25/11/2011 (Borneo Post) - All short-term logging licences are being phased out progressively as they do not address sustainability.

“There remains about ten, not more than 10,000 hectares, which will be closed in the next two to three years,” said State Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan at the close of the 9th Annual Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil and 8th Annual General Assembly of RSPO members yesterday.

He added that all licences are now long term (50 to 100 years) issued for forest management purposes, for which logging is just one component.

“The execution follows our Deramakot Model, the first FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified rainforest in the world,” he said.

He also said that independent third party auditing is compulsory since 2009 with financing from the European Union (EU), for all long-term forest management licences.

“The purpose is not to punish and kill but to improve behaviour and performance. The results on performance improvement have been excellent and a source of pride for Sabah. We favour transparency in the long-term interest of Sabah,” he said.

Sam added that all long-term licences must be certified under any internationally recognized system by 2014 and a five-year notice period has been given.

“To date, 852,374 hectares (33 per cent) of forests have been fully or partially certified in Sabah, with 444,354 hectares under full certification, dominated by the FSC (386,607 hectares), with full certification and 408,520 hectares, under partial certification. This represents about 33 per cent of the target and we therefore have a long way to go.”

He said that the department believes in certification as it improves behaviour and performance. It serves as a continuous improvement mechanism, brings credibility and transparency, opens the market and builds up their credibility with policy makers.