Tropical rainforests - OCRCase study- management of the Malaysian rainforest

Tropical rainforests can be managed in the following ways to reduce deforestation:

• Logging and replanting - selective logging of mature trees ensures that the rainforest canopy is preserved. This method allows the forest to recover because the younger trees gain more space and sunlight to grow. Planned and controlled logging ensures that for every tree logged another is planted.
• Education - Promoting the value and benefits of biodiversity associated with tropical rainforests.
• Ecotourism - this encourages sustainable tourism that creates jobs for local people whilst ensuring that the money generated is used to protect and conserve the tropical rainforest for future generations to enjoy.
• International agreements - agreements to protect tropical rainforests have been made between different countries through debt-for-nature swaps. This is when a country which is owed money by another country cancels part of the debt if an agreement is made by the debtor country to ensure the conservation of its tropical rainforests.

Case study: sustainable management - Malaysia

The Malaysian government have implemented the following policies to ensure that the tropical rainforest can be conserved and enjoyed by future generations.

• Education to increase public awareness of the value of tropical rainforests.
• Local communities included and involved in forest conservation projects.
• Use of alternative timber sources such as rubber trees was encouraged.
• Sustainable selective logging of mature and commercially viable trees over a 40-year cycle to ensure that trees had time to re-establish themselves. This is known as a Selective Management System.
• Ecotourism promoted and developed in tropical rainforest areas.
• Permanent Forest Estates have been created by the government where no change of land use is allowed.
• Creation of Biosphere Reserves and National Parks to protect biodiversity.
• Experiments with heli-logging (using helicopters) to target individual trees and reduce impact of logging.