In September 1997, the Deramakot Forest Reserve (DFR) was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (License Code FSC-C180387), making it the longest-certified tropical rainforest in the world. However, the certification lapsed in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent delay in appointing a new certification body. In 2023, PBN (Preferred By Nature), previously known as Nepcon, was appointed to conduct a pre-assessment audit in February and a main assessment in September of the same year. The successful completion of both assessments has resulted in the DFR regaining its FSC® certification effective 21st March 2024 and valid until 20th March 2029.
This certification is a testament to the DFR's commitment to sustainable forest management practices. It sets a precedent for other tropical rainforests to follow suit in ensuring the preservation and protection of natural resources. The FSC® certification assures stakeholders and consumers that the DFR's products are sourced responsibly and that the forest's ecological, social, and economic values are maintained for present and future generations.
Background
Realising the reality of forest depletion, the Sabah Forestry Department with technical support from the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) of Germany, have developed a management system aimed at responsible production of timber for logged over forestlands in 1989. The system requires substantial investments in forest planning, infrastructure, low impact harvesting equipment, and training of foresters, managers and forest workers in new techniques.
The objective is to begin with the application of ecologically and scientifically acceptable forest management to the logged-over Commercial Forest Reserves of Sabah. The intent is to manage the commercial forest reserves in a way that mimics natural processes for production of low volume, high quality, high priced timber products in a sustainable manner. Sustainability is defined in terms of balance nutrient cycles, forest structure, biodiversity, forest function and socio-economic needs.
Deramakot FR was chosen as the model forest for best forest management practices.
Why Deramakot?
Deramakot Forest Reserve is 55,507 hectares of Mixed Dipterocarp Forest. The forest had been logged at least once with subsequent silvicultural treatment (i.e. poison girdling) before the commencement of the project. Past forest management practices have resulted in a very heterogeneous stand types and a patchwork of different stocking conditions. Only 20% of the area is considered well stocked and more than 30% is covered by very poor forest with virtually no mature growing stock left. Apart from some small human settlements that are located at the fringes of the Reserve, the entire forest area is uninhabited.
These have made Deramakot an ideal site as the model forest to demonstrate the best forest management practices before expanding the concept to other forest reserves in Sabah. As dictated by the 3rd Forest Management Plan (planning period: 2015 - 2024), 49,711 ha of the area is set aside for log production and 5,778 ha for conservation and the remaining 18 ha under community forestry.
