**6. The need for sustainably managed forests**

Sustainable forest management is high on both political and scientific agendas of many countries and at a global level, with much recent attention being focused on the tropical rainforest. Forest is the most biologically deserved terrestrial ecosystems within which trees are central to the habitat and environmental of other plant and animal species. Knowledge of the biology of tree flora is therefore critical in providing a sound scientific basis to the management and conservation of the world's forest resource. By its very nature, biodiversity and its conservation are complex and multi-faceted. With respect to forest, biodiversity may be viewed at the level of the forest community and constituent population of species.

The emphasis on conservation often has one dimension, traditionally focused on the establishment of national park for the protection of fauna or particular ecosystems with little regard for hierarchy of organization and the spatial and temporal dynamic of biological processes [40]. Deforestation continues to keep forest stand, and sustainable management of forest ecosystems for the future has become a global environmental imperative. Within this, effective management of forest genetic resources is a key element in the future forest conservation.

### **7. Biodiversity of forest**

Biodiversity is referred to as the variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms that exist, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems they live in. The diversity of life that a tree can support is incredible. A single tree in the tropical rainforest can house up to 2000 different species of insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, fungi, mosses, and epiphytic plants. Trees are an important component of biodiversity. The tropical rain forests are blessed with abundant biodiversity and are known to have more species per unit area than temperate areas and biodiversity decreases with increasing altitudes [41]. Tropical rain forests contain the mixture of species as compared with temperate forests which tend to be dominated by one species.

The status of biodiversity tropical rainforest as elsewhere has always been dynamic. Over millions of years, under natural conditions, some species have increased in variety or numbers and others have been reduced or lost. Some people wonder why we should be worried about conserving biodiversity now, in particular, when the world has gone on more or less as it is for so long. But natural habitats everywhere are being destroyed as never before and as habitats are lost, we are also losing various types of plants and animals. No one would have thought, even a few years ago, that some members from the family dipterocarpaceae in Malaysia could

**9**

*Introductory Chapter: Managing World's Forests for Sustainable Development*

est species being lost and biodiversity becoming seriously depleted.

Africa, west Africa, Madagascar, and Indo-Malaysian area [50, 51].

management will enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

loss of forest resources in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Strengthening governments' efforts at all levels for the full implementation of the National Forestry Policy, especially through increased allocations of human and technical resources and financial could contribute toward the success of sustainable forest management strategy. Coordination efforts among all agencies responsible in the development of policy, planning, and natural resources management are important to ensure the ecosystem approaches and objectives of forest conservation can be incorporated in sectors such as forest management, agriculture, transportation, and water management. These coordinate efforts can reduce the significant

Establishment of protected areas is extremely important in particular for endangered species and sensitive habitats. The current terrestrial protected areas in Peninsular Malaysia of 1.8 million ha are not sufficient for the implementation of full range conservation biodiversity efforts. More protected areas should be established to increase more habitats for rare and threatened species and sensitive habitats. In addition, Malaysia should establish uniform national protected areas system operating in the country. Currently, the protected areas are managed by

be endangered, but now it is. With the rapid land use and cover changes, there are concerns that anthropogenic changes to environment are leading to too many of for-

Biodiversity is important because it helps to keep the environment in a natural

Any initiatives involved in sustainable forest management and conservation are essential to human well-being. Therefore, to ensure a successful conservation effort, an understanding on the significance roles of forests among general public is extremely important. Promoting and raising awareness to the public toward forest resource management are crucial for the general public to be aware on their importance, roles, and threats. Understanding their intrinsic values and variability within and among living organisms and the systems they inhabit is critical to the survival of the planet, species, and mankind. In order to spread the message, the use of social media can be an effective way to disseminate the information far and wide. Another way to communicate various aspects of forest (i.e., species of flora and fauna, genetic, ecosystem, and environmental diversity), a street mural can be constructed in a public space as an approach of communicating to raise awareness to a public audience. Recognizing the importance of forest management and conservation is necessary toward achieving sustainable development in terms of contribution to species conservation, provision of water supply, food security, and poverty alleviation. These can be incorporated into education curriculum beginning from the primary level. Providing capacity building to the teachers on sustainable forest

balance. An ecosystem which is species rich is more resilient and adaptable to external stress than the one in which the range of species is limited. In a system where species are limited, the loss or temporary reduction of any one could disrupt a complex food chain with serious effects on other species in that same system. Biodiversity is the key issue to natural conservation, and plant diversity is one of the important components of the biological diversity [45–47]. The diversity of tree species is fundamental to total forest biodiversity. The central biodiversity in the world are tropical and subtropical forest [42]. Central and western Amazonia Tropical rain forests have been considered as the two central mega-diversity areas in the world [48, 49], and the other tropical rain forests could be found in central

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89642*

**8. Conclusions and recommendation**

#### *Introductory Chapter: Managing World's Forests for Sustainable Development DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89642*

be endangered, but now it is. With the rapid land use and cover changes, there are concerns that anthropogenic changes to environment are leading to too many of forest species being lost and biodiversity becoming seriously depleted.

Biodiversity is important because it helps to keep the environment in a natural balance. An ecosystem which is species rich is more resilient and adaptable to external stress than the one in which the range of species is limited. In a system where species are limited, the loss or temporary reduction of any one could disrupt a complex food chain with serious effects on other species in that same system.

Biodiversity is the key issue to natural conservation, and plant diversity is one of the important components of the biological diversity [45–47]. The diversity of tree species is fundamental to total forest biodiversity. The central biodiversity in the world are tropical and subtropical forest [42]. Central and western Amazonia Tropical rain forests have been considered as the two central mega-diversity areas in the world [48, 49], and the other tropical rain forests could be found in central Africa, west Africa, Madagascar, and Indo-Malaysian area [50, 51].

## **8. Conclusions and recommendation**

*Forest Degradation Around the World*

gelam freshwater swamp forest.

**7. Biodiversity of forest**

*Anisoptera* spp. (Mersawa), and *V. cinerea* (Resak laut).

**6. The need for sustainably managed forests**

forests due to cutting, firing, grazing, or intermittent cultivation. The forests mainly contain a mixture of *Schima wallichiana* (Medatang gatal) and *Oxytenanthera nigrociliata* (bamboo), which also includes forest remnants in the form of secondary forests in all stages of development from open grassland to scrub. Some common dipterocarps found this type of forests are *S. roxburghii* (Meranti temak nipis),

Ecologically, Gelam swamp forests are related to the peat swamp forests but their floristic composition is almost entirely different. Many of secondary species exist, namely, *Macaranga maingayi* (Mahang) and *Stenochlaena palustris* (Akar paku). Fire has prevented the development of peat swamp complex and promoted predominance of the fire-resistant gelam—*Melaleuca cajuputi*. No dipterocarps occur in

Sustainable forest management is high on both political and scientific agendas of many countries and at a global level, with much recent attention being focused on the tropical rainforest. Forest is the most biologically deserved terrestrial

ecosystems within which trees are central to the habitat and environmental of other plant and animal species. Knowledge of the biology of tree flora is therefore critical in providing a sound scientific basis to the management and conservation of the world's forest resource. By its very nature, biodiversity and its conservation are complex and multi-faceted. With respect to forest, biodiversity may be viewed at

The emphasis on conservation often has one dimension, traditionally focused on the establishment of national park for the protection of fauna or particular ecosystems with little regard for hierarchy of organization and the spatial and temporal dynamic of biological processes [40]. Deforestation continues to keep forest stand, and sustainable management of forest ecosystems for the future has become a global environmental imperative. Within this, effective management of forest

Biodiversity is referred to as the variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms that exist, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems they live in. The diversity of life that a tree can support is incredible. A single tree in the tropical rainforest can house up to 2000 different species of insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, fungi, mosses, and epiphytic plants. Trees are an important component of biodiversity. The tropical rain forests are blessed with abundant biodiversity and are known to have more species per unit area than temperate areas and biodiversity decreases with increasing altitudes [41]. Tropical rain forests contain the mixture of species as compared with temperate forests which tend to be dominated by one species. The status of biodiversity tropical rainforest as elsewhere has always been dynamic. Over millions of years, under natural conditions, some species have increased in variety or numbers and others have been reduced or lost. Some people wonder why we should be worried about conserving biodiversity now, in particular, when the world has gone on more or less as it is for so long. But natural habitats everywhere are being destroyed as never before and as habitats are lost, we are also losing various types of plants and animals. No one would have thought, even a few years ago, that some members from the family dipterocarpaceae in Malaysia could

the level of the forest community and constituent population of species.

genetic resources is a key element in the future forest conservation.

**8**

Any initiatives involved in sustainable forest management and conservation are essential to human well-being. Therefore, to ensure a successful conservation effort, an understanding on the significance roles of forests among general public is extremely important. Promoting and raising awareness to the public toward forest resource management are crucial for the general public to be aware on their importance, roles, and threats. Understanding their intrinsic values and variability within and among living organisms and the systems they inhabit is critical to the survival of the planet, species, and mankind. In order to spread the message, the use of social media can be an effective way to disseminate the information far and wide. Another way to communicate various aspects of forest (i.e., species of flora and fauna, genetic, ecosystem, and environmental diversity), a street mural can be constructed in a public space as an approach of communicating to raise awareness to a public audience. Recognizing the importance of forest management and conservation is necessary toward achieving sustainable development in terms of contribution to species conservation, provision of water supply, food security, and poverty alleviation. These can be incorporated into education curriculum beginning from the primary level. Providing capacity building to the teachers on sustainable forest management will enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

Strengthening governments' efforts at all levels for the full implementation of the National Forestry Policy, especially through increased allocations of human and technical resources and financial could contribute toward the success of sustainable forest management strategy. Coordination efforts among all agencies responsible in the development of policy, planning, and natural resources management are important to ensure the ecosystem approaches and objectives of forest conservation can be incorporated in sectors such as forest management, agriculture, transportation, and water management. These coordinate efforts can reduce the significant loss of forest resources in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Establishment of protected areas is extremely important in particular for endangered species and sensitive habitats. The current terrestrial protected areas in Peninsular Malaysia of 1.8 million ha are not sufficient for the implementation of full range conservation biodiversity efforts. More protected areas should be established to increase more habitats for rare and threatened species and sensitive habitats. In addition, Malaysia should establish uniform national protected areas system operating in the country. Currently, the protected areas are managed by

different networks and governed by different laws with varying degrees of protection status. Protected areas need to be better located and effectively managed to deal with problems of such as illegal logging, human settlements, unsustainable tourism, encroachment, and challenges in climate change.

The setting up of natural history museum (government- or privately-run) can contribute to demonstrate and educate about the importance of forest management and conservation. In addition, besides raising a greater awareness, the collection of specimens can be used for research and education by the students, communities, and relevant stakeholders. The museum can be used not only as a significant repository for specimens of the threatened animal and plant populations but also serves as a primary source of information about historical aspects of biodiversity at the national, regional, and global levels.
