Adenan is right on large scale deforestation in Sarawak, says forest council

KUCHING, Aug 9 - Forest Stewardship Council has said that over 80 per cent of Sarawak’s forests  have been reportedly cleared, proving Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem right in saying of an unchecked logging activities and clearance for agriculture and urban development taking place in the state over the years.

In the peninsula, over 60 per cent of its forests have been cleared over the years.

SFC said most of the country's forested areas are found within its national parks.

"The World Bank estimates that trees are being cut down at four times the sustainable rate," SFC said in a statement today.

Illegally felled logs seized by Sarawak Forestry Corporation enforcement officers

It said that Malaysia’s land surface used to be approximately two-third forests and is widely regarded as one of the most productive types of forests in the world.

"They are also home to many mangroves, peat forests, and at least 20% of the world’s known animal species.

"Despite such widespread forest cover, Malaysia’s forests have been devastated over the years by unchecked logging activities and clearance for agriculture and urban development.

"This has not only destroyed the homes of indigenous habitats but also disrupt the otherwise stable ecosystems.

"However, the good news is forests can be renewed. But how? This is where the Forest Stewardship Council comes in to work alongside Malaysian stakeholders (government, business and civil communities) to put in place sustainable forest management," the statement said.

As a leader in forest certification, SFC advocates environmentally sound, socially beneficial, and economically prosperous management of the world’s forests. It also sets the standards by which forests are certified – offering credible verification to people who are buying wood and wood products.

FSC is an important part of the solution to deforestation, and its mission is to ensure that Malaysia, among other countries, maintains its position in the global legal timber trade market, and that Malaysian forests continue to renew to meet the demands of generations to come.