SABAH FORESTRY DEPARTMENT

INTRODUCTION

Sugut Conservation Area (SCA) was initially gazetted as a Class II commercial forest but was reclassified as a Class I Protection Forest on 24th December 2014. Its total area is 8,680 ha, namely as Trusan Sugut Forest Reserve and administered by the Beluran District Forestry Office.

The area is situated about 75 km northwest of Sandakan town. It is geographically located between latitude 06 16’ 44.9” - 06 24’ 32.3” N and longitude 117 02’ 19.6” - 117 21’ 14.9” E. The reserve can be accessed through Sapi-Nangoh highway and traverse through IJM oil palm estate; and also through the sea by boat. The Sugut Sustainable Forest Management Project was set up in 2010 by the Sabah Forestry Department under direct supervision of the Deputy Director of Forestry (Development).

The whole SCA is classified as extreme lowland with the highest point not even reaching 200 meters above sea level. Originally, the forest formation of the reserve was mainly mangroves, freshwater swamp forest, mixed dipterocarp forest and kerangas forest. A strand of beach forest forms at the coastal area. All the forest, except mangroves were severely logged or exposed to human disturbance in the past. At present, various regenerative stages of mixed dipterocarp, kerangas, freshwater swamp, mangroves and secondary vegetation are the main vegetation classes in the reserve.

 

Trusan Sugut FR is part of a larger area being established for long-term conservation called “Sugut Conservation Area (SCA)”. Along with Trusan Sugut FR, the adjacent Sugut Wildlife Corridor FR, Kuala Bonggaya and Kuala Labuk mangrove FR, Sg. Sugut, Sg. Paitan and Jembongan mangrove FR, and the conservation zone of Sugut FR (Class II, production) form the larger conservation area, the SCA. This FMP covers only the Trusan Sugut FR, while it keeps the larger SCA in view while planning the management activities.

The overall goals of the project is to restore the mostly disturbed and degraded forest area through multiple restoration activities and to safeguard the security of the reserve from forest fire, encroachment and illegal hunting threat. The project is also aiming at developing the reserve as an eco-tourism site in the near future. Doing so will involve a variety of infrastructure development and restoration projects that rely heavily on Sabah Forestry Department’s personnel, partners, volunteers and contractors in order to see these goals through.

In 2018, in effort of Sabah Forestry Department, 8,680 Ha of Trusan Sugut Forest Reserves which is in the area of Sugut Conservation Area (SCA) had been complied with FSC requirements and being awarded a Well Managed Forest Certification within five (5) years from 16th May 2017 until 15th May 2022 by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) which is as a recognition at the international level. The significant achievement were based on the commitment and supports from estate plantations, villages, WWF, University Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and government agencies.

 

 

last updated : 26 Nov. 2021