KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor wants the  Forestry Department to revisit the Forest Enactment 1968 to include a new classification  of forest reserve for the community. 

"This is to encourage the local communities to get involved in forest conservation efforts,  in addition to future settlement consideration for them according to their needs and  suitability," he said. 

Speaking at the Forestry Appreciation Ceremony at the Magellan Sutera Resort tonight,  the Chief Minister said the State Government fully supported the State Forestry  Department's efforts in protecting, preserving and conserving the forests in Sabah. 

After recent amendments to the Forest Enactment were passed by the State Legislative  Assembly, he said the State permanent forest reserve will increase to 566.57 hectares. 

He said that 3.575 million hectares of forests in Sabah are totally protected now  compared to last year's 3.574 million hectares, adding that this represented 64 per cent  of the state's land mass. 

The Chief Minister wants the State Forestry Department to step up efforts to protect  Sabah's forest through various measures, among them through the Heart of Borneo  (HoB) initiative that began in 2007 and the Forest Beyond Timber initiative which  explores the potential of generating non-timber revenue from the forest as an alternative  to creating new revenue for the state. 

"These efforts are essential to support forest conservation through the transition from  dependence on the supply of timber resources from virgin forests to non-timber-based  income. 

"This transition will help Sabah to maintain the percentage of forest cover. Therefore, I  hope that these conservation efforts will continue with enthusiasm, tenacity and  dedication so that Sabah's forest treasures will continue to be preserved," he said.

At the appreciation night, 24 Sustainable Forest Management Licence Agreement  (SFMLA) license holders and 13 Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) area managers  received this year's accreditation certificate from the State Forestry Department for  compliance achievement. 

The Chief Minister hoped the certification would further motivate the SFMLA  concessionaires and SFM area managers to achieve this year's target. 

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