Forestry Dept to be transparent, says new Chief Conservator
SANDAKAN: The newly appointed Sabah Chief Conservator of Forests, Manshor Mohd Jaini said a lot of adjustments and changes need to be done in forest conservation in Sabah in line with the new government’s policies, but the beneficial existing programmes would be continued.
He said the Forestry Department would need to adapt to a lot of adjustments, especially now that the new government wants transparent and open book policy.
He said the department will be transparent in the implementing programmes on forest reserve management including its conservation.
Manshor said he would continue existing programmes and methods that are beneficial to the conservation of forests in Sabah.
“Forest conservation in Sabah is not an easy task. The Forestry Department needs to look after more than 50 per cent (53 per cent) of Sabah's land which was gazetted as forest reserves, protected and wildlife conservation areas.
“Our forest is also very dense with a lot of animal and plant species that could be found in one square hectare,” he said when launching the closing ceremony of Educational Environmental Race (EERace) organised for secondary school teachers here, yesterday.
Manshor also said Sabah is now the major state in the country in tropical forest management, thanks to Forest Enactment, Wildlife Conservation Enactment, and Parks Enactment.
“A programme such as this one is one of examples of good and beneficial programmes that should be continued. This programme is held in collaboration between the forestry department and Sabah Education Department.
“We aim to ‘train the trainers' so that they would be able to spread the awareness and knowledge about forest conservation and its importance to our target group - the students.
“Students, the younger generation, have to learn the importance of forest conservation and the importance to continue the effort in order to have a balanced ecosystem. We hope that the participants of this programme will become our agents to spread the awareness to the younger generation,” he explained.
Manshor was appointed as the Chief Conservator of Forests to replace Datuk Sam Mannan less than a month ago.
Thirty-one teachers from 28 schools here participated in the programme which is held annually for the 19th time this year.