TELUPID, Sabah – A rubber planting pilot project in the Ulu Tongod Forest Reserve jointly implemented by the Sabah Forestry Department and TSH Resources Bhd eight years ago has started bearing fruit with the first official harvest made recently.
Sabah Forestry Director Datuk Sam Mannan tapped the first tree at Compartment 143 of the forest reserve when he officiated the ceremony.
The event was held at the Forest Management Unit (FMU) 4 of TSH Resources Berhad in the Ulu Tongod Reserve.
The pilot project is undertaken through a Sustainable Forest Management Licence Agreement (SFMLA) that benefits both TSH Resources Bhd, from the income generated and the state government through a royalty of 10 per cent collected from the sale of latex.
People living near the forest reserve will also gain as a result of the job opportunities from the project.
Some 1,200 hectares in the forest reserve have been planted with rubber since 2003. The second plot was planted in mid 2004 and the third plot in 2005.
The Malaysia Rubber Board provided TSH Resources with 16 different clones to be tested out and assisted by giving technical advice.
Meanwhile, TSH Resources Chairman Datuk Kelvin Tan Aik Pen said that the company planned to expand the rubber planting project area to 8,000 hectares before the expiry of the Second Forest Management Plan in 2019.
“While focusing on the development of the rubber plantation, TSH Resources Berhad has not neglected its commitment to manage the whole Forest Reserve in a sustainable and holistic manner.
“Our engagement with the local community has been an ongoing affair, not only providing jobs for the people living around the area but also with materials for the repair of their community halls,” he said.
As a licence holder of SFMLA, TSH Resources is required to implement Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) practices.
Since the SFM was implemented in 1997, forest management in Sabah no longer focused on mere production of timber but also products and other services from the forest through multiple-use forest management.
These required FMUs to be divided into zones for various land use according to the function and vegetation of the area. These zones can be for conservation, protection, community, production, forest plantation, forest restoration, silviculture and eco-tourism.
TSH Resources chose to develop its forest plantation zone by planting rubber.
Source: New Sabah Times