When will Sarawak run out of Forest Reserves

Reading this piece of business news, Sarawak log exports rise on strong demand, discerning Malaysians will really wonder if our Government is serious in its objective to maintain sustainable development, protect the environment and reduce the carbon footprint of our nation. Details that can be gleaned from the report:

• Sarawak's 2010 production was 10.15 million cu m, of which the State exported nearly 3.94 million cu m of logs worth RM1.96bil to eight countries in 2010

• Last year's production was made up mostly of hill species (9.86 million cu m), with Meranti contributing the bulk (3.7 million cu m). The other main species were Kapur, Keruing, Selangan Batu, Bindang and Nyatoh. Some 290,000 cu m of swamp species were harvested, and the main ones were Meranti, Alan, Kapur, Jongkong and Ramin,
  
• India, China, Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea were the major importers of Malaysian timber in 2010. It was also reported that the demand from some of these countries (India, China and Vietnam) are insatiable.
  

Some of the questions that come to mind are:

1. Except for Japan, the major log importing countries are developing nations with large populations; India is one of the countries that have banned domestic logging of its forests, and China has a strictly monitored reforestation programme. Is Malaysia then, so lax in its conservation laws that it prefers to earn short term profits at the expense of its remaining forest reserves? We all know that Sarawak has one of the few really pristine forest reserves remaining on Earth, and are we really making sure they remain our priceless assets for out future generations?
2. The 2010 production of over 10 million cu m.. are these all taken from reforestation schemes, or are most of the timber extracted from 'virgin' forest reserves? As it was reported that the production was mostly from the 'Hill species', it would seem to a layman like me, that most of the timber are from forest reserves? Have the swamp species been extracted from coastal areas, and will it have a deleterious effect on our environment, like the destruction of our natural fish breeding areas and affect the livelihood of fishermen and farmers living in the localities? is there in place a reforestation programme for the swamp species?
3. The Sarawak timber industry of course will be planning for continuous expansion of their export business and based on this report, not less than 10 million cu m of timber will be logged each year, just to maintain profits. On this assumption, and knowing that the reforestation programme will be woefully adequate to feed such avarice, can anyone let the public know, how many years will it take for the Sarawak Government to denude the State of its single most valuable asset, ie the forest reserves?
   

Human greed and political bigotry will be the death of Mother Earth

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