E D I T O R ’ S N O T E

A Q U A RT E R LY O F THE FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MALAY S I A ISSN 1394-5467

JANUARY ● FEBRUARY ● MARCH 2002

This issue’s focus

CelebratingOur PlantHeritageConserving &EnjoyingIndigenous Flora

RecyclableRecreationThe Science Of Forest Ecotourism

● Fighting Superbugs ● Ant Antidotes ● Oil Palm Cement Composites● On Forest ‘Rats’ ● Coaxing Forests Back To Life

● The Gene Genie ● The Art Of Mining Trees ● Rare Species ● Lesser-known Timber Species ● Pending Patents

THERE is as yet no evaluationand monitoring system inplace to record the curr e n tc o n s e rvation status of

Malaysian plants and ecosystems andthe changes in their status over time.

C o n s e rvation strategies forthreatened and endangered species and

ecosystems are also very much in theirinfancy in this country.

These are some of the urgent issuesof biodiversity that will be addressed inFRIM’s plan to house a centre of plantd iversity in its grounds, since theInstitute’s herbarium, besides those ofthe Forest Departments of Sabah and

Sarawak, has already acquired muchex p e rtise in the documentation,i d e n t i f ication and understanding ofplant communities.

C o n s e rvation measures to beexplored include restoring threatenedplants into the wild in protected sites

More on page 8

Plant Conservation

A Field Day For Malaysian FloraFRIM is planning a centre of plant diversity, making its grounds a repository for living plant material,not only of trees, but the whole spectrum of Malaysian flora for systematic research and conservation

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 1

IN THIS issue we focus on some of the areas that our Forest Environment Division iscurrently tackling.

In particular, the plan to have a reference centre for botanical studies in areas such asplant conservation, sustainable use and commercialisation of plants, and the promotionof public education and enjoyment of our plants. This means, among others, FRIMhaving its very own niche botanic garden to showcase Malaysian flora and FRIMspearheading the way forest recreation should be done sustainably.

Besides this more thematic treatment of FRIM In Focus’s contents (from pages 8-10),readers will notice we are introducing new sections as part of our regular features – TheGrapevine (news briefs), Scientist In Focus (spotlighting a FRIM scientist) and TreeTech/Minding Our Business (latest FRIM patents, consultancies and collaborations).Plus as usual, we highlight some of the other research being carried out at the Institute.

The most visible change, of course, is the change in the look, feel and design of themagazine. It was a change necessitated by a slashed budget, but an improvementhopefully, nonetheless. We are back to an A4 paper size to include much more research,as has been requested by some of you. We are also increasing FIF’s frequency to fourissues this year.

We have a talented and dedicated bunch of scientists at FRIM, experts all of them, invarious aspects of the intriguing world of forest science. But we want you, our readers,to tell us how else FIF can further serve your interests.

Tell us what you think, feel and want – whether you are a government official, abusinessman, a fellow researcher, a university professor, a tertiary student, an NGOmember, a scientist abroad, a visiting tourist or a member of the public.

The Editorial Board looks forward to your continued following of the goings-on atFRIM. Belated wishes for a very Productive New Year.

From the Editor

Seminar sC H A L L E N G E S Facing Forestry And Forest-Based Industries In The New

Millennium. This will be the theme for the FRIM-organised national seminar on ForestAnd Forest-Based Industries: Socio-Economics And Policy Issues this June 17 & 18

at the Institute’s auditorium. Contact Dr Norini Haron(norini@frim.gov.my; 603-62797820 x 7540) or DrLim Hin Fui (limhf@frim.gov.my; 603-62797820 x7541).

Research And Development For The Resource-Based Industries In The New Millennium is the focusof the Fourth Asian Science & Technology Congress2002 to be held at Hotel Nikko, Kuala Lumpur thisApril 25-27. The Congress’s Environment A n dBiodiversity Symposium is being coordinated byFRIM’s Forest Environment Division.

The S eventh W o r ld Conference On T i m b e rEngineering 2002 will be held in Shah Alam thisAugust 12 to 15th. Contact the WCTE2002 ConferenceSecretariat, Faculty Of Civil Engineering, UniversitiTeknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam; Tel: (603)55435258/ 55435260; Fax: (603) 55435275; e-mail:deepak@engr.itm.edu.my

The Seminar On Medicinal Plants 2002 (TongkatAli,Kacip Fatimah, Pegaga) will be held at FRIM thisAugust 20 & 21. Contact Mohd. Shahidan MohamadArshad, Medicinal Plants Division, FRIM, Kepong,52109 Kuala Lumpur; Tel: 62797000 x 7368; Fax:62797860; e-mail: shahidan@frim.gov.my

Announcements

Notice Chipboard

EDITORIAL BOARD

CHAIRMAN

Dato’ Dr Abdul Razak Mohd Ali

ADVISORY COMMITTEEDato’ Dr Wan Razali MohdPuan Wan Rahmah Wan A. RaofDr Abd. Rashid MalekEn Choo Kheng TenPuan Norhara HusseinDr Wan Rashidah Abd. KadirDr Abd. Rasip GhaniDr Abd. Rahman Kassim

EDITOR & WRITERVeronica Poopathy

PHOTOGRAPHERAsmar Hassan

FRIM In Focus is distributed freeof charge upon request, butdonations to help us defray costsare most welcome. Address allqueries to:

The Chairman, FRIM In FocusForest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, 52109 Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia

Telephone603-62797804

Facsimile603-62797878

E-mailveron@frim.gov.my

Webitewww.frim.gov.my

Cover Photo: Sterculia megistophylla, aforest tree endemic to Borneo with largefruits of up to 1 m across

FIF

IN MEMORIAMTimothy Charles Whitmore

(9 June 1935 - 14 February 2002)

TIM WHITMORE, whose initiative,drive and dedication towards the TreeFlora of Malaya project inspired thecurrent work on the Tree Flora ofSabah and Sarawak, died peacefullyin Cambridge, UK at the age of 66.Whitmore, acknowledged by hisstudents and peers as ‘the guru oftropical rainforests’ wrote, edited orco-edited 32 books and publishedmore than 190 scientific papers one c o l o g y, biogeography andtaxonomy. We are deeply indebted tohis invaluable contribution towardsthe advancement of botanical andecological knowledge of Malaysia’stropical rainforests – Dr E. Soepadmo

2 FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

More on next page

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 2

THESE days, Datuk Lim Chong Keat is more intoconservation than construction. Which is fortunate,considering that he helms the Board overseeing the

nation’s top forestry research institute. Over the years, therobust 71-year-old has criss-crossed the country with over400 expeditions into forests in search of plants,particularly the palms and gingers which have become hisfondest flora.

Now as FRIM chairman, he intends to bring hisarchitectural skills and layman’s passion for botany into playby calling for ‘arboretum gardens’ within the Institute’s600-ha campus as one of the key components in FRIM’smove to have a one-stop centre for research, conservation,education and ecotourism. (See also pages 8-10)

“FRIM’s domain is already a famous arboretum – it isde facto a botanic garden of trees, that can be enhanced tobe a ‘green ark’, a research conservation haven, rather thana show garden, of indigenous flora. To become, in effect,the National Botanic Centre of Malaysia,” said Datuk Lim.

The chairman’s role, no doubt, will be catalytic,accelerating the project’s progress with his drive andenthusiasm. “The good news and the bad news is that I’minterested in what you guys are doing,” quipped DatukLim by way of introducing himself to FRIM researchers.

But what is an architect doing, one might ask, even ifpossessing a proclivity for plants (he has a personalherbarium of some 4,000 specimens), poking his nose intothe affairs of a forest research institute?

But the Penang-born, Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology-trained Datuk Lim, who succeeds Tan SriG.K. Rama Iyer who retired in September last year, is thefirst to admit that he is on a learning curve and open tofeedback from all quarters.

He insists, in turn, that FRIM staff be always on theirtoes, well versed with not only the issues of their

specialisation, but in all aspects of forest science. FRIMresearches, he said, must be in the business of collecting“forest intelligentsia.” They must know the big picture, thelatest news and what others in similar fields are doing.

The best approach to research would be of thecollaborative kind, a well-established tradition in FRIMthat needs to be stepped up in order to draw upon the skillsof a multitude of scientists from multiple disciplines thatis forest science today.

“ We would need enhanced human and libraryresources, second to none and concomitant withMalaysia’s aims for higher standards in education andresearch. FRIM should become the most conduciveenvironment for research and its application.”

Datuk Lim calls for amountain research stationto study and propagatemontage flora, in additionto the existing FRIM fieldresearch stations. He alsohopes to set up a society, tobe headquartered at FRIM,for the conservation andpromotion of indigenousflora set up in the form ofa trust, and later tobecome a foundation. Itwould be patterned afterroyal societies of botanyabroad.

H e r e ’s wishing thechairman a fruitful tenureat FRIM. We l c o m eaBoard, Datuk!

AwardsFRIM’ s Wood Chemistry Division

obtained the MS ISO 9001:2000accreditation from AOGC Moody(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd for its p a p e rt e s t i n g , wood pr e s e r va t i ve s , wo o dcomposites a n d soil chemistrylaboratories. The award is a first forFRIM.

The paper testing lab tests thegrammage, moisture content, tearingresistance, thickness, burst strength,tensile strength, water absorptivenessand bending resistance of commercial

papers. To date, more than 1,000samples have been tested.

Analyses of copper, chromium andarsenic, boron and/or sodiumpentachlorophenol in woodpreservatives and treated wood, woodmoisture content, wood density and pHanalysis in solutions are among the testsconducted at the wood preservatives labwhich has also won the IKM QualityAward for Chemical Laboratories forfive consecutive years since 1996.

The wood composites lab is arecycler of wood residues into useful

wood-based panel products such asmedium density fibre boards, particleboards and oriented strand boards.

The soil chemistry lab tests soil andplant samples to support researchactivities in FRIM. It also conducts testsfor the private sector upon request.Various materials such as compost,herbs, spices and medicinal pills besidessoil and foliage are examined.

This year FRIM’s seed laboratory,furniture testing unit and library areapplying for similar accreditation.

Appointment

The Man That Botany BuiltFRIM’s new chairman, an architect by training and an informed amateur botanist by inclination, isaggressively pushing plans to upgrade FRIM’s grounds into a niche botanic park

3

“The good news andthe bad news is thatI’m interested what

you guys are doing.”– Datuk Lim Chong Keat

FRIM IN FOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

FIF

More on page 5

Announcements

From previous page

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 3

FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

ATOTAL of RM298,000 was generated from 23consultancies that were carried out by FRIMresearch officers last year. Forestry, forestmanagement system auditing, wood processing

and disease and pest management were among the aspectscovered by the consultancies.

The projects included assessing light organic solventpreservatives on selected hard woods and a pre-feasibility studyto identify the potential of charcoal production in Sarawak.

To date, two more consultancies will be carried out thisyear: A revision of the forest revenue system in Sabah underthe Malaysian-German Sustainable Forest Management &Conservation Project and a survey on private plantations inPeninsular Malaysia for the Japan International CooperationAgency.

There were five MoUs worth RM665,000 that were signedlast year. These are projects involving bamboo furniture,advanced wood composites, spices, tongkat ali and thedevelopment of a web-based timber information resourceportal called FRIM Online.

In February, FRIM and Gerik Timber Industries Sdn Bhdsigned a MoA to undertake a pioneer bamboo industry at aFelda scheme in Pahang.

FRIM also developed the mechanisms for eff e c t i v einstitutional evaluation of IRPA (Intensification Of ResearchIn Priority Areas) research proposals. Among the criteria usedto evaluate the proposals are the scientific merit of researchobjectives, credibility of benefits claimed, feasibility oftechnology transfer, cost effectiveness and commercialisationpotential.

Most FRIM projects are Experimental Applied Research(EAR) projects (small to medium-scale research that can beconducted in-house), with the remaining ones beingPrioritised Research (PR) projects (large-scale multi-disciplinary, multi-agency projects).

Last year, just over RM5 million was procured for 27 newprojects, of which two were in PR areas, namely 1) theconstruction of a genetic linkage map for wood pulp quality inAcacia hybrids using microsatellite markers and 2) the geneticmapping of quantitative trait loci controlling wood pulpquality in Acacia hybrids using CAPS and RFLPmarkers.

EAR projects included anti-diabetic properties ofPhyllanthus niruri (dukung anak) and Gynura procumbens(kecam akar), utilisation of rubber glove industrial effluentsludge as fertiliser for timber species grown on ex-miningland, the genetics and ecology of four selected endemic and/orrare dipterocarp species in Peninsular Malaysia, thedetermination of optimal growth stock and cutting cycle forsustainable harvest in timber production hill forests inPeninsular Malaysia and acoustical properties of Malaysiantimbers.

These were selected from the 36 projects submitted forIRPA funding, an R&D grant scheme from the Ministry ofScience, Technology and Environment.

Altogether FRIM researchers submitted 58 proposals lastyear for IRPA funding.

Compiled from data provided by the Research Management Divisionand External Projects Unit of FRIM Business Centre

4

Collaborations/Consultancies/Research Projects

Minding Our Business

2001 Pending Patents

Foldable Flexi Easel THIS is an improved version of the traditional easel thathas a more stable base than the tripod system. It has moreleg room, greater number of working angles and is easierto set up.

2000 Pending Patents

RESEARCH carried out by Malaysian scientists workingin Malaysia and at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology under the Malaysia-MIT B i o t e c h n o l o g yPartnership Programme has yielded several inventionswith commercial potential that are ready to spur the nextphase of biotechnology development in Malaysia.

Two patents in its Natural Product Discovery sub-programme, directed towards the commercialization anddevelopment of natural products based on indigenousmedicinal plants of Malaysia namely tongkat ali(Eurycoma longifolia) and pegaga (Centella asiatica)have been applied for. They are:-

1) Use Of Asiatic Acid For Treatment Of CancerONE of the triterpene constituents isolated from Centellaasiatica, asiatic acid has a cytotoxic effect on cancer cellsand is potentially useful as a future cytotoxic and anti-cancer agent. This finding will help to determine pegagavarieties with high asiatic acid content and will providepegaga-planting material for commercial cultivation forasiatic acid production.

2) Bioactive Fraction Of Eurycoma longifolia THE bioactive components isolated from the extracts canbe used as marker compounds for tongkat ali products.These findings can scientifically verify the claimedproperties of tongkat ali and will boost it as the firstMalaysian premier quality herbal medicine in the ever-growing world herbal market.

Information for this report is obtained from Dr Ilham Adenanand from Abdul Hamid Salleh from FRIM’s Medicinal PlantsDivision and Timber Technology Centre respectively

Patents

Tree Tech

FIF

FIF

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 4

THE development of a database on lesser-known/lesser-used tropical timber (LUS) species is into itsfinal phase and when ready, will be a tool fordeveloping new market products and strategies to

promote alternative species within sustainable forestmanagement policy regimes.

The Yokohama-based International Tropical Ti m b e rOrganisation (ITTO) held a consultative meeting in KualaLumpur in February to assess the progress of the data compi-lation which eventually will be available in CD-ROM format.

The ITTO project began in 1999 and presently thedatabase has information on 942 timber species, 381 of whichare from the Asia-Pacific. Among the timber species selected,the most abundant group is the Leguminosae, followed by theMeliaceae and Lauraceae groups, with the Dipterocarpaceaeand the Anacardiaceae following the Leguminosae group inthe Asia-Pacific.

The database includes information on tree characteristics,anatomy, ecology, geographical distribution, wood properties,technological properties, workability and end uses, besides itsscientific, trade and common names.

The use of LUS will relieve pressure in the over- e x p l o i t a t i o nof currently highly valuable timber trees by extracting abroader spectrum of species, including small diameter logs.(But the danger of over harvesting is always present even inthis case when loggers disregard, or are not aware of, thegrowth and mortality data of residual timber species).

LUS can also serve as a potential alternative torubberwood which is fast dwindling in supply, as rubberplantations convert to oil palm and other uses, while thedemand for it remains high.

LUS are not unknown from a taxonomic perspective, butrather from its utilisation aspect – even if the localconstruction industry is using LUS widely in the form of‘chap-char’ (mixed species) timber. But present LUS use inthe country can best be described as haphazard and dangerouswith inadequately strong timbers being used for structuralpurposes. Very often, buildings are doomed to fail from thestart due to poor choice of timbers.

Mempening (‘Malaysian oak’), for example, can be betterused for flooring, furniture and other value-added products, butinstead is commonly used for scaffolding and other temporaryuses. Ara, a weak wood, has been found to be used for rooftrusses in which strength is critical. Ramin, a valuable timberfor panelling and furniture, has been used as batten in roofs.

There are many LUS that are comparable in terms of woodproperties (like strength, density, colour and grain) tocurrently established commercial species. LUS that arereasonably high in strength include mertas, kandis, pauhkijang and penaga.

Information for this articleis obtained from the Busi-ness Support Division ofFRIM Business Centre andthe paper, Availability AndUtilisation Of Lesser-K n own Ti m b e rs by Lim,S.C. Samsudin Musa andGan K.S. Mr Lim and MrGan are from FRIM’s Fo re s tProducts Technology Divi-sion, while Encik Samsudinis from the Natural ForestDivision

5FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

FRIM In F o c u s w a sawarded a Merit Aw a r d a srunners-up in the GovernmentAgency category in theInstitute Of Public RelationsM a l ay s i a ’ s Best Mala y s i a nNewsletter Award, 2001. TheSime Darby Group emerg e dthe overall winner among 19categories.

ErrataIN OUR last issue

(December 2001), in paragraphfour and five of our articleentitled Food With A Past InThe Present (page 11), we hadstated that arsenic, a reputablepoison, is the “culprit” that cancause kidney damage andcancer of the bladder. It’sactually i n o r ganic ar s e n i t ethat is responsible. Org a n i carsenic may in fact be essentialto physiological mechanisms.

It was also stated that since1988, FRIM has been carryingout research studies on ex-mining land. However, FRIMonly embarked on tin tailingresearch some three years ago.

The errors are regretted.

Forest Databases

What’s that tree, again?Lesser-known tropical timber trees get into the limelight

TAKE one mature oil palm tree.Shred its trunk to bits, using thes u p e r-duper mobile oil palmtrunk machine. Mix in the

resulting fibres of loose vascular bundlesinto a cement-water admixture of 50% oilpalm fibre (based on dry weight).

This will produce a lightweight cementblock of density ca. 650-750 kg/m3 within 14days of curing at ambient room temperature.

And now what you have is a productwith great potential to be used asreinforcement material in lightweightcement block manufacture.

This is because oil palm fibres haveextremely high tensile strength (comparedto other natural fibres), are renewable, havenatural long fibres and are relatively light(bulk density ca. 93.8 g/l), the latter due to

the incorporation of the 50% fibre formula.This reduces density by some 300% when

compared with ordinary cement blocks.So much so that two big guns in the

construction industry – BrunsfieldCorporation Sdn Bhd and IJM CorporationBhd – are interested in developing theconcept further for use as internal partitionsin their pilot housing project.

The commercial production andapplication of these composites areexpected to be realised later this year.

Dr Rahim Sudin from FRIM’s Wood ChemistryDivision wo rked together with the privatecompanyYen Huat Sdn Bhd, under the IndustrialGrant Scheme (IGS) of the Ministry of Science,Technology and Environment to develop thisproduct

FIF

Product Development

Oil Palm Cement, Anyone?L i g h t e r, cheaper, stronger – that’s the oil palm fibre re i n f o rce cement composite

FIF

FIF

Announcements

From page 3

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 5

6

S C I E N T I S T I N F O C U S

JUST like people, trees are a fruit ofthe nature-nurture principle. Bothgenes and the environment (or

‘ecological factors’as scientists say) playa part in their present vigour and futureviability of generations to come.

The higher the genetic variation withina species, the greater its chances ofsurvival now and forever... until the end ofthe world. A lot more genes to play aroundwith, you see, so the trees are more adeptat adaptability with changing (usuallyadverse) environments, fighting off pests,diseases and what have you.

Being the majestic, long-lived, sessilebeings that they are, trees, more than otherorganisms, need plenty of this geneticstuff in all its permutation to last the ages.

Thus, it stands to reason that obtainingthe extent and pattern of their geneticvariation, their population differentiationover geographical ranges and theecological/genetic relationship amongindividuals and populations are essentialfor setting their conservation guidelines.

It will determine whether one population or many differentpopulations will be an effective collection of all the importantgenes for a particular species and thus aid in the efficientmanagement of natural forests or of any effort to restoredeforested habitats by re-introduction.

What’s more, once the genetic resources of a species isknown and the richer the storehouse in terms of its diversity,tree improvement is enhanced with a wider selection ofsuperior genes to choose from in breeding.

Dr Lee’s work aims to generate such genetic data, usingDNA and enzyme extractions from the inner bark tissues oftrunks to develop genetic markers and statistical tools.

These would determine the population genetic structure,mating system parameters, optimum population size of virginjungle reserves (VJRs), and effects of logging on geneticvariation of forest timber tree species, in particularDipterocarpaceae and Leguminosae.

In his study on the genetic variation and mating systems ofmeranti tembaga (Shorea leprosula), kapur (Dryobalanopsa ro m a t i c a ), and merbau (Intsia palembanica), Dr Leediscovered that the three species exhibited mixed-matingsystems and harboured high levels of genetic variation withinpopulations. The studies conclude that more than fivestrategically placed populations for each of the species shouldbe protected to maintain 99 percent of the total geneticvariation.

The genetic variation at both thepopulation and species levels for S .leprosula is among the highest recorded fortropical rainforest trees with the meanexpected heterozygosity (a parameter tomeasure levels of genetic variation) withinpopulations even higher than the temperatelong-lived tree species (mainly conifers).

The study of the mating system of D.aromatica in three different forest typesand a seed orchard indicated that forestplantations and regenerated forests shouldconsider maintaining extensive foreststands to surround the managed areas toserve as sources of pollinators as well asgenes.

These would also buffer the managedareas against reproductive failure or loss ofallelic (alternative gene) diversity.

Dr Lee found that VJRs located at thefringes of a designated reserve had a lot ofinbreeding. Inbreeding is an indicator ofsick, degenerative forests. The studysuggests that in establishing newly

proposed VJRs, compartments located in the center of forestreserves of at least 154 to 162 ha should be allocated for thispurpose.

“Malaysian forests are rich in plant species diversity, butfor the majority of these species, we will never obtainadequate knowledge about their genetic structure,” Dr Lee said.

But by combining the results obtained for S. leprosula, D.aromatica and I. palembanica, Dr Lee proposed that for thegenetic conservation of widespread and common tree speciesin forest reserves, the species can be grouped according totheir mating systems. Genetic information generated for aspecies can then be adapted to species with similar matingsystems.

Outcrossing species exhibit higher levels of geneticvariation. High levels of genetic variation require big effectivepopulation sizes for capturing genetic variation, andsubsequently, large conservation areas. Hence, conservationof outcrossing species will require the largest area, and this inturn will favor the conservation of other species with mixed-mating, selfing, or apomixis (asexually reproducing) systems.

Dr Lee’s eventual goal is to integrate the study of geneticswith ecology as genetics alone is not the whole story behindthe saga of trees. That nature-nurture motif again.

Information for this article is obtained from Dr Lee and from thepaper, Genetic Diversity Of A Tropical Tree Species, Shorea leprosulaMiq. (Dipterocarpaceae), in Malaysia: Implications For ConservationOf Genetic Resources And Tree Improvement

Forest Genetics

The Gene GenieWorking magic with genes from the forest has paid off for FRIM’s Dr Lee Soon Leong whose research hasfar-reaching implications for genetic conservation and tree improvement. He bagged Malaysian NatureSociety’s Tan Teck Guan Gold Medal Award for his doctoral thesis in natural history and conservation

Playing with genes... Dr Lee (top) and histeam at the Sg. Pinang Forest Reserve,Pangkor Island

FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

FIF

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 6

7FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

HO S P I TAL-ACQUIRED infections from Methicillinresistant S t a p hylococcus aureus (MRSA) areamong the main culprits in infectious diseases, theleading cause of death in developing countries,

while pathogens resistant to drugs have become a major threatto the health sector worldwide.

The race to find cures is hotting up as these MRSA bugsare fast developing resistance to many other drugs, reversingadvances made in the field of antibiotics for the last sixdecades, and threatening to throw us back into the pre-penicillin era when four out of five hospital patients died fromS. aureus infections – surely an irony in this age of genomesequencing.

(Currently in the United States, MRSA infections rank11th as the leading cause of death, costing hospitals at leastUS$4 to 5 billion yearly).

C a n c e r-stricken patients, those who have underg o n etransplants, burn victims, dialysis patients and those in criticalcare units are most at risk of succumbing to MRSAinfections,because of imprudent and/or prolonged antibiotic use andpathogen adaptability.

Billions are being spent all over the world to fight thesesuperbugs via among others, genetic engineering and theformulation of new drugs from synthetic chemicals. But since1998, the quest for potential anti-infective agents for MRSAfrom natural plants has been quietly going on at FRIM’sMedicinal Plants Division, the first of its kind in the country.

“The bountiful flora and fauna in our forests are anenormous source of untapped phytochemicals just awaitingdiscovery,” said Mastura Mohtar who is heading the researchteam in identifying MRSAanti-infective agents.

To date, Mastura and her team have profiled 220 speciesrepresenting 83 families of Malaysian flora and early resultslook promising. Several potential species have been identifiedwith two having undergone comprehensive bioassay guidedisolation processes leading to the discovery of severalbioactive compounds.

“The anti-MRSA and chemical profiling of plantsgenerated through this work will form the basis for furtherexploration, and we hope to expand our research to othermulti-drug resistant bacteria,” adds Mastura.

I n formation for this article is obtained from Mastura Mohtar,Mazurah Mohd. Isa and Nuziah Hashim from FRIM’s MedicinalPlants Division

PEST control research worldwide aimed at combatingthe mahogany shoot borer (Hypsipyla robusta) has beenmostly unsuccessful – until now.

The various biological, chemical and silvicultural methodsdeveloped so far have been unable to prevent these borers (ormore specifically, their larvae) from destroying the terminalbud of the trees, resulting in forking, bole deformation anddepression of growth.

Although the use of natural enemies like ants have beenproposed, they are largely uninvestigated in H y p s i py l acontrol, the main constraint on mahogany (Khaya ivorensis)cultivation in Malaysia.

It has since been observed that a dominant arboreal antknown locally as kerengga (Oecophylla smaragdina), had adeterrent effect on the occurrence of shoot borers on the trees.In a commercial forest plantation in Malaysia, many trees thathad ants appeared to be free from shoot borer damage, and the

most abundant type of ants present were these fiery-redcritters.

Results from a survey showed that there were no shootborer attacks on K. ivorensis trees that had ants present, whilemany of the trees without ants were damaged.

A predatory ant that preys on many insect species, thekerengga congregated mainly on the stems, branches andcanopies of the trees. Further field experiments confirm thatthese ants can indeed protect K. ivorensis from attacks by themahogany shoot borer.

Studies are being planned to determine how O.smaragdina can be managed in mahogany plantations toenhance its potential as a biological control agent.

This report is based on research by Grace T. Lim and Dr Laurence G.Kirton, both of whom are from FRIM’s Forest Plantation Division.Lim Sun Heng of Maju Aik Sdn Bhd provided insightful observationsand invaluable support in addition to facilitating the work

Forest Plantation Pests

Ants: An Anti-Borer AntidoteThe kerengga ant may hold the key to combating shoot borer attacks on mahogany trees

Forest Microbiology

Fighting Superbugs: A Race Against TimeSeeking cures for infections due to resistant microbes

Test tube curesfrom the forest...turning our flora

into anti-infectivedrugs is an-ongoing

task. Inset: Prettydeadly... goldcolonies of S.

aureus

FIF

FIF

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 7

I S S U E I N F O C U S

where original populations may have disappeared. This wouldrequire promoting the science of plant reintroduction andhabitat restoration.

Bringing plants into cultivation as ex-situ conservation,once the species is better understood in terms of its ecologyand its requirements, is another measure that can beemployed. Analyzing plant distribution via the GeographicalInformation System will help mapout important conservation areas.

In recent years, a number ofhighly valued plant species have beenthe target of the ornamental trade.The Cycas and Streblus plant species,found in limestone hills, may end upextinct. The centre intends to workout conservation strategies forsustainable use of these plants. Thesestrategies can then serve as modelsfor other rare flora or plants facingsimilar collection pressures (likesome medicinal plants, for instance)

With over 15,000 flowering plants, over 800 species ofpteridophytes and vast numbers of mosses, liverworts, lichensand algae, Malaysia aptly qualifies as one of the 12megadiversity countries of the world. A party to the UNCEDConvention on Biological Diversity, we also have our own

national policy on biological diversity. A centre of plantdiversity will be able to advise the Government on thesematters.

The centre could also become the scientific authority ofCITES (Centre on International Trade on EndangeredSpecies) on Malaysian plants as it is in a position tocoordinate CITES listings of plants listed in its Appendices.

Another target of the centre wouldbe to engage in the domestication ofwild species that have potential usesother than for timber production. Weare ex t r e m e ly rich in our plantresources, much of which havecommercial potential. Some plants,for example, are very attractive andh ave horticultural potential asornamental plants, while others canbe used for medicinal, health andculinary purposes.

I nve s t i gating plant species withe d i ble fruits can bear fru i t

commercially too. Some 500 species are estimated to fallunder this category.

Information for this article is obtained from Dr Saw Leng Guan fromFRIM’s Forest Environment Division.

Working Out Conservation Strategies...

From cover page

TWO rare gingers, Scaphochlamysconcinna and Alpinia petiolatahave been discovered so far in the

on-going survey and documentation ofhigher plants in the Krau Wi l d l i f eReserve (KWR). S. concinna, collectedfrom the confluence of Sg. Baik and Sg.Neram in the present study, is thesecond collection after the typecollection, which was collected fromPerak in the late 19th century.

A. petiolata, found at the swampforest along Sg. Baik, the south-eastpart of KWR, had so far been knownonly from the mountain forests. Untilthis collection appeared, there has neverbeen a lowland record.

Other rare plants found during thes u rvey were Phalaenopsis maculata(Orchidaceae) and Soejatmia ridley i(Graminea). P. maculata has so far been

recorded only from Sg. Tahanin Taman Negara. A newrecord for KWR, it wa scollected as an epiphyte bythe riverbanks of Sg. LompatHulu. S. ridleyi is restricted tothe lowland forests ofKelantan and Pahang. Duringthis survey, it was recollecteda gain beyond the BukitRengit Station and in thelowland forest along Sg. BaikKeratong.

The one-and-a-half ye a rsurvey, conducted from October 1999 toFebruary 2001, also recorded one newspecies of palm and several very raredicots and monocots. Licuala sp. nov(Palmae) is a new species encounteredfrom the lowland dipterocarp forest atSg. Kudung, south of the reserve .

F u rther taxonomic study and descriptionis on-going. L. pahangensis, endemic tos o u t h - west Pahang (KWR and its

Forest Botany

All Things Rare And BeautifulA survey and documentation of higher plants in the Krau Wildlife Reserve in Pahang to determine itsconservation status has unearthed several rare and one new species. Also, although the reserve is just onepercent of the forested area in the peninsular, it contains 18% of the region’s dicotyledons, 15% of itsmonocotyledons and seven percent of its fern diversity

8 FRIM IN FOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

Live and let live... The conservation of endangered plantspecies like this Cycas clivicola in Langkawi will be animportant task for FRIM’s plant diversity centre

Rare finds... A first lowland record of theAlpinia petiolata (left) and the epiphyte,Phalaenopsis maculata found by the riverbanksof Sg. Lompat Hulu

FIF

LGSAW

More on next page

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 8

I S S U E I N F O C U S

9FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

THE humble weed in your gardenwill take on a new significanceshould you visit FRIM’s botanic

garden, once it is fully set up. Up close,weeds can be quite pretty with a wealthof stories to tell.

House weeds may well be among theplants to be displayed in the nichebotanic garden being planned withinFRIM’s grounds. But this will not be thedistinguishing feature of the gardens,uniquely quaint as it may sound. Rather,it will be the bewildering variety andbeauty of our indigenous flora that willbe the star attraction.

“One of the marks of an excellentbotanic garden is its theme,” says DrSaw Leng Guan from FRIM’s ForestEnvironment Division.

More specifically, Dr Saw suggestsseveral sub-themes on indigenous plantsthat can constitute the Institute’sgardens. A section on useful plantswould comprise medicinal, aromaticand culinary plants as well as a homegarden featuring the common fruit treesfound in many Malaysian homes. This isthe section that will include we e d s(because they always spring up whenyou try to grow something useful!) andnaturalised exotic plants of Malaysia.

A section on the specialisedvegetation of Malaysia would includeflora like limestone plants, beach plants,r iverside plants, quartzite plants andm a n gr ove plants. Understorey herbaceousplants, climbers, water plants, timbertrees and wild fruit trees could formanother section.

Interesting plant groups will includeferns, gingers, palms, bamboos, aroids,orchids and figs. Last but not least, asection on Malaysian plants under threat

will inform and educate the public onsome of the plants in danger ofbecoming extinct.

Authenticated botanical specimens –the diligent keeping of records of allplants grown in a garden (its origin,location and history besides itsnomenclature) – is key to a successfuland fully functional botanic ga r d e n ,says Dr Saw.

Fo rming a network to link allbotanical institutions here (in Fo r e s td e p a rtments, research and tert i a ryinstitutions) is another indication of agood garden in its ability to share itsex p e rtise such as in plant ex c h a n g eprogrammes. So, too, the close colla-boration with international botanicalinstitutions.

Another component of a success-fully run garden would be its publiceducation role. Dr Saw says ideally,e nvironmental education should be taughtwith the causes and consequences ofenvironmental problems tackled in aproblem-solving context.

“Personal and societal values needto be questioned if necessary, withvalues education being deliberatelyi n c o rporated into educational prog -rammes for protected areas,” he says.

Presently, tree species form the bulkof flora at the FRIM grounds, but otherplant species of taxonomic andeconomic value have been planted aswell. The Institute houses some 800 ofthe 2,830 tree species in Pe n i n s u l a rM a l aysia, with 103 out of the 157species of Dipterocarps (the mostsignificant family of trees for timber).Another 3,500 species of trees areestimated in Sabah and Sarawa k .F R I M ’s current arboreta are already

home to some of the finest tropical treecollections in the world.

The grounds are buffered by standsof virgin forests (the Bukit LagongForest Reserve, albeit a productionforest) so that species diversity withinthe stands have been increasing with theinvasion of several species from thenatural forests encompassing the ridgetops.

The variety of ecological niches inthe grounds (ranging from the differenttree species stands, the open areas,streams and rocky hillsides to thed eveloped areas with buildings androads) have favoured inter- h a b i t a tdiversity compensating for the loss ofintra-habitat diversity.

Botanical Gardens

Plants for Pleasure, Plants to TreasureA whole array of plants can be enjoyed by the public when FRIM’splans for a full-scale niche botanic garden comes into fruition

vicinity), was gr egarious throughoutmost of the lowland forest in KWR.

Calamus flab e l l a t u s ( Palmae) isknown in Malaya from two collectionsi.e. by E.J.H. Corner from Sg. Kayu,Johor, from the lowland swamp forest,and by Saw L.G. from Bintang HijauForest Reserve in Perak. Encountered

during the present study at Sg. Kudungin scattered, small populations, this isthe third record for Peninsular Malaysiaand the first for Pahang.

Preliminary findings from this studyfunded by IRPA suggests that thestudied area is extremely rich in plantdiversity.

Part of this research has been reported inChua, L.S.L. & Saw, L.G. 2001. Manage m e n tOf Krau Wi l d l i fe Reserve – CapacityBuilding And Human Resource Development– Flora Component. Te chnical Reportsubmitted to the PERHILITAN and DA N C E D.Dr Chua is from FRIM’s Forest EnvironmentDivision

Towering buttresses... Networking with other gardenslike this one, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya,Sri Lanka will be carried out by FRIM’s proposedbotanic garden

FIF

FIF

From previous page

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 9

I S S U E I N F O C U S

FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 20021010

DID you know that the damageinflicted on flora in forestrecreational activities could be

more severe than logging? The reason isthat logged-over forests haveregenerative capabilities, while thesame cannot be said of forests openedup for tourism.

Even if some 80% of our forestedland are gazetted as protected areasdesignated as permanent forest estates,national parks and wildlife sanctuaries,much of Malaysian nature tourism isstill exploitive, paying scant regard tothe especially fragile ecosystems thatcharacterise the tropics.

But Nature despoiled by touristseventually becomes a turn-off to them,making ecotourism a losing industry.Hence, conservation actually promotesecotourism and it pays for ecotourism,if it is to be a viable venture that can beenjoyed by successive generations, topromote conservation in turn.

An important concept in ecotourism

is to limit tourists to a site’s “carryingcapacities”, defined as the limits of asite’s ability to support visitors in termsof its ecology, sociology, economy andmanagement. Mass tourism is a no-no.Special interest tourists groups wouldbe ideal.

While establishing and maintainingabsolutely pristine ecosystems isimpossible in many instances (becauseof previous land use, externalmanagement activities and policies),there are options open for the recreationmanager to consider in lesseningimpacts of forest recreation.

Dividing up a site into various zonesis one way to reduce impact. A bufferzone, for example, would be areasrarely disturbed and penetrated bytourists and hence act as areas of refugefor animals and as reserves for plants,while the intersite zone would be therelatively undisturbed area between thecorridors of heavy use (the impact zone).

Buffer zones would be delineated

and protected from development as faras possible.

Developing different trails andadding other attractions with differentdegrees of nature opportunity,accessibility and difficulty will helpredistribute visitor impacts, as long asthe development is well planned.

So too “hardening resources” likebuilding elevated walkways (such as atimber bridge) at well-used trails andsprinkling wood chips, shredded rubberor oil palm kernels along nature trails,to reduce ground compaction and helpprevent visitors from straying intoprohibited areas.

Mandatory permits and user fees canreduce visitor stress in the moresensitive zones, while public educationcan minimise some of the downside ofnature tourism.

Information for this article is obtained fromDr Noor Azlin Yahya from FRIM’s ForestEnvironment Division

Forest Ecotourism

Green and Clean: On Responsible RecreationEcotourism – one that entails low visitor impact, benefits indigenous communities, pro m o t e sconservation, enhances environmental education and leaves natural areas undisturbed – is getting theattention of government, private enterprise – and researchers – as tourism becomes a big money-spinner(surpassing the GDP growth rates for the 1995-2000 period) and as the United Nations designates 2002as the International Year Of Ecotourism

THE move to further develop FRIM’sgrounds into a niche botanic park thatwould feature forest recreation as amajor attraction will proceed withwisdom and caution.

The project will create a pleasantworking environment, generate incometowards a degree of self-sufficiency forthe Institute, and promote publiceducation on forests.

However, in encompassing the roleof an amenity forest (forests forecotourism) besides that of a researchforest (forests for the conduct ofresearch, education and conservation ofbiodiversity), FRIM will keep in mindits mandate of managing its groundsmainly for scientific research.

Crowd control, if not eff e c t i v e l ymanaged, would prove worrisome with

the inevitable increase of stress for theenvironment (soil compaction, leavingof footpaths and trampling of plants,reduced seedling regeneration, littering,vandalism, pilfering of endangeredspecies and the non-aesthetics of over-crowding, for example).

The fear is legitimate because of thet a rgeted three-fold jump in the number ofvisitors to FRIM. A staggered increasein visitors would be best. Last year,some 80,000 people visited the Institute.

One needs to consider theacceptable maximum level of urbandevelopment on FRIM grounds so thatany increase in population, built-up areaand infrastructure would not tilt thebalance towards the negative.

C u r r e n t l y, one-sixth of FRIMgrounds (some 100 ha) are developed,

consisting of physical infrastructure likeoffices, staff quarters, labs and roads.The rest are made up of forest plantationsand various arboreta and gardens.

Ideally, a buffer forest (the BukitLagong Forest Reserve) should comeunder FRIM’s jurisdiction to ensurestrict enforcement against urbandevelopment encroachment at theInstitute’s boundaries.

As it is, various parties at varioustimes who are neighbours to FRIM,despoil boundary territory by treefelling and dumping of rubbish (whichare then often burned openly) afterpulling down or cutting out theInstitute’s fences.

The masterplan for the project isexpected to be drawn up by June.

Assessments

Treading Carefully

FIF

FIF

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 10

11FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

ROAD conditions deteriorateonce loggers leave forests.Compound this with thevastness and inaccessibility

of natural forests, and it is not hard tounderstand why forest inventories oflogged-over areas are scarce –conventional methods of assessment arecostly.

But post-felling inventories areessential as downstream wood-basedindustries, which rely on uninterruptedsupplies of raw material, need to knowthe expected volumes, speciescomposition and timber qualities of thelogged-over forests.

Also, with 80% of our productionforests already logged-over and virginproduction forests expected to beexploited within the next few years,second-growth forests will be next inline for logging. (Already in some states,

logged-over forests are now being re-logged).

This would call for new forestmanagement approaches as the structureand composition of second-growthforests is quite different from the virginstands. Think ‘degraded’.

There is widespread concern, basedon preliminary observations, that most ofthe residual stands have not regeneratedaccording to projections and will not beready for commercial harvesting on asustainable basis as expected.

This is due to poor harvestingpractices and illegal logging whichseriously damage stands and soil.

As a result, most of the second-growth forests are expected to containless commercial species, have highmortality, reduced overall growth ratesthat are far less than the assumed 2.5m3/ha under the selective managementsystem now being applied for

production forests, and a highly variablesize and distribution pattern of trees.Thus the new management approachwould be to enhance residual standproductivity.

It is against this backdrop that arapid appraisal technique of standconditions is being developed as analternative assessment tool in an on-going study. The methodology iscurrently being tested at the Te k a mForest Reserve in Pahang.

Information for this article is obtained fromthe paper, Assessing The Status Of Logged-Over Production Forests – Development OfA Rapid Appraisal Technique: PreliminaryReport that was presented at the EC-FAOForest Policy Workshop jointly organised byFRIM in January. Samsudin Musa, SafiahMuhammad Yusoff, Ismail Harun and AbdulRahman Kassim from FRIM’s Natural ForestDivision are involved in the project

Forest Inventories

‘Rats’ In The ForestsCurrently data on the status of logged-over forests is sorely lacking, but a cost-effective rapid appraisaltechnique (RAT) is being developed to rectify the situation

BIGGER holes for better aerationand space for virile root growth,tree saplings rather than

seedlings, and slow-release fertilisersare aiding degraded, logged-over foreststo attain subsequent productive levels.

This new approach to rehabilitationdoes not require frequent, repeatedreturns to the forests for silviculturaltreatments, thus saving costs andcompensating for using the moreexpensive slow-release fertilisers, biggertree saplings and mechanised planting.

Current logging in the hill Dipterocarpforests of Peninsula Malaysia uses thec r a w l e r-tractor which excessivelydamages forest structure and the soil.

This is due to the extensive loggingroad networks and skid trails which haveto be constructed within logging areas,the need for log landing sites and thenumerous tree fall gaps, all of which makethe soil highly compact, resulting inpoor regeneration of commercial treespecies.

Restorative planting would have tobe carried out, but seldom are suchenrichment planting successful. T h esurvival rate of these planted trees islow due to the harsh environment. Also,post-planting treatments are not easybecause the logged-over areas usuallybecome inaccessible because oflandslides, collapsed logging roads andthe growth of inferior vegetation, a yearor two after logging.

The new planting techniqueovercomes these obstacles by digginglarge holes (0.9 – 1.0 m width and 0.9 –1.0 m depth) to plant tree saplings(preferably of ± 2 m height and ± 2 cmdiameter), instead of seedlings.

Mechanical augers (the track tiresskid steer loader model 753 or 773attached with a 36-inch hydraulic augeris best) is used to plant the holes. Thesemachines are portable and workableeven in difficult terrain such as steepslopes (maximum gradient of 28º) andslippery, soft earth in hilly logged-over

forests, and can be operated byuntrained workers.

Another plus point is minimal sitepreparations since clearing for lineplanting and canopy openings are notrequired.

There was improved ability to out-compete weed growth after two years ofplanting without post-planting treatments.The S h o rea lepro s u l a stood out ingrowth performance. The mean annualheight (hMAI) and diameter increments(dMAI) of the saplings over a period oftwo years were 1.2 m y -1 and 2.5 cm y-1

respectively.The Piah Forest Reserve in Sungei

Siput, Perak will be the first to make useof this planting technique.

This article is based on research done by DrRaja Barizan Raja Sulaiman, Dr ShamsudinIbrahim and Mr Chong Phang Fee fromFRIM’s Natural Forest Division. A manual iscurrently in the process of being produced toguide fo rest concessionaires in re h ab i l i t a t i n glogged-over forests

Rehabilitating Natural Forests

Coaxing Forests Back To LifeOn improved planting techniques in rehabilitating highly compacted logged-over areas

FIF

FIF

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 11

FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 200212

DEGRADED forests earmarked for forest plantationsmay soon be spared and left alone to regeneraten a t u r a l l y, judging from promising results of

afforestation research on ex-mining land.

With the option of turningto some 100,000 ha ofabandoned tin mines thathave remained idle fordecades, but ‘greened’for thegrowing of timber species,poorly-stocked logged-overforests will face reducedpressure from conversion to plantations.

At present, 56,250 ha of degraded forestshave been converted to Acacia mangiumplantations in Peninsular Malaysia, well belowthe targeted 188,000 ha under the Government’scompensatory forest plantation programme tomeet the shortage of timber, the main reason for theshortfall being the lack of suitable land.

A 121.4 ha ex-mining site in Bidor that wasleased from the Perak State Government in 1997to conduct an afforestation project is proving thattimber species grown on the site can fetch goodrevenue. A recent survey of Pinus, Flindersiabrayleyana and Khaya ivorensis produced fromplantations estimated yields as high as US$30,000 per 40,000ha at 40 years after planting.

Afforestation of 100,000 ha of the existing 360,000 ha ofBRIS (beach soils) and tin tailings (ex-mining land soils) withA. mangium at seven years rotation would provide about onemillion cubic metres of pulpwood or reconstituted materialsthat can produce 0.238 million tons of paper and paperboard.

Hopea odorate, Swietenia macrophylla, Acacia hybrid andAcacia crassicarpa are the high value timber species that havebeen successfully grown on the Bidor site’s sand tailings (theextremely dry hot and infertile soils that form the bulk of ex-mining land).

Other high value timber species include Dyera costula,Fagraea crenulata and K. ivorensis which grow well on slimetailings (the fertile clay-silt mixture that comprise a smallportion of ex-mining land, but which are water-logged).

These timber species can be used for quality cabinet woodand sawn timber. The pulpwood species A. mangium and A.auriculiformis do well on both types of tailings.

The survival rate of the timber trees range from 40 to 90%,while their mean annual height increment are from 0.3 to 2.4my-1.

The prospects for agroforestry are also bright. The plant-ing of Eurycoma longifolia (tongkat ali) is a case in point. Thetraditional herb has a 85% survival rate at one year of planting(compared to five percent of the plant surviving in the open).

The prospect of converting ex-mining land into forestplantations is especially pertinent in the light of findings that

agricultural produce cultivated on tin tailings is potentiallytoxic.

The large amounts of fertilisers needed to reclaim the landalso make tin tailing farming expensive, which is one of the

reasons why such land remains idle to this day (onlysome 10% of ex-mining areas have been

converted to other land uses).The greening of ex-ming land is also

contributing towards carbon seques-tration (where trees as carbon sinkswould help reduce the globalconcentration of carbon dioxide).

Also, the Bidor field research stationis slowly but surely turning into abiodiversity park with over 20 treespecies covering about two-thirds ofthe area.

A target of 2,000 plant species for thepark has been set for the next 10 years.

Still, a forest may be duplicated, but not itsdiversity. Hence a park, and not a forest.

“The formation of forest coverwill be the first step for thedevelopment of a biodivesity park,”says Dr Ang Lai Hoe who has beenconducting research on tin tailingafforestation at FRIM for the last 13

years. Natural forest species will eventually be incorporatedfor conservation purposes.

Says Dr Ang: “While we do not intend to enrich the sitewith good mineral soils (the costly approach), one of themethods to determine the effectiveness of improved sitequality from the man-made forest cover on the tin tailings isthe introduction of small amounts of forest soils under treestands to see the regeneration of forest species from the seedbank of the soil.”

It was the English scientist B.A. Mitchell who first startedwork on timber cultivation in tin tailings in the 1950s. But hisresearch in Selayang, Selangor was destroyed by illegalsettlements. However one need go no further than FRIM’sown grounds to get an idea of tin tailing rehabilitation – asmall portion of the grounds (where the present nursery is andthe ornamental stands along Jalan Kapur) originated as ex-mining land that colonial forest scientists started torehabilitate from the 1920s. But all of FRIM’s forestplantations are grown on good mineral soil.

So while efforts in ex-mining land afforestation is notexactly new, research now being conducted by FRIM isheliping to form top grade forest plantations and agroforestryprojects – and by happy happenstance, save our natural foreststoo.

Information for this article is obtained from Dr Ang Lai Hoe fromFRIM’s Forest Plantation Division and from the paper, E s t abl i s h m e n tOf A High Value Timer Production A rea On Tin Ta i l i n g s

Afforestation

The Art Of Mining TreesOr how ex-mining land, instead of idling away, can save our forests and generate timber dollars too

FIF

(Top) Cracked slime after droughtcan destroy the feeder roots of trees.(Bottom) Two-year old Fragraeacrenulata grown on slime tailings

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 12

13

WE ATHERING and vegetation have littleinfluence on the texture of tin tailings, which

continue to lose clay content to erosion, even after 20years. Thus natural restoration of site fertility is veryslow: A 20-year-old area of tin tailings has only aboutone-twentieth the fertility of a 20-year-old plantationand its organic content is only about 35% that of anundisturbed lowland forest.

The exceedingly hot soil temperatures of 45º C (inexcess of the 50% heat killing temperature of primaryrainforest species) and dryness (of sand tailings) due tohigh porosity and low water table levels make for harshconditions. This prevents the cultivation of anythinguseful, save some miserably-looking grasses, creepers,shrubs and unmarketable tree species that eventuallycolonise tin tailings after decades of desolation.

So tin tailing cultivation is a write-off, right?Wrong, actually. The Bidor Field Research Station, a tintailing site that is being successfully converted into abiodiversity park cum small-scale forest plantation withagroforestry on the side, is proving that miracles dohappen – when you get your amelioration techniquesright.

First, you plant pioneer tree species to act as ‘nurse’trees. These are the fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing, heat-and-water-stress-tolerant types of species that will bethe ‘site improvers’. Organic matter (mostly leaf litter)deposited by these desert/semi-arid/coastal species will,after some years, enhance soil fertility in preparation forthe cultivation of higher quality timber trees.

Plant and animal waste, combined with a smallamount of compound fertiliser or industrial waste, isvery cost-effective compared to commercial fertilisersalone. Soil microflora and fauna with forest top soils areused in potting mixtures.

Top soil enrichment and mulching can also beemployed to improve water retention of sandy tintailings. Other ways to tackle dry soils include reducingwater loss from the root zone (via evapotranspiration)with root-balls of seedlings planted to 45 cm below thesoil surface.

Deep-hole planting at sand tailings, rotovationrounds and ploughing are used in planting, while raisedplanting beds and drains to carry away rainwater areused to address water-logging in slime tailings.

Thus, by using nurse trees to ameliorate the soilbefore quality timber species are introduced, the site isbeing rehabilitated at minimum cost.

However, assessing overall economic viability isstill on-going as this can only be determined aftertaking into account growth data at stand age 5 or 6 yearsand all tending costs involved.

TIN TREES: Bidor’s Green MineMinister:Aim for Zer oZERO waste management must be instilled and practised bymills to achieve full use of timber and other forest resources.So said Primary Industries Minister Dato’Seri Dr Lim KengYaik when speaking at the pre-exhibition briefing of therecently-concluded Malaysian International Furniture Fair(MIFF) at the Putra World Trade Centre in March.

The Minister also said that furniture manufacturers andexporters should regard certification as a marketing toolespecially when targeting the European, American andAustralian markets where sentiment for the environment isvery “intense”.

Dato’Seri Dr Lim called for proper product developmentand design to produce quality furniture that can standalongside the best in the world.

“We must shed our image as a producer of cheap rubberwood furniture,” he said.

Export earnings from the timber industry, one of the topthree foreign exchange earners for the country, took a dip tosome RM15.4 billion last year. – MIFF

German Logger s Into African Conser vation A GERMAN logging company last year gave up its lease ona tract of rainforest in the Congo Republic. An untouchedecosystem set in a fast-deteriorating landscape, the 100-square-mile Goualogo Triangle would be added to theadjacent Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park.

African conservation experts said this was the first time alogging company had voluntarily given up land rights withoutsome trade-off.

The agreement was announced by company officials, theCongo government and scientists from the Wi l d l i f eConservation Society (WCS) which worked with thecompany to survey the region’s wildlife.

O fficials of the company, Congolaise Industrielle des Bois,or CIB, said that once the biological riches in this particulartract were evident, it was clear the land had to be set aside, eventhough they estimated the timber was worth US$40 million.

Hinrich L. Stoll, the president of the company, said thedecision was part of an intensifying effort to shed the long-standing image of tropical loggers as despoilers of fragileecosystems.

However some private environmental groups were not asquick to hail the announcement. – The New York Times

Perak Go vernment: Fell And Be FinedBEWARE, tree fellers in Perak. The State government isserious in enforcing legislation that prohibits the cutting downof trees measuring 0.8m and more in circumference. Trees inhouse gardens, included.

In line with the Nation In A Garden plan by 2005, culpritshave to cough up as much as RM 5,000 or up to RM 50,000if the trees felled are marked for conservation.

Local Government and Town Council chairman DatukChang Ko Youn said the law prohibiting tree felling had long

News Briefs

The Grapevine

More on next page

FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

FIF

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 13

N E W S B R I E F S

14

existed but faced difficulty in enforcement because of“uncertainties” in damage evaluation among others. – BeritaHarian

Forget SFM: Slash And Bur n AwayGREEN forestry practices such as selective logging are nothelping a certain species of tree saplings to grow as much aslarge-scale land clearings. The recalcitrant species? Noneother than the most valuable Amazonian hardwood on theinternational market – mahogany.

“Forest departments around the world have investedmillions of dollars doing something that doesn’t work,” saysLaura Snook of the Indonesian-based Centre For InternationalForestry Research. Snook and her team in Central Americahave found that planting mahogany under the forest canopy –a practice known as enrichment planting – is futile.

To propagate and prosper, mahogany needs plenty ofsunshine – a rare commodity in both primary rainforest andselectively logged forests. Forests cleared bare of trees (aswhen happens in natural catastrophes) provide the ample lightthe trees need.

Experiments show that seedlings planted in slash-and-burn (a good approximation of a catastrophe) plots have thebest growth results, while those planted under canopy wereleast able to thrive. The findings are already influencingforestry practice in Mexico – Mayan Indians who harvestmahogany, are now being encouraged to plant seedlings intheir slash-and-burn fields. – New Scientist

FMUs: Too Long, Too Big, Too Har dSEVERAL groups and non-governmental organisations havecalled on the Sabah government to review some componentsof the forest management units (FMUs) agreement that isbeing run by the Sabah Forestry Department and some firms.

They felt the management period was too lengthy, theareas allocated were too large and the management of unitstoo difficult for some companies.

Under the programme, 2.7 million ha of Class II(Commercial) Forest Reserve under 27 packages of FMUs of100,000 ha each were allocated to 15 companies to implementmainly reforestation projects over a period of 100 years tocheck the State’s fast-dwindling timber resources.

The Department and companies running the units are saidto meet soon to review their progress. – Bernama

Forest Facts & FiguresA TOTAL of 20.20 million ha or 61% of the country’s landarea is forested land (but this includes forest plantations).

Of this, 14.44 million ha constitute Permanent ForestEstates (PFEs) which includes protected forests (3.84 millionha) and 10.6 million ha of productive forests which can belogged. National parks, wildlife and bird sanctuaries comprise2.19 million ha (of which 0.32 million ha are in PFEs).

The total area marked for biodiversity conservation is 5.31million ha with 111,800 ha designated as virgin jungle reserves.

The forestry sector garners RM17 billion in exportearnings and employs 250,000 people to date. – Ministry OfPrimary Industries

FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

Review by John P ayne

Tr ee Flora Of Sabah And Sar awakVolume Three by E. Soepadmo & L.G.Saw (Editors)2000/119 pages; RM 50; Order Code:TFSS 3

THIS volume, and that of earlier ones, fulfilladmirably the aims of the Tree Flora Of Sabah AndSarawak Project launched in November, 1991.

The aims include documenting and updating thetaxonomic status of Sabah and Sarawak’s native trees,upgrading Malaysian capability and expertise in planttaxonomic research and strengthening the managementcapability of Malaysian herbaria and their databases.

This volume covers just three large families(Fagaceae, Moraceae and Myristicaceae) and thesubfamily Caesalpiniodeae (Leguminosae). Fagaceae is acommon family in Borneo’s hill and lower montaneforests, while Myristicaceae accounts for a highproportion of understorey trees in most Borneodipterocarp forests. About 75 species of stranglers,climbers and epiphytes are included in an excellent keybased on vegetative characters.

I rate this project as one of the most significant inSoutheast-Asia in relation to conservation of rainforestbiodiversity, and hope that funding limitations will not bea constraint to the continuation of the project. Mosttropical rainforests will be lost. If we wish to save some ofit, we must identify and argue for the preservation ofspecific areas (both protected areas and timber productionforests).

But we first need to know what exists in as many areasas possible. I believe tree species composition is a goodindicator of both biological endemism and diversity in aparticular forest area. Describing and evaluating treespecies composition requires, at the very least, anexperienced botanist, or a keen biologist or ecologistarmed with high-quality books.

Even now, there are perhaps only 25 or so people inthe world who can go into any bit of forest in Borneo andimmediately name to genus level, the first five trees thatthey see. In short, projects which help produce more goodbotanists and comprehensive tree identification aids are aprerequisite for identifying focal areas of high biologicaldiversity.

The issues of comprehensive and consistent reliabilityare of great importance in rating the quality of tree florabooks. On this basis, this project is of extraordinarily highvalue.

But I would love to have included in a future volume,a practical combined guide to identifying trees to family

A Milestone In RainforestBiodiversity ConservationOne of the most significant Southeast-Asianprojects to date, this tree flora book and itsprecursors, are must-reads for varsity students,EIA formulators – and loggers

FIF

From previous page

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 14

F R I M P U B L I C A T I O N S

15FRIM INFOCUS ● January ● February ● March 2002

and genus level in the forests of Sabahand Sarawak, using features relatingmainly to bark and leaves. Featuresof particular genera or specieshelpful to identification should beincluded. Features relating to barkslashes are helpful to fieldworkers.

The Tree Flora volumesought to be obligatory readingin Malaysian degree coursesin biological sciences. Peoplewho conduct environmentalimpact assessments shouldread all the sections onDistribution. The volumescan also be made available to thefield operations of logging companies, whichoften employ one or two staff who have the potential tolearn, but with no source of encouragement or information.

This is an edited extract of the review that was published in theInternational Forestry Review 3 (1), 2001. Payne is an ecologist forthe Indonesian-EU South and Central Kalimantan Production ForestProject

Forest Charms To Give AwayFRIM in a nutshell is charmingly portrayed inall its multi-faceted forest lure in this pictorialgem, making it an ideal gift for nature lovers

Review by Dr Gary Theseir a

Windows On The Forest:Glimpses Of FRIM ForThe Nature Loving Visitor by Louis Ratnam 1995/144 pages; RM55; Order Code:WIN

IAM frequently asked by friends, relatives andpotential clients what FRIM is all about and Ifind myself not knowing really where to

start. How does one begin to describe the wealth of

flora and fauna, not to mention the plethora of humanactivities that occur within FRIM’s boundaries even within asingle 24-hour span?

Well, I, for one, have found the answer in the form of thisattractively bound coffee-table book. And it would make agreat gift too, I would imagine.

It is a great deal to ask of an author to squeeze FRIMbetween two 9-inch by 10-inch covers of a book. Any writerwill submit that compressing the little over 600 hectares ofFRIM into less than 150 pages is a daunting task. Tocomprehensively encompass such a broad range of topics, MrRatnam uses a balanced collage of text and photographs topaint a vivid and colourful image of FRIM in all its diversemoods, which is at once both complete and concise.

Updated with a second edition in 1997, the book fills along-empty niche in documenting the day-to-day (night-to-

night, for the nocturnal) activities of FRIM and both its humanand non-human denizens. The book quite logically

divides into seven chapters, each of which ‘opensa different window’, as it were, on FRIM.

This is followed by a special tribute to Dato’DrSalleh Mohd Nor, who piloted FRIM through the

transition from its previous incarnation as ForestryResearch Institute, and nurtured it through its infancy

as the fledgling Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.A large part of what makes this book so engaging is

the quality and subject matter of the photographycontained therein. The book features more than 200

works by no less than 12 photographers, someprofessional, and others whose work is no less so.

Like a virtual tour through the multi-stratified forestecosystem, the photographs depict vistas ranging from a

soaring, crested serpent eagle-eye-view of the tallestdipterocarps to a civet cat’s up-close inspection of minutefungal organisms straining clear of the living mat of organicmatter carpeting the forest floor; from the stillness of a mist-shrouded wetland dawn to the frenzied cacophony of childrenat play in FRIM’s many recreation areas.

Reading this book was a wonderful learning experience aswell. I have been questioning my FRIM colleagues about arich ‘pandan’or fragrant screw pine (Pandanus amaryllifolius

Roxb.) smell that frequently permeates distinct areas ofFRIM. I actually suspected that a species of

tree might have been responsiblefor the fragrance; but Inever suspected the

source to be a member ofa mammal family that is

more often known for itsrank or musky odour – a

civet cat, Pa ra d ox u r u shermaphroditus to be precise.

The book is also balancedin its presentation of technical

and scientific concepts usingterms easily grasped by scientist

and layman alike. Extremelytechnical topics ranging from

tissue culture plant propagation tomaterials testing and composite

wood products research arepresented in a transparent,

comprehensible manner. The more insatiably curious (ofwhich I am one) will wish for a bibliography and reference listto follow-up the topics that we find more captivating, but thatis the sole shortcoming of the book.

I am unequivocal in recommending this book as aninvaluable addition to any home or office library (equalperhaps, only to a week-long guided tour of all 600 hectaresof FRIM).

Dr Theseira, from FRIM’s Forest Plantation Division, specialises inthe simulation of biological and physical systems, plant physiologyand soil physics

FIF

FIF

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 15

TREES used to get hurt wh e nspiked-shod plant collectors scaledthem, be they to collect seeds from

elite mother trees for tree breeding or togather shoots of infested trees forentomological studies, for example. Well,not anymore.

To ensure minimal stripping of barksand other trunk wounds, (and incidentallythe safety of climbers as well!), FRIMconducted a tree climbing course usingimproved methods devised by the GermanAgency For Technical Cooperation.

With the expertise of a Pahang ForestDepartment staff engaged by FRIM toconduct the January 21-25 course, 34staff from various divisions learnt the‘free-style and pump-up’approach to treeclimbing.

A throw bag with throw line is firsthoisted over a large, sturdy branchf o l l owed by the climbing rope. Oncesecured, the climber, fitted with a safetyharness, can start planning his movementinto the canopy.

Free style requires considerable skillon the part of the climber to twist the ropewith both his feet while pushing himselfupwards using an ascender (metal clips tosecure climbers to the main rope system),while an ascender pump equipment isused to pull and push the climber along asuspended rope in the pump technique.

As the climber is basically moving upwithout holding onto the main tree trunk,the tree is not injured in the process.

Climbers must use safety gears suchas the cambium save r, carabiner anddynamic rope to work within tree tops. Hecan also ‘monkey around’– transfer fromone tree to another (within 5 to 10 metresapart).

There are several reasons why FRIMstaff need to climb trees, in case you thinkit’s for the sport of it. (Although therewere representatives from the Institute’sOutdoor Recreational Club).

The care and maintenance of trees, theidentification of plants within ecologicalplots, the sampling of leaves, fruits andf l owers in biodiversity projects, thecollection of shoots for tissue culture andthe collection of plants for medicinalevaluation are some of the reasons.

Yet another reason is the setting upand pulling down of cable systems atoptrees to extract logs from the forest tominimize damage to residual stands,using the latest in reduced impact loggingtechnique – the ground-based and mobiletower yarder.

Information for this article is obtained fromDr Marzalina Mansor from FRIM’s SeedTechnology Section and Tree Breeding Unitwhich helped organise the course

FRIM Happenings

Tip Toe Up A Tree... And Save ItFRIM conducts a tree climbing course for staff

CONSIDER our forests. They produce timber to

fashion our furn i t u r e ,refurbish our houses, and craft agreat many other forest products.T h ey give us paper for ourliterature in our not-yet-paperlesssociety. They give us herbs in ourcooking and medicines for ourhealing. T h ey are home to anastonishing host of wo n d r o u splants and fascinating animals.They are a source of livelihood forour ‘sons of the forest’, the OrangAsli. They are a provider of localemployment and national income.They are the great sponges whichgather and release wa t e r, ther egulators of our climate, thegreen lungs breathing out thatfast-vanishing commodity: oh-so-sweet, oxygen-rich air. They arehavens of retreat.

Blessings like these ought to betreated with a little more respect,

don’t you think? Problem is, many arenot aware of the role forests play insustaining our very lives.

So, let’s arm ourselves with forestk n owledge. FRIM, being a forestresearch institute can help. In thekampungs as well as the universities,among the learned and the layman, wecan all do our bit.

Since the United Nations body, FAO,marked March 21st to remember ourforests, many nations have adopted thispractice.

In the United States, a presidentialproclamation marked World Fo r e s t ryDay as part of a week of activities andceremonies about the role of the forestand forestry in every man’s life. InAustralia, a national committee repre-senting states, territories, unive r s i t i e sand timber producers launched acampaign which included distributionof free booklets and a 15-minutetelevision film.

In Praise Of ForestsIt’s free entry to FRIM this World Forestry Day on March 21st

Koompasia excelsa, Malaysia’s tallest tree, found inlowland forests, with a highest recorded height of 91 m

The hands-on,feet-offapproach...Using a systemof ropes, aclimber scalesa tree thegentler way

FIF

FIF

LGSAW

FIF JAN-MAR '02 1/1/1904 12:53 AM Page 16