New Sabah Times
19th March, 2012TONGOD: The Ulu Kinabatangan information centre and jetty serves as an important platform for the local community to take part in safeguarding the natural heritage of the Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, here.
The 30,000-hectare area, located right at the centre of Sabah, is a Class I Forest Reserve.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the two facilities took place at Kampung Imbak here and performed by Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Bung Moktar Radin and Kuamut assemblyman Mansiung Bannah.
Kampung Imbak is about a five-hour drive from Sandakan and located near the conservation area.
Sabah Foundation director Tan Sri Datu Khalil Datu Jamalul said the setting up of the two facilities was following a collaboration between the foundation and Petronas.
It aims to make the Imbak Canyon a learning centre for biodiversity conservation as well as a gene bank.
“The relevant issue from the collaboration includes providing training to the local community in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources,” he said in speech read by his deputy Datuk Johan Arrifin Abdul Samad.
Datu Khalil said the centre would provide information on Ulu Kinabatangan to the local community as well as to visitors and serves as a station for porters and tourist guides to Imbak Canyon.
The jetty will be for use by the local community.
Meanwhile, Petronas’ Group Corporate Affairs Division senior general manager Datuk Mohammad Medan Abdullah said the setting up of the two facilities was in line with the effort to conserve the natural heritage at Imbak Canyon.
It would also benefit the local community in Ulu Kinabatangan, particularly in terms of ecotourism, he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment