Sarawak Tribune has reported, that The Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement and a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Finnish forestry technology company Arbonaut Ltd. The signing took place at Joensuu Science Park in Finland on 26 August, led by FDS director Datuk Hamden Mohammad.
Under the agreement, Arbonaut will serve as consultant for a project applying 3D LiDAR technology to measure forest structure, growth dynamics and productivity in both natural forests and industrial plantations, boosting the Malaysian forests.
The system will provide more precise data on tree height, biomass, carbon stocks and fire risk, supporting improved forest management.
The memorandum of understanding sets out collaboration in areas including forest carbon assessment, carbon trading, biodiversity research, forest products, fire management and soil science. According to Hamden, the partnership is intended to strengthen international cooperation and support Sarawak’s climate and sustainability goals.
During their visit to Finland, the Sarawak delegation will also conduct benchmarking activities with the Finnish Forest Centre and companies such as John Deere, focusing on knowledge sharing and technology transfer in LiDAR mapping and forestry machinery.
