Sandakan: The Sabah Forestry Department (SFD), under the EU-funded REDD-plus Project entitled “Tackling Climate Change through Sustainable Forest Management and Community Development,” held a historic meeting with key oil palm plantation owners in Kinabatangan at the SFD Headquarters, here, recently.

The meeting, the first involving a large group of main plantation owners and also for the EU-REDD+ Project, aimed to synergise forest conservation efforts in the Upper Kinabatangan River corridor.

The EU-REDD+ Project is a six-year (2014-2019) endeavour funded by the European Union (EU), with the specific objective to contribute to the sustainable and low carbon development for Sabah and is currently working at the three pilot sites in Gana, Kota Marudu, Kinabatangan and KinabaluEcolinc area.

Chairing the meeting was Frederick Kugan, Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests (Forest Sectoral Planning) of SFD, who is also the Project Director.

It was attended by representatives from SawitKinabalu Group, Tung Hup Plantation SdnBhd, Pontian United Plantations, IOI Corporations, Genting Plantations Berhad, Malbumi Group, KUB Malua Plantation SdnBhd, Tian Siang Holdings SdnBhd, Abedon Group of Companies, Kwantas Plantations SdnBhd, KL Kepong Berhad, KopelBhd, Nestle (Malaysia) Berhad, Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora), Pongo Alliance, the District Forestry Officers of Deramakot and Kinabatangan and the Project Team.

Among the main objective of the meeting was to synergise: – the current conservation efforts in Kinabatangan by SawitKinabaluBerhad in managing their Sungai Pin Conservation areas; – the restoration work by RiLeaf Project, Pongo Alliance and Bora in building a resilient habitat for Orang Utan; and – Sabah Wildlife Department engagement with oil palm companies and the community development work with Kopel under the EU-REDD+ Project. – Winnie Kasmir

Source: Daily Express
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=128246