L J MODEL FOREST MANAGEMENT AREA SARAWAK, MALAYSIA Lit I MFMA, PHASE 11 111
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
j[::l ;1 " 1:,1 [ 1 " r':1 ! WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS ON DIGIT~~ AERIAL IMAGERY IN NO~THERN PART OF MFMA ',,' .4 : ' 1' "I I ~ , . \. , " , , ' \ t ~ri~f Introduction into \ ' Imagery D~, Q,,",I A~rial ~ystem . "" and Results Achieved " ~' : I,] : l j MODEL FOREST MANAGEMENT AREA SARAWAK, MALAYSIA lit I MFMA, PHASE 11 111 I : I" INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATION I FORESTRY DEPARTMENT :': LJ SARAWAK : t· J KUCHING : •. l: I JUNE 2000 III 'i lj: '1. l." i ' DETAILED SOIL SURVEY OF SUNGAI LlANG MERAU AREA, MODEL FOREST MANAGEMENT AREA (MUKAH HILL F.R.) (ITTO Project PD 14/95 REV, 2 (F) - Model Forest Management Area (Phase 11)) i • I I I I : ,.' I , : ! JOHN SABANG (SOIL SURVEYOR) i ' . I '. ri i . 1I .1,] .• li I International Tropical Timber Organisation Unit (ITTO), Forest Department Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia OCTOBER - DECEMBER 1996 " CONTENTS Page 1. Introduction 1 2. Survey Method 1 3. Vegetation and Landuse 3 t'· : 4. Geology and Landform 3 ! 5. Soil Classification and Mapping Unit 3 6. Soils 4 7. Soil Suitability 6 8. Suitability Classes for Landuse Options in Forestry Application 8 9. Landuse in Forestry Application 9 , , , I I :1 ' I' I 10. Correlation Between Soil and Terrain and the Landuse Options 10 11. Conclusion 12 12. References 13 Appendix: Soil Profiles Description Maps attached: Map 1 Soil Examination Plan Map 2 Soils and Terrain Map 3 Site Suitability " 1. Introduction ',I ,. , , An area located at Sungai Liang Merau a tributary of the Sungai Balingian, within the Model Forest Management Area, Mukah Hill F. R. was identified for a I detail soil survey with the objective of setting up 10 hectares of shifting agriculture area and logged over forest as an experimental forest plantation plot. 11 The experiment will also include enrichment planting and Silviculture treatment of the selected plot. The location of the area is shown in Figure 1. The area selected is along the main trucking road linking R. H. Balingian camp to the logpond at the junction along the Sibul Bintulu highway. It has been recommended that such area be brought back to timber production as proposed t in the Plan for Conversion of Forest Areas . Experimental plantings and Silviculture treatments trials are required in the Model Forest Management Area before such effort can be implemented by agencies or companies having an interest in sustainable resources production. The field work was carried out from 19 November until 20 December 1996 with assistance of Forest Guard Yazid Kalbi and Labourer Colin Imat from the Soil Research Unit, Research Branch, Department of Forestry Sarawak. The size of the area surveyed is approximately 160 hectares. 2. Survey Method A base map at the scale of 1 : 5,000 was prepared by the enlargement of a computer digitised 1 : 50,000 topographic map which was also incorporated with layout of the main trucking road obtained using the Global Positioning System. The trucking road was used as a baseline for planning the cut-lines (rentises). The cut-lines were spaced about 100m and along each cut-line the soil and site features were recorded. The soils were examined by augering down to 1 m with an Edelman auger at 100m interval along each cut-lines. Certain sites were chosen for soil pits for detailed examination of the dominant soil types. Soils samples were collected from each pit for laboratory analyses. After the field work was completed and the data compiled Soil Examination Plan which also shows the vegetation/landuse was prepared (Map 1). The soils and terrain information was then incorporated and synthesised to produced the Soils and Terrain map (Map 2). Based on the soils and terrain information and with the knowledge on drainage conditions, flooding and erosion hazard, the Site Suitability map was finally compiled (Map 3). t 10-Year Development Plan for the MFMA - Sarawak 1996-2006, Forest Land Use and Management Plans, Training, Research and Development and Demonstrations, The Government of the Federation of Malaysia, State Government of Sarawak - Forest Dept., International Tropical Timber Organisation, Kuching, November 1995. ! i ill o (") o N ! i i i • MAPShowin MFMA Location of the- area 2" 3. Vegetation and Landuse The vegetation and land use of the Area is shown on Map 1. The shifting agriculture areas which were under 2 to 4 years stages of fallow are located along the fringe of the trucking road confined to easthern half of the surveyed area. Beyond the shifting agriculture area, is the primary forest that has been logged and relogged recently (re-entry). As was observed during the field work, the logging practice has created widespread open canopy and entanglement of dislodged trees. 4. Geology and Landform The land is underlain by hard, massive sandstone interbedded with sandstone, siltstone and shale existing as part of the Metah Members of the Belaga .. , Formation formed during the Eocene age. The soils derived from this formation J are mainly clayey Merit Series, fine loamy Bekenu Series and their variant the Kapit Series. The landform of the area can generally be described as steep and strongly dissected hills. The area is drained by the Sungai Liang Merau a tributary of the Sungai Balingian. 5. Soil Classification and Mapping Unit The soil survey that was conducted has an observation density of approximately 1 per hectare. The soil examination plan with a scale of 1 : 2,000 is shown on Map1. The Soils are classified at series level and 8 soil series have been recognised and described. The soils and terrain information are combined to form the soil mapping unit. The soils types are grouped either as single soil series or as association of two or more soil series. The soils identified comprised mainly of Merit, Bekenu, Nyalau series of the Red Yellow Podzolic Soils, Kapit and Tutoh series of the Skeletal soils. The narrow fringe along the Sungai Liang Merau and and other creeks consisted of sandy deposition which can be classified as of the Siar series of the Arenaceous soils. Plan and Gong series of the Gley soils are found in valleys with impeded drainage. Due to their limited occurrence the Siar and Plan soil series are not indicated on the map. • 3 i t . , .' 6. Soils 6.1 Red Yellow Podzolic Soils 6.1.1 Merit Series (Mrt) The Merit Series soils of the Merit family are the clayey texture Red Yellow Podzolic group with colour hue of 10 YR within 50cm of the surface. They are derived from argillaceous sedimentary rock, mainly shale. They are one of the i ", I most dominant soils and are associated with the Bekenu and Kapit Series soils. The soil profile has a brownish yellow A horizon above a yellow B horizon. Shale fragments is commonly found in the subsoil. The Merit Series soils are further classified into moderately shallow phase, 50 to 75cm (Mrt 1), moderately deep phase, 75 to 100cm (Mrt 2) and deep phase> 100cm (Mrt 3). The Merit Series soils are mainly of the moderately shallow and moderately deep phases. Description of 1 Merit Series soil profiles is given in the appendix. 6.1.2 Bekenu Series (Bkn) The Bekenu Series soils are fine loamy Red Yellow Podzolic group with colour i I I I hue of 10 YR within 50cm of the surface. The Bekenu soils are more extensive 'j than the above Merit family soils. The profile has a brownish yellow A horizon I . over a yellow B horizon. Weathered rock fragements are common in the subsoil i which increases with depth. Soil phases is similar to the Merit Family soils. The moderately shallow phase is the most common. Description of 2 Bekenu Series soil profiles are given in the appendix. 6.1.3 Nyalau Series (Nyl) The Nyalau Series soils are of the coarse loamy Red Yellow Podzolic group developed on sandstone. The soil profile has brownish yellow A horizon over yellow B horizon. Depth phases are similarly identified as in the Bekenu soils. They are confined to few spots only. Description of 1 Nyalau Series soil profile is given in the appendix. 6.1.4 Matang Series (Mtg) The Matang Series are also. coarse loamy Red Yellow Podzolic soils belonging to the Nyalau Family. They are differentiated by a horizon with sand and silt particles concentration below the top soil. They are very minor in occurrence. 4 '. :,1j 1 1, ".: ".1 6.2 Skeletal Soils 6.2.1 Kapit Series (Kpt) The Kapit Series soils are of the Skeletal group having more than 50 percent rock fragment or soft weathered bedrock within 50cm of the surface. They are the shallow variant of the Red Yellow Podzolic soils and are more extensive in occurrence. Significant amount of the Kapit soils were observed as man made such the of truncation and deposition of soil on and alongside feeder roads and skid trails. The rock fragement are either shale or a combination with sandstone. Description of 2 Kapit soil profiles are given in the appendix. 6.2.2 Meluan Series (Mln) The Meluan Series soils are of the Skeletal group where hard bedrock is :".. ", ',." encountered within 50cm from the surface. They are mainly underlain by siltstone or sandstone at the toe of slopes and are of limited occurrence. 6.2.3 Tutoh Series (Tth) The Tutoh Series soils are similar to the Kapit soils except that the soils are I derived from material previously slumped down from steep slopes with many I angular rock fragments occuring within 50cm from the surface. 6.3 Gley Soils 6.3.1 Gong Series (Gng) The Gley soils have grey colours throughout the profile or with more than 50 percent gleying (gley mottles with chroma <2) within 50cm from the soil surface.