Bringing back the mangroves in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Sungai ISME is just a small 1.5 km river but its name signifies a special bond between Malaysia and Japan via a joint cooperation in the restoration of degraded mangroves in Sabah.

The river, a tributary of Sungai Loboh near Kampung Padas in Sandakan district, was named after a non-profit and governmental scientific society based in Okinawa, Japan – the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystem (ISME).

ISME is currently involved in the second-phase of the collaboration with the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) to carry out mangrove rehabilitation project in the State since 2011.

Sungai ISME is also part of the 26.5 hectares (ha) of mangroves encroached by oil palm plantations in six locations in Sandakan district. The total area of degraded mangrove that have been rehabilitated under the first phase of the SFD-ISME project is 150 ha.

Dr Joseph Tangah, a Senior Research Officer of SFD’s Forest Research Centre in Sepilok, said the mangrove planting in Sandakan involved Sg Lalasan, Sg Batang, Tg Pisau, Samawang and Sg Luboh.

THE STATE OF MANGROVE FOREST IN SABAH

Tangah, who is also the project leader for mangroves rehabilitation in Sabah, elaborated further that planting was most extensive at Sungai Lalasan (12 ha), followed by Sg Batang (5.5 ha) and Tanjung Pisau (4.5 ha).

Sabah has about 338,000 ha of mangroves vegetation within the State’s 30 Forest Reserves (FR) (Class V), the largest being the Kuala Bonggaya and Kuala Labuk FR (56,441 ha).

The other is the 43,759 ha at Trusan Kinabatangan, which form part of the Lower Kinabatangan-Segama wetland Ramsar site.

Dr Tangah pointed out the total mangrove forest in Sabah account for 60 percent of Malaysia’s total and 7.6 percent of the global mangroves.

In July 2010, a delegation from the ISME headed by Prof Shigeyuki Baba, visited the SFD in Sandakan to discuss on the implementation of a mangrove rehabilitation project in Sabah.

REPLANTING 50 HA ANNUALLY

The visit led to the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the two organisations in November 2010 in Kota Kinabalu to carry out the first phase (2011-2014) of the mangrove rehabilitation project.

Funded by Tokyo-based conglomerate Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd, the project is implemented by SFD with technical guidance from ISME.

The conglomerate has been implementing its Mangrove Planting Project since 1999, in several Asian countries including Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Phillipines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Continue reading at: Bringing back the mangroves in Sabah

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Sabah mangrove rehabilitation supported by Japan NGO

SANDAKAN: The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME), led by its executive director Professor Shigeyuki Baba, with a staff and five students from Chiba University of Japan, visited Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) from August 25 to 29.

The purpose of their visit was to enhance their collaboration and cooperation with SFD on mangrove rehabilitation, as well as to promote awareness on the importance of mangroves to the younger generation.

Sabah Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan met the entourage at its headquarters in Sandakan on August 26.

He was very impressed with the profound continuing support from ISME on mangrove rehabilitation in Sabah.

During this courtesy visit, the Chiba University undergraduates presented a contribution of RM3,200 to the department for mangrove rehabilitation activities.

It is interesting to note that the students came on their own expenses to show their commitment on mangrove planting activities.

Sam also expressed his appreciation to ISME for its great hospitality during the department’s recent official visit to Okinawa in late July for the 10th Project Steering Committee meeting.

On the same occasion, the delegation from SFD met with the president of University of Ryukyus and with the corporate social responsibility manager of Tokio Marine in Tokyo.

ISME is a non-profit and non-governmental scientific society established in 1990, with its headquarters based in Okinawa, Japan.

With its membership of 40 institutions from 93 countries, ISME is world renowned for mangrove rehabilitation and promotes research and training on mangrove ecosystems.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sabah mangrove rehabilitation supported by Japan NGO

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Mangrove Discovery Centre a plus for nature tourism in Sabah

SANDAKAN: The newly-upgraded Mangrove Discovery Centre in Sepilok Laut, near here is slated to become another tourism attraction for Sabah, specifically the east coast town of Sandakan.

The centre, upgraded and completed on Jan 12 at a cost of RM1.04 million, is located 5.5 kilometres away via a jungle trail from the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.

Sabah Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan said the centre aims to provide a unique and magnificent experience to visitors who will get to experience a natural mangrove habitat.

“A 700-metre Belian wood boardwalk connects the existing information centre to a camping site. Other facilities include resting areas, bridges and a multipurpose tower.

“The department plays an important role in operating and maintaining this centre, which is also in line with the Sustainable Forest Management principles,” he said in a statement issued here yesterday.

He said Tourism Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Ong Hong Beng and officers from the ministry’s development division recently visited various attractions in Sandakan, including the centre.

Continue reading at: Mangrove Discovery Centre a plus for nature tourism in Sabah

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