‘Notes on Forest Exploitation and the Forestry Service in British North Borneo and Dutch N.E Borneo’ ([1937])

Forest exploitation in British Borneo began a considerable time ago and, as everywhere else, it originally consisted in unrestrained timber felling, although a few Philippine methods were already being applied. The Timber-supply or the British Borneo Timber Co. (BBTC), besides the Management and the sawmill, where 5 Europeans are employed, is under the supervision of 2 Europeans. The North Borneo Timber Company, which has been working for over 60 years, does not go farther than 20 miles upstream and does not lay rail tracks of more than 2 or 3 miles, usually less. The timber trade in British North Borneo is prosperous and enjoys favourable circumstances. Timber for special purposes, according to the selection, treatment and handling, naturally costs more than normal prices, for instance urat mata (Parashorea spp.) for ships' decks fetches about 100 percent more after selection. Large portions of mangrove forest have been reserved and surveyed, sometimes just marked out by plain boards.