Len (fourth left) receives a token of appreciation from state director of Forest Sapuan Ahmad.
KUCHING: The state is in need of strong support from international organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to provide expertise and financing to ensure Sarawak’s Totally Protected Areas (TPA) are adequately protected and effectively managed.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the State Land Use Policy has set a goal of one million ha to be gazetted as national parks, nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries by 2020.
“Presently, we have established a TPA network encompassing 37 national parks, 14 nature reserves, and five wildlife sanctuaries, covering a huge total area of 944,197.40 ha. These TPAs cover both land and waterbodies of ecological importance and are also rich in biodiversity.
“As sustainable financing for conservation and protected areas in becoming an important element to complement public finance, it is very timely that UNDP has taken up this significant initiative,” he said in a speech read by Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh at the ‘Innovation, Inclusiveness and Impact: Strengthening and Diversifying Financing for Protected Areas Regional Forum’ welcoming dinner on Monday.
Awang Tengah said he hoped to see more aggressive efforts and actions to formulate strategic action plans by the state, with full support from UNDP, to provide a new perspective on protected areas management.
On the forum, he said the gathering of policymakers, conservation professionals, experts, non-governmental organisations, and private sector from the Asia Pacific region and other countries would facilitate exchange of best practices amongst various stakeholders as well as address common barriers in developing financing means for biodiversity and protected areas management.
“I am certain that the deliberations and discussions arising from the forum will greatly benefit the practice of biodiversity conservation in Sarawak,” he said.