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Read about some of the recent conservation projects and initiatives carried out in Sabah.
Sabah Conservation Strategy [1990-1992] This Project was carried out by the Ministry of Culture, Environment and Tourism (MOCET) in 1990. WWF Malaysia was commissioned by MOCET to prepare the Sabah Conservation Strategy. A range of recommendations was formulated in the strategy for the sustainable management of nature areas and natural resources of Sabah and has been endorsed and adopted by the Government.
Partners for Wetlands - Kinabatangan Currently in its second phase, the project aims to develop smart partnerships between the private sector, the local community, and government agencies in order to support sound environmental practices along the lower Kinabatangan River.
This project was a follow up of previous works carried out by WWF Malaysia-and collaborative works with the Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Science and Technology (MTEST)-aimed at supporting an initiative to gazette the area due to the uniqueness of its flora and fauna assemblage. It also aims to encourage partnerships on wise landuse in the Kinabatangan Floodplain, especially within the proposed Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. This includes good environmental management, promoting effective waste reduction and waste treatment to improve water quality, and encouraging business diversification to support a flourishing economy in the area.
The Sabah Tourism Masterplan and the National Ecotourism Plan highlighted the lower Kinabatangan for its role as a Nature Tourism Destination, mainly due to the attraction of Proboscis Monkey viewing along the Menanggul River. The document also showed the need to protect the wildlife and diversity present there and noted that if this area is severely damaged or lost, this will be a serious setback for the east coast zone nature tourism. A concept of wildlife sanctuary proposed comprised blocks of land that link the mangrove areas near the coast with the existing protected areas further inland, creating a corridor of floodplain habitat to maintain the ranging patterns of wildlife.
With the establishment of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary near Sandakan, nature tourism may be one way conservation could contribute to the livelihoods of the local people who are being affected by depleting natural resources. The commitment was to fully gazette and protect the 27,000 hectares of wetlands as a wildlife sanctuary. The State Government viewed the floodplain as an important wildlife habitat, tourism product and source of water supply to the eastern part of Sabah.
The remain Lots, was formerly Gazetted on the 15th of January under the Land Ordinance Act as a Bird Sanctuary, by the Chief Minister, YAB Datuk Chong Kah Kiat at the unveiling of Vision for the Kinabatangan Floodplains, organised by Partners for Wetland.
The Sabah Biodiversity Conservation Project (SBCP) [1996-1998] The SBCP is a project of the Ministry of Culture, Environment and Tourism (MOCET). It officially commenced in January 1996 and concludes in December 1998 with recommendations to the Sabah Government in support of biodiversity conservation. The Chief Technical Advisor was Mr Eivind Kofod from DANCED.
The overall objective of this Project is to improve and sustain the use of Sabah's biological resources. It was carried out with funding from the Danish Cooperation for Environment and Development (DANCED). The SBCP was organised as several components, one of which has been the IPPA, with technical assistance provided by the World Wide Fund for Nature, Malaysia.
Identification of Potential Protected Areas Project (IPPA) [1996-1999] The IPPA Project is one of the sub-components on the 3-year Sabah Biodiversity Conservation Project initiated in 1996 with financial and technical assistance provided by DANCED. Its Chief Technical Advisor was Dr Junaidi Payne (also WWF Malaysia, Sabah Chapter)
The The Project's specific objectives were:
The 6 specific areas investigated were:
See list of reports prepared under the IPPA here Semporna Islands Park Project [1997-2000] The Project was a 3-year collaboration between Sabah Parks, the Marine Conservation Society UK, Nature Link Belgium and WWF Malaysia. It was supported by the European Community under its global environment fund. The proposed Semporna Islands Park (SIP), roughly 23 km northeast of Semporna town in east Sabah, covers 350 sq km. The islands and reefs are very high in biodiversity and conservation value. Currently, however, they are not protected legally. Gazettement of the Park will protect the area's high biodiversity while maximising opportunities for economic development and sustainable use. The Project covered:
Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project (KOCP) [1998-present] The project was initiated in 1998 by an French NGO called HUTAN, which was established by Dr Marc and Dr Isobel Ancrenaz. The project in an effort to ensure the long-term survival of wild orangutans in habitats that exist in close proximity to local communities in the Lower Kinabatangan. This project consists of long-term studies on orangutan habitats and population, developing community outreach and awareness programs, and most importantly, assisting the community in conservation efforts that provide tangible benefits over the long-term (especially through ecotourism).
The KOCP is based in Kampung Sukau, Kinabatangan, and the project has a station equipped with base has a project house, training centre and nurseries (for plants). It comprises of 35 trained staff fromthe Kinabatangan community. KOCP works in collaboration with the Sabah Wildlife Department. They also assist other agencies and institutions dealing with conservation of wildlife.
They have also organised a statewide census on orangutan population in 2003 together with the Sabah Wildlife Department. The result of that census showed that there are an estimated 13,000 orangutan throughout forested areas in Sabah. In the Kinabatangan area (Wildlife Sanctuary, forest reserve and other proposed conservation areas), it is estimated that there are about 1000 orangutans. Contact Dr. Marc Ancrenaz for more info. Maliau Basin Management Plan Project [1999-2002] The "Management of Maliau Basin Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia" project was agreed upon as a Malaysian-Danish Government-to-Government cooperation project in the field of environment in October 1998. The development objective of the project is to secure the conservation of Maliau Basin for the benefit of Sabah, Malaysia and the international community.
Danish input is provided through DANCED (Danish Cooperation for Environment and Development) was further defined and a Danish consultant was selected to be responsible for the actual provision of the DANCED inputs. These inputs and the related conditions were settled in a contract signed October 1999 between DANCED and the consultant, Ornis Consult Ltd. and NEPCon Joint Venture, while Malaysian input is through Yayasan Sabah (Sabah Foundation), on behalf of the Maliau Basin Management Committee.
A Project Steering Committee (PSC) has been established to monitor the progress of the project, and must approve all major changes to project implementation. The PSC is thus responsible for the formal overseeing of the project by the Malaysian Government and DANIDA (previously known as DANCED). Members of the PSC are:
A Project Management Group, consisting of the Project Director, Dr Waidi Sinun, of Yayasan Sabah Forestry Division, and Chief Technical Adviser, Mr Hans Skotte Moeller, Ornis Consult / NEPCon, supervises a project team comprising both local and international staff.
The three-year project runs officially from October 1st 1999 to September 30, 2002 and the objectives include:
Only about 20% of Maliau Basin Conservation Area has so far been explored, and researchers will carry out botanical, faunal, meteorological, hydrological, geological and soil studies as well as detailed mapping surveys.
The project will also address public awareness and environmental education about Maliau Basin Conservation Area, and its potential for ecotourism.
Asian Rhino Elephant Action Strategy (AREAS) [2000-present] This project is the Sabah component of AREAS (Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy), a WWF initiative to coordinate Asian elephant and rhino work in their range states through a strategic approach. The project will survey for elephant and rhinos in selected key habitats where viable populations may exist and to document landuse impacts on both species. The study will also identify areas that can be retained as natural habitats as well as areas that require management to allow elephants to survive in. A GIS approach will be used, especially in the planning processes and the application of best practices for land management and habitat security for elephants and rhinos.
SOS Rhino [2000-present] The Wildlife Department has been working with SOS Rhino and WWF since 2000 with an increased focus on the Sumatran rhinoceros. The Department built facilities at Sepilok in the late 80’s that resulted in the first breeding between pairs of rhinos. They later received GEF funding for survey work in Sabah and later hosted the first population viability assessment for the Sumatran rhino in 1995.
SOS Rhino is dedicated to protecting rhinos and their habitat. The Bornean sub-species of the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni) is one of the most endangered rhinos – mainly due to habitat loss and poaching. There may be as few as 30 of this sub-species left in the wild and only two in captivity. With large and varied habitat requirements, the protection of this animal will further the conservation of other fauna and flora in the ecosystem they inhabit.
To increase the understanding of the Sumatran rhinoceros, SOS Rhino has joined staff from Sabah Wildlife Department Malaysia (JHL), World Wildlife Fund, and Singapore Zoological Gardens (SZG) to form the SOS Rhino Team in Borneo. Our team consists of a local Program Officer, Research Student, Veterinarian, 12 Field Assistants, Volunteers, and a US-trained Field Scientist.
SOS Rhino’s Borneo Project has two main goals:
INIKEA Project [1998-present] The INIKEA project started in June 1998 after the signing of the MOU between Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd (ICSB) and Sow-a-Seed Foundation (SAS). The aim of the project is to rehabilitate 4,000-5,000 ha of degraded forest in the Kalabakan Forest Reserve (Class II).
The SAS contributed about US$ 750,000 annually for ears, of which 10 % was channeled to the Maliau Basin Conservation Project and another 10 % for the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SUAS).
The project area covers 18,500 ha of forest land. As of February 2004, the total planted area was about 5,094 ha. A further 115 ha was liberated (i.e. climbers, Macaranga and invasive vines removed to boost natural regeneration). |