(SWCS) Commitment on Wetlands Conservation in Sabah, Malaysia
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湿地研究 Wetland Research Vol.7, 45-51(2017) Case Introduction / Topix Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) Commitment on Wetlands Conservation in Sabah, Malaysia Guslia LAHASING Conservation & Science Officer of SWCS Abstract: Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) is a non-governmental organization initiating in promoting wetlands conservation and awareness implemented through Kota Kinabalu Wetlands (KKW) as a model wetlands centre in Sabah. The SWCS management committee consists of elected members and ex-officio from relevant government agencies and WWF-Malaysia. Since 2010, SWCS also in collaboration with Sabah Forestry Department aim to conserve more degraded mangrove area around Sabah. KKW is a 24 hectares of mangrove area located within 2km north-east of Kota Kinabalu city. Due to the accessibility and its location within the urban area of Kota Kinabalu city, the conservation efforts to this natural ecosystem creates opportunities and pose a different challenges compared with remote areas. KKW was nominated as a Ramsar Site in 2013 and is currently pursuing Ramsar status as Wetlands of International Importance. This paper describes the crucial timeline of KKW, the introduction of SWCS management, efforts for biodiversity conservation and mangrove restoration, awareness activity through environmental education and voluntary programme as well as the achievements and challenges encountered over the past 20 years. Key words: Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society, Kota Kinabalu Wetlands, Environmental Education Programme, Ramsar, Mangrove Restoration. 1.KOTA KINABALU WETLANDS (KKW) the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands on 1st August 2006. This In the late 1980's, a group of environmentalist change was to reflect the overall values of the place and from WWF discovered a mangrove swamp in Likas while placing greater emphasis on the conservation of and lobbied for the area to be converted for protection. wetlands. During the time, there were 220 houses built illegally in the area of the mangroves which led to the loss of KKW was managed by the Likas Wetlands mangrove habitats, waste disposal problems and low Sanctuary Management Committee (LWSMC) water quality caused by pollution. Now, this area is before it was officially taken over by Sabah Wetlands known as the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands (KKW), a 24 Conservation Society (SWCS) on 20 January 2006. hectares of mangrove swamp. Then in September 1996, KKW is managed by 6 full time staff, who are it was designated as a Bird Sanctuary in September responsible for managing daily activities at the wetlands 1996 under the custody of Sabah Wildlife Department, including 1 volunteer from Japan Oversea Corporation and was declared as a State Cultural Heritage Site in Volunteer (JOCV) - they consist of the Manager / 1998 towards wetlands conservation in Sabah. It was Executive Secretary, Conservation & Science Officer, previously known as Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary Environmental Education Officer, Conservation & (KKCBS) and went through a name change to become Education Assistant, Administrative & Account Assistant Guslia LAHASING (Received:January 30,2017) 45 Guslia LAHASING and Ground Worker. KKW is opened from 0800 - 1800 in Sabah. These unique natural landscapes give tourists from Tuesday until Sunday and is closed on Mondays, a pleasant experience, to enjoy fresh air and tranquillity. except for public holidays. Since its official opening in March 2000 up to December 2016, KKW has received more than 160,000 local and Acting as a green lung and buffer zone for international visitors including from various countries. the city, it is strategically located in the heart of Kota KKW support abundant aquatic life and other wildlife Kinabalu City which made it highly accessible and including more than 92 species of residential and affordable for both local and international tourists thus migratory birds and 32 species of pure mangroves becoming one of the destinations of tourist attractions species and mangrove associates. Fig.1 Location of Kota Kinabalu Wetlands in Sabah, Malaysia. living organism found in them; 2.SABAH WETLANDS CONSERVATION (ii) To raise public awareness and appreciation of the SOCIETY (SWCS) wetlands and public involvement in protecting Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) wetlands; is a non-profit organization based in Kota Kinabalu (iii) To manage Kota Kinabalu Wetlands as a model City, which advocates environmental conservation wetland centre for the purpose of conservation, and awareness of wetlands ecosystem found in Sabah. education, recreation, tourism and research. The vision of SWCS is“ conservation and sustainable management of Sabah's Wetlands”. Derived from the SWCS is managed by 18 management vision, the mission of SWCS is“ to ensure protection and committee members from relevant government agencies wise use of all wetlands in Sabah, through education, viz. Ministry of Local Government & Housing, Kota research and advocacy”. Formed on 22nd August 2005, Kinabalu City Hall, Sabah Wildlife Department, SWCS was entrusted by the Sabah Wildlife Department Environment Protection Department, Sabah Education to manage KKW in 2006 with the aim for it to operate Department, Department of Irrigation and Drainage and independently as a self-sustainable centre. local NGO (i.e. WWF- Malaysia). SWCS has three objectives which are: 3.MANGROVE RESTORATION (i) To promote the conservation of wetlands in Sabah Mangrove plays a decisive role in environmental and the variety of plants, birds and other kinds of conservation. This is a special part of the ecosystem 46 Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) Commitment on Wetlands Conservation in Sabah, Malaysia where land and water meets and is a source of mangrove swamp due to encroachment by illegal settlers biodiversity. In Sabah, total area of mangrove vegetation in KKW. More than 10,000 seedlings have been planted within forest reserve is approximately 338,000 ha or 60% in KKW by volunteers since year 2000. When the of the country's total. Based on the latest assessment of restoration activities conducted in KKW were a success, forest cover in Sabah, about 3,300 hectares of mangrove SWCS plan to embark on restoration of degraded forest have been illegally encroached and exploit (source: mangrove sites throughout Sabah. Sabah Forestry Department). Therefore, restore and conserve mangrove forest is the core solution in keeping In 2010, SWCS signed a Memorandum of our planet green. Understanding (MoU) with Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) to rehabilitate 7.41 hectares of degraded mangrove For SWCS, it has been challenging years to area at the Sulaman Lake Forest Reserve (SLFR), Tuaran, restore the degraded mangroves and arising awareness Sabah Malaysia. Within 5 years, more than 25,000 trees among the public despite the society's unstable financial have been planted at the area. Later in 2015, the MoU situation. When KKW was first established, mangrove was extended to another 5 years to conserve another 3.11 replanting was the priority to restore the badly degraded hectares of degraded mangrove area. Fig. 2 Rhizophora apiculata planted by SWCS in Sulaman Lake Forest Reserve, Tuaran, Sabah, Malaysia 47 Guslia LAHASING 4.NOMINATION AS A RAMSAR SITE ⅰ.Lesser Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos javanicus), Malaysia presently has 6 sites designated as Wetlands of listed in the 2010 IUCH red List as“ Vulnerable” International Importance, with a surface area of 134,158 ⅱ.Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotes), listed in hectares, in which 4 wetlands are in Peninsular Malaysia, the 2010 IUCN Red List as“ vulnerable” and 1 in Sarawak and 1 in Sabah. Of these, Sabah has the Appendix 1 of the CMS. largest Ramsar Site located in the Lower Kinabatangan ⅲ.Berus Mata Buaya (Bruguiera hainesii), listed in Segama Wetlands with the area coverage of 78,803 the IUCN Red List as“ Critical Endangered”. hectares. Criteria 3: Wetlands of international importance Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society has supports populations of plant and/or animal species initiated the proposal to attain Ramsar Site status for important the biological diversity of a particular KKW. The Minister of tourism, Culture and Environment biogeographic region. Sabah, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Masidi Haji Manjun, expressed his utmost support towards the proposal KKW supports 32 species of pure mangrove plants during World Wetlands Day celebration on 2009. This and mangrove associates besides a large diversity of was then coordinated by SWCS in collaboration with animals including more than 92 species of resident the Sabah Biodiversity Centre (SaBC) and now Sabah and migratory birds, various reptilian species such Natural Resources Office (NRO) as the new focal point as monitor lizards and mangroves skinks, piscine for Ramsar at the State level. The nomination has been species including mud skippers, archerfish, catfish facilitated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and and halfbeak, many crustacean species such as mud Environment Malaysia as the administrative authority lobster and fiddler crab. (National Focal Point) and communicates with the Ramsar Secretariat for any inquiries or requirement Criteria 8: Wetlands international importance due to its regarding the nomination. role of as a source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, Due to its importance as wetlands ecosystem either within the wetlands or elsewhere, depend. with significant conservation and socio-economic value, the KKW application was submitted for recognition KKW is an important