WWF 30 Apr 13;
30 April 2013, Kota Kinabalu: WWF-Malaysia recently handed over a cheque of RM261,759.70 to KiTA (Kinabatangan Corridor of Life Tourism Operators Association) to carry out conservation work in the Kinabatangan Corridor of Life (KCoL).
The money was the total amount collected from tourists since the inception of the Conservation Levy initiative in 2006 by WWF-Malaysia.
The national conservation organisation, upon realising the importance of conserving Kinabatangan, had initiated the Voluntary Conservation Levy (VCL) as part of effort to involve the tourism sector in restoring and rehabilitating the habitats and natural resources in Kinabatangan.
Under the VCL programme, participating lodges operating in and around the Lower Kinabatangan area invited their guests to voluntarily contribute RM20 (or USD 5) for conservation work. Tourists were encouraged to pay the levy upon checking out.
The participating lodges, comprising KiTA members, pooled together and channelled the monies collected into on-going or new conservation efforts in the Kinabatangan area. WWF-Malaysia was the custodian of the fund.
KiTA has nine members consisting of Abai Jungle Lodge, Barefoot Sukau Lodge, Bilit Adventure Lodge, Borneo Nature Lodge, Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge, Nature Lodge Kinabatangan, Proboscis Lodge Bukit Melapi, Sukau Rainforest Lodge, The Last Frontier Resort, and Uncle Tan Jungle Camp.
In January 2011, KiTA decided to improve the collection mechanism of the VCL programme and implemented the Compulsory Conservation Levy (CL) whereby KiTA members would contribute RM10 for every guest who purchased a tour package to KCoL. Similar to the VCL fund, the collection from the CL would be used for the conservation and protection of KCoL’s natural assets.
“The Conservation Levy initiative has broadened funding sources for conservation as well as promoted sustainable tourism in the KCoL area. Some KiTA members match guest contributions during peak months” said Executive Director/CEO of WWF-Malaysia, Dato’ Dr. Dionysius Sharma.
“Through the VCL mechanism, we found that tourists are actually happy and ready to contribute to conservation. They want to see that the Kinabatangan’s reputation as a premium wildlife viewing region is sustained. Through the Conservation Levy initiative, we have created an avenue for responsible tourism to thrive,” said President of KiTA, Alexander Yee.
The levy collection is expected to increase with continuous and proactive support from lodge guests and operators. The money will be used to fund various ongoing conservation and community projects implemented by KiTA in the area, including tree planting, river clean-ups, building of waste disposal sites, conducting medical camps for local communities and hosting environmental education programmes.
“The collection will contribute immensely towards the conservation of the KCoL. WWF-Malaysia hopes to see this initiative replicated in other ecologically sensitive areas within the state and beyond. Conservation efforts require funding. We need to continuously explore new financing mechanism to broaden funding sources for conservation,” Dr. Dionysius said.
