Progress of Crop in Some Rhizophora Stands before First Thinning in Matang Mangrove Reserve of Peninsular Malaysia

The study reports the composition and growth pattern of the crops dominated by Rhizophora species in terms of stocking density, diameter and height growth in some well-managed stands in Matang Mangrove Reserve of Peninsular Malaysia. In all, 10 stands representing 6 years (4), 9 years (3) and 12 years (3) were studied. On an average there were 8371,4661 and 4181 stems/ha of Rhizophora in 6, 9 and 12 year-old crops respectively. Mean DBH and height for the respective age crops were 3.26 cm and 6.34 m, 5.50 cm and 10.96 m and 6.91 cm and 12.62 m. Highest mortalityoccu"edin 6-9 year-old crop. This period also showed best growth both in diameter and height. These studies indicate the need for silvicultural thinning in 6- 9 year-old crop. The climber Derris trifoliata may seriously affect growth and survival in some areas

Natural forest dynamics. I. Homogeneity of species distribution

This study was carried out on a randomly chosen 10-ha (200 × 500 m) forest area within the 50-ha Demography Project area of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) in Pasoh Forest Reserve, Negri Sembilan, Malaysia. The 10-ha study area contained 13 950 trees of 5 cm dbh and larger with a total of 619 species. Of the total 619 species, 26 (4.2%) species were of dipterocarps, 525 (84.8%) non-dipterocarps and 68 (11.0%) miscellaneous species. The results indicate that there is a 95% chance of detecting trees belonging to either all dipterocarp, all non-dipterocarp, or miscellaneous species groups by using a contiguous area of 5 ha; a contiguous area of 2 ha is sufficient to detect trees of all diameter size classes from 5 cm dbh onwards. For practical purpose, a contiguous area of 5 ha is sufficiently large to sample and detect tree distribution by species group and size class simultaneously. The implications of the results of the present study are discussed in relation to the need of establishing larger plot size to enumerate tree parameters, especially in monitoring forest growth dynamics by major species grouping and size class

Natural forest dynamics. II. Sampling of tree volume using quadrats in tropical forests of Peninsular Malaysia

This study was carried out on a randomly chosen 10-ha (200 × 500 m) forest area within the 50-ha area Demography Project of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) at Pasoh Forest Reserve, Negri Sembilan, Malaysia. A modified minimum-variance method was used to determine statistically the most efficient quadrat size among the eight quadrat sizes used. The minimum sampling intensity associated with each quadrat size, at 90% confidence and 10% error, was determined in estimating tree volume. In general, the 30 × 30 m quadrat was found to be statistically the most efficient in sampling tree volume ≥ 15 cm dbh at 90% confidence and 10% error levels. The percentage sample size requirement differed between species groups, size classes and quadrat sizes used. The implications of the result of the present study are discussed in relation to the current inventory methods used in Malaysia. For example, a 16% sampling intensity is required to inventory all trees ≥ 15 cm dbh with 90% confidence and 10% error levels using 30 × 30 m quadrat, increasing to 24% when using 20 × 50 m quadrat

Moderating relationship of organizational culture between quality of work life and employee engagement

The study of organizational culture, quality of work-life and employee engagement are important in constructing management tools used as the most powerful and stable management dependable operating construct in organizations. The objective of this study is to develop a construct model of management, turning organizational culture, quality of work-life and employee engagement as a single system. These three variables have attracted theories that spring up human development and innovation. A different theory with a different concept, social exchange theory connected to a variety of processes of organizational success on employee engagement. An organizational culture fosters the quality of work-life and employee engagement within an organization. While the quality of "work-life" nurture employee engagement. However, it becomes highly difficult for management to exist without these three constructs as a model. The culture of an organisation plays a vital role for managers facing challenges to be guarded and acquire knowledge regards to vision, goal, mission and objective attached to the organization for the solution. In today, management systems it quite difficult for organization succeed without combine right variable as a single construct. This is to moderate balance between employee and employer. Organizations culture, quality of work-life and employee engagement have been tailored contributing to the greater influence of dynamic changes in a gradually, global marketplace. An appropriate construct of organizational culture will contribute to supporting employee engagement and the quality of work-life relationship. The result of this construct will be contributing, rewarding to management in solving and balancing employee and employer issues

Level of awareness of UTM staff on occupational safety and health at the work place

The purpose of this study is to determine the level of awareness among UTM staff towards safety and health at the workplace. The respondents comprised of 319 academic and non-academic staff who work in faculties that use high risk equipment or substances, namely the Faculty of Education, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, and the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Natural Resources. Questionnaires were used as the main instrument for obtaining data for this study. The data were analyzed descriptively based on frequency, percentage and mean in order to determine the level of awareness of the respondents towards safety and health. To examine the relationship between demographic factors and respondents awareness towards safety and health, the Pearson Correlation was used. The results showed that UTM staff had a high level of awareness of safety and health based on their overall mean score of 3.97. Aspects of the staffs level of awareness towards safety and health that were studied were policy, procedure, equipment, training, Department of Safety and Health and commitment as well as environment. Further evaluation showed that the dominant factors that influenced the level of awareness of UTM staff with regards to safety and health were training and policy. Findings also showed that demographic factors did not influence the level of awareness, whether directly or indirectly. The factors that were analyzed recorded a level of relationship of <0.20 and 0.20 0.40 only. This indicates a weak correlation. Finally, this study concludes that in order to raise the level of awareness towards safety and health, the Universitys administration should increase the number of training programmes, safety and health awareness campaigns, offer continuous or periodic safety and health programmes and enforce the use of safety equipment by staff involved in high risk tasks

Sustained yield as an objective of Malaysian forest management

The paper reviews the concept of sustained yield, assesses its advantages and disadvantages, and attempts to put into perspective its application in managing the forest of Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The concept is traced from its beginning in early European Forestry, through its various developments in North America, to its introduction to forestry thinking in Malaysia. Its alleged advantages and disadvantages are synthesized from the on-going debate on the concept in the forestry literature, and suggestions for the improvement of the concept are discussed. The form of sustained yield which should be used as an objective in Malaysian forest management is suggested. Its main features should be applicable to forest management in the other nations of Southeast Asia and the Tropics