Kapur (or kapor) is a dipterocarp hardwood from trees of the genus Dryobalanops found in lowland tropical rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia and South-East Asia. [1] It is a durable construction tropical timber. One variety, D. aromatica , is a source of camphor.
The name kapur can refer to the following species from the Dryobalanops genus:[ citation needed ]
Kapur is logged from old-growth forest, often illegally. These forests have developed over the course of hundreds of years. When harvested, these trees are often between 250 and 1000 years old. [2] For a tree from the family Dipterocarpaceae, it takes approximately 100 years to reach a height of 30 meters. [3] Most of the species that are sold as kapur are listed on the IUCN Red List for endangered species. For example, D. fusca is critically endangered. [4]
Overexploitation has led to large scale deforestation in the tropics. The International Tropical Timber Organization is concerned with conserving the habitat of trees producing tropical timber.[ citation needed ]
According to FSC, certified tropical hardwood can counteract deforestation. Forests that are managed according to the FSC standards, become economically valuable and might therefore not be converted to farmland. [5] However, other organisations advise consumers to stay away from kapur altogether to avoid logging of centuries-old trees. [6] [7]
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines a forest as, "Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban use." Using this definition, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 found that forests covered 4.06 billion hectares, or approximately 31 percent of the world's land area in 2020.
Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropical rainforests or temperate rainforests, but other types have been described.
Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used narrowly to describe the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard. In common usage, however, the term may cover a range of forestry or silviculture activities.
The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopian Zone or Ethiopian Region.
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase, or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission, or from a protected area; the cutting down of protected species; or the extraction of timber in excess of agreed limits. Illegal logging is a driving force for a number of environmental issues such as deforestation, soil erosion and biodiversity loss which can drive larger-scale environmental crises such as climate change and other forms of environmental degradation.
Dipterocarpaceae is a family of 16 genera and about 695 known species of mainly tropical lowland rainforest trees. Their distribution is pantropical, from northern South America to Africa, the Seychelles, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines. The greatest diversity of Dipterocarpaceae occurs in Borneo.
Tropical rainforests are rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season – all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm – and may also be referred to as lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest. True rainforests are typically found between 10 degrees north and south of the equator ; they are a sub-set of the tropical forest biome that occurs roughly within the 28-degree latitudes. Within the World Wildlife Fund's biome classification, tropical rainforests are a type of tropical moist broadleaf forest that also includes the more extensive seasonal tropical forests.
Shorea is a genus of about 196 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The genus is named after Sir John Shore, the governor-general of the British East India Company, 1793–1798. The timber of trees of the genus is sold under the common names lauan, luan, lawaan, meranti, seraya, balau, bangkirai, and Philippine mahogany.
Danum Valley Conservation Area is a 438 square kilometres tract of relatively undisturbed lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, Malaysia. It has an extensive diversity of tropical flora and fauna, including such species as the rare Bornean orangutans, gibbons, mousedeer, clouded leopards and over 270 bird species. Activities offered are jungle treks, river swimming, bird watching, night jungle tours and excursions to nearby logging sites and timber mills.
Neobalanocarpus is a monotypic genus of plants in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The single species, Neobalanocarpus heimii, is a tropical hardwood tree. Common names for the tree and its wood products include chengal, chan ta khien, chi-ngamat, takian chan, and takian chantamaeo. The tree grows over 60 m (197 ft) tall. Chengal is considered the number one wood of Malaysia and export of logs is prohibited due to its scarcity. The species is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red list.
Dryobalanops is a genus of flowering plants and the genus of family Dipterocarpaceae. The name Dryobalanops is derived from Greek and describes the acorn-like nut. The genus has seven species, confined to the tropical forests of West Malesia. It is among the most abundant species of emergent trees in these forests, growing up to 80 m tall.
Dryobalanops aromatica, commonly known as Borneo camphor, camphor tree, Malay camphor, or Sumatran camphor, is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The species name aromatica is derived from Latin and refers to the smell of the dammar (resin). This species was one of the main sources of camphor and attracted early Arab traders to Borneo, at that time being worth more than gold, and used for incense and perfumes.
Dryobalanops beccarii, or Kapur Keladan, is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The species is named after Odoardo Beccari, 1843–1920, an Italian explorer and botanist. It is found in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. It is a large emergent tree, up to 65 m tall, found in mixed dipterocarp forests on shallow leached soils over both sandstone and shale. It is a heavy hardwood sold under the trade names of Kapur. It is recorded from at least four protected areas.
Dryobalanops fusca is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The species name fusca is derived from Latin and refers to the dark coloured indumentum This species is endemic to Borneo, where it is threatened due to habitat loss. It is a large emergent tree, up to 60 m tall, found in kerangas forests on raised beaches. It is a heavy hardwood sold under the trade names of Kapur.
Dryobalanops keithii is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The species is named after H.G. Keith, 1899–1982, a Conservator of Forests in North Borneo. This species is endemic to Borneo, where it is threatened due to habitat loss. It is a main canopy to low emergent tree, up to 40 m tall, found in mixed dipterocarp forest on well-drained but moist clay soils. It is a heavy hardwood sold under the trade names of Kapur.
Dryobalanops oblongifolia is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae, native to regions of Southeast Asia and Maritime Southeast Asia.
Dryobalanops rappa is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The species name is derived from Iban and refers to the species habitat. This species is endemic to Borneo. It is found in at least one protected area, but is threatened elsewhere due to habitat loss, The IUCN has assessed the species as Endangered due to habitat damage by deforestation, mining, agriculture and fires.
The Borneo lowland rain forests is an ecoregion, within the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, of the large island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It supports approximately 15,000 plant species, 380 bird species and several mammal species. The Borneo lowland rain forests is diminishing due to logging, hunting and conversion to commercial land use.
Deforestation in Borneo has taken place on an industrial scale since the 1960s. Borneo, the third largest island in the world, divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, was once covered by dense tropical and subtropical rainforests.
The Windsor Tablelands are a series of plateaus located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The Windsor Tableland and surrounding rainforest area are contained as part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland, sitting between the Daintree Rainforest and Mount Lewis National Park. Additionally, the region is contained in the state electorate of Cook and situated in the greater Tablelands Region of North Queensland. The Tablelands hug the mountain ranges of the Great Dividing Range with the nearest town being Wujal Wujal. The Tableland area is a larger part of the Mount Windsor Forest Reserve which represents 44,000 hectares of land in the Wet Tropic region and is a conserved nature area, as proclaimed by the Government of Queensland in 2005. Predominately the majority of the Mount Windsor Tableland is closed off for any form of public use and access to the area is often only given on request. There is currently no residential population in the Mount Windsor Tableland region as a majority of the area is national park.