Using REDD + to balance timber production with conservation objectives in a mangrove forest in Malaysia

Published Date
December 2015, Vol.120:108–116, doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.10.014

Analysis

Title 

Using REDD + to balance timber production with conservation objectives in a mangrove forest in Malaysia

• Author 

• Ammar Abdul Aziz ^,
• Paul Dargusch
• Stuart Phinn
• Adrian Ward

• School of Geography Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia

Received 22 October 2014. Revised 28 September 2015. Accepted 20 October 2015. Available online 11 November 2015.

Abstract

In this paper we evaluate if REDD + initiatives might be financially viable to be used to achieve a more sustainable balance between timber production and ecosystem health in a mangrove forest area in Malaysia. The focus of our study is on a 40,466 ha mangrove forest in Malaysia known as the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. The Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve has been used for charcoal and pole production for over 100 years and is often described as a good example of a sustainably managed multi-use mangrove forest. However, recent research shows that the health of various components of the ecosystem is in decline (notably some bird species and the blood cockle fishery). We use opportunity cost analysis to determine that the minimum compensation required to offset the production revenue currently derived from timber production in the forest is less than US$0.83 tCO2e. At these relatively low costs we demonstrate that REDD + is financially viable to be strategically used to support the conservation of some parts of the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve which could result in better sustainable outcomes for the forest area and its stakeholders as a whole.

Keywords

Opportunity costs

Ecosystem services degradation

Carbon sink

Discount rates

Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve

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• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092180091500422X