trees by 2025, which is in tandem with Sarawak’s vision to become a developed state by 2030
with emphasis on environmental sustainability as laid under its Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.

FDS has also taken several dynamic initiatives, including the establishment of an FLR Task Force comprising different working groups with specific but different roles; reviving and establishing forest nurseries throughout Sarawak; and establishing of Seed Production Area (SPA);

The department also enforces all timber licensees to implement a restoration programme within all licensed areas using only indigenous trees via the issuance of two Circulars, namely DF Circular 02/2019 and DF Circular 03/2019.

Furthermore, FDS also strengthened its public awareness program; intensifying research and development; and enhancing collaboration between departments and stakeholders.

The department had played a pivotal role to realise Sarawak’s long term strategy of Aggressive Industrial Forest Plantation, as well as promoting social forestry and engagement with local communities, in addition to leveraging on
advanced technology in FLR.

Carbon offsets had also been eyed by the department, in their quest to explore Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) as a means to address long-term funding for restoration projects, apart from funds from the government, corporate or international organisations.

The creation of a Centre of Excellence for FLR is also in the pipeline, in which Sabal Forest Reserve and Bakam Forest Reserve had been earmarked as FLR model areas that would incorporate upgraded infrastructures, besides Fire Management Plan.

Moving forward, an effective performance and database system will be systematically integrated and enhanced to contribute to more effective embedding and reporting on FLR throughout the State.

Sarawak’s FLR Programme has been significantly progressing over time since being launched half a decade ago and its success reached another climax on May 24 this year, when Sarawak leads in the ‘100 million Tree Planting Campaign’ with 34,252,806 trees planted.

The number could be more as
FDS is targeting to have 35 million trees planted by June 8.

The Sarawak Government has shown their commitment to restoring the state forests and landscapes, and this is crucial not only to regain the health and functionality of these ecosystems for the people’s needs but also to reduce the negative impacts of forests the exploration for development and tackling the global climate crisis.

With this realisation, FDS would continue to highlight the commitment and spirit of maintaining the green covers within the State, with the hope that these efforts will turn into canopies that are beneficial for nature, people’s well-being and future generations.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency