Ecological linkages to connect National Parks in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: A plan to set up ecological linkages connecting the national parks in Sabah, as a way to further strengthen biodiversity conservation efforts in the State is expected to materialise soon, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

He revealed that a 15-month long study carried out since 2010 for the setting up of the linkage, to be known as Kinabalu Eco-Linc (Kinabalu Ecological Linkage), was nearing completion.

“The whole idea is to provide a link or connectivity between both protected areas so that they can boost each other’s potentials,” he said after officiating at the opening of a two-day final stakeholders workshop for the study here, yesterday.

The plan was to link Kinabalu Park in Kundasang and the Crocker Range Park in Tambunan, which are currently separated by a distance of up to 10 kilometres at the closest points, through enhanced ecological connectivity between the two parks.

The challenge is the plan would affect approximately 11,000 people living at over 20 settlements situated within the area.

“The Kinabalu Ecolinc plan is vital towards the realisation of the full potential in all aspects within these protected areas, including tourism. The plan should be accepted by all parties as an initiative for biodiversity conservation and a move towards empowering the village people to look after their own forests,” said Masidi.

He added the linkage would only involve areas densely covered with pristine forests along a ridge that lies within the village reserve areas (native customary reserves).

The government, he added, was working together with the villagers involved under this initiative.

“The government prefers that this initiative not involve any gazetting of a new forest reserve, because we rather look at this as a joint effort between the government and the village people themselves.

“We would rather take it as an effort on the part of the village people themselves to look after their own village surrounding environment, with the government assuming the role of a facilitator. We trust the village people because they have been living there for generations,” he said.

The 15-month long study is undertaken by ERE Consulting Group Sdn Bhd.

The other objective of the project, said Masidi, was to ensure that the quality of environment in the areas already inhabited by the natives would not be degraded.

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Sabah To Push For Ramsar Site Status For Kota Kinabalu Wetland

KOTA KINABALU -- The Sabah government is pushing for Ramsar Site status for Kota Kinabalu Wetland, one of the eco-tourism attractions in the state.

Ramsar Sites are designated under the Ramsar Convention, also known as the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. The Convention has the unique distinction of being the first modern treaty between nations aimed at conserving natural resources. The Convention was signed in 1971 at the small Iranian town of Ramsar, and hence is also known as the Ramsar Convention.

Disclosing this, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the state government was also in the process of consulting relevant stakeholders to register the Crocker Range Park for Unesco's Man and Biosphere programme.

"I am pleased to learn that the Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention is scheduled to visit Kota Kinabalu Wetland tomorrow. I hope the representatives from Unesco will get an opportunity to visit Crocker Range Park which is only about an hour's drive from here," he said in his opening speech at the Asian Wetland Symposium, here Monday.

The text of his speech was read out by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai.

Musa hoped that the Sabah Declaration, the expected outcome of this symposium, would become a catalyst for future integration of efforts in ensuring the protection and wise use of the state's natural resources.

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Mount Kinabalu area may become a Geopark site

KOTA KINABALU: A Unesco advisor on geological tourism has disclosed here that there is a possibility of the area around Mount Kinabalu to be established as a Geopark.

Professor Ross K Dowling, the foundation professor of tourism at the Edith Cowan University (ECU) of Western Australia, said Sabah and Sarawak have major possibilities for developing tourism, especially with the potential in establishment of Geoparks which the Unesco endorses.

When asked about the possible locations, he said the obvious one would be the area around Mt Kinabalu and the other is the Crocker Range on the other side of Sabah.

In the case of Sarawak, Professor Ross said among the possible sites for Geoparks are the area around the Bako National Park and the Mulu National Park.

“These are some opportunities now for geo-tourism in Sabah and Sarawak. It is on a planning stage,” he disclosed in an interview during his recent visit to Sabah.

He said the only Geopark in Malaysia is at Langkawi, which hosted the fourth European Geoparks Network conference in April last year.

Professor Ross also stated that the regional Asia Pacific Geoparks Network is headed by Professor Datuk Dr Ibrahim Komoo from the University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

According to him, Professor Ibrahim has a lot of knowledge of geopark happenings in China, Vietnam, Australia and Malaysia.

“Since that conference he and a body of people in Malaysia have been looking at other possibilities of Geoparks and Mount Kinabalu regional area is one.”

A Geopark is a nationally protected area containing a number of geological heritage sites of particular importance, rarity or aesthetic appeal. It achieves its goals through a three-pronged approach: conservation, education and geotourism.

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Plans afoot to form green belt between Kinabalu Park and Crocker Range Park

A forested corridor is being planned to link Kinabalu Park with Crocker Range Park.

THE success of Bundu Tuhan folks in preserving their own tract of green will figure largely in a novel scheme being undertaken by Sabah Parks.

Villagers in Ranau, Sabah, are being encouraged to establish their own community forests, too, the way the Bundu Tuhan people have done. The idea is that when these parcels of greenery are combined, they will form a green belt linking two major wildlife sanctuaries – Kinabalu Park and Crocker Range Park.

Both parks sit on the Crocker Range but are no longer contiguous as farms and settlements have sprouted within the 10km of land between them. This results in the parks becoming fragmented and isolated from each other, which effectively reduces the size of habitats and subsequently, the viability of animal and plant populations.

Last March, Sabah Parks commissioned ERE Consulting Group to study ways and means to create a forested corridor. One hurdle that stands in the way is land utilisation around the parks. Though chunks of forest remain, many people have lived there for generations.

“Most of the land within the identified corridor, though stateland, is also within native customary land and traditional village boundaries. We cannot create new parks or forest reserves (to form the corridor), so the way to go is community forests,” says ERE environmental consultant Randolph S. Jeremiah.

The consultants have met the people of 31 communities living within the boundaries of the proposed corridor, to explain the plan. “The community must first agree and be willing to do this,” says ERE managing director Dr G. Balamurugan. “Most are agreeable, though some are sceptical and fear that their land will be taken away.”

He stresses that the corridor will not be just about wildlife. “This is why we call it an ‘ecological link’ and not wildlife corridor as it is more than just for wildlife movement. Migrating wildlife will help disperse seeds. Protecting the corridor will also protect water supply and ensure the community’s continued use of the forest.”

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Plans afoot to form green belt between Kinabalu Park and Crocker Range Park
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