Public help sought in eco-drive

MORE Bruneians are needed to support the cause of nature conservation as the Sultanate's forests are threatened by infrastructure developments, said a committee member of the Panaga Natural History Society.

Peter Engbers said that the non-profit organisation (NGO) is facing the challenge of building interest in nature and its conservation among Bruneians.

"Currently, a majority of Panaga Natural History Society members and enthusiasts are expatriates who may only be in Brunei for a few years. While their passion and achievements in nature are strong, the wider community would benefit if more Bruneians championed such causes," he told The Brunei Times in an email interview.

He said that Brunei's forests are threatened due to ongoing and planned construction works such as building roads, dams and logging.

"Only a small amount of Brunei forests have some sort of conservation status. If Brunei is not careful, in 20 years time, only 10-20 per cent of its area remains virgin rainforest," he added.

Panaga Natural History Society hopes to promote interest in nature and help those interested to learn more about the environment, its flora and fauna, and "nature travel" in Borneo.

"We also hope to raise the environmental awareness and commitment of the community. In addition, we hope to really achieve progress with the Heart of Borneo, so that more forests will be protected and a large area of beautiful virgin forests will remain," he said.

The society is organising a survey of the Teraja hill area in Belait to evaluate its ecotourism potential by compiling information on its flora, fauna and folklore.

Engbers said that they hope to gather scientific evidence of the hill's value for conservation and involve the community in the conservation effort and ecotourism development.

The NGO is also active with talks and organising excursions and environmental activities. The greatest achievement for the society is its contribution to nature education and raising environmental awareness, said Engbers.

"This is done through our events, but also through the many publications Panaga Natural History Society has made (Wildlife Watch, Winging the Bornean skies, Jungle trekking in Borneo, Birding in Brunei, The seashore life of the Brunei Heart of Borneo series of eight booklets) have all contributed to raising this awareness."

"Our involvement with the Heart of Borneo initiative is a very important one in preserving the remaining natural habitat of Brunei," he said.

The society had a beach clean-up at the Panaga Beach yesterday. About 30 volunteers collected rubbish along the beach. Plastics were the most common trash found.

Engbers said the activity was to "have a clean and safe beach and prevent all the garbage from entering the sea again and become a hazard for the marine life".

He added the activity aimed to reflect on what are the trash, where it comes from, and whether it could have been avoided. "Are there changes in our lifestyle and consumer choices that could make a difference?"

"Regular beach users saw us diligently filling bags with rubbish, which helps them realise that littering does have consequences. Such messages help spread the much needed greater awareness of our impact on the environment and help all residents of Brunei consider ways to limit it."

The Brunei Times