KUCHING, March 7 — Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg said today forest restoration is one of the main agenda of the state government from this year onward to enrich the logged-over areas with high value timber species, especially on degraded areas within permanent forest estates.
“This is to ensure that Sarawak’s forest remains vibrant and its complex eco-system could carry out its natural functions,” he said.
He said this will also ensure that the state has sufficient future timber stocking for sustainable production.
“For decades, the state has been relying heavily on timber resources as one of the major economic contributors, apart from oil and gas,” he said at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and Edge Global Norway AS here.
He said as a step to increase the state’s economy, the state government intends to fully utilising its natural resources as an alternative of income while at the same time, balance the need for conservation and socio-economic needs of the people.
He said the state government is exploring non-timber forest resources such as eco-tourism, carbon trading, payment for ecosystem services and community-based forestry as alternative source of revenue for the state and community.
Under the terms of MoU, parties, among others, desire to discuss and cooperate to conduct activities related to projects such as eco-system mapping, baseline emission studies and carbon stock assessments.
The MoU also covers soil condition analysis in order to determine the optimum methodologies for the restoration, conversation or enhancement of such area that will be agreed between the parties for the purpose of carbon trading.
The state government was represented by the Permanent Secretary to the state Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resources Datuk Wan Lizozman Wan Omar while Edge Global Norway AS was represented by its partner Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit. — Bernama
