Introductory Chapter: Why Is Sustainable Management of Natural Resources Necessary?

1. Introduction

Natural resources are sources that are drawn from nature which are used to support life and meet people’s desires, and used with few changes. Any natural substance that human beings use can be considered a natural resource. Oil, coal, natural gasoline, metals, stone, and sand are natural resources. A component of environmental putting embraces the totality of substances, functions, and processes of landscapes [1], and these settings provide unique and specific features that offer various possibilities for the transformation of materials and energy. As Mitchell [2] noted, sources in this context refer to the abiotic, biotic, and cultural attributes that exist on, in, or above the Earth. These sources play a critical role in shaping environmental settings and determining how they can be utilized by humans and other living organisms.

Barsch and Burger [3] defined natural resources as materials created by nature such as soil, water, land, minerals, vegetation, and wildlife, as well as power resources like coal, gas, and sunlight that fulfill human needs and desires. These materials are considered “natural matter” until humans recognize their presence, attach value to them, and find ways to utilize them. When humans utilize these resources, they give them a new purpose and turn them into a source of subsistence, or a herbal resource. As a result, these natural materials fulfill a new function in human society [2, 3].

Natural resources provide benefits that are essential for meeting basic human needs such as air, shelter, food, and clothing. They are considered a part of humanity’s natural heritage and are often protected in nature reserves. Barsch and Burger [3] suggested that natural resources can be classified in various ways, and one common classification is based on their exhaustibility and regenerative power. At their most fundamental level, every man-made product is made up of natural resources.

Barsch and Burger [3] categorized natural resources into two categories; renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources refer to a natural resources that can profile rate in that period relevant for human planning such as forests or water. However, they can still be depleted. Whereas for non-renewable resources, the stock provided by each is constant in the period relevant for human planning which includes traditional energy sources such as gasoline or coal.

Natural resources management is the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants, and animals, with a specific focus on how management influences the quality of life for both present and future generations (stewardship). Natural resources management involves managing the interaction of various fields such as natural heritage management, land use planning, water management, biodiversity conservation, and sustainability of industries such as agriculture, mining, tourism, fisheries, and forestry. This approach recognizes that human livelihoods depend on the health and productivity of our landscape and that humans have a responsibility to act as stewards of the land to maintain its health and productivity [4].

According to Environmental Law, sustainable management of natural resources involves utilizing these resources in a way that maintains and improves the resilience of ecosystems and the benefits they provide. This approach aims to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, while also supporting the achievement of welfare goals outlined in the Act on the Wellbeing of Future Generations [5].

2. The need for sustainable management of natural resources

All sources that are used and consumed by humans are ultimately derived from natural resources. However, due to factors such as population growth, industrialization, and urbanization, the demand for these resources is steadily increasing while their availability is limited. This has to concerns about the sustainability of resource use and the need for more responsible management practices to ensure that these resources are available for future generations. Therefore, there is a need for sustainable management of natural resources. These include:

• Judicious use of natural resources and avoiding wastage of natural resources.

• Long-term planning is essential for the sustainable use of natural resources, ensuring that they are available not only for the present but also for future generations.

• The exploitation of natural resources should not be limited to benefiting only a few people or groups but should be distributed equitably for the benefit of all.

• When extracting and using natural resources, it is important to plan for the safe disposal of waste to prevent damage to the environment.

Natural resources are closely linked to the global agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a principle that forms a basis for land management and environmental practices worldwide. Sustainable management of natural resources involves a scientific and technical understanding of resources and ecology, as well as an understanding of the supportive capacity of those resources. This approach aims to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This concept helps in sustainably managing natural resources as they resources are utilized and saved [6].

According to Tayagi [7], sustainable management of natural resources demands the following:

• Using resources carefully and wisely as these resources are limited and finite.

• A long-term perspective that takes into account the needs of future generations, so that these resources will last for the generations to return and cannot merely be exploited for short-term gains.

• Minimize the damage caused to the environment during the extraction and use of these resources.

• Planning for the safe disposal of the waste which is generated during the extraction and use of these resources.

3. Forest resources: the Malaysian perspective

Malaysia is home to some of the most precious natural resources in the world, including its tropical rainforests. These forests are incredibly diverse and complex and are known for their high productivity and ecological significance. Malaysia’s climate is characterized by high temperatures and heavy rainfall, which creates ideal conditions for the growth of tropical rainforests, as well as other forest types such as hill dipterocarp forests, peat swamp forests, freshwater swamp forests, and mangrove forests. These forests provide a range of benefits to both humans and the environment, including regulating the climate, supporting biodiversity, and providing valuable ecosystem services such as water purification and soil conservation.

Malaysia has a total land area of 32.94 million hectares, of which 18.23 million hectares are classified as forest areas. Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Sabah are the three main regions of Malaysia, and they occupy 5.69, 7.79, and 4.75 million hectares of forest cover, respectively. This translates into 43.5, 62.6, and 64.3% of the forest cover in each region, respectively (Table 1).

Region	Forest Cover (ha)			Total Forest Cover (ha)	Land Area (ha)	Total Forest Cover (%)
	Inland Forest	Peat Swamp Forest	Mangrove Forest
Peninsular Malaysia	5,338,082	243,504	110,953	5,692,539	13,100,367	43.5
Sarawak	7,328,029	320,207	139,890	7,788,126	12,444,951	62.6
Sabah	4,273,536	97,276	378,195	4,749,007	7,390,224	64.3
Total	16,939,647	660,987	629,038	18,229,673	32,935,542	55.3

Table 1.

Forest cover in Malaysia (2020).

Source: [8].

The Malaysian Government is committed to its effort to maintain natural forest cover of more than 50% of its land base, as declared at the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit. Forestry departments in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak have been using remote sensing technology for mapping monitoring and inventory purposes in order to effectively monitor forest resources. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have been integrated with advanced technologies such as hyperspectral imaging and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) have been used with the integration of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to facilitate the departments to carry out the management and monitoring responsibilities.

4. Sustainable management of natural resources in Malaysian

Malaysia has benefited from the abundant natural resources that have made a significant economic contribution. Environmental services provide these natural resources. It is crucial to ensure proper management of environmental performance, especially with regard to conservation and sustainable use, as natural resources are one of the nation’s greatest strengths and assets. Sustainable management of natural resources is important to ensure that present and future generations enjoy the benefit of the natural bounty while striving for green growth.

4.1 Sustainable forest management

Diverse initiatives have been made in Malaysia to manage natural resources sustainably. Since 1901, Malaysia has been using Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) in the forestry industry. SFM refers to the process of managing permanent forests and achieving one or more clearly defined management objectives with regard to the production of a continuous flow of desired forest products without having an excessively negative impact on the physical and social environment.

4.2 Main pillars of sustainable forest management

According to Lye [9], SFM is based on three main pillars: (1) economically viable, which means that the forestry sectors benefit the economic development of the nation and its people; (2) environmentally sound, which means that the forestry sectors implement the environmental friendly forestry practices and keep the ecosystem support the healthy organisms while preserving its productivity, adaptability, and capacity for renewal; (3) socially acceptable, which reflects the relationship between development and social norms, an activity is socially sustainable if it conforms to these norms.

4.3 Permanent reserved forest

Permanent Reserved Forests (PRFs) have been established throughout Malaysia as a result of the National Forestry Act (1984). Malaysia PRFs manage four categories of forests, i.e., Production Forests, Protection Forests, Education Forests, Reserved and Education Forests, and Amenity Forests [10].

Protection forests are established to ensure favorable climatic and physical conditions in the nation, protect water resources, and maintain soil fertility, environmental quality, and biological diversity of the forests. Production forests are necessary for the nation’s economic development and for the nation’s agricultural, domestic industries, and export needs. Research and education forests are introduced for forestry education, publicity services, and development to better convey the advantages of forests. Amenity forests are established based on the forest’s attractiveness and its natural environment that serve as areas for ecotourism and to stay away from the noise and busy city life.

5. Conclusion

Natural resources on the earth are limited. The proper management of natural resources takes into attention long-term perspective and prevents their exploitation to the hilt for short-term goals. Because the human population is increasing rapidly, the demand for sources will increase day by day. Sustainable management can ensure the equitable distribution of natural sources, therefore, all humans can benefit from the development of those resources.