A quiet victory for forest sustainability in Peninsular Malaysia

Part of the Main Range running along the middle of Peninsular Malaysia that contains the ecologically crucial Central Forest Spine. — 123rf.com

JULY 2022 was a momentous month for forest sustainability in Malaysia thanks to two important developments: The adoption of ecological linkages within the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Master Plan to guide forest planning and development in Peninsular Malaysia, and the amendments made to the National Forestry Act to tighten excision regulations in permanent reserve forest (PRF) lands, to add a new category of forest conservation classification, and to increase penalties for forest offences.

The first milestone, the adoption of ecological linkages within the CFS Master Plan was approved during the 40th meeting of the National Physical Planning Council and is a clarion call to build forest connectivity, arrest further forest fragmentation, and re-enforce forest ecosystem sustainability.