KUCHING: Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) has announced that all long term timber licensees in Sarawak will be fully certified to comply with the sustainable forest management system by 2025.
The move is aimed at meeting the needs of the timber industry by ensuring a sustainable and renewable supply of raw materials.
“The state government takes proactive steps in meeting the needs of the timber industry by ensuring sustainable and renewable supply of raw materials,” STIDC said in a press release.
The corporation also emphasised the need to enhance the development of planted forests to produce high-yield and high-quality timber to accelerate growth for the domestic downstream timber industry.
In addition, industry players are urged to capitalize on timber from planted forests to produce high value-added products, such as engineered wood, panels, and furniture.
STIDC added that forest certification has been an essential part of forest management in recent years, as it has direct influences on forestland ownership, forest product marketing, and forest stewardship.
“Some of the benefits of forest certification include greater access to markets, a price premium from some buyers, a healthier forest, better environmental practices, better long-term management planning, less waste, personal and community pride in knowing the forest is well-managed, and a path for the continuous improvement of forest management,” it said.
STIDC also encourages areas not eligible for certification to adopt forest management certification standards.
