Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) is very serious when it comes to preserving the mother-nature. The threats from modernisation however do not make the job any easier.

Therefore, in order to further safeguard the biodiversity heritage, SFC has established two wildlife research centres middle of last year. The two research centres are at Nanga Delok in Batang Ai National Park, and another one is at Nanga Bloh in Ulu Katibas, which is within Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary.

Nanga Delok Research Centre is focussing on the lives of the primates, orang utan, while Nanga Bloh Research Centre is focussing on plant life.

Batang Ai National Park is home to one of the world’s most endangered species, the Orang Utan. Not just a home to many other protected wildlife like hornbills and gibbons, it is also the water catchment area to Sarawak’s only artificial lake. This huge lake stretches up the Engkari and Ai valleys.

For Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, it is famous for its biodiversity wealth and captured international interests when Bay cats (Catopuma badia) sighting was reported. The cats were claimed to be extinct and is listed in Convention International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II.

According to SFC’s general manager of Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation, Wilfred Landong, the two research centres would become the future icon and globally recognised institutions where wildlife management expertise will be developed and marketed.

Located at the existing SFC’s national park, the research centre in Nanga Delok has all its facilities in place, except for Nanga Bloh, whereby RM1million was spent to provide some basic infrastructure. Wilfred said both centres were adjacent to one another covering an area of more than 300,000 hectares
and once established in near future, these areas are comparable to the research centre in Danum Valley, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Wilfred also revealed that a pool of researchers including SFC’s wildlife ecologists and biologists had already begun their studies there. On the foreign researchers, the State Secretary, Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain had said early April this year that all foreign researchers must register with the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre here before undertaking any research on the rich biodiversity resources of the state.

By doing so, Aziz said the authorities would be able to monitor their research and ensure that the state derived benefit from it. Sarawak, he said had enforced rules and regulations on the control of the state’s biodiversity to enable it to benefit from any development of products from genetic materials taken from the state.

As for Sarawak Forest Department, through the SFC, it has been empowered to safeguard the state’s natural resources, including all the biodiversity areas. However, he urged the public to assist by reporting to the authorities any suspicious foreigners seen going into the forests and possessing any flora and fauna species from the protected forests.

In line with this, he said SFC would further improve its management structure with professional and experienced personnel and embark on a technology driven information system in which a databank on biodiversity, particularly on totally protected areas and wildlife resources.

SFC’s Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation Unit is responsible for environmental protection and conservation activities throughout the state. As
the custodian of the state’s national parks, other protected areas and protected species and wildlife in general, this unit has the greatest interaction with the general public and enjoys the greatest public awareness.

National Parks Ordinance, 1956 and Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1958, the Totally Protected Area (TPA) in Sarawak refers to forest land. It is designated and established under the ordinances where the forest lands are managed to generate sustainable benefits for the society.

Among the role of these TPA include:

� Conservation and protection of wild life and their habitat

� Preservation of specific natural geological or physiographical features, landscape and site, of special interest for archaeological, recreational, educational or conservation purposes, on land and in areas beneath the territorial waters of the State;

� Facilitating study and research on the biodiversity of the State;

� Preservation and protection of the natural scenic beauty, and the historical sites and historical monuments on land and in the territorial waters of the State; and

� Affording opportunities for public appreciation, enjoyment, interest and education of the natural scenic beauty, wild life habitat, flora and fauna, geological and physiographical features and landscape, historical sites and historical monuments of the State.

These forest lands are classified as National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres, Nature Reserves and Marine Parks.

Meanwhile, for the three categories of TPA in Sarawak are, National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Nature Reserves. Except for the wildlife sanctuaries, that have limited access for the visitors as it is strictly for conservation and research, national parks and nature reserves are open to public for recreation. It is learnt that the designated TPA system covers about 1 million hectares of forests, or 8% of Sarawak’s total area. Hunting, fishing and taking any form of jungle produce in the TPA are strictly prohibited.

The unit’s vision is to be globally recognised as a leader in management of totally protected areas (based on IUCN – World Conservation Union management framework) while its mission is to conserve, develop and market products and services while maintaining a balance of economic, environmental and social interests.

Having the most extensive networks of protected areas in Southeast Asia, with 15 national parks, 4 wildlife sanctuaries and 5 nature reserves, Sarawak is indeed blessed with this priceless natural heritage. These parks and nature reserves are the key to attractions for the state’s expanding tourism industry.