Building an ecologic-econom ic model to improve silvicultural
m anagem ent practices in Matang (Malaysia)
Quispe Zuniga Melissa R.1, Behara Satyanarayana2, Cyril Piou3, Uta Berger4, Hussain M ohd-Lokm an2,
Ibrahim Sulong2 and Farid Dahdouh-Guebas56
1 Vrije U niversiteit Brussel -VUB, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
E-mail: m elissa.auispe.zuniqa@ vub.ac.be
2 Institute o f O ceanography and Environment-INOS, H igher In stitu tio n Centre o f Excellence (HICoE)
in Marine Sciences, U niversiti Malaysia Terengganu-UMT, 210B0 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu
Daru Iman, Malaysia.
3 CIRAD, UPR Bioagresseurs : Analyse et Matrîse du Risque, M ontpellier F-B4B98, France
4 Institute o f Forest Growth and Forest C om puter Sciences, TU Dresden, PO Box 111 7, 01735
Tharandt, Germany
5 Laboratory o f Systems Ecology and Resource Management, D epartm ent o f Organism Biology,
Faculty o f Sciences, Université de Bruxelles-ULB, Campus de la Plaine, Boulevard du Triom phe,
B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
6 Laboratory o f Plant Biology and Nature Management, Mangrove Management Group, Faculty o f
Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije U niversiteit Brussel-VUB, Pleinlaan 2, B-150 Brussels,
Belgium
Mangrove ecosystems are present in tropical coastlines and provide goods, services and econom ic
o pp o rtu n itie s fo r local com m unities (Barbier et a i , 2011). Local people can use m angrove forests
fo r tim b e r and fuelw ood, animals fo r consum ption {e.g. fish, crabs) and services {e.g. nursery
grounds, breeding and feeding sites, and coastline protection) th a t m angrove forests provide
(Barbier et a i , 2011). An excellent exam ple o f m anagem ent o f a mangrove fo re st is Matang
Mangrove Forest Reserve (in Malaysia) th a t has been managed since 1908 by Perak Forestry
D epartm ent fo r the production o f poles and fuelw ood (Chong, 2006). The need o f a m odel that
includes socio-econom ic aspects as well as fo re st grow th in Matang is im p o rta n t fo r shaping future
decisions, ensuring sustainable income sources fo r local people, and im proving the silvicultural
m anagem ent practices (Fontalvo-Herazo et a i , 2011). The studies related to th is reserve have
focused on ecological or econom ic aspects; however, cu rren tly there is no research th a t has
considered the econom ic aspects in close relation to ecologie aspects. Therefore, the aim o f this
m aster thesis is to build an ecologic-econom ic m odel th a t includes labor cost fo r d iffe re n t
silviculture related activities, wood prices o f d iffe re n t qualities, benefits and costs o f
n a tu ra l/silvicu ltu ra l stands, and possibly hidden environm ental benefits, and th a t can predict future
su stain ab ility o f wood production under d iffe re n t scenarios o f ecologie or human impact.
This on-going study is divided in three parts; the firs t part is the developm ent o f an individualbased m odel in NetLogo v5.0.4. program , using ODD (Overview, Design concepts and Details)
Protocol (Railsback and Grimm , 2012) fo r the purpose o f m aking predictions, which are based on
the co nd itio ns th a t are influenced by potential econom ic factors th a t can influence m angrove fo re st
density. The second part consists o f a fie ld -co m po ne nt th a t w ill take place in February (2014), in
Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (Perak, Malaysia); th is part consists o f an econom ic survey
involving the people who are part o f the m angrove wood trade. For th is reason the econom ic survey
is divided in fo u r groups: consumers, harvesters, wholesalers, and fo rm a l actors (related to Forestry
Departm ent). The th ird part w ill consist o f the calibration o f the developed m odel w ith the results o f
the econom ic survey and the ecological results (forest density in Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve)
th a t were made by Goessens (2011 ) in Matang.
Finally, we hope th a t the ecologic-econom ic m odel w ill enable us to determ ine the possible fa m ily
incomes in dependence o f changes in mangrove fo re st grow th and econom ic circum stances. The
predictions can be used to im prove current and fu tu re m anagem ent practices durin g the decision
m aking, p rotecting mangrove ecosystems and the livelihood o f local people w ho depend on the
mangrove forest.
References
Barbier E.B., S.D. Hacker, C. Kennedy, E.W. Koch, A.C. Stier and B.R. Silliman. 2011. The value o f
estuarine and coastal ecosystem services. Ecological M onographs 81 (2): 169-1 93.
-
87
-
Chong V.C. 2006. Sustainable u tiliza tio n and m anagem ent o f Mangrove ecosystems o f Malaysia.
A quatic Ecosystem Health & Management 9(2):249-260.
Fontalvo-Herazo M.L., C. Piou, J. Vogt, U. Saint-Paul and U. Berger. 2011. Sim ulating harvesting
scenarios tow ards the sustainable use o f m angrove fo re st plantations. W etlands Ecology and
Management 19(5): B97-407.
Goessens A. 2011. Floral d ive rsity and d is trib u tio n in the mangroves t Matang, West Peninsular
Malaysia, a fte r a century o f sustainable management. Master Thesis. Université Libre de
Bruxelles, 1 22pp.
Railsback S.F. and V. Grimm . 2012. Agent-based and individual-based m odeling: a practical
intro du ction . Princeton U niversity Press, 329pp.
-
88-