Deforestation in Malaysia 2

• Malaysia is in South-East Asia and is made up of Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, which is part of the island of Borneo
• 67% of Malaysia is covered by the natural tropical rainforest vegetation
• Causes of deforestation in Malaysia

  • Subsistence farming
  • Commercial farming
  • Logging
  • Road building
  • Mineral extraction
  • Energy development
  • Settlement and population growth
• Impacts of deforestation in Malaysia

  • Economic gains
  • Economic losses
  • Soil erosion
  • Loss of biodiversity
  • Contribution to climate change
• Value of rainforests to people

  • Resources
  • Medicine
  • Indigenous tribes
  • Energy
  • Employment
• Value of rainforests to the environment

  • Water
  • Biodiversity
  • Climate
  • Climate change
  • Soil erosion
• Selective logging and replanting


  1. Audit of trees and select by professionals

  2. Survey and monitor, plan to repair forest, plant and regenerate

  3. Repeat cycle 30-40 years after original felling
• Sustainable management strategies


  • Selective logging and replanting
  • Conservation and education
  • Ecotourism
  • International agreements about hardwood use
  • Debt reduction
• Malaysia's Selective Management System was introduced in 1977
• WWF-Malaysia's protected areas programme aims to establish and maintain a network of protected areas in Peninsular Malaysia and protect forest ecosystems in Sabah and Sarawak
• Ecotourism example


  • Sungai Yu Forest Reserve, Pahang
  • Visitors can camp with Batak tribe, join cave excursions, trek and help collect animal data
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

  International organisation that promotes sustainable forestry and only products sourced sustainably carry the FSC mark
• International Tropical Timber Agreement (2006)


  Restricts trade in hardwoods by only marking timber from sustainably managed forests
• Debt reduction involves HIC countries writing off debts of LIC/NEE countries in return for rainforests being protected