How to save our rainforests
The founder of the Singapore Zoo Night Safari gives some tips on conservation and ecotourism.
BERNARD Harrison is no stranger in the world of wildlife. The renowned zoologist is behind the world’s first nocturnal wildlife park, the award-winning Singapore Night Safari, which opened in 1994.
He first joined Singapore Zoological Gardens (SZG) as curator of zoology in 1973, eventually becoming chief executive of SZG and the Night Safari, and finally, chief executive officer of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS).
Under Harrison’s leadership, WRS Consultancy was set up to undertake the planning and development of zoo projects in China, India, Indonesia, Cambodia, United Arab Emirates and the Seychelles. After 29 years of helming the SZG and Night Safari, Harrison decided to set up a zoo design and consultancy firm in 2002 with another partner. Currently based in Bali, Harrison, of British and Chinese descent, recently visited the Belum-Temengor Rainforest Complex in Perak for the first time.
An ecosystem older than both the Amazon and the Congo, Belum-Temengor is believed to have been in existence for over 130 million years, making it one of the world’s oldest rainforests. The forest reserve spans about 290,000ha (almost four times the size of Singapore) and cradles more than 146,000ha of virgin primary forest.
The forest is divided into two sections: Upper Belum (The Royal Belum State Park), which stretches to the Thai-Malaysian border, and Lower Belum (Temengor forest reserve), mostly covered by Temengor Lake.
The Royal Belum State Park was legally gazetted by the Malaysian government as a protected area covering 117,500ha in 2007 and is managed by the Perak State Parks Corporation. However, the remaining two-thirds of Belum-Temengor is unprotected.
During his visit, Harrison, 65, who spots a rugged look with salt and pepper shoulder-length hair, spoke on a few issues including carbon credits, conservation efforts and ecotourism. Here is an excerpt of the interview:
What was your first impression of the Belum-Temengor Rainforest when you arrived here?
I love rainforests. I’ve been to many around the world, in South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. It’s just nice to be back in one and this is obviously a beautiful place. And it’s really nice to have water here as well.
What struck you the most about the natural heritage that we have here?
This (Belum-Temengor) rainforest is very old; it’s been here about 130 million years and we have the audacity to try and change it when in fact it’s just beautiful to let it be. I think that’s the whole point about conservation, preserving what we have rather than trying to change it.
Although I understand the economic reasons for logging, if there’s any way that it can be prevented, and there are (then we should look into that). I know that the management (of these forests) is looking at carbon credit schemes to try and help the state government to trade carbon footprints in other countries to retain the forest rather than destroying it; and that would be really nice.
What are the first steps we need