Sustainable forest management and effective land use policies for mitigating forest loss: The case of Malaysia

Abstract

Based on World Resource Institute (WRI)'s 2023 report, the loss of tropical primary forests in 2022 has increased, resulting in a total of 41 thousand km2 being lost. Despite facing ongoing challenges in conserving existing forest areas, Malaysia has managed to keep rates of primary forest loss at nearly record-low levels. The Malaysian Government is committed to maintaining at least 50 percent of Malaysia's land mass under forest and tree cover. As of 2020, the country's forest cover is 54.58 %, exceeding the targeted goal. This paper aims to identify the effectiveness of implementing sustainable forest management practices and multiple land use policies to mitigate forest loss using Malaysia as a case study. A case study approach was used to describe the implementation of sustainable forest management practices and multiple land use policies to mitigate forest loss in Malaysia. The study reviewed government websites, land-use policies, legislative documents, journal articles, guidelines on sustainable forest management, and official press releases to gather information. Malaysia has stabilised its deforestation rates by implementing Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) including Selective Management System (SMS), Reduced Impact Logging (RIL), forest management certification, enhancement of forest law, enforcement and governance, and research and development. The country also effectively implemented various land-use policies to mitigate forest loss and promote sustainable land management practices. The analysis shows that the ongoing demand for food, transportation, and infrastructure development will continuously put the pressure on forest and resulting in controlled annual forest loss. It is essential for Malaysia implementing additional efforts to enhance its conservation efforts while striking a balance between development needs and the conservation of existing forest areas.