giving due consideration to biod conservation · 2010-08-05 · bamboo lumber’ by wan tarmeze et...

A Q u a r t e r l y o f t h e F o r e s t R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e M a l a y s i a

Technologies Wor thy of M edals

Pemindahan Pokok Besar di Plaza Gurney

Br inging on Biotechnology, Boston 2007

Giv ing Due Considerat ion to BioD Conser vat ion


Highlights of this IssueHighlights of this IssueHighlights of this Issue

AWARD

Highlights of this IssueHighlights of this Issue

AWARDWINNINGTECHNOLOGIES

I S S N 1 3 9 4 - 5 4 6 7 J u n e 2 0 0 7

F R I M I n F o c u s 1 6

In an attempt to address the current and impending issues of biological diversity conservation in forestry, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) approached the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as well as the Interna-tional Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) to fund a multi-disciplinary project. This project will hopefully, to some degree, offer sound solutions to some of the main issues in biodiversity conservation.

The project entitled ‘Conservation of Biological Diversity through Improved Forest Planning Tools’ or more simply known as the UNDP-GEF-ITTO Conservation of Biodiversity

Project was recently launched on 3 April 2007. The executing agency for the project is the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) while FRIM will be implementing the project.

Major contributors to this project also include the Malaysian Government and other stakeholders such as the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia (notably the Perak State Forestry Department), Perak Integrated Timber Complex (PITC) and Perak State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC). The project will cost approximately USD 5.7 million and will be implemented over 5 years. A team of local researchers from FRIM and experts from local universities and non-governmental organisations will collaborate with

foreign counterparts from Harvard University, University of Miami and Duke University. The project will work in consulta-tion with major local civil societies in implementing its activities while a panel of international advisors will be established to review its overall effectiveness. Tools devel-oped from this project will enable forest planners to predict the allocation of forestland into protection and production forest, and the retention of unlogged areas within produc-tion forests affect biodiversity and the socio-economic of relevant stakeholders. Fieldwork for the project will occur primarily in Temenggor Forest Reserve in Perak, a forest reserve rich in biodiversity and part of the largest remaining block of natural forest in Peninsular Malaysia.

Various activities will be carried out under this project with the GEF supporting activi-ties related to socio-economics, valuation of non-timber goods and services as well as forest modeling, whilst activities under the ITTO funding focuses on developing improved tools for assessing timber production forests and integrating information on biodiversity into models used to evaluate sustainable forest management systems. Ultimately, these two projects complement and supplement each other in achieving the overall goal of conserving biodiversity and achieving sustainable forest management.

It is envisaged that upon completion of the project, methods for assessing biodiversity and economic value of the forest will be devised, while having a better understand-ing of harvesting impacts on biodiversity.

We will also be able to produce decision-making models which will help policy makers manage production forests with due consideration given to conservation of biodiversity. Other aspects of the project will be capacity building of local counterparts and forest managers in the usage of such tools while disseminating knowledge to other tropical countries. It is also foreseen that the Orang Asli and other rural commu-nities residing adjacent to the project site will stand to benefit from this far-sighted project. A successful comple-tion of this project will enhance Malaysia's role as a pioneer in tropical forests management.

Photos by Corporate Communications Branch

BioD CONSERVATIONby Jaya Radha Veerasamy & S Christine Fletcher

GIVING DUE CONSIDERATION TO

Advisors

Datuk Dr Abdul Razak

Mohd. Ali

Dr Abdul Rahim Nik

Technical Editors

Dr Chan Hung Tuck

Norhara Hussein

Editor & Writer

Ida Suraini Abd Shukor

Bahasa Malaysia Editor

Nik Zanariah Nik Mahmood

FRIM In Focus (FIF) is distributed

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welcome feedback on any of

the FIF articles. Address

comments and queries to:

The Editor

FRIM In Focus

Forest Research Institute

Malaysia (FRIM)

52109 Kepong, Selangor

Malaysia

Telephone

603-6279 7501

Facsimile

603-6273 1076

E-mail

[email protected]

Website

www.frim.gov.my

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EDITORIALBOARD

FRIM Project Evaluation Meeting (PEM)The Project Evaluation Meeting (PEM) is organised by FRIM in July and December each year. The July 2007 PEM will be held in the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on 2 July 2007. The meeting will consist of two concurrent activities, seminar and project evaluation. There will be 18 presentations on ITTO, timber levy and consultancy projects conducted by FRIM. The Science-Fund Projects by FRIM scientists will be evaluated by the biotechnology, industry and agriculture panels. Project leaders are required to brief panel members on the progress of their projects, problems encountered and research findings. Evaluations made by the various panels will be forwarded to the ScienceFund Secretariat of Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI). FRIM Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting The FRIM Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting will be held in the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur 3–5 July 2007. It is part of FRIM’s research culture to hold an institutional evaluation meeting periodically to advise the Malaysian Forestry Research and Development Board (MFRDB), the governing body of FRIM, on the R&D programmes and projects conducted by FRIM. PAC has five terms of references.

During the coming PAC meeting, the committee will be divided into three sub-committees: forestry, forest products and biotechnology sub-committees.

Members from overseas will be Prof. Roger Rowell (USDA Forest Service), Dr Christine Dean (Weyerhaeuser Technology Center), Dr John Innes (University of British Columbia), Dr Francis Putz (University of Florida), Dr Gerard Bodeker (University of Oxford) and Dr Erica Benson (University of Derby). From Malaysia, members are Prof. Dato’ Dr Mohamed Shariff Mohamed Din (UPM), Prof. Dato’ Dr Mohamed Isa Abdul Majid (MOSTI), Prof. Dr Mohd. Hamami Sahri (UPM), Prof. Dr Razali Abdul Kader (UiTM), Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid (UM) and Prof. Dr Mashhor Mansor (USM).

The highlight of the meeting would be the PAC seminar. Talks would be given by members from overseas who are renowned in their field of expertise.

2007 IUFRO All Division 5 ConferenceForests play an important role for rural as well as urban populations all over the world. Forest resources are essential in providing multiple benefits to people and communities. The conservation and sustainable management of forests are closely linked with global issues such as food supply and environmental protection.

Scientific knowledge is needed to effectively address these issues globally and regionally and to provide the basis for political and commercial decisions. Close international cooperation in forest sciences and related disciplines, including efficient conversion to necessary forest products is required to enable forests to satisfy the manifold human needs on a sustainable basis.

The 2007 IUFRO All Division 5 Conference, organised by IUFRO Division 5 (forest products), will be held at Grand Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan 29 October–2 November 2007. It will serve as a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience in forest products research at national and international levels. The conference theme for this year will be ‘Forest Products and Environment–A Productive Symbiosis.’

IUFRO–the International Union of Forest Research Organisations is a global network providing a platform for international forest science cooperation. It unites more than 15,000 scientists in about 700 member organisations in over 110 countries. IUFRO is a member of ICSU, or International Council of Science, a link to all scientific bodies internationally.

Call for Papers/Posters17 May and 17 July: submission of abstracts for oral and poster presentation respectively 30 June: early bird registrationAbstracts are to be sent to Dr Bernie Dawson at [email protected]

EnquiriesChief Coordinator of 2007 IUFRO All D5 Conference, Taipei, 53 Nan-hai Road, Taipei, 10066, Taiwan. (Attn: Susan Shiau)Tel: 886 2 2314 7905, Fax: 886 2 2389 0318 E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]: http://www.alldiv5iufro2007.org.tw/index.htm

E-mailE-mail

[email protected]

Website

www.frim.gov.mywww.frim.gov.my

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FRIM Project Evaluation Meeting (PEM)

Technical Editors

Dr Chan Hung Tuck

Norhara Hussein

Editor & Writer

EDITORIALBOARDEDITORIALBOARDEDITORIAL

FRIM Project Evaluation Meeting (PEM)The Project Evaluation Meeting (PEM) is organised by FRIM in July and December each year. The July 2007 PEM will be held in the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on 2 July 2007. The meeting will consist of two concurrent activities, seminar and project evaluation.




Up-ComingMEETING & CONFERENCE ISSUE’S FOCUS

FRIM Technologies & MTE 2007

The annual 6th Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) was participated by researchers, inventors and innovators who took the opportunity to showcase their products to the public. This year’s expo was held 29–31 March at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Conferred as Malaysia's largest science and technology event since 2002, MTE 2007 held its 6th Invention and Innovation Competition which was an avenue for individual or group inventors to receive due recognition for their research and development (R&D) and innovation work.

During MTE 2007, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) garnered a gold medal for Wood-V-Bam and a silver medal for C-Bam for Formwork.

Wood-V-Bam

The Wood-V-Bam research team comprised Mohd Tamizi M (team leader), Wan Tarmeze WA, Khairul A, Emlee MT and Abd Rahim A. Wood-V-Bam is actually parallel-oriented bamboo skewers that are bound and glued together to form a structurally sturdy component. The winning traits include its ability to produce wood of unlimited length, having a natural appearance and able to be laminated and produce different types of finishing.

Wood-V-Bam can also be a potential replacement for timber in structural and furniture components. Bamboo has short rotation period of 2 to 4 years compared to timber. Apart from being cheaper, Wood-V-Bam would contribute to the reduction of timber-felling. It is also a source of income for the Orang Asli in Malaysia.

C-Bam for Formwork

The C-Bam for Formwork research team comprised Mohd Tamizi M,Hamdan H, Wan Tarmeze WA, MK Anwar U, Mohamad Jani S, Saimin B, Emlee MT and Abd Rahim A. This invention was a new application to the previous invention ‘Crushed bamboo–Producing laminated bamboo lumber’ by Wan Tarmeze et al which won a silver medal at MTE 2006.

The idea behind C-Bam came from observing the skills of the Orang Asli who produce crushed bamboo for wall partitions in huts and in the process, gain some extra income. Another recurrent problem of having to use low quality and non-durable plywood for concrete formwork also sparked off this invention.

The C-Bam technology is produced by combining machine processing and adhesion technology methods. Crushed bamboo can be used to produce ply bamboo at

a lower cost which is then used to substitute plywood in producing concrete formwork. Using C-Bam for form-work can address some of the problems related to the use of plywood such as increasing prices, low quality, durability and dwindling wood supply.

Information by Mohd Tamizi MustafaPhotos by Asmar HassanFor further enquiries on the ‘Wood-V-Bam’ and ‘C-Bam for Formwork’ technologies, please email [email protected]

A potential timber replacement for structural and furniture components

A new source of cheap raw material for the plywood industry

F R I M I n F o c u s 2F R I M I n F o c u s 2 F R I M I n F o c u s 3

Terms of references for PACTo advise the MFRDB on FRIM’s R&D Programmes for the Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010)To comment on priority areas, proposed projects and deliverables (outputs) of the programmesTo advise on FRIM’s research outputs which accord high priority on publications in journals and in commercialisation of products and processes To review FRIM’s efforts in strengthening research capability and in rewarding research officers To advise the MFRDB on other R&D related matters referred to them

Topics of talks ‘Science, society and tropical forests: Confronting the conservation challenges,’ by Francis Putz‘Emerging research priorities in forestry,’ by John Innes‘Medicinal plant diversity, health and rural livelihoods,’ by Gerard Bodeker‘Conservation biotechnology: Research, techno-logy transfer and implementation,’ by Erica Benson

Advisors

Datuk Dr Abdul Razak

Mohd. Ali

Dr Abdul Rahim Nik

Technical Editors

Dr Chan Hung Tuck

Norhara Hussein

Editor & Writer








comments and queries to:

The Editor

FRIM In Focus

Forest Research Institute

Malaysia (FRIM)

52109 Kepong, Selangor

Malaysia

Telephone

603-6279 7501

Facsimile

603-6273 1076

E-mail

[email protected]

Website

www.frim.gov.my

Design & Printing

Red October

Advertising Sdn Bhd

Red October

Malaysia Sdn Bhd

EDITORIALBOARD

FRIM Project Evaluation Meeting (PEM)The Project Evaluation Meeting (PEM) is organised by FRIM in July and December each year. The July 2007 PEM will be held in the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on 2 July 2007. The meeting will consist of two concurrent activities, seminar and project evaluation. There will be 18 presentations on ITTO, timber levy and consultancy projects conducted by FRIM. The Science-Fund Projects by FRIM scientists will be evaluated by the biotechnology, industry and agriculture panels. Project leaders are required to brief panel members on the progress of their projects, problems encountered and research findings. Evaluations made by the various panels will be forwarded to the ScienceFund Secretariat of Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI). FRIM Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting The FRIM Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting will be held in the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur 3–5 July 2007. It is part of FRIM’s research culture to hold an institutional evaluation meeting periodically to advise the Malaysian Forestry Research and Development Board (MFRDB), the governing body of FRIM, on the R&D programmes and projects conducted by FRIM. PAC has five terms of references.

During the coming PAC meeting, the committee will be divided into three sub-committees: forestry, forest products and biotechnology sub-committees.

Members from overseas will be Prof. Roger Rowell (USDA Forest Service), Dr Christine Dean (Weyerhaeuser Technology Center), Dr John Innes (University of British Columbia), Dr Francis Putz (University of Florida), Dr Gerard Bodeker (University of Oxford) and Dr Erica Benson (University of Derby). From Malaysia, members are Prof. Dato’ Dr Mohamed Shariff Mohamed Din (UPM), Prof. Dato’ Dr Mohamed Isa Abdul Majid (MOSTI), Prof. Dr Mohd. Hamami Sahri (UPM), Prof. Dr Razali Abdul Kader (UiTM), Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid (UM) and Prof. Dr Mashhor Mansor (USM).

The highlight of the meeting would be the PAC seminar. Talks would be given by members from overseas who are renowned in their field of expertise.

2007 IUFRO All Division 5 ConferenceForests play an important role for rural as well as urban populations all over the world. Forest resources are essential in providing multiple benefits to people and communities. The conservation and sustainable management of forests are closely linked with global issues such as food supply and environmental protection.

Scientific knowledge is needed to effectively address these issues globally and regionally and to provide the basis for political and commercial decisions. Close international cooperation in forest sciences and related disciplines, including efficient conversion to necessary forest products is required to enable forests to satisfy the manifold human needs on a sustainable basis.

The 2007 IUFRO All Division 5 Conference, organised by IUFRO Division 5 (forest products), will be held at Grand Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan 29 October–2 November 2007. It will serve as a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience in forest products research at national and international levels. The conference theme for this year will be ‘Forest Products and Environment–A Productive Symbiosis.’

IUFRO–the International Union of Forest Research Organisations is a global network providing a platform for international forest science cooperation. It unites more than 15,000 scientists in about 700 member organisations in over 110 countries. IUFRO is a member of ICSU, or International Council of Science, a link to all scientific bodies internationally.

Call for Papers/Posters17 May and 17 July: submission of abstracts for oral and poster presentation respectively 30 June: early bird registrationAbstracts are to be sent to Dr Bernie Dawson at [email protected]

EnquiriesChief Coordinator of 2007 IUFRO All D5 Conference, Taipei, 53 Nan-hai Road, Taipei, 10066, Taiwan. (Attn: Susan Shiau)Tel: 886 2 2314 7905, Fax: 886 2 2389 0318 E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]: http://www.alldiv5iufro2007.org.tw/index.htm

Up-ComingMEETING & CONFERENCE ISSUE’S FOCUS

FRIM Technologies & MTE 2007

The annual 6th Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) was participated by researchers, inventors and innovators who took the opportunity to showcase their products to the public. This year’s expo was held 29–31 March at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Conferred as Malaysia's largest science and technology event since 2002, MTE 2007 held its 6th Invention and Innovation Competition which was an avenue for individual or group inventors to receive due recognition for their research and development (R&D) and innovation work.

During MTE 2007, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) garnered a gold medal for Wood-V-Bam and a silver medal for C-Bam for Formwork.

Wood-V-Bam

The Wood-V-Bam research team comprised Mohd Tamizi M (team leader), Wan Tarmeze WA, Khairul A, Emlee MT and Abd Rahim A. Wood-V-Bam is actually parallel-oriented bamboo skewers that are bound and glued together to form a structurally sturdy component. The winning traits include its ability to produce wood of unlimited length, having a natural appearance and able to be laminated and produce different types of finishing.

Wood-V-Bam can also be a potential replacement for timber in structural and furniture components. Bamboo has short rotation period of 2 to 4 years compared to timber. Apart from being cheaper, Wood-V-Bam would contribute to the reduction of timber-felling. It is also a source of income for the Orang Asli in Malaysia.

C-Bam for Formwork

The C-Bam for Formwork research team comprised Mohd Tamizi M,Hamdan H, Wan Tarmeze WA, MK Anwar U, Mohamad Jani S, Saimin B, Emlee MT and Abd Rahim A. This invention was a new application to the previous invention ‘Crushed bamboo–Producing laminated bamboo lumber’ by Wan Tarmeze et al which won a silver medal at MTE 2006.

The idea behind C-Bam came from observing the skills of the Orang Asli who produce crushed bamboo for wall partitions in huts and in the process, gain some extra income. Another recurrent problem of having to use low quality and non-durable plywood for concrete formwork also sparked off this invention.

The C-Bam technology is produced by combining machine processing and adhesion technology methods. Crushed bamboo can be used to produce ply bamboo at

a lower cost which is then used to substitute plywood in producing concrete formwork. Using C-Bam for form-work can address some of the problems related to the use of plywood such as increasing prices, low quality, durability and dwindling wood supply.

Information by Mohd Tamizi MustafaPhotos by Asmar HassanFor further enquiries on the ‘Wood-V-Bam’ and ‘C-Bam for Formwork’ technologies, please email [email protected]

A potential timber replacement for structural and furniture components

A new source of cheap raw material for the plywood industry

F R I M I n F o c u s 2 F R I M I n F o c u s 3F R I M I n F o c u s 3

Terms of references for PACTo advise the MFRDB on FRIM’s R&D Programmes for the Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010)To comment on priority areas, proposed projects and deliverables (outputs) of the programmesTo advise on FRIM’s research outputs which accord high priority on publications in journals and in commercialisation of products and processes To review FRIM’s efforts in strengthening research capability and in rewarding research officers To advise the MFRDB on other R&D related matters referred to them

Topics of talks ‘Science, society and tropical forests: Confronting the conservation challenges,’ by Francis Putz‘Emerging research priorities in forestry,’ by John Innes‘Medicinal plant diversity, health and rural livelihoods,’ by Gerard Bodeker‘Conservation biotechnology: Research, techno-logy transfer and implementation,’ by Erica Benson

FRIM Technologies & Geneva Exhibition of Inventions The 35th International Exhibition of Inventions, New Techniques and Products of Geneva took place in

Palexpo 17–21 April. The Geneva Exhibition is the meeting point for exhibitors and commercial agents,industrialists and investors to display their inventions to the international market. Prizes were awarded by the international jury, reflecting the value of each invention and presenting the chance to be instantaneously recognised.

Natural Antioxidant Standardised Extracts and their Products

FRIM won silver medal in the exhibition for the innova-tion entitled Natural Antioxidant Standardised Extracts (Nexes, Osteen & Guavyn) and their Products (Avonys, Cartilac, Styn & Beautè). The natural antioxidant research team was headed by Vimala S with Mohd Ilham A, Abdull Rashih A, Rohana S, Juliza M and

Rasadah MA as team members. Vimala S also won the Best Women Inventor sponsored by the International Federation of Inventors' Associations (IFIA).

The development of natural antioxidant standardised extracts is driven by the knowledge that Malaysian tropical medicinal plants are a good source of natural antioxidants. Nexes is a standardised extract from the leaves of Piper sarmentosum (kadok), while Osteen is from the fruit peel of Garcinia mangostana (manggis), and Guavyn is from the leaves of Psidium guajava (jambu batu merah). The natural standardised extracts have been commercialised and licensed to Furley Marketing Sdn Bhd through an MOU (memorandum of understanding).

FRIM and Furley Marketing further developed the standardised extracts into cosmeceutical and neutra-ceutical healthcare products. These products are beneficial due to their high antioxidant and skin whitening properties.

The natural antioxidant standardised extract from kadok leaf, or Nexes, is used to produce two healthcare products: a type of drink for joint pain management named Avonys and a natural antioxidant beverage named Cartilac.

The natural antioxidant standardised extract from pink guava leaf, or Guavyn, is used to formulate a range of skin care products named Beautè, which includes cleanser, toner, day cream, night cream, mask cream and mask powder.

The natural antioxidant standardised extract from mangosteen fruit peel, or Osteen, is used to formulate another range of skin care products named Styn, which includes cleanser, toner, day cream, night cream, mask cream and mask powder.

Information by Vimala Subramaniam & Rohana Sahdan Photos by Vimala Subramaniam For further enquiries on the ‘Natural Antioxidant Standardised Extracts and their Products‘ technologies please email [email protected]

FRIM Technologies & ITEX 07

The 18th Malaysia International Invention, Innovation and

Technology Exhibition (ITEX) was held 18–20 May at the

Kuala Lumpur Convention Center Malaysia (KLCC).

Besides being the venue for exhibitions, ITEX 2007 holds a

competition based on invention, innovation and techno-

logical advances. ITEX’s objectives were to promote

awareness on inventive activities amongst the people at

all levels and also to recognise the creative ideas of both

young and old.

FRIM won four medals during ITEX 2007. The FRIM herbal

tea team, headed by Ong BK and team members

comprised Rasadah MA, Mohd Shahidan MA, Zamree MS,

Pin KY, Hada Masayu I, Noor Rasyila MN, Abdull Rashih A

and Mohd Radzi A won silver medal for their entry entitled

Body Weight Maintenance Herbal Tea.

The FRIM anti-inflammation team was headed by Mailina

J and team members comprising Nor Azah MA, Ong BK,

Saidatul Husni S, Siti Asha AB, Ahmad Hafiz‘s H, Mazura P,

Mohd Faridz ZP, Abu Said A, Nik Yasmin NY and Ibrahim J

won silver medal for their entry entitled Natural Anti-

Inflammation Active Ingredient from Alpinia galangal.

The FRIM bamboo team won silver medal for C-Bam for

Formwork and bronze medal for V-Bam.

Body Weight Maintenance Herbal Tea

Garcinia atroviridis known locally as asam gelugor is a large fruit tree which is endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. The fruits are bright orange in color when ripe. The dried sliced fruit is known locally as asam keping. Being sour, it is popularly used as seasoning in curries and sour relish and also for fish dressing.

Fruits of G. atroviridis contain acids such as citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid and hydroxycitric acid (HCA). Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) found in Garcinia spp. has been studied extensively using animals as a model. HCA was found to suppress fatty acid, cholesterol synthe-sis and reduce appetite. Studies have shown that HCA

decreases body weight by inhibiting lipogenesis, a meta-bolic process that converts carbohydrate into fat. HCA also lowers blood lipid levels. Body weight maintenance nutraceutical products have been developed by FRIM from fruit extract of G. atroviridis.

The fresh raw material needed to manufacture the asam gelugor nutraceutical product is not easily available as the fruiting is seasonal. Moreover, the fresh ripe G. atroviridis fruits are faced with storage problems as they are easily infected with fungus.

FRIM studies showed that HCA is also found in G. atroviri-dis leaves. Based on bioactivity studies, chemistry studies, safety evaluation, processing and formulation studies conducted, a body weight maintenance herbal tea was developed from G. atroviridis leaves.

Written by Ong Boo Kean Photo by Asmar HassanFor further enquiries on the `Body Weight Maintenance Herbal Tea’ technology please email [email protected]

Visitors of the Geneva Exhibition showing interest in one of FRIM’s technology

Avonys and Cartilac are recommended for prevention of joints pains and arthritis

Herbal tea with the ability to reduce and maintain weight

Styn: skin care products with antioxidant, anti-aging and skin whitening properties


The value of each invention is reflected by the medal won

ISSUE’S FOCUS ISSUE’S FOCUS

Pada 12 April yang lalu, kakitangan Cawangan Hutan Bandar dan Landskap (CHBL) telah berjaya memindahkan sebatang pokok hujan-hujan (Entrolobium saman) yang asalnya tumbuh di kawasan letak kereta, Plaza Gurney, Pulau Pinang.

Pemindahan pokok dengan ukuran diameter lebih kurang 200 cm dan ketinggian anggaran 21 m ini merupakan usaha pemindahan pokok paling besar yang pernah dilakukan oleh cawangan ini.

Bermula dengan kerja-kerja lawatan tapak dan beberapa siri perbincangan dengan pihak perunding projek dan Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang, beberapa persetujuan telah dicapai dalam melaksanakan program pemindahan ini. Sebanyak lima batang pokok telah dipilih untuk dipelihara dan dipindahkan bagi memberi laluan kepada projek pembe-saran bangunan Plaza Gurney yang berdekatan. Pokok-pokok tersebut ialah sebatang pokok Pterocarpus indicus (angsana) dan empat batang pokok Entrolobium saman (hujan-hujan). Pokok hujan-hujan yang dipilih mempu-nyai diameter antara 30 hingga 40 cm, sementara angsana pula berukuran 200 cm.

Kerja-kerja dimulai dengan memangkas dahan untuk membuang dahan-dahan mati dan membahaya. Seterusnya, penentuan saiz bebola akar serta berat keseluruhan pokok telah dilakukan berdasarkan diameter pokok, jumlah cabang dan jumlah isi padu tanah bebola akarnya.

Proses penyediaan bebola akar kali pertama telah dilaksanakan pada penghujung bulan Ogos 2006. Pemotongan akar di sekeliling pokok dilakukan dengan mening-galkan sebahagian daripada akar tersebut bagi mengawal kestabilan pokok.

Bebola akar yang telah dibentuk ini kemudiannya dibalut kemas dengan selapis kain guni dan kemudiannya ditimbus kembali. Pokok berkenaan diselenggara selama hampir lapan bulan sebelum penyediaan akar kali kedua dilaksanakan.

Kerja-kerja penggalian akar kali kedua dilakukan secara berhati-hati bagi mengelakkan akar bebola itu pecah. Pembentukan bebola akar dengan diameter yang berukuran 8 m serta mempunyai ketinggian 1.5 m dilakukan dengan jentera back-hoe dan juga secara manual.

Setelah proses penyediaan akar ini selesai, pokok tersebut telah sedia untuk diangkat menggunakan jentera kren 120 tan. Jentera sebegini mempunyai kapasiti untuk mengangkut objek seberat antara 40 hingga 50 tan.

Pokok seberat 27 tan yang berjaya diangkat, diletakkan secara tegak di atas sebuah jentera pengangkut low-loader dan dihantar ke kawasan sejauh 100 m dari kedudukan asalnya bagi tujuan penanaman. Kerja-kerja penanaman akhirnya

berjaya dijalankan dan kerja-kerja pemantauan akan terus dilaksanakan bagi memastikan kejayaan pertumbuhan.

Sebelum aktiviti pemindahan pokok besar di Gurney Drive, CHBL pernah terlibat dengan kerja-kerja melandskap dan menghutankan Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA). Dalam projek yang bertemakan ’hutan dalam lapangan terbang’ itu, beberapa lokasi utama seperti di bangunan terminal utama dan bangunan satelit telah ditanam dengan pelbagai spesies pokok. Kejayaan membina ekosistem hutan di tengah-tengah lapangan terbang itu telah dicatat secara terperinci dalam buku bertajuk A Forest in the Windows. The Story of how KLIA’s Special Forests were Crafted, terbitan FRIM. Pengalaman di KLIA dan di Gurney Drive telah membantu melahirkan kepakaran baru iaitu bidang pemindahan pokok besar bagi CHBL.

Oleh Mohd Afendi Hussin

PEMINDAHANPOKOK BESAR


Pokok ini akan dihantar ke kawasan sejauh 100 m dari tempat asal

Inflammation is a physiological response that provides defense against infectious agents and facilitates the repair of damaged surrounding tissues. Inflammation symptoms are recognised by redness, swellings, pain and disturbed tissue functions. Nowadays, the anti-inflammatory medication in the form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is an effective treatment option.

NSAIDs are widely used in local and systemic rheumatic diseases. However, they may cause some side-effects such as gastrointestinal ulceration, hemorrhage and renal diseases. Topical application of the drugs is aimed at lessening these complications, but topical use of some drugs is not available. In order to overcome this problem, FRIM explored the potential of natural product as an alternative to inflammation treatment.

Alpinia galangal or locally known as lengkuas is a species in the Zingiberaceae family that has the potential to be used as medication. These are familiar plants that were cultivated by people throughout Malaysia.

Rhizomes from lengkuas plant are normally used for flavouring purposes in the preparation of local dishes and curries. It can be also be used to treat problems associated with the digestive system and relieve ailments such as bronchitis, measles, rubella and cholera.

Some of the bioactive compounds in A. galangal are 1-acetoxychavicol acetate, acetoxyeugenol acetate, 1-hydroxychavicol acetate, 1-hydroxychavicol, 1,8-cineole and terpinen-4-ol. Extract named as AGx or natural anti-

inflammation active ingredient obtained from A. galan-gal revealed strong activity in in-vivo and in-vitro studies. From the findings, AGx is suitable to be used in the development of personal care products. They include topical cream or lotion for treating inflammation prob-lems and cleansing products such as soap and body shampoo.

Written, and photos by Mailina Jamil For further enquiries on the `Natural Anti-Inflammation Active Ingredients’ from Alpinia galangal technology please email [email protected]

Lengkuas has huge potential for medicinal purposes

The Alpinia galangal technology won silver award during ITEX 2007

ISSUE’S FOCUS

1 2

3

1 Bebola akar dibalut kemas menggunakan kain guni2 Pemandangan dari atas kerja-kerja mengangkat pokok3 Pokok seberat 27 tan berjaya diangkat dan diletakkan di atas pengangkut low-loader

Natural Anti-Inflammation Active Ingredients from Alpinia galangal

Pada 12 April yang lalu, kakitangan Cawangan Hutan Bandar dan Landskap (CHBL) telah berjaya memindahkan sebatang pokok hujan-hujan (Entrolobium saman) yang asalnya tumbuh di kawasan letak kereta, Plaza Gurney, Pulau Pinang.

Pemindahan pokok dengan ukuran diameter lebih kurang 200 cm dan ketinggian anggaran 21 m ini merupakan usaha pemindahan pokok paling besar yang pernah dilakukan oleh cawangan ini.

Bermula dengan kerja-kerja lawatan tapak dan beberapa siri perbincangan dengan pihak perunding projek dan Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang, beberapa persetujuan telah dicapai dalam melaksanakan program pemindahan ini. Sebanyak lima batang pokok telah dipilih untuk dipelihara dan dipindahkan bagi memberi laluan kepada projek pembe-saran bangunan Plaza Gurney yang berdekatan. Pokok-pokok tersebut ialah sebatang pokok Pterocarpus indicus (angsana) dan empat batang pokok Entrolobium saman (hujan-hujan). Pokok hujan-hujan yang dipilih mempu-nyai diameter antara 30 hingga 40 cm, sementara angsana pula berukuran 200 cm.

Kerja-kerja dimulai dengan memangkas dahan untuk membuang dahan-dahan mati dan membahaya. Seterusnya, penentuan saiz bebola akar serta berat keseluruhan pokok telah dilakukan berdasarkan diameter pokok, jumlah cabang dan jumlah isi padu tanah bebola akarnya.

Proses penyediaan bebola akar kali pertama telah dilaksanakan pada penghujung bulan Ogos 2006. Pemotongan akar di sekeliling pokok dilakukan dengan mening-galkan sebahagian daripada akar tersebut bagi mengawal kestabilan pokok.

Bebola akar yang telah dibentuk ini kemudiannya dibalut kemas dengan selapis kain guni dan kemudiannya ditimbus kembali. Pokok berkenaan diselenggara selama hampir lapan bulan sebelum penyediaan akar kali kedua dilaksanakan.

Kerja-kerja penggalian akar kali kedua dilakukan secara berhati-hati bagi mengelakkan akar bebola itu pecah. Pembentukan bebola akar dengan diameter yang berukuran 8 m serta mempunyai ketinggian 1.5 m dilakukan dengan jentera back-hoe dan juga secara manual.

Setelah proses penyediaan akar ini selesai, pokok tersebut telah sedia untuk diangkat menggunakan jentera kren 120 tan. Jentera sebegini mempunyai kapasiti untuk mengangkut objek seberat antara 40 hingga 50 tan.

Pokok seberat 27 tan yang berjaya diangkat, diletakkan secara tegak di atas sebuah jentera pengangkut low-loader dan dihantar ke kawasan sejauh 100 m dari kedudukan asalnya bagi tujuan penanaman. Kerja-kerja penanaman akhirnya

berjaya dijalankan dan kerja-kerja pemantauan akan terus dilaksanakan bagi memastikan kejayaan pertumbuhan.

Sebelum aktiviti pemindahan pokok besar di Gurney Drive, CHBL pernah terlibat dengan kerja-kerja melandskap dan menghutankan Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA). Dalam projek yang bertemakan ’hutan dalam lapangan terbang’ itu, beberapa lokasi utama seperti di bangunan terminal utama dan bangunan satelit telah ditanam dengan pelbagai spesies pokok. Kejayaan membina ekosistem hutan di tengah-tengah lapangan terbang itu telah dicatat secara terperinci dalam buku bertajuk A Forest in the Windows. The Story of how KLIA’s Special Forests were Crafted, terbitan FRIM. Pengalaman di KLIA dan di Gurney Drive telah membantu melahirkan kepakaran baru iaitu bidang pemindahan pokok besar bagi CHBL.


PEMINDAHANPOKOK BESARPOKOK BESAR



Pokok ini akan dihantar ke kawasan sejauh 100 m dari tempat asal

Inflammation is a physiological response that provides defense against infectious agents and facilitates the repair of damaged surrounding tissues. Inflammation symptoms are recognised by redness, swellings, pain and disturbed tissue functions. Nowadays, the anti-inflammatory medication in the form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is an effective treatment option.

NSAIDs are widely used in local and systemic rheumatic diseases. However, they may cause some side-effects such as gastrointestinal ulceration, hemorrhage and renal diseases. Topical application of the drugs is aimed at lessening these complications, but topical use of some drugs is not available. In order to overcome this problem, FRIM explored the potential of natural product as an alternative to inflammation treatment.

Alpinia galangal or locally known as lengkuas is a species in the Zingiberaceae family that has the potential to be used as medication. These are familiar plants that were cultivated by people throughout Malaysia.

Rhizomes from lengkuas plant are normally used for flavouring purposes in the preparation of local dishes and curries. It can be also be used to treat problems associated with the digestive system and relieve ailments such as bronchitis, measles, rubella and cholera.

Some of the bioactive compounds in A. galangal are 1-acetoxychavicol acetate, acetoxyeugenol acetate, 1-hydroxychavicol acetate, 1-hydroxychavicol, 1,8-cineole and terpinen-4-ol. Extract named as AGx or natural anti-

inflammation active ingredient obtained from A. galan-gal revealed strong activity in in-vivo and in-vitro studies. From the findings, AGx is suitable to be used in the development of personal care products. They include topical cream or lotion for treating inflammation prob-lems and cleansing products such as soap and body shampoo.

Written, and photos by Mailina Jamil For further enquiries on the `Natural Anti-Inflammation Active Ingredients’ from Alpinia galangal technology please email [email protected]

Lengkuas has huge potential for medicinal purposes

The Alpinia galangal technology won silver award during ITEX 2007

ISSUE’S FOCUS

1 2

3

1 Bebola akar dibalut kemas menggunakan kain guni2 Pemandangan dari atas kerja-kerja mengangkat pokok3 Pokok seberat 27 tan berjaya diangkat dan diletakkan di atas pengangkut low-loader

Natural Anti-Inflammation Active Ingredients from Alpinia galangal

Jogathon - lelaki

Memanc ing

Jogathon - wanita

Tarik TaliBerjaya...

Acara Catur

Penyampaian hamper di KejohananBowling Piala Ketua Pengarah FRIM

Piala Ketua Pengarah FRIM menjadi rebutan

Sambutan Hari Ulangtahun Ketua Pengarah

Futsal Direktorat

F R I M I n F o c u s 8F R I M I n F o c u s 8 F R I M I n F o c u s 9F R I M I n F o c u s 9

KARNIVAL SUKAN FRIM 2007Karnival sukan FRIM 2007 telah berlangsung sepanjang bulan April. Karnival tahunan kali ini

menyaksikan sebanyak 22 acara dipertandingkan bagi merebut gelaran johan keseluruhan.

Keempat-empat zon di FRIM iaitu Zon A: Bahagian Perhutanan, Zon B: Bahagian Bioteknologi Hutan

serta Bahagian Biodiversiti dan Alam Sekitar, Zon C: Bahagian Keluaran Hutan dan Bahagian

Pengurusan Penyelidikan, serta Zon D: Bahagian-bahagian Sokongan telah julung-julung kalinya

mempamirkan logo masing-masing pada karnival kali ini. Johan keseluruhan telah disandang oleh Zon

A diikuti oleh naib johan, Zon B, yang turut memenangi hadiah pasukan terbaik. Penyampaian piala

dan cek telah disempurnakan oleh YBhg Datuk Ketua Pengarah FRIM, pada perhimpunan bulanan

baru-baru ini.

KEJOHANAN BOWLING PIALA KETUA PENGARAH FRIMKejohanan Bowling Piala Ketua Pengarah FRIM telah diadakan 7–8 April 2007 di KL Mega Lane, Indah

Parade, Bukit Jalil. Kejohanan tersebut telah dibuka kepada semua jabatan kerajaan, badan berkanun,

kerajaan tempatan, pihak berkuasa tempatan dan universiti. Sebanyak 67 pasukan telah menyertai

pertandingan tersebut.

Maklumat oleh Abdul Halim Talha

Gambar oleh Yusni Idris, Kamal Ariffin, Abdul Halim Talha, Ilyani Mazlan

and collaborationsandFRIM and FORDA

Malaysia and Indonesia have long been

recognised as the two most important

tropical countries in the region that utilise

forest resources for the socio-economic

development of its citizen. Both countries

are known for their rich biodiversity, but

unfortunately the understanding of the

overall biodiversity composition is rather

limited and need to be further explored.

By sharing the same objective and having

a wide range of expertise and facilities

available at both institutions, the explora-

tion of wealth of the tropical forest can

be facilitated further.

The signing of memorandum of under-standing (MOU) between Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and Forest Research Development Agency Indonesia (FORDA) marked their seriousness to promote sustainable forest management, not only for the good of the economy and environ-ment but also for the society as a whole in both countries. Cooperation between FRIM and FORDA will be on R&D in tropical forestry and forest products. The agreement will capitalise on similarities between the two neighbouring countries to strengthen their roles in forestry research activities. Collaborative research between the two institu-tions are expected to improve the effectiveness of conducting research at the national level.

The initiative to conduct joint research

between FRIM and FORDA started since

2004. In addition, the inaugural official visit

by the Director General of FORDA to FRIM in

2006 intensified the efforts of establishing a

MOU between FRIM and FORDA. At that time,

FRIM and FORDA have already developed a

draft joint proposal to ITTO (International

Tropical Timber Organisation) in the effort to

gather enough information through colla-

borative research to ascertain that two

timber species are not threatened by trade.

Studies on the population of ramin and

merbau were proposed using the application

of the latest remote sensing and global

information system (GIS) technologies.

Ramin and merbau were two timber species

that received greater attention by CITES

(Convention on International Trade in Endan-

gered Species of Wild Fauna).

During the reciprocal visit by FRIM delega-

tion to FORDA early this year, a few other

potential areas for collaboration have been

identified including capacity building,

information sharing through joint portal and

other areas of interest of both countries.

Therefore the signing of the MOU marked

the launch of an official collaboration

between FRIM and FORDA.

Indonesia is also currently at the stage of

rehabilitating and conserving of their forest.

Their focus lies in five policy priorities,

n a m e l y c o m b a t i n g i l l e g a l l o g g i n g,

restructuring forest industry, rehabilitation,

empowering local communities and forest

areas gazettement. Therefore it is hoped that

through the cooperation, the outcomes will

support the implementation of priority policy

of the Indonesian government in the forestry

sector, besides strengthening the forest

management in Malaysia.

Immediately after the signing, a close-door

meeting between the two parties was held to

plan the collaborative research activities and to

set the next agenda for future collaborations.

FRIM and Maju Kastera Sdn Bhd

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was

signed on 10 April between FRIM and Maju

Kastera Sdn Bhd (MKSB). Both parties have

agreed on a main objective of upgrading the

current bamboo industry from a small-scale,

handicraft based set-up, to a larger enterprise

that manufactures value-added products to

generate superior returns. FRIM will provide

technical and advisory services while conducting

trainings to MKSB. Products that have been

identified for commercialisation include

parquet, bamboo planks and components of

furniture manufacturing. A bamboo farm will

also be established under this agreement.

It is worth noting that this wasn’t their first time

working together. For seven years FRIM and

MKSB have been involved in commercialising

R&D on bamboo and related products. The new

project which is known as ‘The Integrated

Downstream Processing of Products Related to

Bamboo’ will continue the working relationship

between FRIM and MKSB at the district of Hulu

Perak, Perak. The cooperation will cover a period

of five years and funded entirely by MKSB.

People living in the area also stand to

benefit from their involvement in the

coming bamboo business. This will be

a not-to-be-missed opportunity for

local communities such as villagers,

Federal Land Development Authority

(FELDA) developers and the Orang Asli

to be involved in the business, earning

extra income and increasing their

socio-economic standing.

The MKSB-FRIM project is also supported

by the state government of Perak. A total

of 20 hectares of land situated in Grik

industrial zone was approved as the

location for the construction of the

bamboo industry complex. In addition, the

Forestry Department of Perak has

approved some 3000 hectares of bamboo

land to MKSB for supplying raw materials.

Monitoring of the project will be done by a

joint committee established to maintain

the effectiveness and ensure successful

completion of the project. Its members

comprised FRIM and MKSB representa-

tives.

Through its subsidiary Bamboo Bio-

Composites, MKSB and FRIM look forward to

fulfill the demand for a substitute construction

material that is eco-friendly, especially

targeted for the Japanese, European and

American markets. For these markets, bamboo

was evidently one of their best choices.

and collaborationsandand collaborationsand collaborationsandSharingandandandSharingandand collaborationsandSharingand collaborationsandof collaborationsand collaborationsand collaborationsand collaborationsand collaborationsSharing collaborationsand collaborationsandSharingand collaborationsandand collaborationsand collaborationsandandand collaborationsandandSharingandand collaborationsandSharingand collaborationsandTechnologies

F R I M I n F o c u s 1 0F R I M I n F o c u s 1 0 F R I M I n F o c u s 1 1F R I M I n F o c u s 1 1

FRIM CELEBRATES

and

F R I M I n F o c u s 1 2F R I M I n F o c u s 1 2 F R I M I n F o c u s 1 3

BRINGING ONBRINGING ON

BIOTECHNOLOGYBIOTECHNOLOGYBOSTON 2007The 2007 BIO International Convention, organised by the Biotech-nology Industry Organisation (BIO) was the world's largest event for the biotechnology industry. The convention ran 6–9 May at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachu-setts.

FRIM scientists were among the Malaysian delegates who partici-pated in the international exhibition. The Malaysian delegates totaled to 350 people and was headed by the Deputy Prime Minis-ter, Datuk Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak. Twenty thousand attendees from all over the world, ranging from chief executives of biotechnology companies, scientists and policy makers were present during the four-day convention.

FRIM was represented by Dr Marzalina Mansor, Head of Biotech-nology and Pharmaceutical Programme and Dr Rasadah Mat Ali, head of Medicinal Plants Programme. Visitors to the exhibition became aware of FRIM’s commitment to conserve and utilise the country’s forest biological diversity through implementation of various biotechnological tools. Likewise, FRIM received many enquiries from visitors wanting to know more about the technolo-gies available.

The full convention programme included more than 200 breakout seminar sessions covering 20 educational tracks on the most pressing issues in biotechnology including global health, biofuels, stem cell research, vaccines, investment strategies, white biotech-nology and dozens more.

The SeminarThe seminar discussion revolved around food and health issues faced by developing/poor nations which could not afford to acquire biotech products. Their problem is further compounded by lack of funds for research, policies that impede the speedy release of new medicine into the market and reluctance of giant pharmaceuticals to invest in poor nations due to problems in safeguarding their intellectual property (IP).

Medicine is more and more becoming a basic necessity of life therefore it should be available to the public. Currently, there are scientists who create food and drugs requiring minimal R&D costs. Lower cost of medicine testing is also possible in countries such as China and India. In addition, more and more contract research are conducted using third parties to produce cheaper and quality assured products.

Thailand on the other hand has been very successful in agriculture and manufacturing of agri-based medicine by way of conducting research with giant pharmaceutical companies. Its health tourism industry is prospering and many tourists come to Thailand for various health services.

The Plenary SessionsAmong the plenary sessions attended by FRIM’s representatives were the food and agriculture, business development, biofuel, bench to products, drug discovery and development, and global health sessions.

The food and agriculture session discussed the successes achieved and the products created. It was estimated that 70 percent of people in Africa depend on food from the agriculture industry. Demand for food plant clones of high yield and safety assured has surpassed the demand for health products. This shift of demand and technology has received greater attention from venture capitalists.

The business development session discussed the necessity of producing safety assured medicine that is available to the public, the technologies that produce immediate results, the creation of new therapies to combat illnesses and examples of innovative research that promise high returns. A presentation on ‘The Do’s and Don’ts for Biotech Start-up Company’ provided insightful advice for commercialising biotech product.

The biofuel session facilitated discussion on the recent uncer-tainties of oil prices. Biofuel will be the next profitable alternative to fossil fuel in the next five years. Biofuel is renewable, consistently produced and able to leverage the economy of the producing country. Studies to convert usage of fossil fuel to biofuel in vehicles are actively being conducted although the technology required remains expensive. Germany is currently the largest manufacturer of biodiesel while United States of America is set to reduce 20 percent of its fossil fuel consumption within the next 10 years.

The bench to products session discussed two research papers. The first was a study on cell cycle inhibition which is an important area in drug discovery, particularly in cancer treatment, diabetes and anti-inflammation. The second paper was on manufacturing cheap and effective medicine, by utilising cutting-edge technolo-gies such as high throughput screening to identify cures for illnesses. Drug discovery and development session discussion was mainly on cardiovascular diseases related to high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, where 40 percent of diabetic patients eventually suffered stroke. Also discussed were the advantages of combination drugs in treatment of high blood pressure, reduction of blood sugar and lipid levels and examples of drugs.

Global health session discussed how biotech companies could contribute to healthcare by promoting new advances in the field. Also presented were studies that led to drug development to combat bacterial infections (in tuberculosis and diarrhoea) and worm infestation (in lymphatic malaria and schistosomiasis) which could contribute to world health.

Participants of the Green Hunt event searched FRIM grounds to solve the riddles

Forest Scanner and Nature’s Collage incorporated various elements of fun for the children

A treasure hunt called Green Hunt was the highlight of the 36th World Forestry Day. This year, World Forestry Day was celebrated concur-rently with the 11th World Wetlands Day at Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM).

Sixty-six students aged from 13-17 years old, 62 adults and 10 FRIM staff participated in the Green Hunt. The treasure hunters were flagged off at 9.30 in the morning. Initially the weather was perfect. However, it began to rain when most of the participants were halfway through the quest, trying their hardest to solve the riddles given.

One riddle asked for four kain pelikat. “Shall we inspect the clothesline at FRIM staff quarters?” contemplated a participant. Another riddle asked for three elephants. “Were there elephant sightings in FRIM campus that we were not told of?” a FRIM staff pondered. Yet, there was another riddle which asked for a giant orange-red flower. “Rafflesia in FRIM? Very unlikely.” most of the participants thought. The list went on and on, as everybody became wetter and wetter.

The Green Hunt event was a continuation of a series of ‘tree treasure hunt’ organised by FRIM the Tree Planting and Protection Group and Malaysia Nature Society (TPPG–MNS). Co-organisers included the Peat Swamp Forest Project (UNDP/GEF) and PLUS Expressways Bhd. This year’s event was held concurrently with two activities for children–Forest Scanner and Nature’s Collage.

Forest Scanner was divided into two activities which were the interpretative sensory trail and wetland’s hands-on activity. Various elements of fun were incorporated to encourage the children’s participation. Not only these children were taught to open their eyes and minds, and observe nature around them, but at the same time they gained knowledge of the role of forests and wetlands in their daily lives.

The forestry day celebration received wide coverage from the local media. All of the partici-pants managed to complete their hunt despite of the rain. Many voiced their appreciation of the event. It is hoped that the experience gained in FRIM will endear people towards forests and increase their understanding of conserving the environment.

FRIM CELEBRATES

and

F R I M I n F o c u s 1 2 F R I M I n F o c u s 1 3F R I M I n F o c u s 1 3

BRINGING ON

BIOTECHNOLOGYBOSTON 2007The 2007 BIO International Convention, organised by the Biotech-nology Industry Organisation (BIO) was the world's largest event for the biotechnology industry. The convention ran 6–9 May at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachu-setts.

FRIM scientists were among the Malaysian delegates who partici-pated in the international exhibition. The Malaysian delegates totaled to 350 people and was headed by the Deputy Prime Minis-ter, Datuk Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak. Twenty thousand attendees from all over the world, ranging from chief executives of biotechnology companies, scientists and policy makers were present during the four-day convention.

FRIM was represented by Dr Marzalina Mansor, Head of Biotech-nology and Pharmaceutical Programme and Dr Rasadah Mat Ali, head of Medicinal Plants Programme. Visitors to the exhibition became aware of FRIM’s commitment to conserve and utilise the country’s forest biological diversity through implementation of various biotechnological tools. Likewise, FRIM received many enquiries from visitors wanting to know more about the technolo-gies available.

The full convention programme included more than 200 breakout seminar sessions covering 20 educational tracks on the most pressing issues in biotechnology including global health, biofuels, stem cell research, vaccines, investment strategies, white biotech-nology and dozens more.

The SeminarThe seminar discussion revolved around food and health issues faced by developing/poor nations which could not afford to acquire biotech products. Their problem is further compounded by lack of funds for research, policies that impede the speedy release of new medicine into the market and reluctance of giant pharmaceuticals to invest in poor nations due to problems in safeguarding their intellectual property (IP).

Medicine is more and more becoming a basic necessity of life therefore it should be available to the public. Currently, there are scientists who create food and drugs requiring minimal R&D costs. Lower cost of medicine testing is also possible in countries such as China and India. In addition, more and more contract research are conducted using third parties to produce cheaper and quality assured products.

Thailand on the other hand has been very successful in agriculture and manufacturing of agri-based medicine by way of conducting research with giant pharmaceutical companies. Its health tourism industry is prospering and many tourists come to Thailand for various health services.

The Plenary SessionsAmong the plenary sessions attended by FRIM’s representatives were the food and agriculture, business development, biofuel, bench to products, drug discovery and development, and global health sessions.

The food and agriculture session discussed the successes achieved and the products created. It was estimated that 70 percent of people in Africa depend on food from the agriculture industry. Demand for food plant clones of high yield and safety assured has surpassed the demand for health products. This shift of demand and technology has received greater attention from venture capitalists.

The business development session discussed the necessity of producing safety assured medicine that is available to the public, the technologies that produce immediate results, the creation of new therapies to combat illnesses and examples of innovative research that promise high returns. A presentation on ‘The Do’s and Don’ts for Biotech Start-up Company’ provided insightful advice for commercialising biotech product.

The biofuel session facilitated discussion on the recent uncer-tainties of oil prices. Biofuel will be the next profitable alternative to fossil fuel in the next five years. Biofuel is renewable, consistently produced and able to leverage the economy of the producing country. Studies to convert usage of fossil fuel to biofuel in vehicles are actively being conducted although the technology required remains expensive. Germany is currently the largest manufacturer of biodiesel while United States of America is set to reduce 20 percent of its fossil fuel consumption within the next 10 years.

The bench to products session discussed two research papers. The first was a study on cell cycle inhibition which is an important area in drug discovery, particularly in cancer treatment, diabetes and anti-inflammation. The second paper was on manufacturing cheap and effective medicine, by utilising cutting-edge technolo-gies such as high throughput screening to identify cures for illnesses. Drug discovery and development session discussion was mainly on cardiovascular diseases related to high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, where 40 percent of diabetic patients eventually suffered stroke. Also discussed were the advantages of combination drugs in treatment of high blood pressure, reduction of blood sugar and lipid levels and examples of drugs.

Global health session discussed how biotech companies could contribute to healthcare by promoting new advances in the field. Also presented were studies that led to drug development to combat bacterial infections (in tuberculosis and diarrhoea) and worm infestation (in lymphatic malaria and schistosomiasis) which could contribute to world health.

Participants of the Green Hunt event searched FRIM grounds to solve the riddles

Forest Scanner and Nature’s Collage incorporated various elements of fun for the children

A treasure hunt called Green Hunt was the highlight of the 36th World Forestry Day. This year, World Forestry Day was celebrated concur-rently with the 11th World Wetlands Day at Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM).

Sixty-six students aged from 13-17 years old, 62 adults and 10 FRIM staff participated in the Green Hunt. The treasure hunters were flagged off at 9.30 in the morning. Initially the weather was perfect. However, it began to rain when most of the participants were halfway through the quest, trying their hardest to solve the riddles given.

One riddle asked for four kain pelikat. “Shall we inspect the clothesline at FRIM staff quarters?” contemplated a participant. Another riddle asked for three elephants. “Were there elephant sightings in FRIM campus that we were not told of?” a FRIM staff pondered. Yet, there was another riddle which asked for a giant orange-red flower. “Rafflesia in FRIM? Very unlikely.” most of the participants thought. The list went on and on, as everybody became wetter and wetter.

The Green Hunt event was a continuation of a series of ‘tree treasure hunt’ organised by FRIM the Tree Planting and Protection Group and Malaysia Nature Society (TPPG–MNS). Co-organisers included the Peat Swamp Forest Project (UNDP/GEF) and PLUS Expressways Bhd. This year’s event was held concurrently with two activities for children–Forest Scanner and Nature’s Collage.

Forest Scanner was divided into two activities which were the interpretative sensory trail and wetland’s hands-on activity. Various elements of fun were incorporated to encourage the children’s participation. Not only these children were taught to open their eyes and minds, and observe nature around them, but at the same time they gained knowledge of the role of forests and wetlands in their daily lives.

The forestry day celebration received wide coverage from the local media. All of the partici-pants managed to complete their hunt despite of the rain. Many voiced their appreciation of the event. It is hoped that the experience gained in FRIM will endear people towards forests and increase their understanding of conserving the environment.

frim celebrates”Tolak kanan...tolak kanan..kalau tak, kita langgar tebing!” Masih terngiang-ngiang di telinga kami, walaupun ekspedisi tersebut telahpun berlalu. Program berakit bersama Ketua Pengarah (KP) FRIM, Datuk Dr Abd. Razak Mohd. Ali, yang berlangsung pada 10 –13 Mei 2007 merupakan program yang julung-julung kali diadakan. Sepanjang dua hari, 60 orang peserta dari FRIM telah berakit menyusuri liku-liku Sungai Lipis sepanjang 24 km, bermula dari Pos Buntu, ke Kg Ulu Sungai, hingga ke Kg Batu Malim, Raub.

Pada lewat petang 11 Mei di tapak perkhemahan, kami diajar cara-cara memakai jaket keselamatan, meminta bantuan dan menyelamatkan diri ketika berada di dalam air. Aktiviti water confident pula mengajar kami teknik survival seperti meng-apungkan diri dan mengawal pergerakan ketika dihanyutkan air deras, serta teknik-teknik mere-dah sungai yang dalam lagi deras. Latihan tersebut juga membantu meningkatkan lagi keyakinan diri peserta.

Keesokan harinya (12 Mei), kami bertolak dari tapak perkhemahan ke tempat permulaan berakit, iaitu perkampungan orang asli Pos Buntu yang jauhnya lebih kurang 1.5 km.

Laluan peringkat pertama iaitu dari Pos Buntu hingga ke Kg Kela penuh dengan pelbagai halangan serta rintangan. Ada rakit yang terbalik, ada yang melintang arus, ada yang tersangkut dan ada yang pecah terlanggar batu. Tunggul-tunggul kayu di dalam sungai, laluan sempit, arus deras, air dalam, jeram, kawasan cetek dan rimbunan buluh adalah antara cabaran yang kami lalui sebelum sampai ke Kg Satak. Hanya berbekalkan keyakinan diri, kami berjaya mengharungi empat buah jeram yang deras.

Datuk KP dan isteri, serta ahli-ahli direktorat telah menyertai kami di Kg Satak untuk meneruskan perjalanan ke Kg Ulu Sungai. Keletihan dan kesejukan menyebabkan hidangan

yang disediakan begitu menyelerakan. Jarak perjalanan menyusuri sungai pada 12 Mei adalah sejauh 14 km.

Ketibaan peserta di Kg Ulu Sungai disambut mesra oleh penduduk setempat. Pada malamnya suatu jamuan kenduri telah diadakan di balai raya Kg Ulu Sungai. Seramai kira-kira 300 tetamu yang terdiri daripada peserta dan penduduk kampung telah dijamu dengan hidangan istimewa, iaitu gulai serom serta gulai daging dan nangka. Sumbangan turut disampaikan kepada 40 orang warga emas dari Kg Kela, Kg Ulu Sungai dan Kg Batu Malim. Pada hari terakhir (13 Mei) kami bergerak menuju ke destinasi terakhir iaitu Kg Batu Malim. Pengalaman hari ini kurang mencabar dan jaraknya lebih pendek berbanding dengan hari

yang sebelumnya. Namun, terdapat juga beberapa selekoh sungai yang tajam dan memba-haya. Kelihatan Datuk KP berkayuh bersama tekong di hadapan rakit ketika menyusuri sungai sepanjang 9 km.

Pada jam 12.30 tengah hari semua peserta sampai di destinasi terakhir, iaitu tapak kawasan rekreasi air Kg Batu Malim. Bergam-bar dan mandi sungai beramai-

ramai menjadi penamat acara diikuti oleh hidangan tengah hari berupa ikan patin masak tempoyak dan kerabu pucuk paku. Rakit terpakai telah diserahkan kepada ketua kampung Batu Malim untuk kegunaan aktiviti rekreasi. Namun, apa yang paling mengharukan kami adalah apabila penduduk kampung, malah peserta-peserta sendiri juga bertanyakan "Bila nak buat lagi?"

Gambar oleh Yusni Idris

frim celebratesOleh Abd Majid Jalil, Farid Ahmad & Huda Farhana Muslim

frim celebratesfrim celebratesKENANGAN EKSPEDISI BERAKIT Bersama

frim celebratesfrim celebratesfrim celebratesfrim celebratesfrim celebratesBersama

frim celebratesfrim celebratesfrim celebratesDATUK KP

In the minds of too many chemists and chemical engineers, attention to the safe use of chemicals is thought of, if it is attended to at all, as a bit of a bother. “But I have never had a serious accident, so what’s all the fuss about standard operating procedures, or using the hood properly, or going through a HAZOP (hazard and operability) exercise, or wearing gloves?” One could say that persons with this kind of an attitude about safety are likely candidates for involvement in the next serious incident. On the other hand, those who feel this way about safety in their use of chemicals have a point.

Too often, the safety specialist is not incorrectly perceived as looking for picky, detailed, tiny mistakes, errors that may indeed be correctly identified as such, but which only in an extreme case would be likely to ever cause significant harm to persons or damage to property. So really, why should any sensible person pay more than minimal attention to him or her?

That is, broadly speaking, there are two quite different ways for the specialists to help their colleagues work safely with chemi-cals. One way, is for the safety specialist to visit the laboratory, pilot plant, or the full-scale operation and look for minor and major violations of good safety practices, and then call attention to these violations with more vigorous focus, and perhaps less tact, than the violator perceives to be warranted. “How could that unlabeled bottle possibly cause a problem? I know what’s in it and so do all of my co-workers! It’s only a dilute solution, anyway.” Sometimes the safety inspector’s emphasis is indeed more emphatic than is in fact warranted, sometimes the converse. That is not my point.

My point is that the second way to encourage the safe use of chemicals is first to emphasise, without exception, that all accidents predict that they will happen, and second, take the necessary steps to avoid this prophecy.

I submit that an accident predicts its coming by a close call. The close call may be subtle: an

unlabeled bottle or a failure to wear safety goggles; or the

close call may be dramatic: an explosion of dimethyl-

azodicarboxylate in which no one is injured and

the property damage is

minimal.

Following most dramatic situations, everyone becomes very safety conscious and the queasy feeling lasts for about two weeks. Then everyone returns back to their old habits. As we know, if the close call is not dramatic, no one pays much attention, if any, to the event and things continue as they always have been until the prophesied accident occurs. After that, every-one is really careful for more than a couple of weeks.

I submit that the proper response to a close call, whether it be dramatic or subtle, is the same: destroy the prophecy by rooting out the cause. That is, do not merely find the cause and eliminate it. Instead, dig into the matter; find the cause of the cause. More than that, find the cause of that, and then find its cause. Root it out, dig into the details. Just as it is true that all accidents predict their coming, it is also true that all close calls (and all accidents) have causes of cause. It is like an onion, with layer after layer of causes. The closer we can get to the heart of the onion in the investigation of a close call, the more likely it is that we will have eliminated at least that predicted accident.

All accidents have a series of causes. There is no such thing as an accident with a single cause. Usually, an accident can be prevented by eliminating any one of its multiple causes; and can always be prevented by eliminating only a few of its causes.

To summarise the secret to the professional practice of chemical safety, the essence of accident prevention: identify and analyse all close calls, both subtle and dramatic; determine the immedi-ate cause of these near misses, then go further, ascertain the cause or causes of the immediate cause, and then the causes of those causes, and so on as far as deemed appropriate. Then, use the findings and take the appropriate steps to exterminate all possible causes, from the immediate to the most remote.

The professional practice of

chemical safetyby Mohamad Nasir Mat AripFRIM Wood Preservatives Analytical Laboratory


chemical safetyby Mohamad Nasir Mat Arip FRIM Wood Preservatives Analytical Laboratory

F R I M I n F o c u s 1 4F R I M I n F o c u s 1 4 F R I M I n F o c u s 1 5

Safety goggles offer better protection than glasses

Writing materials are allowed at working benches and certainly not bags

Berakit menyusuri Sungai Lipis sepanjang 24 kmBerakit menyusuri Sungai Lipis sepanjang 24 kmBergambar beramai-ramai menjadi penamat acara

Pengalaman berakit dengan Datuk KP tidak mungkin dilupakan

Berakit menyusuri Sungai Lipis sepanjang 24 km

Pengalaman berakit dengan Datuk KP tidak mungkin dilupakan Ikat kuat-kuat bang, nanti pecah pula. Perjalanan masih jauh

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frim celebrates”Tolak kanan...tolak kanan..kalau tak, kita langgar tebing!” Masih terngiang-ngiang di telinga kami, walaupun ekspedisi tersebut telahpun berlalu. Program berakit bersama Ketua Pengarah (KP) FRIM, Datuk Dr Abd. Razak Mohd. Ali, yang berlangsung pada 10 –13 Mei 2007 merupakan program yang julung-julung kali diadakan. Sepanjang dua hari, 60 orang peserta dari FRIM telah berakit menyusuri liku-liku Sungai Lipis sepanjang 24 km, bermula dari Pos Buntu, ke Kg Ulu Sungai, hingga ke Kg Batu Malim, Raub.

Pada lewat petang 11 Mei di tapak perkhemahan, kami diajar cara-cara memakai jaket keselamatan, meminta bantuan dan menyelamatkan diri ketika berada di dalam air. Aktiviti water confident pula mengajar kami teknik survival seperti meng-apungkan diri dan mengawal pergerakan ketika dihanyutkan air deras, serta teknik-teknik mere-dah sungai yang dalam lagi deras. Latihan tersebut juga membantu meningkatkan lagi keyakinan diri peserta.

Keesokan harinya (12 Mei), kami bertolak dari tapak perkhemahan ke tempat permulaan berakit, iaitu perkampungan orang asli Pos Buntu yang jauhnya lebih kurang 1.5 km.

Laluan peringkat pertama iaitu dari Pos Buntu hingga ke Kg Kela penuh dengan pelbagai halangan serta rintangan. Ada rakit yang terbalik, ada yang melintang arus, ada yang tersangkut dan ada yang pecah terlanggar batu. Tunggul-tunggul kayu di dalam sungai, laluan sempit, arus deras, air dalam, jeram, kawasan cetek dan rimbunan buluh adalah antara cabaran yang kami lalui sebelum sampai ke Kg Satak. Hanya berbekalkan keyakinan diri, kami berjaya mengharungi empat buah jeram yang deras.

Datuk KP dan isteri, serta ahli-ahli direktorat telah menyertai kami di Kg Satak untuk meneruskan perjalanan ke Kg Ulu Sungai. Keletihan dan kesejukan menyebabkan hidangan

yang disediakan begitu menyelerakan. Jarak perjalanan menyusuri sungai pada 12 Mei adalah sejauh 14 km.

Ketibaan peserta di Kg Ulu Sungai disambut mesra oleh penduduk setempat. Pada malamnya suatu jamuan kenduri telah diadakan di balai raya Kg Ulu Sungai. Seramai kira-kira 300 tetamu yang terdiri daripada peserta dan penduduk kampung telah dijamu dengan hidangan istimewa, iaitu gulai serom serta gulai daging dan nangka. Sumbangan turut disampaikan kepada 40 orang warga emas dari Kg Kela, Kg Ulu Sungai dan Kg Batu Malim. Pada hari terakhir (13 Mei) kami bergerak menuju ke destinasi terakhir iaitu Kg Batu Malim. Pengalaman hari ini kurang mencabar dan jaraknya lebih pendek berbanding dengan hari

yang sebelumnya. Namun, terdapat juga beberapa selekoh sungai yang tajam dan memba-haya. Kelihatan Datuk KP berkayuh bersama tekong di hadapan rakit ketika menyusuri sungai sepanjang 9 km.

Pada jam 12.30 tengah hari semua peserta sampai di destinasi terakhir, iaitu tapak kawasan rekreasi air Kg Batu Malim. Bergam-bar dan mandi sungai beramai-

ramai menjadi penamat acara diikuti oleh hidangan tengah hari berupa ikan patin masak tempoyak dan kerabu pucuk paku. Rakit terpakai telah diserahkan kepada ketua kampung Batu Malim untuk kegunaan aktiviti rekreasi. Namun, apa yang paling mengharukan kami adalah apabila penduduk kampung, malah peserta-peserta sendiri juga bertanyakan "Bila nak buat lagi?"

Gambar oleh Yusni Idris

Oleh Abd Majid Jalil, Farid Ahmad & Huda Farhana Muslim

KENANGAN EKSPEDISI BERAKIT Bersama

DATUK KP

In the minds of too many chemists and chemical engineers, attention to the safe use of chemicals is thought of, if it is attended to at all, as a bit of a bother. “But I have never had a serious accident, so what’s all the fuss about standard operating procedures, or using the hood properly, or going through a HAZOP (hazard and operability) exercise, or wearing gloves?” One could say that persons with this kind of an attitude about safety are likely candidates for involvement in the next serious incident. On the other hand, those who feel this way about safety in their use of chemicals have a point.

Too often, the safety specialist is not incorrectly perceived as looking for picky, detailed, tiny mistakes, errors that may indeed be correctly identified as such, but which only in an extreme case would be likely to ever cause significant harm to persons or damage to property. So really, why should any sensible person pay more than minimal attention to him or her?

That is, broadly speaking, there are two quite different ways for the specialists to help their colleagues work safely with chemi-cals. One way, is for the safety specialist to visit the laboratory, pilot plant, or the full-scale operation and look for minor and major violations of good safety practices, and then call attention to these violations with more vigorous focus, and perhaps less tact, than the violator perceives to be warranted. “How could that unlabeled bottle possibly cause a problem? I know what’s in it and so do all of my co-workers! It’s only a dilute solution, anyway.” Sometimes the safety inspector’s emphasis is indeed more emphatic than is in fact warranted, sometimes the converse. That is not my point.

My point is that the second way to encourage the safe use of chemicals is first to emphasise, without exception, that all accidents predict that they will happen, and second, take the necessary steps to avoid this prophecy.

I submit that an accident predicts its coming by a close call. The close call may be subtle: an

unlabeled bottle or a failure to wear safety goggles; or the

close call may be dramatic: an explosion of dimethyl-

azodicarboxylate in which no one is injured and

the property damage is

minimal.

Following most dramatic situations, everyone becomes very safety conscious and the queasy feeling lasts for about two weeks. Then everyone returns back to their old habits. As we know, if the close call is not dramatic, no one pays much attention, if any, to the event and things continue as they always have been until the prophesied accident occurs. After that, every-one is really careful for more than a couple of weeks.

I submit that the proper response to a close call, whether it be dramatic or subtle, is the same: destroy the prophecy by rooting out the cause. That is, do not merely find the cause and eliminate it. Instead, dig into the matter; find the cause of the cause. More than that, find the cause of that, and then find its cause. Root it out, dig into the details. Just as it is true that all accidents predict their coming, it is also true that all close calls (and all accidents) have causes of cause. It is like an onion, with layer after layer of causes. The closer we can get to the heart of the onion in the investigation of a close call, the more likely it is that we will have eliminated at least that predicted accident.

All accidents have a series of causes. There is no such thing as an accident with a single cause. Usually, an accident can be prevented by eliminating any one of its multiple causes; and can always be prevented by eliminating only a few of its causes.

To summarise the secret to the professional practice of chemical safety, the essence of accident prevention: identify and analyse all close calls, both subtle and dramatic; determine the immedi-ate cause of these near misses, then go further, ascertain the cause or causes of the immediate cause, and then the causes of those causes, and so on as far as deemed appropriate. Then, use the findings and take the appropriate steps to exterminate all possible causes, from the immediate to the most remote.


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chemical safetyfrim celebratesby Mohamad Nasir Mat Arip

FRIM Wood Preservatives Analytical Laboratory

F R I M I n F o c u s 1 4 F R I M I n F o c u s 1 5F R I M I n F o c u s 1 5

Safety goggles offer better protection than glasses

Writing materials are allowed at working benches and certainly not bags

Berakit menyusuri Sungai Lipis sepanjang 24 kmBergambar beramai-ramai menjadi penamat acara

Pengalaman berakit dengan Datuk KP tidak mungkin dilupakan Ikat kuat-kuat bang, nanti pecah pula. Perjalanan masih jauh

1

3 2

1

4

2

3

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A Q u a r t e r l y o f t h e F o r e s t R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e M a l a y s i a


Pemindahan Pokok Besar di Plaza Gurney

Br inging on Biotechnology, Boston 2007

Giv ing Due Considerat ion to BioD Conser vat ion

Highlights of this Issue

AWARDWINNINGTECHNOLOGIES

I S S N 1 3 9 4 - 5 4 6 7 J u n e 2 0 0 7

F R I M I n F o c u s 1 6F R I M I n F o c u s 1 6

In an attempt to address the current and impending issues of biological diversity conservation in forestry, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) approached the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as well as the Interna-tional Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) to fund a multi-disciplinary project. This project will hopefully, to some degree, offer sound solutions to some of the main issues in biodiversity conservation.

The project entitled ‘Conservation of Biological Diversity through Improved Forest Planning Tools’ or more simply known as the UNDP-GEF-ITTO Conservation of Biodiversity

Project was recently launched on 3 April 2007. The executing agency for the project is the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) while FRIM will be implementing the project.

Major contributors to this project also include the Malaysian Government and other stakeholders such as the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia (notably the Perak State Forestry Department), Perak Integrated Timber Complex (PITC) and Perak State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC). The project will cost approximately USD 5.7 million and will be implemented over 5 years. A team of local researchers from FRIM and experts from local universities and non-governmental organisations will collaborate with

foreign counterparts from Harvard University, University of Miami and Duke University. The project will work in consulta-tion with major local civil societies in implementing its activities while a panel of international advisors will be established to review its overall effectiveness. Tools devel-oped from this project will enable forest planners to predict the allocation of forestland into protection and production forest, and the retention of unlogged areas within produc-tion forests affect biodiversity and the socio-economic of relevant stakeholders. Fieldwork for the project will occur primarily in Temenggor Forest Reserve in Perak, a forest reserve rich in biodiversity and part of the largest remaining block of natural forest in Peninsular Malaysia.

Various activities will be carried out under this project with the GEF supporting activi-ties related to socio-economics, valuation of non-timber goods and services as well as forest modeling, whilst activities under the ITTO funding focuses on developing improved tools for assessing timber production forests and integrating information on biodiversity into models used to evaluate sustainable forest management systems. Ultimately, these two projects complement and supplement each other in achieving the overall goal of conserving biodiversity and achieving sustainable forest management.

It is envisaged that upon completion of the project, methods for assessing biodiversity and economic value of the forest will be devised, while having a better understand-ing of harvesting impacts on biodiversity.

We will also be able to produce decision-making models which will help policy makers manage production forests with due consideration given to conservation of biodiversity. Other aspects of the project will be capacity building of local counterparts and forest managers in the usage of such tools while disseminating knowledge to other tropical countries. It is also foreseen that the Orang Asli and other rural commu-nities residing adjacent to the project site will stand to benefit from this far-sighted project. A successful comple-tion of this project will enhance Malaysia's role as a pioneer in tropical forests management.

Photos by Corporate Communications Branch

BioD CONSERVATIONby Jaya Radha Veerasamy & S Christine Fletcher

GIVING DUE CONSIDERATION TO

giving due consideration to biod conservation · 2010-08-05 · bamboo lumber’ by wan tarmeze et...

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