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The Star
2 days ago
- General
- The Star
Pin Supu forest reserve is Malaysia's first terrestrial site on prestigious conservation list
KOTA KINABALU: The Pin Supu Forest Reserve in Kinabatangan, Sabah, is the first terrestrial site in Malaysia to be included into the Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This listing recognises excellence in conservation and protected area management, marking a significant achievement for Pin Supu. Sabah chief conservator of forests Datuk Frederick Kugan said the certification, which was issued in May and valid for a period of five years, places Pin Supu Forest Reserve as among the world's best-managed and most effectively governed protected areas. 'More importantly, this reserve is jointly managed by the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) in collaboration with Kopel Berhad, a community-based cooperative in Kinabatangan,' he added. He said Pin Supu is a Class VI Virgin Forest Reserve, encompassing 4,620 hectares, surrounded by five villages to assist in conservation projects. A 10-year joint forest management agreement (2016-2026) was established between the Sabah government through the SFD and Kopel Berhad. Kugan said this partnership has brought positive outcomes, including nature-based tourism development that benefit local communities and promote sustainable forest management within the Kinabatangan area. He said the journey towards Green List certification began with the formal application in 2021. 'Over the course of four years, the site underwent a rigorous multi-phase process (application phase and candidate phase) to complete the 50 indicators required for the certification. 'This included comprehensive self-assessments, evidence submission through the Compass platform, independent expert evaluations by the expert assessment group for the Green List (EAGL), and a final review and verification by an independent reviewer,' said Kugan. The key milestone was the EAGL site visit, followed by the final reviewer verification in December 2024, he added. He reiterated that managing Pin Supu with the involvement of surrounding communities has given numerous positive impacts – environmental, social and economic benefits, including biodiversity conservation, local empowerment, and income growth. 'This shows the success of joint efforts in promoting environmental sustainability. This IUCN recognition is a testament to the dedication and collaborative efforts of the Sabah Forestry Department and local community in particular Kopel Berhad,' Kugan said. Earlier in 2022, the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (Simca), also in Sabah, was recognised as the country's first marine IUCN Green Listed Area.
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- General
- Borneo Post
Sabah's Pin Supu Forest Reserve makes history as Malaysia's first terrestrial IUCN Green Listed Site
The Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan. SANDAKAN: The Pin Supu Forest Reserve (FR) in Kinabatangan has been officially recognised as the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, a prestigious global recognition awarded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for excellence in conservation and protected area management. Pin Supu FR is the first terrestrial site in Malaysia to be IUCN Green Listed. The certificate, issued in May 2025, is valid for a period of five years. Earlier in 2022, the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA), also in Sabah, was recognised as the country's first marine IUCN Green Listed Area. The Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, pointed out that this achievement places Pin Supu Forest Reserve as among the world's best-managed and most effectively governed protected areas. More importantly, this reserve is jointly managed by the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) in collaboration with KOPEL Berhad, a community-based cooperative in Kinabatangan. Pin Supu is a Class VI Virgin Forest Reserve, encompassing 4,620 hectares, surrounded by five villages to assist in conservation projects A 10-year joint forest management agreement (2016-2026) was established between the Sabah State Government through the SFD and KOPEL Berhad. This partnership has brought positive outcomes, including nature-based tourism development that benefit local communities and promote sustainable forest management within the Kinabatangan area. The journey towards Green List certification began with the formal application in 2021. Over the course of four years, the site underwent a rigorous multi-phase process (application phase and candidate phase) to complete the 50 indicators which included comprehensive self-assessments, evidence submission through the COMPASS platform, independent expert evaluations by the Expert Assessment Group for the Green List (EAGL), and a final review and verification by an independent reviewer. The key milestone was the EAGL site visit, followed by the final reviewer verification in December 2024. Kugan reiterated that managing Pin Supu with the involvement of surrounding communities has given numerous positive impacts – environmental, social and economic benefits, including biodiversity conservation, local empowerment, and income growth. This shows the success of joint efforts in promoting environmental sustainability. This IUCN recognition is a testament to the dedication and collaborative efforts of the Sabah Forestry Department and local community in particular KOPEL Berhad. The IUCN Green List is a global initiative by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) that recognizes and promotes well-managed, effectively governed, and fairly operated protected and conserved areas. Its main goal is to encourage and reward conservation success by assessing areas against globally consistent standards of good governance, sound design and planning, effective management, and positive conservation outcomes.
Borneo Post
10-05-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Forestry 2024 Annual Report reflects department's accomplishment
Safar Untong (right) holding an advanced hardcopy of SFD 2024 Annual Report, presented to him by Frederick Kugan during the Forestry Appreciation Ceremony. KOTA KINABALU (May 10): The Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, presented the 288-page 2024 Annual Report of the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) to the State Secretary Datuk Seri Panglima Sr. Hj Safar Untong representing the Chief Minister during the State's Forestry Appreciation Ceremony in Kota Kinabalu on Friday. The report showcases all project implementations, activities and achievements of the department throughout the year. It is the Key Performance Index (KPI) or the report card of the department. Many activities were implemented with achievements accomplished in 2024. The department hosted the 20th Malaysian Forestry Conference, held in Kota Kinabalu in October 2024, and was officiated by the Chief Minister. Sabah's Mangrove Action Plan was launched during the conference. The department has also been invited to numerous international, national and state events to showcase the success in forest management, protection, and conservation efforts. Some of the events are the ASEAN Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security (ASEAN SAFS) Forum 2024, the Southeast Asia Biodiversity Workshop, the Sabah International Blue Economy Conference (SIBEC) 2024, the International Conference on Biodiversity, Agroforestry, Non-Wood Forest Products and Sustainable Livelihoods, and the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Forest Landscape Restoration 2024. Various programmes were conducted to enhance public awareness and knowledge on the importance of tree planting, as a step to preserve and conserve Sabah's forests. Sabah has planted 23 million trees thus far, under the Greening Malaysia Campaign. To date, about 63% or 4.6 million hectares of Sabah's landmass is still forested, with two million hectares or 27% as Totally Protected Areas, in line with the department's vision towards the realization of sustainable forest management. The revenue collected from timber royalty and other charges in 2024 was RM171 million. This is a significant increase of RM16 million, compared to 2023. In diversifying contributions and revenue from forests, carbon has been incorporated in the Forest Enactment 1968 as one of the forest produces. The department is tasked to house the Green House Gases (GHG) Unit for two years to support the State's climate change agenda. This is a legacy, initiated by the department, to build capacity on climate change in a span of two years, beginning with the GHG Unit and would eventually evolve into a department or ministry. The department was appointed as the Permanent Secretariat of the Sabah Climate Action Council (SCAC). The Sabah Timber Legality Assurance (Sabah TLAS) is currently being revised, to align with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the European Union Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (EU CS3D) requirements. This is to allow the Sabah timber industry flexibility to enter international markets, particularly the EU market. On forest plantation target, some 178,000 hectares have been established. It is important to encourage the timber industry players in Sabah to tranform the timber industry by exploring the Economic Value Chain (EVC) concept, which integrates both upstream and downstream sectors. The Sabah Government, through the effort of the Forestry Department, has initiated the Sabah Jurisdictional Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (JCSPO) Initiative. This initiative is a step-wise approach towards group certification at the State level. This will make certification more cost effective, particularly for the smallholders, and capitalize on the progressive policy and forest conservation efforts in Sabah. Apart from the agriculture sector, conservation values were also being integrated in other sectors, such as built environment, i.e., Pan-Borneo Highway Project and other building infrastructure projects that involve forest reserves. In addition, the concept of No-Net Loss (NNL) or Nett-Gain (NG) as compensation mechanism for forest replacement policy to minimize forest loss or impacts was also introduced. The NNL collection are reserved solely for conservation purposes. On forest protection and enforcement, the implementation of existing initiatives, such as the Honorary Forest Rangers (Renjer Hutan Kehormat, RHK) courses, appointment of RHK (via gazettement), Firearm/shooting training and Ops Khazanah (OBK) operation have been carried out throughout the year. The department was recently being appointed as a member of the National Anti-Financial Crime (NFCC). It is crucial to maintain transparency and integrity in performing duties. The development projects under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan were implemented accordingly in 2024. The expenditure percentage for Federal development projects was 99.53% while for State development projects, it was 99.99%. Throughout 2024, the department has been active on collaboration strategies and research output, with 20 existing Memoranda of Understanding and more than 112 publications, research reports and presentations. Efforts have been taken in digital transformation to improve the department's efficiency by enhancing forest management and delivery systems in 2024. Some of the applications developed in 2024 are the Aplikasi Kutipan Cukai (Sistem Pemeriksaan & Pentaksiran Royalti Kayu Bulat) and Phase 1 of the E-Ladang Hutan (Geoforest System) were developed. Meanwhile, Phase 2 Geoforest is under development. Additionally, the Conservation Area Information System (CAIMS) has also been reactivated. With the teamwork from everyone in the Sabah Forestry Department and various stakeholders, the Chief Conservator of Forests is confident that department can excel in sustainable forest management for the benefit and well-being of the people of Sabah.
The Star
29-04-2025
- Science
- The Star
Sandakania Vol. 25, a window into Sabah's rich plant life
The printed Sandakania Volume 25 was officially presented to Sabah Forestry Department's Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan (fourth left), by the journal's head of editorial team, Dr Arthur Chung, at the Forest Research Centre in Sepilok, while others look on. KOTA KINABALU: Sandakania, the scientific journal dedicated to plant systematics, morphology, and natural history, has released its 25th volume. Published by the Forest Research Centre of the Sabah Forestry Department, this milestone edition was supported by funding from the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry. The online version was made available in December 2024, with the printed edition now officially released. Volume 25 features four scientific papers by botanists, alongside a tribute to the late Datuk Anthony Lamb, a pioneering figure in Sabah's botanical field. The first paper details the discovery of two new species of tropical blueberry from central Sabah. This breakthrough was achieved by a team of researchers from the United States, working in collaboration with Dr Joan Pereira of the Sabah Forestry Department. In the second paper, John Sugau and Alviana Damit report new locality records for the rare and endemic Rafflesia tengku-adlinii, adding valuable information to conservation efforts for this iconic parasitic plant. A third paper, led by Jonathan Lucas and researchers from the Forestry Department, presents a provisional checklist of seed plant diversity and their conservation status on Mount Sinsing, Malaysia's third-highest peak, located in the Trusmadi Range in Tambunan. The fourth study, by Andi Maryani and collaborators from the Sabah Forestry Department and Universiti Malaysia Sabah, examines the ferns and lycophytes of Mount Sinsing, highlighting its unique and diverse plant life. The volume concludes with a heartfelt piece by Datuk C.L. Chan, paying tribute to the late Datuk Anthony Lamb for his lifelong dedication to botany and nature conservation in Sabah. Sandakania is overseen by an editorial committee chaired by Dr Arthur Y.C. Chung, with John B. Sugau as editor, Dr Joan T. Pereira as assistant editor, and Alviana Damit handling layout and copy editing. The advisory panel includes Dr Wong Khoon Meng and Timothy M.A. Utteridge (Singapore Botanic Gardens), Todd J. Barkman (Western Michigan University, USA), and Elliot Gardner (Case Western Reserve University, USA). Published under the leadership of the Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, Sandakania continues to be a vital platform for advancing scientific understanding and appreciation of the flora of Sabah and Borneo.
Borneo Post
29-04-2025
- Science
- Borneo Post
Sabah Forestry Centre publishes journal showcasing plant discoveries
The latest SANDAKANIA journal was presented to the Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, by Dr Arthur Chung, witnessed by others from the Forest Research Centre, Sepilok. SANDAKAN (April 29): The Forest Research Centre of the Sabah Forestry Department in Sandakan has published SANDAKANIA, a journal dedicated to plant systematics, morphology and natural history. The recently printed Volume 25, was made possible through financial support from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability. The online version was available earlier in December, 2024. In this latest volume, four scientific papers were contributed by botanists and one write-up in memory of the late Datuk Anthony Lamb. The first paper features the discovery of two new species of tropical blueberry from central Sabah, by researchers from the United States in collaboration with Dr Joan Pereira of Sabah Forestry Department. The second paper highlights the new locality records for the rare and Sabah's endemic Rafflesia tengku-adlinii, by John Sugau and Alviana Damit. A provisional checklist on seed plant diversity and its conservation status in Mount Sinsing of the Trusmadi Range in Tambunan, was provided by Jonathan Lucas and researchers from the Sabah Forestry Department. Mount Sinsing is the third highest mountain in Malaysia. Andi Maryani together with other researchers from Sabah Forestry Department and Universiti Malaysia Sabah focused on ferns and lycophytes of Mount Sinsing. The last paper was a write-up by Datuk C.L. Chan to remember the late Datuk Anthony Lamb, who contributed significantly to botany and nature in Sabah. Behind the SANDAKANIA journal stands the editorial committee, led by Dr Arthur Y.C. Chung as Chairman, John B. Sugau as Editor, Dr Joan T. Pereira as Assistant Editor and Alviana Damit as Layout and Copy Editor. There are also four advisers, namely Dr Wong Khoon Meng and Timothy M.A. Utteridge (Singapore Botanic Garden), Todd J. Barkman (Western Michigan University, USA) and Elliot Gardner (Case Western Reserve University, USA). The committee under the Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, actively seeks publications to enrich the scientific understanding of the flora in Sabah and Borneo. SANDAKANIA continues to be a beacon for the dissemination of botanical knowledge, fostering a deeper appreciation for the rich biodiversity of this region.
