Annual report on Brunei / Colonial Office.

  • Colonial Office
Date:
[1949]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on Brunei / Colonial Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    26/90 page 20
    The following areas were preliminarily gazetted as proposed Forest Reserves but had not been constituted by the end of the year:— Sungei Belalang 77,000 acres. This is a remote and unin¬ habited area in the south of Temburong District—a part of “Unoccupied” reservation will link it to the existing Batu Apoi Forest Reserve and aims at protection only. Ulu Sungei Belait 9,300 acres. This is an area of good Meranti forest which is an extension of the existing Labi Hills Forest Reserve and will fully protect the headwaters of the Sungei Belait. Berakas 560 acres. This is a low sandy ridge of Sempilau by the coast in Brunei District. It is to be reserved for protection, for amenity and as a future firewood supply. The proposed reservation of the following area was approved but it had not been preliminarily gazetted by the end of the year. » Ladan Hills 92,000 acres. This is a lengthy uninhabited area on the eastern border of Tutong District. The aim of its reservation is protection and future exploitation. When constituted these new reserves will bring the area of reserved forests to 923 square miles or 41.5% of the total land area of the State. Forest Reserve Boundaries. There are 72 miles of reserve boundaries which require active upkeep. This excludes some 222 miles of boundaries which are riparian or are State boundaries or which are remote and as yet not demarcated. During the year 21 miles of boundaries were cleaned. Wooden and metal reserve notice boards were erected at key points. Routine patrols along, river and ridge boundaries were made by the field staff. Surveys. Chain and compass surveys were carried out by the staff in demarcating boundaries of proposed forest reserves. The lack of accurate maps of some areas was acutely felt on such an occasion as the exploration of the Ladan Hills where the Government’s knowledge of the State boundary is scanty. Management of Forests. Communication. (a) Rivers. The two most important rivers of the State— the Belait and the Tutong—were used for the rafting of logs down to the sawmills. The Temburong river is too shallow save in spates to be so used. Softwood logs are the main logs brought down in this way—those of the hard species e.g. Merbau, only occasionally. By cutting and tieing the reeds which abound in the Sungei Mendaram it was possible for log rafts to be conveyed down this river to Kuala Belait. (b) Light Railways. The light railway owned by the British Malayan Petroleum Company running from Seria to Badas on the Belait River continued to be used (on repayment) for the
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