KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is expected to produce about six to eight million cubic meters (m3) of plantation logs annually by 2036.

Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Frederick Kugan said the sustainable supply of timber would encourage more downstream and high-value investments that was expected to contribute to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP).

He said the Sabah Maju Jaya Development Plan and the Sabah Forest Policy 2018 were focused on rebuilding the productive capacity of forest reserves.

He said 400,000ha was being earmarked for industrial tree plantations (ITP) in the state by 2036, as stipulated in the Forest Plantation Action Plan for Sabah (2022-2036).

“This is part of the 1.65 million ha of forests licensed under the long-term Sustainable Forest Management License Agreements (SFMLA), which will be the main source of future timber supply to sustain the forest industries, which will reduce pressure on natural forests and contribute towards forest conservation.

“It is projected that about six to eight million m3 of plantation logs can be produced annually once the annual allowable cut of 40,000 ha is achieved by 2036.

“This could provide a continuous supply of planted timber for the viability and sustainability of the wood-based industry in Sabah.

“A sustainable supply of timbers will encourage more downstream and high value-added investments that are expected to contribute to the state’s GDP of about RM 11.5 billion,” Frederick said in a speech to open the Symposium on Developing Resilient Industrial Tree Plantations in Sabah – Forestry Pests and Diseases here today.

He said the effort would create about 40,000 skilled and semi-skilled jobs in upstream and downstream forest industries for Sabahans by 2036.

Frederick said plantation forestry is a significant component of forestry management, particularly as a means to ensure sufficient availability of raw materials to support the growing wood-based industries in Sabah.

“Timber and timber-based products are important in contributing towards the socio-economic development besides generating substantial revenue for the state. Plantation forestry also indirectly contributes towards sustainable forest management.

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