‘Heart of Borneo’ talk at Curtin Sarawak to promote conservation and sustainable use of forests

Miri – 23 January 2014 – Members of the public are invited to the ‘Heart of Borneo’ (HoB) talk organised by the Curtin Sarawak Research Institute (CSRI) of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) on 28 January 2014.

The talk to be delivered by Jeffery Jally of the Forest Department Sarawak will be held at 2.00 pm in the Council Room, Level 1, Heron 1 (John Curtin Building) at the university’s campus.

The HoB initiative is a unique government-led and NGO-supported programme established by a joint declaration by the governments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2007. With more than half of Borneo’s primary forests now gone, the HoB initiative is a conservation and sustainable development programme aimed at conserving and managing the contiguous tropical forests remaining in Borneo and the incredible biodiversity that lives inside them.

Sarawak’s HoB programme has five pillars which include the conservation of biological diversity; sustainable forest management; eco-tourism based on culture, adventure and nature; community-based rural poverty eradication; and sustainable agriculture and land use. Developing ecotourism for socio-economic development within the HoB region is a key part of the initiative.

According to Dr. Lisa Marie King, Senior Research Fellow of CSRI and a sustainable ecotourism expert, the HoB initiative serves as a positive catalyst to encourage the wise and careful use of Borneo’s natural resources.

“This important initiative brings together agencies, NGOs, institutions and others to develop and implement plans on how to manage the HoB’s remaining forests sustainably for the benefit of all Borneon people, now and in the future. The ecotourism potential of this region is simply amazing,” said Dr. King.

She added that Curtin Sarawak is partnering with the Forest Department Sarawak on projects to help move the HoB initiative forward. She also said that an increasing number of Curtin Sarawak graduates are focusing on aspects related to the HoB initiative in Sarawak.

For further information about the HoB initiative or the upcoming talk, contact Dr. Lisa Marie King at +6085-443 939 or e-mail to lisa.m.king@curtin.edu.my

The Borneo pygmy elephant, one of the numerous plant and animal species the HoB initiative aims to protect.