Sungai Ingei Protection Forest in Belait

2nd Hob Project Document Wildlife In Sg Ingei Forest

Written by Rachel ThienThursday, 15 October 2009 08:26

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei is to conduct its first faunal expedition over a period of about two years starting July next year to explore and document the wildlife of Sungai Ingei Protection Forest in Belait as it is believed to be one of the richest forests in the Heart of Borneo (HoB).

The expedition is HoB second project, the first project is the ongoing rehabilitation of degraded peatswamps.

"HoB is where we are trying to give our attention and resources in order to deliver a change. It is fantastic to see the Bruneian government take this on board as it is an essential part of understanding the ecosystem," said Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources during a press conference yesterday.

Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab, who is also the chairman of the Brunei Darussalam HoB National Council, added that the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was "very clear" we had to link our wildlife species and livelihood together.

He also noted that it was a "huge opportunity and potential" to link Sarawak's Mulu Park and the Sungai Ingei Conservation Forest as an ecotourism destination.

"I see this project as a huge opportunity for capacity building. It is also a good opportunity for students to obtain knowledge and skills to responsibly manage HoB," he added.

Dato Hj Hamdillah commented that the first HoB project was "wonderful" and this second project had a compelling reason to invest in.

"Right now, we do not have scientific research which is vital to make objective decisions about what to do with this conservation forest. We want to be able to develop ecotourism packages from one of the best bio-diversity forests in HoB," he said.

SCB CEO Danny Quah echoed the same sentiments.

He said that basic inventory and other other scientific information was an "absolute necessity" for sustainable management of any natural resource.

"Brunei is home to some of the most biologically diverse forest habitats in the world and with Borneo as a whole, it comprises a major Hotspot for global biodiversity. Brunei's natural habitats need proper conservation management now and in the long term, but necessary scientific information is currently very much incomplete," he said.

Quah added the conservation of HoB was important to instill awareness about the importance of forests in combating climate change by storing carbon.

"We hope that what we learn from results at the Sungai Ingei area would help us to sustainably manage it to reap maximum benefits for the community at large," he said.

Project Executants cum Senior Lecturer Dr K Charles from the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Faculty of Science could not stress enough on the importance of the fore-mentioned views.

"This is Brunei's first faunal expedition to explore and document the wonderful wildlife of Sungai Ingei Protection Forest that has in store for us. The faunal survey will gather necessary scientific data to enable us to better manage Brunei's natural habitats and their wildlife," he said.

He also spoke on the opportunity to recce the area for its tourism potential, taking into account its proximity to Sarawak's Gunung Mulu World Heritage Site.

"This project will address at least 13 of the 36 interventions in six of the 15 strategic thrusts that are recommended in Brunei's national HoB project Implementation Framework report 2008," he said.

Most of the survey work will be carried out by staff and local students of UBD, with the support of various government departments and the Brunei Heart of Borneo Centre.

The first phase of the expedition will take place from July 2-20 in 2010, where the public can expect potential discovery of species new to Science, contribution to scientific knowledge, wildlife conservation management and tourism planning and development among many others.

Furthermore, compilation of results and a seminar presentation will be held in March 2011.

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) in partnership with the WWF yesterday announced its sponsorship of about $400,000 to $500,000 for this second HoB project. Earlier this year, the funds of $700,000 were derived from a prize donation from the "Race for a Living Planet Environment Challenge" which Brunei won.

The prize donation has been agreed by SCB to be donated to environmental projects endorsed by WWF in the country.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times