Increased Awareness Now On Forest Sustainability
By Wani Abdul Gapar

Berakas - Mindful of the need for socioeconomic development in Brunei Darussalam, the national forest policy of conserving the country's forests has fully taken into account the economic potential of commercial timber production whilst practising sustainable forest management (SFM).

Fifty-five per cent of the sultanate's existing forest areas will be gazette as permanent forest estate, according to the Forestry Department.

However, they are aware that with the "imminent possibility of declining dependence" on the oil and gas reserves, Brunei must now devise comprehensive new strategies to overcome future challenges of land use conflicts to cope with the increasing demands of socioeconomic development.

"In other words, the national forest policy on conservation forest, commercial timber production, social forestry, etc is not oblivious to economic diversification for the country," according to findings in the Asean Peer Consultation Framework (PCF) in Forestry Report.

Brunei takes pride in its strong forest management policy and enforcement as reflected in the PCF Report because the high percentage of primary forests is actually one of the highest total forest cover in the world.

The report states that almost 76 per cent of the total land area is covered with forest and the forest depletion rate is insignificant.

The PCF country visit was conducted in Brunei Darussalam during 19-24 March 2007 where assessment teams from Cambodia and the Philippines, led by a Chairperson from the Asean Secretariat, examined the country's forest policies and practices.

The team found a number of good practices which can serve as a model for other Association of Southeast Asia member countries such as performance monitoring, embedding forestry in the National Development Plan as well as the implementation of low-impact utilisation of forests.

Another consideration is the implementation of forest management certification and chain-of-custody verification.

The Report also states the current need to create a national level advisory body to plan and help achieve consensus on forestry and cross-cutting issues. It also specifies that "while consultations have become a norm, it may become a rule in the future to ensure coordination among all relevant stakeholders". Further future considerations for Brunei's forest sector are securing designated forest areas by legislation, developing a national forestry research agenda in cooperation with Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and regimenting Environmental Impact Assessment procedures to ensure ecological sustainability.

Private and public sector participation in the country have increased especially through forestry related programmes and activities.

The PCF report also emphasised the younger generation as the "future guardians of the forests" and encouraged the continuity of awareness programmes that have been carried out such as nature excursions, camps and the Princess Rashidah Young Nature Scientist Award (PYNSA) Award as well as mass tree planting activities.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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