(MY) sabah forests protected

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Sabah forests protected by world-standard guidelines - New Straits Times

15 Nov 2006

 

 

 

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KOTA KINABALU:Sabah has a draft master list of protected areas based

on World Conservation Union (IUCN) guidelines, the first state to have

one.

 

According to consultant Dr John Payne, who prepared the list, 21.8 per

cent of Sabah's land mass is protected, more than double the IUCN

recommendation of 10 per cent.

 

What is more important is that the list will allow conservationists in

Sabah to " speak the same language " when communicating with countries

which have taken a similar step.

 

 

 

Sabah Wildlife Department deputy director Laurentius Ambu said having

a list based on international standards would open up opportunities to

exchange information.

 

" It will also allow us to compare where we stand in relation to other

regions that use the same guidelines. We can learn from other

countries which have implemented IUCN guidelines in defining protected

areas. "

 

Ambu was speaking on the sidelines of a workshop to discuss the master

list here yesterday.

 

The department co-organised the workshop with Sabah Parks, under the

multi-stakeholder Bornean Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conservation

(BBEC) programme.

 

The idea to formulate a list based on IUCN standards came up at a BBEC

workshop a year ago, following disparities in reports on the size of

protected areas in Sabah.

 

BBEC hired Payne to come up with a master list, which was presented

for the third time yesterday.

 

Ambu said once the list was finalised, it would be submitted to BBEC

Steering Committee chairman Datuk KY Mustafa to present to the state

government.

 

Mustafa is also Sabah state secretary.

 

Payne said the 21.8 per cent figure he had proposed may change.

 

" But it is still higher than had been reported in the past. We also

look at Commercial Forest Reserves which state conservation as part of

their management plan. One such area is the Deramakot Forest Reserve. "

 

Payne has also made a separate list of land that lies adjacent to or

within protected areas and is recommending that these areas be looked

at for protection in the short to long term.

 

Chief Minister's Department Natural Resources secretary Nordin Siman

said protected areas were surrounded by economic development.

 

" We can boost the long-term conservation value of protected areas by

thinking of ways to link existing protected areas.

 

" For example, two protected forests could be linked by allocating

corridors of well-managed production forests. "

 

His opening speech was read out by Natural Resources office Water

Resources adviser Ibrahim Kassim.