K’batangan riparian restoration event

Kota Kinabalu: A tree-planting activity, funded by the European Union-Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (EU-REDD+) Project, will be held in Kinabatangan today (Thursday).

This is part of a continuous effort to further support the Kinabatangan Corridor of Life (K-COL) objectives of riparian restoration, covering upstream of Kinabatangan River.

In conjunction with the launch of the tree planting activity, a handing-over ceremony of a patrol boat was also held.

Datuk Sam Mannan, the Chief Conservator of Forests, Sabah Forestry Department, received the patrol boat from the Vice President of the Kinabatangan – Corridor of Life Tourism Operators Association (Kita), Johnny Lim.

During the handing-over ceremony, Mannan expressed his gratitude to Kita for their continuous support, this time in the form of a patrol boat.

Back in 2011, the Sabah Forestry Department had facilitated the implementation of the RiLeaf Project, opting to restore 2,400ha of degraded riparian within the K-COL.

To date, about 2,310ha of Kinabatangan Riparian had been successfully restored by RiLeaf.

The Department, having secured financial support from the Eu–REDD+ Project, is now working closely with Kopel Berhad and Sawit Kinabalu Group to carry out sustainable livelihood programme of riverine communities along the Kinabatangan River and riparian restoration activities.

This is part of the six-year Eu–REDD+ Project that commenced in 2013, which aims at contributing to the sustainable and low carbon development of Sabah. The specific objective is to enhance Sabah’s REDD+ readiness and implementation through REDD+ demonstration activities to strengthen communities’ engagement in forest protection and pro-poor sustainable forest management.

Source: Daily Express