ABOVE PIC: This book was produced under the transboundary conservation project, Green Economy in the Heart of Borneo. (© Sarah Havergal Bong / WWF-Malaysia)
NATURE has always been an integral part in the lives of the various communities in Sarawak, especially the rural indigenous people, who have progressed economically in an environmentally sustainable way.
This is reflected upon in a coffee table book entitled ‘The Value of Nature: Balancing Conservation, Development, and People in the Heart of Borneo’, newly published by WWF-Malaysia and available online for free.
It was written by the national conservation organisation’s Senior Project Manager, Cynthia Chin, in collaboration with a journalist from Sarawak, Russell Ting.
The book was produced under the transboundary conservation project, Green Economy in the Heart of Borneo, that was implemented by WWF-Indonesia, with support from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) of Germany, from 2016 until the end of 2021.
It tells of communities’ commitment to environmental sustainability and livelihoods, which include sustainable pepper farming in Katibas, Song, agarwood tea farming in Ulu Sungai Menyang, Batang Ai, and ‘tagang’ fish conservation and river management in Kain River, Baleh.
Aside from environmental conservation and economics, the book also sheds light on the cultural relevance of Sarawak’s rich biodiversity. Through ancestral traditions and practices, communities have developed their own ways of utilising natural resources.
Timber alongside energy generated from hydroelectric dams are some of the income-generating activities here.
Nevertheless, activities of recreation to usage of non-timber products, such as rattans, fruits and herbs, are equally important. Nature not only provides the resources that fuel the state’s growth but is also a commodity for the local communities.
It is apparent that efforts in development must be conducted sustainably to protect the needs of the locals. This will ensure the protection of biodiversity and culture, which in turn will also provide benefits such as food security, clean water, and healthy soil, and the preservation of traditional knowledge.
Chin said the book provides a glimpse of the extensive, diverse and multi-disciplinary work across the vast landscape of the project over the last six years.
It sheds light on how complex it is to find the right balance between nature conservation, economic development, and human well-being, but it also highlights how fundamentally and directly important nature is to economic development and human well-being.
“There is no end to attaining sustainability and conservation. We go in phases. These last six years were about kick-starting the idea of achieving a green economy, testing out concepts and seeing them come to life in pilot projects,” Chin said.
She added that the foundation for a green economy has already been prepared by the organisation through works with different stakeholders in Batang Ai, Katibas and Baleh, and these efforts need to be continued in the coming years.
“The key now is to continue the marathon of building upon this work in phases, from initiation to growth and replication in more areas. The framework is in place so that any group, not just WWF, can take it further,” she added.
Following the completion of this coffee table book, WWF-Malaysia extends its gratitude to BMU, Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resources, Economic Planning Unit, Forest Department Sarawak, Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Natural Resources and Environment Board Sarawak, Malaysian Pepper Board, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Kapit Resident Office, Sri Aman Resident Office, Lubok Antu District Office, Song District Office, Bukit Mabong District Office, Rumah Manggat, Rumah Dagum, Rumah Peter, Rumah Engsong and Rantau Kendura for their support and collaboration in the transboundary project.
To download a copy of the book, visit https://www.wwf.org.my/media_and_information/publications/?30005/The-Value-of-Nature-Balancing-Conservation-Development-and-People-in-the-Heart-of-Borneo. – TVS
About WWF-Malaysia
WWF-Malaysia (World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia) was established in Malaysia in 1972. It currently runs more than 90 projects covering a diverse range of environmental conservation and protection work, from saving endangered species such as tigers and turtles, to protecting our highland forests, rivers and seas. The national conservation organisation also undertakes environmental education and advocacy work to achieve its conservation goals. Its mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the nation’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. For latest news and media resources, visit http://www.wwf.org.my/media_and_information/media_centre/
About Green Economy in the Heart of Borneo (HoB)
Green Economy in the HoB is a project that covers a two-million-hectare site, spanning northern West Kalimantan to the central of Sarawak. This area has been identified for a HoB Transboundary Corridor project, funded under the International Climate Initiative, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety of Germany. The corridor project aims at developing a green economy management concept that promotes environmentally-friendly resource use and production within the transboundary HoB Corridor for West Kalimantan and Sarawak. This project is situated within the HoB Corridor Initiative that aims at creating an ecological connectivity between protected areas and different land uses that spans Brunei Darussalam, the two Malaysian States of Sabah and Sarawak, and four Indonesian provinces of West, Central, East and North Kalimantan.
