Forest Governance Forest Zonal Workshop 4th-6th October 2019 in Kuching

Dear Members

The Forest Governance Zonal Workshop will to be held in Kuching from 4^th-6^th October 2019.  Workshop fees, meals and accommodation will be sponsored  by Malaysian Nature Society.   You  will be responsible for your own transportation.

The Workshop  is limited to 30 MNS Members only. If you know someone who is interested to attend but is not an MNS Member, please contact MNS Kuching Branch Secretariat at mnskuching@gmail.com.

If you are interested to attend the Workshop.  please register via Google doc link as stated in the Poster attached herewith. Details and the Programme are also attached herewith.

Cynthia Lobato

Secretariat

MNS Kuching Branch

Honorary Wildlife Ranger Training Course

Dear Members

This is to remind   you that application for  the Honorary Wildlife Ranger Training Course to be held at Matang Wildlife Centre from 9^th – 11^th July 2019 will close on:

FRIDAY 31^ST MAY 2019.

THEREAFTER WE SHALL NOT ACCEPT ANY MORE APPLICATIONS.

Cynthia Lobato

Secretariat

MNS Kuching Branch

Dear Members,

A training course for the voluntary Honorary Wildlife Rangers is being organised by Malaysian Nature Kuching Branch.The training is jointly sponsored  by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC)  and  Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) under the European Union-BirdLife International Project.

The Honorary Wildlife Ranger programme was started by the Forestry Department Sarawak in 1998. Its main aim is to get members of local communities to work hand-in-hand with SFCto protect wildlife and natural environments. These rangers are the eyes and ears of the relevant  authorities  in  Sarawak and assist in conservation efforts and in saving endangered species.

Honorary Wildlife Rangers also play important roles in managing national parks and help to monitor illegal activities, such as poaching, by reporting  the actions to SFC. They are part of SFC’s management approach to protect  the 12 million hectares  of totally-protected areas.  

This training is open to  MNS Members who are Malaysian citizens, domiciled in Sarawak, and are  between 18 and 70 years of age. It is important to have a passion for nature and be in good health. 

The dates of  the 3-day, 2-night course are from Tuesday – Thursday,  9^th– 11^thJuly 2019.  The Course will include classroom training and field activities at Matang Wildlife Centre. There are no training fees, and meals and accommodation are provided at Matang Wildlife Centre.The time of the training will be from 9.00am to 6.00pm each day. The Programme will only be given out on the day of the Course itself.

The possible topics included the following. However, please note that there could be changes.

·       Biodiversity

·       Habitat types and their differences

·       Status of Wildlife in Sarawak

·       Threats to Wildlife in Sarawak

·       Roles and responsibilities ofan HonoraryWildlifeRanger

·       Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998

·       CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

·       Public Speaking Skills

·       Field training

If you are interested in becoming an Honorary Wildlife Ranger,  please complete the attached  Application Form and return it to  mnskuching@gmail. com.  In addition, if you have any questions please send them to the same email address. Additional information (if any)  will be updated in subsequent announcements.

We are looking forward to your participation in the Honorary Wildlife Ranger Training Course. 

Love Life, Love Nature

Rose Au Nyat Jun

Chairperson

MNS  Kuching Branch

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Matang+Wildlife+Centre/@1.609363,110.160219,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x3d321bc5b61cd47c!8m2!3d1.609363!4d110.1602186?hl=en-US

Talk:What if there is no marine conservation in place?

Dear members and friends,

We invite you for an interesting talk entitled “What If There Is No Marine Conservation In Place” ? 

Speaker: Dr. Achier Chung Fung Chen

Date:       Wednesday 22 May 2019

Time:       7.30-9.30 PM ( Please be on time)

Venue :    Islamic Information Centre (Lower Baruk)

                Jalan Ong Tiang Swee (behind Swinburne University)

Entrance: Free of charge but donations are always welcome.

Please register  by email  mnskuching@gmail.com to confirm your seat.

Talk synopsis 

What if there is no marine conservation in place? 

Case study: Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA), Sabah Malaysia

Nearly 85% of the populations along the coast of Sabah depended for the sea for daily living. Despite these, over-harvesting of sea products continues to occur, from traditional fishing to illegal fishing practices that eliminating coral reef habitat. 

With an increase of fishing activities and no control of the fishing methods, Sabah will lose it marine resources in the long run, by failing to maintain coral reef system that important nursery ground for marine fishes, and unsustainable fishing down to the aquatic food web. Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA) established in 2001 for the biodiversity conservation and recreational purposes. 

SIMCA is the first privately managed marine conservation area in Malaysia. Reef Guardian is the manager of SIMCA with long term goal to conserve coral reef ecosystem and minimize anthropogenic threats to SIMCA. Reef Guardian implementing five main programmes, which are 1) Marine conservation, 2) Enforcement, 3) Environmental control, 4) education and awareness and, 5) Ecotourism. Reef Guardian increase enforcement presence in SIMCA since 2005 through a partnership with Conservation International Philippines and the U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation have allowed restoration of marine fishes especially the commercial species such as groupers, snappers, sweetlips, and sharks.

Coral reefs are in recovering stages and allowed recruitment of critically endangered sea turtles such as Hawksbill turtle in the reefs. However illegal fishing continues to exist in the marine reserve especially at night time when nighttime enforcement is limited. Destructive fishing practices are carried out destroying coral reef habitats, and bottom gillnet fishing placed along reef edge overnight harvesting threatens species such as sharks, rays and often drowning adult and juvenile sea turtles, and fish trawlers are trawling at the hot-spot areas that often trapped and downing sea turtles. Beside human-induced stress, the reef suffers from an increase of sea surface temperature that results in corals bleaching since 2014. Furthermore, with increases of coastal development that result in river and nutrient runoff, there have been recorded of the frequent outbreak of Crown-of-thorn starfish that predated on live corals. 

Biodata

Dr. Achier Chung Fung Chen

 Achier Chung is a Lead Marine Biologist/Advisor for Reef Guardian Sdn Bhd that managing the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA), at Sandakan Sabah. Member of the national-level IUCN Expert Assessment Group for Green List (EAGL) for Malaysia. She has recently received an award as the first Malaysia SeaKeeper from the International SeaKeepers Society for her passionate in marine conservation, and environmental education works in SIMCA. 

Achier stationary on Lankayan Island for more than a decade manages and run marine conservation programme with a team of 10 to 15 people. She earned her doctorate in the year 2015 in marine science/fisheries. Her expertise is in managing marine protected area, sea turtle biology, reef fish behaviour, coral trout spawning aggregation and Marine Protected Area enforcement.

In the past 15 years, Achier logged over 2000 hours dives for research, exploration, and documentation of marine creatures around Lankayan Island, and islands around Sabah.

 Regards,

Cynthia Lobato

MNSKB Secretariat

talk : Managing Shorebirds at Bako-Buntal Bay.

Dear members and friends,

 We would like to invite you for an interesting talk about Managing Shorebirds at Bako-Buntal Bay. 

Speakers:  Oswald Braken Tisen, General Manager & 

                    Rambli Ahmad,  Ecologist, Sarawak Forestry Corporation.

Date:         Wednesday 24 April 2019

Time:          7.30-9.30 PM ( Please be on time)

Venue :     Islamic Information Centre (Lower Baruk)

                 Jalan Ong Tiang Swee (behind Swinburne University)

Entrance: Free of charge but donations are always welcome.

Please register  by email latest by 23 April by email mnskuching@gmail.com to confirm your seat.

Managing Shorebirds at Bako-Buntal Bay 

Bako-Buntal Bay(BBB)  extends from the northern tip of the Santubong peninsula, down its east-facing coast, and eastwards to Kuala Bako. The bay formed between the Santubong and Bako peninsulas contains extensive intertidal mudflats fringed with mangrove forest.

 BBB is  the first and  only East Asian-Australasian Partnership (EAAFP) Flyway Network site in Malaysia. Thousands of shorebirds winter here   every migratory season.  Thus, it plays an important role in providing a roosting and feeding area for the migrants   to complete their journey. 

A Sarawak state-wide survey of waterbirds in 2011, conducted by Malaysian Nature Society, recorded a total of 35,338 birds in the whole of Bako-Buntal Bay Flyway Network Site, representing 50% of all shorebirds counted in Sarawak, making BBB the most important site for migratory birds in the State.

There are at least 30 species of shorebirds which  stopover from September-February each   year.  Threatened   species like Nordmann’s Greenshank, Chinese Egret and Far Eastern Curlew can be found along the coastline of BBB in the wintering months. 

Malaysian Nature Society  Kuching Branch has invited Mr Oswald Braken Tisen, General Manager, and Mr Ramli Ahmad, Ecologist, both of  Sarawak Forestry Corporation to talk on  managing  BBB and the shorebirds in these areas.

What does the future hold for these birds?

How do we manage these  birds? 

 Please come and join us to find out. 

Regards,

Cynthia Lobato

MNSKB Secretariat

Talk on Waterbirds & Wetland Survey of the Sarawak Coasts.

Dear members and friends,

This time we invite you for an interesting talk about the Waterbirds and Wetland Survey of the Sarawak Coasts.

Date:          Tuesday 26 March 2019

Time:          7.30-9.30 PM ( Please be on time)

Venue :     Islamic Information Centre (Lower Baruk)

                 Jalan Ong Tiang Swee (behind Swinburne University)

Entrance: Free of charge but donations are always welcome.

 Presenters

Daniel Kong and Rose Au are both long-time members of MNS Kuching Branch .When there was a call for volunteers to take on the task of surveying the waterbirds  of Sarawak a few years ago,  they came forward to help. The survey took more than a year.

It has been an adventurous experience they will always remember-the many long miles of walking along the coastlines in the hot sun, the lovely coastal people they met and lots of home-cooked  fresh seafood had made it all worth it.

Please register by  email with mnskuching@gmail.com latest by Sunday 24 March

What’s The Waterbirds and Wetlands Survey of the Sarawak Coast?

The Amazing Race – 1,000+ km in 5 mins!

Chart Toppers – what are the top 5 species?

What Now?

The Jewel in Crown – where is it?

Every year millions of waterbirds fly up and down the East Asian-Australasian Flyway 

How many come to Sarawak?

Where are the most important sites?

Which are the key species?

Are the populations increasing or declining?

 Come and join Daniel  and Rose as they share with you their findings and awareness programmes with the local coastal communities from the survey of the Sarawak coasts.

Regards,

Cynthia Lobato

MNSKB Secretariat

Talk on Birds of Borneo,A celebration of Borneo's wonderful birdlife

Dear members and friends,

We are inviting you for talk about the Birds of Borneo.This talk celebrates Borneo’s wonderful bird life. Seen through a telephoto lens, the beauty of many of Borneo’s birds is simply amazing.

Speaker: Hans Hazebroek

Date:       Saturday 9 March 2019

Time:       7.30pm -9.30 pm Please be on time.

Venue:    Islamic Information Centre (Lower Baruk)

                Jalan Ong Tiang Swee (behind Swinburne University)

• Please register by sending email to mnskuching@gmail.com latest by Wednesday 6 March.

Birds of Borneo 

This talk celebrates Borneo’s wonderful bird life. Seen through a telephoto lens, the beauty of many of Borneo’s birds is simply amazing.

Northeast Borneo’s highlands and mountains have been in existence for at least 7 million years. This has helped rainforest persist longer on Borneo than in Sumatra and Java. Thus, Borneo (especially northeast Borneo) has been a refuge, preserving rainforest bird diversity, even when much of the rest of SE Asia suffered rainforest extinction during the colder, drier climates of the Pliocene (5–2.6 million years ago), and Pleistocene (2.6–0.01 million years ago). When climates became warmer and wetter, rainforest was restored in areas that had been too dry, and northeast Borneo became a source from which birds could re-colonise the restored forest. This helps explain why, for example, in north Borneo the White-crowned Shama differs from the White-rumped Shama in the rest of Borneo; the Black-crowned Pitta differs from the widespread Garnet Pitta; and  the White-fronted Falconet differs from the widespread Black-thighed Falconet. It also explains why Borneo has more endemic species (which are only found in Borneo and nowhere else) than Sumatra and Java. And why most of these endemics live in the mountains: lowland species are replaced in mountains at higher elevation by very similar species. For instance, the lowland White-crowned Forktail is replaced by the Bornean Forktail at higher elevations. Moreover, this points to the reason for Borneo to have more species of hornbills, trogons, barbets, broadbills, pittas, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters and frogmouths than any other forest in the world.

Hornbills are ‘indicator’ species of the health of Borneo’s forests. If a forest is healthy there are sufficient fruit trees for hornbills to feed on and sufficient old trees with cavities for them to build a nest. There are 8 species of hornbills in Borneo. Six of these spend their life in tall mixed dipterocarp forests, covering huge distances in search of fruit trees and often defecate (poop) seeds in flight, thus dispersing seeds throughout the forest. Many rainforest trees cannot propagate without hornbills and Borneo’s forests need hornbills to remain healthy.

About the speaker:

Drs Hans P. Hazebroek — Geologist, Nature Photographer and Writer

Books and book chapters written and photographed:

in Sarawak  – 

• National Parks of Sarawak (2000) (with co-author Abang Kashim bin Abang Morshidi)
• A Guide to Gunung Mulu National Park (2002) (with co-author Abang Kashim bin Abang Morshidi)
• A Guide to Bako National Park (2006) (with co-author Abang Kashim bin Abang Morshidi)
• Geology and Geomorphology: chapter in Tanjung Datu National Park— Where Borneo Begins (2015)
• Geology and Geomorphology: chapter in Gunung Penrissen — The Roof of Western Borneo (2017)
• Geology andGeomorphology: chapter in Gunung Santubong — Where Nature meets Culture (in press) 

in Sabah –

• Maliau Basin – Sabah’s Lost World (2004) (with co-authors Tengku Zainal Adlin and Dr. Waidi Sinun)
• Danum Valley — The Rain Forest (2012) (with co-authors Tengku Zainal Adlin and Dr. Waidi Sinun)
• Tertiary tectonic evolution of the NW Sabah Continental margin (1993) (with co-author Dennis N. K. Tan)

Principal photographer for:

On the Forests of Tropical Asia – Lest the memory fade (2014) by Peter S. Ashton  

Contributing photographer for:

Phillipps Field Guide to Mammals of Borneo (2018) by Quentin Phillipps and Karen Phillipps

Orchids of Sarawak (2001) by Beaman, T.E., Wood, J.J., Beaman, R.S., Beaman, J.H. 

Regards,

Cynthia Lobato

MNSKB Secretariat--