KUCHING: In effort to conserve the forest sector, the government had decided to add 600,000 hectares of land under the Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative that stretches from Tanjong Datu.
This was stated by the Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also the Minister of Urban Development and Natural Resources, when delivering his winding speech at State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here, yesterday.
Through the initiative of HoB, the government has cooperated with Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia (Kalimantan) in transboundary conservation which is covering the forests from Batang Ai until Lawas.
“With the addition, the initiative involves a total land size from 2.1 million hectares to 2.7 million hectares. Among the affected areas are Kelingkang Range, Bungoh Range, Tanjong Datu National Park, Gunung Apeng National Park, Gunung Pueh National Park, Gunung Gading National Park, Samunsam Wild Life Sanctuary, Kubah National Park, Matang Wildlife Centre, Bako National Park and Bako Buntal Bird Flyways,” he elaborated.
Meanwhile, on biodiversity conservation, the Government will continue to use existing and new platforms to embark on important conservation undertaking.
“For example, on the Research for Intensified Management of Bio-Rich Areas of Sarawak (Rimba Sarawak) platform, we have embarked on pioneering work on hornbill conservation which will be carried out in collaboration with the world’s foremost authority and experts from Thailand.
“Apart from undertaking scient i f ic s tudies, we are al s o building up our local expertise through Conservation Internship Programme whereby our local scientists collaborate to undertake research projects in forestry with world renowned institutions such as Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh UK, Smithsonian Institution, USA and Hornbill Research Foundation, Thailand,” he said.
