'Manage biodiversity resources smartly'

THE Minister of Industry and Primary Resources yesterday urged government agencies and relevant stakeholders to step up efforts in balancing nature conservation and the demand of resource exploration and development.

Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar said that His Majesty's Government always gave attention to the importance of preserving biodiversity as uncontrolled exploration of forests for development and economic diversification purposes could cause a loss to the nation, as experienced by other developed countries.

"Geographically, Brunei is a small nation with a manageable population growth. Thus, we have to be smart in managing our biodiversity resources as the simplest mistakes could give a negative impact and prove costly to our nation's environment," Pehin Dato Hj Yahya said during the World Forestry Day celebration.

Brunei celebrated the occasion with a tree-planting ceremony and opening of the Berakas Forest Recreational Park at the Berakas Forest Reserve.

The minister planted the alstonia tree, locally known as Pulai, at the newly-opened park before signing a plaque ingrained to a monument to signify the opening of the park.

The monument was constructed as a reminder of Brunei's commitment to enhance the country's biodiversity to mark 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity.

"It (the tree) can be used to make boats," Acting Director of Forestry Department Mahmud Hj Yussof explained to Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab when the minister asked of its uses.

The event also saw the minister presenting a prize to Teng Soon Hung, winner of the World Forestry Day 2010 Logo Design Competition.

Organised by the Forestry Department, the event was attended by senior officers from the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR), companies, secondary school students and foreign missions in Brunei, who joined to show their support to preserve the biodiversity which is facing extinction due to climate change.

As many as 100 secondary school students also participated in the event as they camped out a day earlier at a section of the recreational park, as part of the Nature Camp 2010 which was organised to raise awareness of the importance of forests among the younger generation.

The Nature Camp was organised for the first time as part of the World Forestry Day celebration and has become an annual event, according to a press statement from the organiser.

However, the camp has been organised every two years since 2004, the statement added.

Various activities have been lined up for the five-day camping programme, including creative thinking, environmental activities, an environmental talk, conservation programme by Fisheries Department personnel and religious talks.

Other objectives of the programme were to nurture a sense of love and care for forests and the environment among students in the country and provide the students with the opportunity to develop their communication skills, exchange knowledge, experience, and ideas with new friends.

Other activities include a nature excursion today and the annual Bukit Shahbandar Challenge.

Themed "Forests: Source of Biodiversity Wealth", World Forestry Day (WFD) is an international event celebrated every March 21 to remind the world's societies about the importance of forests and its benefits. Brunei marks its 28th participation in the international event since 1983.The Brunei Times