Esther Landau New Straits Times 11 Nov 13;
PRESERVING LEGACY: State govt will set aside 1m hectares to conserve flora and fauna
KUCHING: THE Sarawak government has proposed to set up 20 national parks to bring a balance to the state's environment, said Minister in the Chief Minister's Office Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
He said the state government would set aside one million hectares of land for the purpose.
"Historically, our forests have contributed to mankind.
"We want to preserve that legacy," Adenan said after opening the Second International Conference on Alfred Russel Wallace here recently.
Wallace was a renowned British naturalist who had made a great many discoveries in the Borneo jungles.
He is best known for conceiving the theory of evolution through natural selection.
His paper on the subject was jointly published with some of Charles Darwin's writings in 1858.
This prompted Darwin to publish his own ideas in his book, On the Origin of Species.
"These parks will be classified as protected areas and will be the sanctuary for Borneo's flora and fauna in the state," said Adenan.
Wallace's work in the jungles of Borneo began from Santubong coast and most of his work became the foundation of the Sarawak Museum.
The museum also planned to have a section on Wallace's work with the help of the Brooke Heritage Trust and London Natural History Museums.
Adenan said those participants in the programme shared common interests in promoting academic discourse and research on the state.
"The conference also aims to provide a platform for Wallace's enthusiasts from Malaysia and other countries."
Adenan said Sarawak was committed to conserving the state's biodiversity and would continue to play its role by providing research facilities and grants to interested institutions.
