Application of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management to a GIS-based multiple-criteria decision-making approach for forest conservation planning in the Kinabalu Region, Sabah, Malaysia.

Abstract

Conservation planning using a species approach involves the prioritization and selection of conservation areas based on biological criteria. Therefore, there is a need to adopt appropriate criteria for forest conservation planning. We propose that forest conservation planning refers to globally accepted criteria and indicators (i.e. C&I) for sustainable forest management. Criteria related to 'biodiversity conservation' and 'soil and water conservation' are two functions adopted and applied to forest conservation planning using a geographic information system (GIS)-based multiple-criteria decision-making approach (MCDM). The biodiversity conservation criterion comprises indicators of ecosystem diversity and species diversity, whereas the soil and water conservation criterion consists of indicators related to landslide, flood and drought prevention functions. In addition, a criterion containing indicators for potential timber species distribution, proximity to settlements and roads is used as a measure of potential forest threats. The application of C&I to the GIS-based MCDM approach has enabled forest conservation priorities to be considered in terms of the important forest functions. It also integrated two decision-making processes (i.e. 'biodiversity conservation' and 'soil and water conservation') into a single process.