Fixing Forest Plantations, Part 1: Taking a 15-year Break

Picture: Macaranga

In a blog post by Macaranga, YH Law and SL Wong explain the ways to revamp forest plantations in Peninsular Malaysia.

When Macaranga showed them a satellite image of a cleared area in forest reserve Compartment 21, they decided to check the site out for themselves. Minutes before entering the forest reserve, they passed an open lot with trucks full of logs. It was a matau, or logyard, where the forestry department measures and checks the logs harvested from the reserve. Signboards show that the logyard was accepting timber harvested from forest reserve sites approved for “development”—typically plantations. Inside the reserve, the unpaved road climbed steeply. Once Yusri felt confident that his 4WD could traverse the road safely (“This car has some issues with the coupling!”), he chatted with Rosli about how forest plantations work and their history in the Krau forest reserve.

In Peninsular Malaysia, forest plantations run in a 5-step cycle. First, state governments earmark zones for forest plantations. Then, the governments approve forest plantation projects for planters, who in turn, must meet additional requirements such as conducting environmental impact assessments. Once the governments and their state forestry departments are satisfied, they issue licenses to the planters. Only then can the planters build roads, clear the sites, and replant with trees, which they would harvest in as little as 4 years.