Directory of IBAs in Malaysia: the tenth of its kind in Asia
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…and Malaysia makes ten
13-03-2007
MNS (BirdLife in Malaysia) have produced a “blueprint” for conserving key habitats critical for many of Malaysia’s threatened birds.
Directory of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Malaysia – the 10th such guide in Asia – was launched at a high-profile event in Tanjung Tuan, Malaysia on 10 March.
“This is Malaysia’s contribution to the world,” said Anthony Sebastian, President of MNS. “…a very important document, placing in posterity a map of much of our country’s unique and spectacular natural heritage”.
The publication forms part of BirdLife’s Important Bird Area Programme, which works globally to identify, monitor and protect networks of sites that are of crucial importance for birds and biodiversity.
Of Malaysia’s 55 IBAs, many remain unprotected from the threats of extensive forest loss and degradation due to commercial logging. Conservationists hope the IBA directory will provide a blueprint to direct efforts to protect these sites.
"If we do not, as a nation, use this information to plan for the future, we stand to lose a lot.” —Anthony Sebastian, President of MNS
“The document is timely as it highlights key sites for conservation, complementing national efforts to address conservation and land use planning needs.” commented Dr Loh Chi Leong, Executive Director of MNS.
“While it is an extremely useful planning tool, in many respects it also serves as a warning. If we do not, as a nation, use this information to plan for the future, we stand to lose a lot.” added Sebastian.
One of the sites MNS refer to in the publication is Belum-Temengor – one of the largest of Malaysia’s IBAs. Since 2006, MNS have been involved in a high-profile campaign to end logging at the site and to push for the protection of the entire forest area.
Parts of the IBA currently lack formal protection from logging, even though the site supports important populations of Plain-pouched Hornbill Aceros subruficollis among 274 bird species, over 3,000 flowering plants and 100 mammals.
“It is hoped that equipped with this critical publication, the Federal and State governments, NGOs and other civil societies would be spurred and guided in their concerted actions to conserve the biological diversity.” said Dr Loh.
Directory of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Malaysia is available for sale from MNS via: www.mns.org.my
For more on Belum-Temengor IBA see the September 2006 issue of World Birdwatch magazine