MALAYSIA
>> GEF-SGP biodiversity projects
>> UNDP Equator Prize Finalists and Winners
Selected GEF biodiversity projects:
>> Conservation of biodiversity in the marine parks of Peninsular Malaysia:
This project will build upon significant investments and proposals by the Malaysian Federal and State authorities to ensure sustainable tourism development and improved marine resource management on the east coast.>> National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and Report to the CBD:
This enabling activity project will help formulate a National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (BSAP), and enable Malaysia to meet its obligations under the CBD.>> Conservation and sustainable use of tropical peat swamp forests and associated wetland ecosystems:
The project’s goal is to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of globally significant biodiversity within Malaysia’s peat swamp forest (PSF) areas through the pursuit of three objectives, namely demonstration of inter-sectoral planning, application of these plans, and institutional strengthening. The global biodiversity values found in Malaysia’s tropical PSF ecosystems are exemplified by the three sites selected for the present project, each of which represents a distinct PSF ecosystem complex in Malaysia. The three project sites collectively support at least 60 globally significant species of plants and animals. At each project site, a strategy will be adopted to remove threats on the basis of a two-tiered approach involving activities in the core 'focal areas', supplemented by activities in the surrounding 'buffer areas'. This will contribute to the implementation of both the Biodiversity Action Plan and the National Wetlands Plan by providing demonstrations of conservation and sustainable management of peat swamp forests.>> Capacity building for implementation of Malaysia's National Biosafety Framework:
Enhancing human and institutional capacities to enable Malaysia to fulfill its obligations under the Cartagena Protocol. The specific objectives of the project are: 1) to enhance scientific, socioeconomic and institutional capacities for risk assessment; 2) to build capacity for developing and implementing a risk management regime in order to implement the Biosafety Bill; 3) to build capacity for long-term regime-building and maintenance; and 4) to ensure better institutional coordination and sharing of information.>> Back to top
Selected GEF-SGP biodiversity projects:
>> Promoting sustainable livelihoods among local communities as a means of conserving and sustainably using biodiversity in Sabah:
A pilot capacity building project to promote sustainable livelihoods among local communities in three districts in Sabah. The project aims to ensure that community leaders and village elders pass traditional knowledge on environmental management and conservation to the next generation.>> Kelantan rural women's project:
A community action project, involving mainly single mothers in rural Kelantan, that aims to: 1) promote community awareness and action on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the state of Kelantan; 2) create avenues for sustainable income generation for poor rural women; and 3) provide sustainable livelihood options while protecting natural resources.>> Promoting demonstrational plots for medicinal plant and herb biodiversity and related traditional knowledge:
Project will design, test and maintain demonstrational plots for medicinal plants collection using traditional methods and knowledge.>> Local community-based biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and management in Sabah:
This capacity-building project aims to: 1) ensure watershed areas in Sabah are protected and conserved by local communities; 2) address land tenure issues to enhance local interest in resource management; 3) promote environmentally sound economic activities; and 4) raise awareness of the importance of wildlife management and indigenous natural resource management systems.>> Community-based ecotourism for the Indigenous Semelai Community in a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance (Tasek Bera, Pahang):
Conserving the Tasek Bera wetlands through development of participatory mechanisms to empower the indigenous Semelai community around the Tasek Bera wetlands to manage their natural resources sustainably and to adopt alternative livelihoods to reduce their impact on natural resources.>> Local community-based ecotourism and conservation training among the indigenous Semai of Ulu Geroh, Gopeng, Perak:
This capacity-building pilot project aims to introduce conservation training among the indigenous Semai people in order to conserve and sustainably manage the threatened Rafflesia plant and the Rajah Brooke birdwing butterfly.>> Indigenous local community (Orang Asli Temuan Tribe) working together to conserve and sustainably use their environment:
This project aims to conserve and sustainably use the rich biodiversity of the Malaysian rainforest in Kampung Bertang, Lipis, Pahang and to prevent further depletion of various endangered species of fauna and flora (eg. agar wood) by encouraging the indigenous Orang Asli Temuan communities to reclaim their rights as keepers of the rainforest.>> Ecotourism-based conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, natural resources and ecosystems in and around Bukit Larut, Perak:
Development of a full project proposal through: 1) in-depth multi-stakeholder consultations with local communities involved in the project; 2) conducting a scoping study on the natural resources in and around Bukit Larut; 3) developing an ecotourism-based conservation, sustainable use and management plan for Bukit Larut's biodiversity, natural resources and ecosystems; and 4) networking with government agencies.>> Kelana Jaya Lakes rehabilitation programme: community awareness and participation in conservation of freshwater biodiversity:
The project will build a partnership among NGOs, local government, local communities and the private sector in the Kelana Jaya area of Petaling Jaya in Selangor to rehabilitate several polluted lakes and improve their biodiversity. The main objectives of the project are to: 1) promote the rehabilitation of the Kelana Jaya lakes ecosystem and its associated biodiversity; 2) enhance the involvement of local communities in environmental monitoring activities and rehabilitation of the Kelana Jaya lakes ecosystem; 3) build the capacity of government agencies, NGOs and local communities to work together for the protection and wise management of freshwater resources.>> Back to top
UNDP Equator Prize Finalists and Winners:
>> Uma Bawang Residents’ Association (UBRA) (Equator Prize 2002 Finalist)
In the 20 years between 1960 and 1980 alone, Asia lost almost a third of its tropical forest cover, the highest rate of forest conversion in the world. This loss of habitat poses a threat not only to species survival but also to the existence of indigenous communities and their way of life. In the Malaysian state of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo, some of the most innovative attempts to counter the loss of tropical forests have been undertaken by the Uma Bawang Resident's Association (UBRA). Founded in 1988, the UBRA represents a community of less than 100 people that has successfully defended customary land rights to prevent logging. Following a series of blockades to protect local lands from logging, the UBRA began an innovative project to map traditional land boundaries, and by leading other communities in Sarawak to do the same, the UBRA has helped establish land rights and secure traditional lands for local use. The UBRA has also worked to improve household income through over a dozen different projects, mostly based on small-scale farming, which has also stemmed the outward migration of local people and helped to develop a sustainable economic basis for communities.
In 1995 UBRA hosted Sarawak’s first mapping workshop to define traditional land boundaries. This technique has since been used to legally defend the community’s borders in court, ensuring a legally recognized land base on which members can subsist without destroying the forest. In communities whose traditional economy operated on the barter system, UBRA initiated a wide variety of new skills and activities that provide cash income (now needed for taxes, school fees, medical costs, etc.) from marketed products, including communal rice farming and milling, pig-rearing, crafts, growing pepper and fruit trees, sustainable teakwood plantations, and frog-rearing. A number of UBRA’s projects generate income that goes back into the general UBRA fund. The communal rice programme has been the biggest income generator over the years but there are other funds which regularly generate income. For instance, a portion of the income from crafts returns to a general fund that helps pay the expenses of workshops and the export of crafts to overseas markets.
Defending land rights and mapping them has prevented destructive logging enterprises and ensured the survival of the forest areas and their biodiversity. In addition, new projects ensure income and subsistence without endangering forest resources. In addition to protecting land from logging, the UBRA leads reforestation efforts in the region. In 1992, a reforestation project was begun in which over 4,000 tree seedlings were planted in degraded areas; now the trees between 9 and 15 meters tall. UBRA funds have helped families plant an average of 200 (usually fruit) usually fruit) trees per family. Earlier this year, the Uma Bawang Keluan's reforestation area was enlarged, with about 9,000 new seedlings. This time, there has been a focus on using only native species.
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>> MESCOT (Batu Puteh Community of Lower Kinabatangan) (Equator Prize 2004 Finalist)
The Batu Puteh community has developed a highly creative solution to the loss of access to traditional resources resulting from the creation of Sabah’s Supu Forest Reserve and Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. Since 2000, the NGO they created – MESCOT – has operated a series of successful ecotourism ventures including a home-stay program, a boat and guide service and a handicraft production scheme. As well as providing jobs for community members, these enterprises have enabled the creation of a micro-credit fund for the improvement of housing conditions, household sanitation and electricity supply. MESCOT has also successfully established a tree-planting program that has restored over 50 hectares of vital freshwater swamp forest that is home to many of the resources upon which the community depends.
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