Log production from the natural forests are declining and will continue to be reduced over the next decade. It is anticipated that the supply of logs will gradually decline and eventually stabilised at sustainable levels of around 18 million m3 per year from PFE. In addition, approximately another 1 million m3 and 2 million m3 of logs respectively are expected to be produced by the rubber replanting programme and the forest plantation. Thus, the total log supply is expected to remain around 21 million m3. This amount of log production grossly falls short of the capacity of the primary processing timber/wood industries, mainly that of sawntimber and plywood/veneer, estimated to be 1.5 to 2 times that of the quantum of log supply. The situation is expected to be further aggravated with the establishment of the two planned additional pulp and paper mills, one each in Pahang and Sarawak respectively.
Reforestation and rehabilitation work will continue to be emphasised. In Peninsular Malaysia, the target of replanting all understocked logged-over forest will remain. For the period of 1996-2000, it is planned that 350,000 ha of logged-over forest will be silviculturally treated, 10,000 ha be subjected to enrichment planting while another 3,000 ha of degraded forests be replanted. These targets will be reviewed after the planned period. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that the quantum will remain very much similar to that reported above in the decade after the planned period. In addition, forest plantation will also be further promoted. The currently area under forest plantation will be further increased in all the three regions of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. For example, the State Government of Sabah, which has already established a total of 112,700 ha of forest plantation of a variety species, has earmarked a total of 338,899 ha of degraded forests as potential site for future forest plantation development.
Amenity forestry and ecotourism are expected to gain greater importance in the coming future. The Forestry Department, Peninsular Malaysia has already earmarked a few more areas with potential to be developed into forest recreation areas. Similarly, the Sabah State Government has already identified the future directions to realise and enhance potential of the State, in accordance with the Sabah Tourism Master Plan (1995-2010). Several key sites in forest reserves such as Borneo Rain Forest Lodge in Danum Valley, Tabin Wildlife Reserves will be promoted to cater for nature tourism activities. In addition, the State Forestry Department has also identified and developed seven (7) other forest recreation areas throughout the state. This situation is also quite similar in Sarawak as the State Government has already acknowledged that ecotourism with a growth of 10-15% per annum, is one of the important sources of foreign exchange. Consequently, future of ecotourism development in the State is positive with the adoption and implementation of a more stringent conservation strategies.
