15,000ha for silviculture handed to contractor
Published on: Saturday, September 24, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: The Forestry Department has handed over 15,000 of 19,250 hectares of forest reserve in Ulu Segama Reserve and Northern Gunung Rara Forest Reserve tipped for silviculture projects to its contractor, Rakyat Berjaya Sdn Bhd. The restoration efforts, especially in the Ulu Segama Forest Reserve, is regarded as the world's largest endeavour for the conservation of the endangered orang-utan population in Sabah. Of the 15,000 hectares, 10,000 are in Ulu Segama Forest Reserve in Lahad Datu and 5,000 hectares in Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in Kalabakan.
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In a statement, the department said: "This restoration project will also derive direct benefits to increase the socio-economic status of the rural communities living near the project area through available jobs and economic downstream opportunities. "This project is fully funded by the Federal Government, its largest endeavour in forest restoration in Sabah, so far," he said. To date, Sabah has a Permanent Forest Reserve of 3.55 million hectares (approximately), covering 48.24 per cent of the total land area in Sabah. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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It said most of the areas have been re-gazetted by the Government as Class I Protection Forest Reserve due to its importance as watersheds, land protection, important habitats of flora and fauna that are threatened with extinction.
