STA committed to forest plantation development
KUCHING: Sarawak Timber Association ( STA), through the STA Forest Plantation Committee, is committed to forest plantation development by encouraging and funding research and development ( R& D) projects that will bring benefits to the members of STA.
Since 2004, STA has funded R& D projects to a tune of about RM6 million, aiding and supporting eight research projects that are related to forest plantation establishment in Sarawak.
In 2015, STA approved an R& D fund to Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus ( SUTS) for a research project entitled ‘ Ecosystem Approach towards Formulation of a Biofertiliser Containing Growth-Enhancing Rhizospheric Microorganisms for Silviculture of Neolamarckia cadamba and Eucalyptus pellita’.
The objective of this research is to identify and isolate the beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms from the soil which are then used to formulate the biofertiliser for Neolamarckia cadamba and Eucalyptus pellita.
Towards the end of this project, a workshop jointly organised by STA and SUTS was held yesterday at Wisma STA, Kuching to disseminate the findings of the research project.
Chairman of STA Forest Plantation Committee Peter Ling Kwong Hung in his welcoming remarks stressed that R& D is an important aspect to ensure economic viability and sustainability of planted forests.
Through the application of R& D, it is hoped that the production of better quality planting materials and the development of better growing environment can be accelerated and determined at minimal costs.
He added that continued collaboration between the industry players and scientists from research institutions are much needed in the future for intensifying R& D in areas of common interests to spur growth of forest plantations in the state.
The workshop ended with a demonstration on biofertiliser preparation for application in the field.