Transboundary biodiversity conservation area: the Pulong Tau national Park – Phase II

Malaysia

This is a second phase of the PTNP project which was initiated in 2002 to conserve biodiversity in the Kelabit Highlands, Sarawak, with community participation and transboundary cooperation with Indonesia. It concerns the area in which Bruno Manser worked and where he is believed to have disappeared. The first phase was implemented with considerable success. It confirmed that the PTNP is not only an important and unique highland biodiversity area, but it is also vitally linked to the socio-economic well being of the local communities (Penan, Kelabit) living in the periphery of the park. This second phase will establish a protected area and will develop economic activities for the minority groups who depend on the forest for their livelihoods. In addition to completing the extensions of the national park and addressing the local communities’ dependence on the forest, Phase II will continue to address the problems of park management. The project will try to achieve greater local stakeholder participation in conservation management of the park and will address the long-term needs of the local communities for forest resources by establishing community use zones. Its strategy will focus on participatory approach in managing the park’s resources and using it in a sustainable way. This will be done through the creation of economic incentives, based on national valuation of biodiversity, ecosystem payments and local promotion of ecotourism.

The beneficiaries of the project are the Kelabit, Lun Bawang and Penan communities who will participate directly and actively in park management, ecotourism, impIementation of community-based activities, cross-border socioeconomic activities and employment. Their participation will be namely through appointment as members of the Stakeholders Consultative Committee, the Special Park Committee and Honorary Wildlifepark Rangers. The Kelabit and Lun Bawang will be assured of the safeguarding of their valuable cultural heritage, in particular the burial sites and stone megaliths. The Penan will equally benefit as their basic needs are provided and living standards improved. In addition, the SFD and its operating arm of SFC as their management presence in the field will be reinforced and opportunity for staff training will be made available. The State Government of Sarawak will benefit as basic scientific and socio-economic data are made available for decision making in park management and strengthening transboundary cooperation with Indonesia. Will also benefit scientists, public institutions and NGOs with a stake in biodiversity conservation. The populations of the Upper Baram with the PTNF will have secured water catchments.

Progress Report

November 2011

In accordance with the project’s progress report submitted by the Executing Agency in August 2011, progress in implementation of the project can be summarized as follows:

• Construction of a post in Lupok Bunga at the foot of Murud has been delayed by frequent rain and limited accessibility. Materials will be brought to site as soon as the road becomes accessible.
• The Batu Lawi extension boundary has been redrawn to include logging coupes 13 and 14 surrendered by timber licensee. The new area will be about 16,000 ha, up from 3,000 ha.
• One trip to Batu Lawi was organized in March to study forest ecology, flora and fauna after logging. Plants specimens are being identified. Among the interesting find are protected species of plants and animals, and one bird that is endemic to Sarawak and previously known only from two other localities. A later visit was made to identify a suitable site for a nursery to raise seedlings for rehabilitation of degraded sites in the extended park area.
• Botanical garden for NTFP at Ba’ Kelalan surveyed and mapped. Enrichment planting will continue. Trail surveyed was carried out on 6-14 April to estimate materials for repair. Use of galvanized iron instead of timber is being investigated.
• Recent conservation awareness programme covered the school at Pa Dalih and Ba Kelalan. The ield centre at Ba’ Kelalan was surveyed and mapped and species identified.
• The focus of the extension period has been made to community-based development and upgrading of park facilities namely, the trail to the Church Camp near the summit of Mt Murud. Additional financial contribution by the EA will enable the scope of work to be expanded to better benefit the local people.

The project is nearing the end of its completion as most of the activities have been implemented. In spite of many difficulties and challenges, like remoteness and problem of access, the project team was able to ensure smooth implementation of all activities, with much help from Samling and Penan communities. It is expected that the project activities will be completed in January 2012.

December 2010

The project was approved at the 42nd Session of the Council, partially funded at the same Session and is now fully funded. The agreement regulating the implementation of the project was duly signed on 11 January 2008. The first disbursement of funds was made on 22 January 2008 This project is the continuation of the on-going project PD 224/04 Rev.1 (F) that was completed by December 2007.

Since the Forty-third Session of the ITTO Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management and in accordance with the project's progress report submitted by the Executing Agency in August 2010, progress in implementation of the project can be summarized as follows:

• Construction of the multiple-use rangers' post at Lepo Bunga at the foot of Murud while the second post at Ba' Medamot commenced in September 2010. The building complex will consist of an office and two big rooms for use by local and outside visitors to the national park, and for training.
• Following the recent signature of the preliminary gazette by the Chief Minister of Sarawak the extension of Batu Lawi to the Pulong Tau N.P. is officially confirmed.
• Data collected from the Batu Lawi extension surveys in March covering forest ecology, flora and fauna have been analyzed and report writing has commenced.
• In the related study to rehabilitate degraded areas in the Batu Lawi extension, a field nursery and accommodation for staff have been built. About 1500 seedlings have been potted. Locations and areas to be planted will be surveyed and marked out soon.
• In developing community-based activities, several activities were carried out: (i) A description of interesting plants in the Nature Study Centre at Ba' Kelalan school has been completed. (ii) More than 165 tonnes of timber for the construction of Penan housing at Ba' Medamot has been sewn. Other materials like roofing sheets, cement and rations for workers were lifted by air crane to the site. A 600-metre long gravity feed for the village will also be provided. (iii) A preliminary survey to construct a suspension bridge across the Adang River for the Penan settlement of Long Adang has been completed. The bridge is likely to span a distance of over 100 metres. (iv) Chicken farming in collaboration with the Women's Association in Bario commenced in September 2010.
• To conserve the fragile montane vegetation and flora of Mt. Murud and re-establish the natural vegetation, further consultation with community leaders in Ba' Kelalan on finding a durable material to replace the wooden rotten plank walk was held again in July 2010. There is general agreement to use galvanized iron nettings to be laid directly on the ground. A piece of 6x2 netting costs RM 280 (USD 70) and about 1500 pieces may be needed to cover the 2-km distance. Due to the high cost, the repair work will have to be carried out in phases.
• Conservation awareness programme for key local stakeholders carried out for the Penan community is being developed.

The Kubaan suspension bridge that was completed in December 2009 alone cost about USD 40,000; while the Medamot housing is estimated to cost USD 61,000 (excluding transport and allowances for forestry staff). As ITTO budget is limited, the EA has been able to secure the necessary funding since 2009. The fact that this is happening is due to the understanding and support of the top leadership (e.g. Director of Forests) and several of his senior staff. This serves to demonstrate that good and effective leadership is crucial for the EA to sustain the project work at the end of the ITTO project.

The project has an implementation period of three years and this period will end on 31 January 2011. Activities already implemented included training on crop cultivation, registration of birth certificates and identity cards for Penan and others, gravity-fed water supplies and amenities for Penan, construction of a suspension bridge for Penan and visitors, and rehabilitating of water catchment for Kelabit in Bario. Many of these activities need some time to implement, while regular monitoring is also important especially to benefit the Penan participants.

To ensure the effectiveness of the project to indigenous peoples in the project sites, the people's needs for livelihood improvement were discussed by the Project Steering Committee (PSC) during its first meeting on 16 February 2009, and again during the second meeting on 24 May 2010. The recommendations of the two PSC meetings included that the project should devote more effort to helping the people through the implementation of more community development activities. In this regard, an extension proposal until the end of 2011 with additional funds was prepared by the Executing Agency and was fully funded by Switzerland in December 2010.

Documentation

ITTO 2010: Transboundary Biodiversity Conservation : The Pulong Tau National Park, Phase II, Presentation at the Project Steering Committee Meetings, 24-26 May 2010, Miri Sarawak, Malaysia

Ok M.H.; Ahmad S.; Chai P. 2010: Minutes of the 2nd Project Steering Committee Meeting, ITTO Project PD 451/07 Rev. 1, Miri, Sarawak, 10p.

Forest Department Sarawak, 2010: Yearly Plan of Operation 3, Transboundary Biodiversity Conservation: The Pulong Tau National Park, Sarawak State, Malaysia, Phase II, 1 February 2010 to 31 January 2011, Kuching

Blaser J. 2010: BACK-TO-OFFICE REPORT, Project Steering Committee Meetings, SECO supported projects in Sarawak, 24-26 May 2010, Miri Sarawak, Malaysia

Chai P.K. 2010: Biodiversity Conservation in Transboundary Tropical Forests in Sarawak State, Malaysia, Presentation about ITTO Projects PD 451/07 and PD 38/00, International Conference on Biodiversity Conservation in Transboundary Forests
Quito, Ecuador, 21-24 July 2010