S'wak signs letter to improve reduced impact logging guidelines

A letter of agreement was signed between the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the government of Sarawak to assess the new reduced impact logging (RIL) guidelines for the state.

"The objective of the letter of agreement is to carry out a gap assessment of the newly harmonised RIL guidelines for Sarawak against international best practice and through multi-stakeholder consultation.

"The harmonised RIL guidelines for Sarawak is an important step to standardise timber harvesting method in Sarawak in order to regulate the timber industry in Sarawak," said a statement released by Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) today.

The FDS and World Wildlife Fund Malaysia will work together on this project to improve the RIL guidelines for Sarawak according to international best practice, through a consultative process, it said.

The letter was signed in Kuching on March 27 by the FAO and the Sarawak government, which was represented by the FDS.

Representatives from both parties were present at the signing of the letter of agreement.