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16th June, 2008
In principle, Yayasan Sabah Group (YSG) was not established for the purpose of carrying out any specific nature conservation activities.
Perhaps the closest link that Yayasan Sabah has with regard to nature conservation activities is Section 17 of the Yayasan Sabah Enactment, which relates to the almost one million hectare of the forestland that the Sabah State Government has made available to YSG as its source of funding to carry out the various activities that it needs to perform in order to achieve its social objectives.The timber concession area provided to Yayasan Sabah Group by the Sabah State Government to help finance activities related to its responsibility are rich in timber, yet very sensitive environmentally.
Therefore, it is inherent in Yayasan Sabah Group to manage the area on a sustainable manner, both economically and environmentally. Thus, while timer resources contain within the area is important to finance the implementation of Yayasan Sabah Group’s socio-economic responsibilities, at the same time it has to manage the area as environmentally friendly as possible.
This led to the creation of several conservation areas, namely Danum Valley, Maliau Basin and Imbak Canyon Conservation Areas. A recent addition is the Tumunong Hallu Conservatioon Area, a small coastal area at Darvel bay in Lahad Datu.
Danum Valley
The Danum Valley Conservation Area in terms of faunal and floral diversity, can be regarded as being representative of once abundance habitat in the island of Borneo – this is its main biodiversity, conservation and scientific value.
Among the inhabitants of Danum valley are the endangered Borneon Orangutan, Borneon pygmy elephant, banteng, Malayan Sun Bear, clouded leopard, bearded pig and many species of deer, and is home to the critically endangered Sumatran Rhineceros.
Danum Valley boasts 300 species of bird including the Red-Crowned Barbet, seven species of pitta and all eight species of hornbill found in Borneo. Danum Valley is also an important site for pioneering research and operational experiment in carbon sequestration, such as the Innoprise-Face Foundation Rehabilitation Project (Infrapro) and Reduced Impact logging (PIL) as well as site for major study on atmospheric chemistry. For the next four years beginning 2008, Danum Valley will host a long term research project entitled OP3-DANUM-08 which investigates climate changes.
Maliau Basin
Maliau Basin Conservation Area, is a huge bowl of almost pristine forests comprising an unusual assemblage of forest types guarded by formidable cliffs and described as one of the few remaining relatively untouched wilderness areas in the world. The flora of Maliau is distinct and diverse, including at least 6 species of pitcher plant and 80 species of orchid. Maliau may be one of only two remaining sites of the rare rafflesia tengku-adlinii. first discovered here in 1988. Over 270 species such as the Borneon Bristlehead, Peregrine falcon and Bulwer’s Pheasant have been recorded in the Area and the surrounding buffer zones, of which an astonishing 26% are listed as threatened or near-threatened by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Over 70 mammals such as the probocis monkey and Sumatran rhinoceros. The surrounding forest is also refuge to the endangered Banteng and Asian Elephant. There are numerous waterfalls, one of which is the magnificent 7-tiers Maliau falls.
Imbak Canyon
Imbak Canyon Conservation Area is a sweeping swathe of unspoilt forest, north of the Maliau Basin Conservation Area in the heart of Sabah. It is one of the largest remaining areas of unlogged lowland dipterocarp forest left in Sabah. As pristine forest, Imbak has key role as a gene bank or seed source for forest rehabilitation in the future, as well as a potentially important source of undiscovered plant based medicine. During a 10 day expedition, 69 specimens of ethno-medicinal plants from 15 families were found to be medicinally useful. Imbak also plays an integral role as part of the vital wildlife corridor connecting Danum Valley and Maliau Basin.
Tumunong Hallu
Tumunong Hallu Conservation Area is located in the Darvel on the southeast coast of Sabah. Darvel bay is one of the renowned marine biodiversity areas in the region. Yayasan Sabah Group is currently undertaking initiatives to develop the area as a marine and coastal forest research centre. Long-term research on marine life (e.g. coral rehabilitation, coral and clam conservation, richness and distribution of algae, habitat restoration and aquaculture) and mangrove are among the research potentials that can be carried out here apart from recreational activities as the area has beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters.
Centre for research, training, education and recreation were established, namely Danum Valley Field centre and Maliau Basin Studies Centre. Danum Valley Field Centre is now an internationally recognized site for tropical research activities – ‘A World Class Research Station’ along with La Selva in Costa Rica and Baro Colorado Island in Panama.
Reduced Impact Logging
In relation to improving the management of the forest , YSG has been instrumental in developing and piloting the logging guidelines that could reduce incidental damage to the forest. Famously referred to as the Reduced Impact logging (RIL) guidelines, is it now part and parcel of the sustainable Forest Management practices which the government adopted as policy since 1997.
Infapro
Around about the same time that the RIL was being experimented in 1992, YS embarked on a project involving large-scale enrichment planting of dipterocarp in logged-over rainforest as well as the tending of naturally regenerating dipceterocarp seedlings, other commercial timber species and forest fruit trees. One of the key purposes of the project is to promote the rehabilitation of forests to absorb carbon Dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Today more than 11,000 ha of forest had been rehabilitated.
Inikea
On a largely conservation purposes, in 1988 YSG began a collaboration in a forest rehabilitation project with foundation established by IKEA, the Sow-A-Seed Foundation. During the first phase of the project (1998-2003), a total area of 4,600 ha has been successfully rehabilitated. The second phase (2003-2008) would rehabilitate up to 4,500 ha of degraded forest.
Nature Education
What a better way to educate the public about the importance of conserving our environment than to bring them to the conservation areas to experience the pristine ambience of the rainforest as it has been for hundreds of years. Through in-situ recreational and ecotourism activities and environmental education at the conservation areas, conservation of wildlife including large mammals is efficiently promoted. Towards this effort, the study/field centres established in Danum valley and Maliau Basin provide logistical support for visitors, whose nature experience are further enhanced with nature interpretation by experienced rangers, and facilities such as observation towers and sky-bridges offers visitors a canopy view of the forest and the added thrill of walking on a cable skybridge high above the forest floor.
YS has also established a program that is specifically for the propose of organizing nature and environmental education programme. The programme is called the Sabah nature Club and it has now been running for almost 20 years. Sabah Nature club or SNC is a joint programme with the Education Department as an extra-curricular activity for schools in Sabah.
Safeguarding Nature
Research, education and nature tourism activities can only be successful if the area is efficiently protected. In ensuring the pristine condition of the conservation areas so that it may continue to appeal to researchers, naturalists and tourists, several activities are carried out by Yayasan Sabah Group including surveillance and patrolling to curb illegal hunting, felling of timber and poaching of gaharu, a much sought after non-timer forest product.
Conserving the environment no doubt lies at the heart of global commitments intended to preserve for the benefit of present and future generations a wide range of goods and services essential for life on earth. In essence, therefore, Yayasan Sabah Group helps people by helping nature.
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