Ecotourism in the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah
Case Study C0113
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| Date | 2004 |
| Agency | Borneo Eco Tours |
| Donor/support agency | WWF Malaysia Other Supporters |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Productive landscape Protected area |
| Geographic coverage | Malaysia |
| Locality | Sukau village, Lower Kinabatangan |
| Biodiversity focus | River Basin ecosystem |
| Development focus | Local communities |
| Conservation goals | Reverse biodiversity loss of the Lower Kinabatangan from illegal logging and commercial agriculture |
| Poverty reduction goals | Providing alternative and enviromentally sustainable local income sources |
Summary
Since the 80's the primary employment in the Lower Kinabatangan has been in fishing, farming and civil service. Many also make money by leasing out their land to oil palm estates. Rainforest along the Kinabatangan River is being removed and replaced with oil palms, leading to heavily silting and pollution of the Kinabatangan. The deforestation of the lower Kinabatangan has resulted in increasing elephant-human conflict. Serious health and lifestyle concerns have also arisen for the local Orang Sungai villagers that rely on the river for drinking, cooking, food, washing facilities bathing, waste disposal and transportation.
In 1991 Borneo Eco Tours (BET) was set up with a focus on ecotourism in Borneo. By 1995 Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL) was set up as an eco-lodge on the Kinabatangan for extended wildlife tours in this area. SRL is located near Sukau village, taking advantage of the large amount of wildlife concentrated in the surrounding area, while still being able to provide employment to people native to the area. In 1999 Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL) recognised the need to set up a division, Sukau Ecotourism Research & Development Centre (SERDC), to conduct research and development in ecotourism. Among the priorities established by SERDC were: countering the increasing threat to the biodiversity of the Lower Kinabatangan from illegal logging and commercial agriculture through greater formal protection and by providing alternate local income sources derived through ecotourism; plan long term environmentally sustainable and culturally appropriate strategies for the region with all stakeholders; identify and prioritise community and environmental projects.
The initiative has already achieved numerous results. The local community has gained a steady income both through local staff full time at SRL and local contractors. Five eco-lodges have opened in the Sukau region resulting in even less dependence on oil palm and lumber companies for income, and more jobs in the region. 90% of the staff at SRL are from the local region, including the lodge manager. Staff at SRL have also received considerable personal development in the form of reading, language and financial skills. Due to the income derived from ecotourism, the population of Sukau are much more environmentally conscious and seek to protect the local environment from short term environmentally degrading projects. Villages of Sukau also gain additional income by collecting seeds and growing seedlings for sale to SRL. The seedlings are used to replant 64 acres of degraded land on the wildlife corridor along the river, which was adopted on the 4th June 2000 by SRL.
Conservation impact
Alternative sources of income have resulted in less dependence of the local community from oil palm and lumber companies for inocme. 26,000 ha of the lower Kinabatangan was originally planned as a wildlife sanctuary in 1999, and on 16th January 2002 it was gazetted under the Land Ordinance. Awareness of the need to protect this area has been greatly increased in the general population of Sabah, and Malaysia as a whole.
Poverty reduction impact
The local community has gained a steady income both through local staff full time at SRL and local contractors. 54 houses in Sukau village have been given rain water tanks providing fresh drinking water, improving the health and wellbeing of the local community. In 2003 a Korean medical project sponsored by SERDC and Kota Kinabalu South Rotary Club resulted in the treatment of 907 people from Sukau, Bilit and Abai villages on the Lower Kinabatangan.
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Provision of alternative livelihoods
Local employment/job creation
Reference 1
http://www.bestpractices.org/database/bp_display_best_practice.php?best_practice_id=1081
Reference 2
http://www.borneoecotours.com/public/default.asp
More information
Albert Teo
Phone: (+60) 011-819 400
E-mail: info@borneoecotours.com
Related records above this one:
- WWF International (Organisation O0115)