The total hectarage of
forest plantations in the country is shown in Appendix 2. This section (a)
discusses the distribution of private forest plantations by state, (b) traces
species inter-cropping, (c) traces the types of planting designs adopted and
(d) highlights a few case studies on commercial tree planting by private
investors.
According to information
released by the Forest Department, Peninsular Malaysia, forest plantations
covered 74 022 ha in 2000. The data obtained by the survey conducted under this
study indicate a slightly higher area of 75 672 ha for 2001. More than 15 000
ha were planted in 1988 and more than 10 000 ha in 1985, which is 20 and 15
percent of the total plantation areas, respectively. Most of the plantations
were established during the first phase of the Compensatory Forest Plantation
Programme between 1982 and 1988. Since 1989, annual planting rates have not
exceeded 7 000 ha.
Source: Forest Plantation Division, FRIM and Survey Data (2002 ).
Figure 1. Areas planted under forest plantation projects, Peninsular Malaysia
(1915-2001)
The figures in Table 3 and Figure 1 indicate that
interest in planting forest species has changed over the years. Interest tended
to increase whenever there was a campaign to plant trees and slowed down
thereafter. The planting of sentang and teak increased immediately after FRIM
organized a road show on the two species in 1996 and 1997. Planting rates
declined the following year. In addition, planting rates were affected by the
financial crisis that has slowed down economic growth across Southeast Asia
since late 1997. The economic as well as political impacts of the crisis most
likely explain the dramatic drop in planting rates since 1998.
The role that individual planters played in forest
plantation development was as important as that of private companies (Table 4).
For example, the total area planted by individuals until the end of 2001 was 11
823 ha (15.6 percent), whereas the area planted by companies was 11 404 ha
(15.1 percent). What distinguishes the two private sector groups is the area
planted individually, which usually is much larger for a company than for
i
ndividual planters. Johore, Pahang and Terengganu account for the largest area
under forest plantations with more than 6 000 ha, 2 000 ha and 1 000 ha
planted, respectively (Table 4).
Table 3. Year of forest plantation establishment (ha)
Year |
Public |
Private |
Total |
19151982 |
171 |
114 |
285 |
1983 |
- |
910 |
910 |
1984 |
- |
898 |
898 |
1985 |
7 746 |
3 421 |
11 167 |
1986 |
3 194 |
1 337 |
4 531 |
1987 |
4 374 |
1 320 |
5 694 |
1988 |
8 700 |
6 570 |
15 270 |
1989 |
6 359 |
- |
6 359 |
1990 |
2 328 |
- |
2 328 |
1991 |
5 305 |
- |
5 305 |
1992 |
4 831 |
- |
4 831 |
1993 |
2 894 |
- |
2 894 |
1994 |
1 046 |
450 |
1 496 |
1995 |
1 939 |
823 |
2 762 |
1996 |
3 558 |
2 330 |
5 888 |
1997 |
- |
3 134 |
3 134 |
1998 |
- |
1 591 |
1 591 |
1999 |
- |
245 |
245 |
2000 |
- |
72 |
72 |
2001 |
- |
12 |
12 |
Total |
52 445 |
23 227 |
75 672 |
Table 4. Distribution of forest plantations (ha)
State |
Private
companies |
Various
government agencies |
Individuals |
Total |
Johore |
6 599 |
12 069 |
2 020 |
20 688 |
Kedah |
95 |
1 003 |
441 |
1 539 |
Kelantan |
15 |
3 866 |
650 |
4 531 |
Malacca |
40 |
12 |
126 |
179 |
N.Sembilan |
723 |
4 314 |
554 |
5 590 |
Penang |
7 |
4 |
11 |
22 |
Pahang |
2 129 |
16 571 |
3 606 |
22 306 |
Perak |
396 |
3 219 |
1 079 |
4 694 |
Perlis |
78 |
311 |
407 |
795 |
Selangor |
304 |
9 025 |
831 |
10 161 |
Terengganu |
1 017 |
2 053 |
2 098 |
5 168 |
Total |
11 404 |
52 445 |
11 823 |
75 672 |
Source: Forest Plantation Division, FRIM and survey data (2002).
Besides area planted,
another important variable for assessing the wood supply and market potential
of plantations is species distribution. In Peninsular Malaysia, the species
preferred by all planters is obviously Acacia
mangium. For example, of the 6 600 ha established in Johore, 6 470 ha
were planted with Acacia mangium,
whereas another 38 ha, 54 ha and 2 ha were planted with teak (Tectona grandis), sentang (Azadirachta excelsa), and sentang and
rubber, respectively (Appendix 2). Of the 64 348 ha planted with Acacia mangium, 8 554 have been planted
by private companies, 49 919 ha by government agencies and 5 875 ha by
individual planters (Table 5).
Sentang and teak plantations cover an area of 3 676
ha and 3 107 ha, respectively (Table 6). With regard to other species (e.g. Khaya spp. and Araucaria spp.), the total area planted is too small to have an
effect on the international timber market. The volume to be produced will be
too small to effectively create a market for the species. It is probably also
not economic to extract small quantities of timber because of the high logging
and transport costs.
Table 5. Acacia mangium plantations by ownership
in Peninsular Malaysia (ha)
State |
Private
companies |
Government
agencies |
Individuals |
Total |
Johore |
6 470 |
11 942 |
1 195 |
19 607 |
Kedah
|
||||
Kelantan |
3 293 |
1 |
3 294 |
|
Malacca |
||||
N.
Sembilan |
585 |
4 171 |
34 |
4 790 |
Pahang |
16 550 |
2 776 |
20 534 |
|
Perak |
291 |
2 963 |
560 |
3 814 |
Perlis |
||||
Penang |
1 208 |
|||
Selangor |
9 022 |
9 022 |
||
Terengganu |
1 978 |
1 309 |
3 287 |
|
Federal
Territory |
||||
Total |
8 554 |
49 919 |
5 875 |
64 348 |
Source: Forest Plantation Division, FRIM (2002).
About 30 percent of the plantations are located in Pahang (Table 6). Other states
with considerable areas under forest plantations include Johore (20 688 ha),
Selangor (10 161 ha), N. Sembilan (5 590 ha) and Terengganu (5 168 ha). The
planting of forest species such as teak and sentang together with agricultural
crops (e.g. rubber or oil palm) is low. For instance, the area inter-cropped
with sentang and rubber totalled only 900 ha for all of Peninsular Malaysia.
There is even less interest in inter-cropping with oil palm, durian, teak
and other species.
Table 6.
Distribution of plantations by selected species in Peninsular Malaysia, 2001
(ha)
State |
Acacia mangium |
Teak |
Teak &
rubber |
Teak & sentang |
Sentang
& rubber |
Sentang |
Others
|
Total |
Johore |
19 607 |
245 |
3 |
13 |
117 |
272 |
430 |
20 688 |
Kedah |
988 |
103 |
6 |
90 |
263 |
90 |
1 539 |
|
Kelantan |
3 294 |
324 |
10 |
148 |
680 |
76 |
4 531 |
|
Malacca |
59 |
3 |
5 |
36 |
17 |
59 |
179 |
|
N.
Sembilan |
4 790 |
290 |
103 |
18 |
22 |
231 |
137 |
5 590 |
Pahang |
20 534 |
210 |
21 |
7 |
164 |
125 |
1 246 |
22 306 |
Perak
|
3 814 |
309 |
46 |
6 |
81 |
172 |
267 |
4 694 |
Perlis |
555 |
68 |
19 |
143 |
11 |
795 |
||
Penang |
12 |
10 |
22 |
|||||
Selangor
|
9 022 |
24 |
1 |
2 |
26 |
487 |
598 |
10 161 |
Terengganu |
3 287 |
104 |
73 |
13 |
185 |
1 278 |
228 |
5 168 |
Federal
Territory |
||||||||
Total |
64 348 |
3 107 |
430 |
70 |
900 |
3 676 |
3 143 |
75 672 |
Source: Forest Plantation Division, FRIM and Survey (2002).
A discussion on the
development of forest plantations would be incomplete without considering the
production of timber derived from the plantations. According to official
statistics (Table 7), forest plantations were able to produce timber only on
two occasions, namely in 1997 (35 030 m3) and 1998 (26 556 m3)
(Forestry Department, Peninsular Malaysia 2001). There is no information on
species and the destination of logs for further processing. Assuming a 15-year
rotation, the total documented production probably consisted of Acacia mangium only, which was planted
as early as 1985.
Trees planted in 1988 have
not been felled, as they are only between 12 and 13 years old. Even fast-growing
species such as Acacia mangium will
not be logged before 2004. Slower-growing species such as sentang and teak will
not be logged before 2008 (Ahmad Zuhaidi et
al. 1997) and the volumes obtained in the first years of logging can be
assumed to be quite low. Hence, with regard to wood production forest
plantations will continue to play an insignificant role compared to production
from natural forests in the foreseeable future.
Table 7.
Production of logs from forest plantations by state in Peninsular Malaysia (m3)
State/year |
1996* |
1997* |
1998* |
1999* |
2000* |
Johore |
11 909 |
12 449 |
|||
Kedah
|
|||||
Kelantan |
|||||
Malacca |
|||||
N.
Sembilan |
|||||
Pahang |
15 776 |
14 107 |
|||
Perak |
|||||
Perlis |
|||||
Penang |
|||||
Selangor |
7 345 |
|
|||
Terengganu |
|||||
Federal
Territory |
|||||
Total |
35 030 |
26 556 |
Source: Forestry Department, Peninsular Malaysia (2001).
Note: * Blank space indicates no production.
To date, forest plantations
consist of single species or are mixed with agricultural crops, such as rubber
and oil palm. In some cases forest species are planted as perimeter crops
rather than as the main crop. Forest species usually are planted as perimeter
crops on land that is either too steep to reduce soil erosion and prevent
landslips or not fertile enough for agricultural crops. Examples of forest
species planted as monocrops include Acacia
mangium, teak, Khaya sp. and sentang.
Species planted as mixed and perimeter crops include rubber, sentang, teak and
oil palm.
The planting design is
related closely to the arrangement of the crops planted. It can be triangular
or square. The tree arrangement and the distances between trees depend on
terrain characteristics and soil type. The
recommended spacing for sentang, if planted as a monocrop, is 4 x 3 m (Figure
2), and as a hedge or perimeter it is 3 x 3 m (Figure 3).
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Figure 2. Planting of sentang as a monocrop (4 x 3 m)
Source: Ahmad Zuhaidi et al. (1997).
22 m
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
Figure 3. Planting of sentang as a hedge or perimeter (3 x 3
m)
Note: X represents sentang, and O represents Hevea trees.
Source: Ahmad Zuhaidi et al. (1997).
If sentang is planted as a monocrop, the common
spacing in addition to 3 x 3 m and 3 x 4 m is 2 x 2 m, 3 x 8 m (Tables 8 and
9). A planting distance of 2 x 2 m is not recommended, as the ratio between
height and stem diameter for a sentang tree is usually more than one. Trees
that have a height-to-diameter ratio of one are usually more stable and are not
blown down easily by strong winds (Ahmad Zuhaidi et al. 1997).
Table 8. Some common spacings for the planting of
sentang in Peninsular Malaysia
State |
System |
Spacing |
Area/ha |
Johore |
Monocrop |
6 x 6 |
161.10 |
Johore |
Monocrop |
8 x 8 |
4.00 |
Johore |
Monocrop |
4 x 4 m |
0.10 |
Johore |
Monocrop |
3 x 4 m |
0.90 |
Johore |
Monocrop |
3 x 3 m |
31.20 |
Johore |
Monocrop |
2.4 x 2.4 m |
1.80 |
Johore |
Monocrop |
2 x 2 m |
43.90 |
Johore |
Perimeter |
n.a. |
1.60 |
Johore |
Monocrop |
n.a. |
27.50 |
Kedah |
Monocrop |
5 x 7 |
0.80 |
Kedah |
Monocrop |
12 x 12 |
3.40 |
Kedah |
Monocrop |
10 x 10 |
10.00 |
Kedah |
Monocrop |
n.a. |
176.60 |
Kedah |
Monocrop |
2 x 2 m |
33.40 |
Terengganu |
Perimeter |
n.a. |
1.30 |
Total
|
3 675.80 |
n.a. not available
Table 9.
Common spacings for the planting of sentang and rubber in Peninsular Malaysia
State |
System |
Spacing |
Area/ha |
Johore |
Perimeter |
2 x 3 m |
1.40 |
Johore |
Perimeter |
3.9 x 3.9 x 7.8 m |
2.10 |
Johore |
Perimeter |
3 x 3 m |
52.70 |
Johore |
Perimeter |
2 x 3 m |
1.20 |
Johore |
Perimeter |
1.8 x 1.8 x 8.5 m |
0.60 |
Johore |
Perimeter |
1.2 x 1.5 m |
1.30 |
Johore |
Perimeter |
n.a. |
53.00 |
Johore |
Mixed |
3 x 3 m |
4.80 |
Kedah |
Perimeter |
10 x 10 |
2.00 |
Kelantan |
Perimeter |
10 x 10 |
1.70 |
Kelantan |
Perimeter |
3 x 3 x 22 m |
2.10 |
Kelantan |
Perimeter |
3 x 2 m |
5.60 |
Kelantan |
Perimeter |
2 x 3 m |
26.30 |
Kelantan |
Perimeter |
2 x 3 x 27 m |
0.60 |
|
|
||
Kelantan |
Perimeter |
2 x 3 x 22 m |
10.60 |
Total |
899.70 |
n.a. not available
A private company
The first case study
involves a respondent from the southern state of the peninsula. He was
optimistic about forest plantations. Originally, the respondent planted Maesopsis eminii on 96 ha. His optimism
has encouraged his company to extend the plantation area with the same species.
For plantation related
activities the company employs about seven management staff and five contract
workers. The main plantation management objective is income generation. The
company has faced various challenges, such as shortage of land and labour, and
uncertainty of the market price for the final product, i.e. logs. To ensure
profitability, the trees will be cut when they are 10 years old. Maesopsis eminii was chosen because it
is fast growing and exhibits a uniform growth. This means that the rotations
can be short and the final crop volume is more predictable than other species.
The
planting distance chosen for Maesopsis
eminii was 4 x 4 m. Measurements taken during the field visit indicated
that the average diameter was 15.4 cm and the average height was 8.1 m. The
largest diameter recorded was 20.5 cm. Trees were about three years old. The
excellent growth performance is probably because the area used to be a fruit
orchard. The gentle slope of between six and 15 percent, together with a
sandy-loamy soil type also makes the site suitable for tree planting.
Nitrogen phosphate
(nitrophoska) 15-15-15 and Sunbear 12-12-17 fertilizers were applied several
times. Ease of application, low price and availability in the market were
reasons for selecting these two fertilizers. Roundup Transorb was used as a
herbicide. Weeding, climber cutting and fertilizer application were carried out
during the first several years after tree planting (i.e. between year 1 and
year 4). These activities are crucial for seedlings to establish a root system
and adapt to the new environment. The excellent growth noted also indicates
that managing the planted species from seedlings promises a better output at
the end of the planting period.
Individual planters
Individual planters are
persons who plant trees on a small piece of land (0.4 ha or less). Usually, these
so-called forest plantations are located close to the owners homes and
management is on a part-time basis. However, some individual planters are fully
occupied by forest plantation activities. For such planters, the growth
performance of their trees has been encouraging.
The two respondents selected
for the case study came from Johore. Both had chosen teak as the main species.
They owned forest plantations of 4 ha and 8 ha, respectively. Most tasks are
performed by the respondents themselves. The first respondent indicated that he
needed at least one day per month to take care of the plantation, while the
second respondent (the planter with slightly more than 8 ha) spends
approximately five days per month looking after his plantation.
Similar to other private
planters, the main objective of these respondents in tree planting was to
generate additional income. They did not view shortage of land, marketing of
final products, procurement of seedlings, species selection, planting skills
and other related issues as problems; limited land availability may constrain
extension of the plantations.
The respondent with the 4 ha
plot that was planted in 1995 reported that the average height and stem
diameters were 16 m and 16 cm, respectively. The second planter indicated a
similar average height of 16 m and a slightly lower average diameter of 13 cm.
This slightly lower average diameter is to be expected because the trees were
one year younger. The planting distances of the respondents with 4 and 8 ha
plots were 3 x 2.4 m and 3.8 x 2.5 m, respectively. Although they lacked a
detailed understanding of potential planting designs, both planters thought
that the selected spacing was the most suitable for their teak.
Both respondents stated that
their areas were originally rubber plantations on Class I soil. Both plantations were located on terrain with between 0
and 5 percent slope, and an altitude below 100 m. The type of soil for
both project areas was clay. It was also observed that both respondents used
chicken manure as fertilizer, which was cheap and readily available. Both
respondents declared that they had to apply fertilizer two to three times per
year to boost the growth of the teak trees.
Most planters interviewed
had some ideas of the market for and end-uses of the species planted. For
instance, teak can be used for interior finishing, panels, high-class furniture
and fancy plywood, whereas sentang can be used for joinery, interior finishing
and sliced veneer. The majority of the planters also expected that species such
as sentang would penetrate the international market if the quantity produced
was sufficient to make an impact.
The database developed from
the survey results provides information on not only the various agencies
involved in the development of forest plantations by state but also the species
planted and the age of plantations.
Private forest plantations
in Peninsular Malaysia are small and widely scattered. The size of the existing
forest plantations is not large enough to significantly reduce the pressure on
the natural forest. Plantation development in Peninsular Malaysia needs to be
supported by incentives and a planting campaign.