Sukau, a model village for environmental awareness

Sukau Rainforest Lodge

A decade ago, French Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), HUTAN began their ground breaking work on orang-utan populations surviving in secondary forest. 

Little did they realise at that time that they would end up having a long-lasting effect on the local community of Sukau.

In 2008, the villagers of Kampung Sukau located by the iconic Kinabatangan River concluded their five-day celebration of World Environment Day.

In his speech, Sukau Assemblymen, Saddi Abdul Rahman spoke about the successes of the local sons and daughters of this village in Sukau who now travel overseas to partake in conferences and even give presentations on their work in Sukau.

"The youth in this village used to have very few employment opportunities and they would have had to move to Sandakan and other bigger towns. Today they work in Sukau as researchers and tour guides. Some of them have also travelled overseas to the United States, Japan, Indonesia and other countries to share their experiences," he said.

Saddi Rahman said this in his speech which was read by Kinabatangan assistant district officer Arisin Arifin at the conclusion of the celebrations in Kampung Sukau.

In 1998, HUTAN established the Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project (KOCP) and hired local villagers as research assistants.

In the beginning the locals were doubtful and language was a barrier for Dr. Isabelle Lackman-Ancrenaz and Dr. Marc Ancrenaz, however, they persevered and both parties learnt well from each other.

The French researchers today speak fluent Bahasa Malaysia and the local community is made up of now capable researchers, entrepreneurs, guides, videographers, GIS specialist and most of all, they are passionate conservationists.

"In the 10 years that HUTAN has been here, they have successfully provided guidance for the local community, and today we have a community-based and run Red Ape Encounters. HUTAN has succeeded in making the local community partners in their work and today the work carried out by the local community is recognised and appreciated by the Wildlife and Forestry Departments," stated Saddi in his speech.

The five-day event was jointly organized by HUTAN, together with the villagers of Sukau, Red Ape Encounters, the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Sabah Environmental Education Network (SEEN).

This is the second year running that World Environment Day has been celebrated in Kampung Sukau. And the reception it has received here is a definite indication that this community truly does appreciate their natural heritage.

The forest surrounding their village is home to the orang-utan, Borneo pygmy elephant (found only in Sabah and on the north-eastern Kalimatan border), proboscis monkeys and other unique wildlife.

Children took part in a numerous challenges and games while several NGOs and government agencies set up exhibition booths at the event.

Source: New Sabah Times

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Melapi Elephant Corridor

The fragmentation of the forest habitats is one of the key challenges to ensure the survival of the Bornean elephants in Sabah. The ‘Melapi elephant corridor’ in Sukau has proven that even a strip of land 50 meters wide makes a difference to facilitate the migration of the Bornean elephant herds in Lower Kinabatangan.

The conservation project, led by Raymond Alfred, the head of Conservation and Research, Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT), explained that the corridor was established in August 2011 which is a collaboration between the Sabah Wildlife Department and Borneo Conservation Trust, together with their partners Syarikat Yu Kwang Development Sdn. Bhd. and Proboscis Lodge Bukit Melapi.

The Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT) is a non-profit NGO established in 2006 and was incorporated under the Trustee’s Ordinance 1951, Cap. 148 (Sabah).

BCT relies wholly on funds and grants that is provided by individuals and corporations, to enable it to implement conservation and research works.

The establishment of the Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT) was first mooted as an unprecedented Malaysia-Japanese effort to re-acquire the important alienated lands in the wetlands and riverine forests in order to allow the movements of Bornean elephants and orang utans, the flagship species of Sabah.

“We are very happy to know that the elephants are now able to pass through the land using this corridor to migrate from one key habitat to another, when previously it was a very narrow bottleneck,” said Alfred.

“This collaborative effort is an example where the private sector can work with us and the NGOs. We welcome the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with companies and organisations keen to play an active role in supporting and contributing to Sabah’s wildlife conservation initiatives,” said Dr Laurentius N. Ambu, the director of the Sabah Wildlife Department.

“With the re-establishment of this corridor, the potential human and elephant conflict in the villages and plantations is also reduced,” concluded Ambu.

This week, students from the Nihon University Japan, planted more than 100 trees within this corridor to facilitate the movement of the orang utans within the fragmented habitat in the future.

The activities of the students were coordinated by Borneo Conservation Trust Japan (BCT-Japan).

With continuous diligent effort in the next three years, a forest canopy could be eventually established in the area. 

Source: http://kepkas.sabah.gov.my/2012/03/20/elephants-using-survival-corridor/

Photo Source:  http://true-wildlife.blogspot.com/2011/01/borneo-elephant.html

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Cleaning Up Rubbish Can Make Tanjung Aru Beach New Tourism Product

Sandakan: The long beach at Tanjung Aru can be a new tourist destination in Sukau near here if concrete measures are taken to clean up the heaps of rubbish littered along it and to prevent further waste materials being washed ashore.

"The sandy beach is beautiful if not for the rubbish from the Sandakan area that is being washed ashore during high tide and waves," Sukau Assemblyman Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman said after touring the beach located about five minutes' ride by speedboat from here two days ago.

Villagers can benefit from the spinoff of the economy if the beach is turned into a tourist attraction.

Tanjung Aru can be a new tourism product in Sukau instead of being known only as a traditional fishing village, he pointed out.

Unfortunately at present, the rubbish that littered along the beach is an eyesore and necessary actions must be taken to address the problem, he said.

"Look at the surrounding area of the multipurpose hall near the beach.

It is littered with logs, pieces of wood and rubbish swept ashore during high tide and strong waves," he said.

"Because the coastal areas and Tanjung Aru are under the jurisdiction of Sandakan Municipal Council, I am requesting them to look into the matter," Saddi said.

Perhaps the Sandakan Municipal Council and Environment Protection Department can build some form of barriers along the seafront to prevent rubbish from being washed ashore on the beach, he added.

Saddi said as Sukau is under the administration of the Kinabatangan District Office, they could also play a role in the efforts.

"This problem has dragged on for quite a long time and it's high time for us to do something about it. The Sandakan Municipal Council can coordinate with the Kampung Tanjung Aru Village Security & Development Committee to temporarily clean up the rubbish," he continued.

Saddi said he would seek allocations from the State government to implement measures to stop the rubbish pollution at the Tanjung Aru shoreline.

"As the Assemblyman for Sukau, I am prepared to give my full support and cooperation to the local authorities and other quarters to keep the Tanjung Aru beach clean," he said.

Source: http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/New-Sabah-Times/cleaning-up-rubbish-can-make-tanjung-aru-beach-new-tourism-product.html

Green Sabah says: Clean up the shores to ensure that our beach are always clean so that the tourist will enjoy coming to our beaches more often.  

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