SFC responds well to CM’s call for more focused R&D
MIRI: Sarawak Forestry Corporation ( SFC) and its research and development ( R& D) collaborators have responded positively to the chief minister’s call for more focused research and development ( R& D) to be conducted so that ‘ Industrial Forests’ could be viably set up in the state.
This was disclosed in Miri yesterday during the annual meeting of Planted Forest Research Programme ( PFRP), which was declared open by Assistant Minister for Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, who is also Assistant Minister for Workforce Development and Training.
In his speech, Len touched on several policy directions that could facilitate the attainment of forestry objectives as outlined recently by the chief minister during a public forum on Forest Landscape Restoration.
Len called on Licence for Planted Forest ( LPF) holders and other major timber players to seriously consider intensifying their tree-planting programmes in view of the reduced production from the natural forests leading to an eventual total ban of log export from the natural forests.
He also said that all LPFs had to collaborate and share the R& D data and findings to ensure the success of the PFRP.
Len also called on the industry to help sustainably fund the PFRP through provision such as the cess from harvested timber.
On the issue of protecting Sarawak’s forests from pests and diseases, he called on the Forest Department and SFC to take necessary preventive measures including the enforcement of phyto-sanitary regulations and in due course, the Forests ( Nursery) Rules that is in the gazettment process.
SFC chief executive officer, Wong Ting Chung, also spoke at the meeting. He said SFC would enlist the expertise of research institutions that had proven good track records of similar R& D programmes, both locally and internationally, to achieve the research goals.
The event also witnessed the inking of a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) between SFC and Borneo Forestry Cooperative ( BFC) to intensify R& D efforts in areas of common interests such as the development of best operating practices for plantation establishment and the improvement of seed quality.
The PFRP Annual Meeting saw the participation of 60 individuals comprising representatives from LPF companies, international and local researchers and relevant government agencies.