Kota Kinabalu: The RM11.26 million Federal funding for the Heart of Borneo (HoB) conservation initiative has earned the thumbs-up of State Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai
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He said the HoB initiative has provided Sabah with a framework for Statewide sustainable development plans, whereby newly protected areas have increased the overall connectivity in Sabah’s networks of forests. He said this increased the survival chances of endangered wildlife.
The announcement of this allocation was made by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, recently.
Joniston said with the funding meant for Sabah and Sarawak under the HoB initiative, it would allow the intensification of various programmes, including conservation and preservation efforts in areas that have been identified.
He said these activities under the HoB initiative could be implemented without delay, whereas Sabah’s Totally Protected Area (TPA) can also be increased from 26pc (about 1.9mil ha) to 30pc by 2025 as planned.
“This will further induce nature and also responsible and sustainable tourism,” he said, adding the fund would help ensure that the State’s rich biodiversity is duly safeguarded for the benefit of current and many more generations to come.
Joniston said the funding shows the importance of trans-boundary management, protected area management, the management of natural sustainable resources, eco-tourism development and capacity building and effective implementation.
“The State can continue establishing a network of wildlife corridors by connecting several forest reserves in an effort to address the conflicts between pygmy elephants and oil palm plantations,” he said.
He explained that this is implemented through reforestation of the river buffers, mandatory provision for riparian reserves, land acquisition, and mandatory animal-designate corridor within a licensed area, among others.
Joniston said it is costly to manage the State’s forest resources, in accordance to the principles of sustainable forest management, effectively and efficiently.
“With more funds, we will be able to further harmonise the need to preserve more areas for conservation, while ensuring a better livelihood for the rural community, especially those who are living adjacent to the protected area,” he said.
With enough resources, he said we can educate our people on the importance of forest conservation from a young age and actively promote environmental education to school children.
Joniston said such funds would also help the state Forestry Department to carry out pre-established conservation and community empowerment programmes, in line with the HoB vision and complement the Ministry’s effort to promote responsible and sustainable tourism.
However, environmental activist SM Muthu is not sure if such huge funding channelled just to the HoB initiative would really get the results conservationists hope to see. He felt that in many occasions, the HoB has only been conducting seminars and similar academic activities.
“So much is spent on forums and grand international events, but are our forests really getting bigger and protected more?” he asked.
Muthu said the money could actually be used for on-the-ground and programmes such as beach clean-ups and river management or forest parks for better results.
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