~anum Valley Stakeholders Workshop at STAR

OANUM VAlHY SIAKEHOLOlRS

ORGANISEll8T

YAYASAN SABAH GI

lunded by S.bah Shell Pelroleum (ompany l

From left: Ms. Patricia Regis, Dr. Johan Arriffin B. Datuk HI A. Samad, Dr. Waidi Sin un and Dr. Lee Ying Fah during the opening ceremong

"Orang Utan in Danum Valley Conservation Area" by Dr. Marc Ancrenaz The Danum Valley Management Committee (DVMC) is adopting a new approach to improve the management of the research and conservation area.

Among issues addressed in the original DVCA Management Plan were management strategies, development and management of Danum Valley Field Centre (DVFC), monitoring and surveillance, tourism, research and education.

Apart from that, various initiatives relating to the environment, biodiversity and conservation have been and are taken by the state and federal governments such as creating relevant departments, realigning responsibilities of relate ministries and formulation of enactments.

Yayasan Sabah Group Deputy Director, Dr. Johan Arriffin Datuk A. Samad in his speech when officiating the Danum Valley Stakeholders Workshop on 4 May 2005, said initiatives also include incorporating environmental and conservation issues in the Malaysia Plans. He also pointed out that despite the numerous efforts carried out to ensure a sustainable management of the DVCA, several problems have affected the way the area should be managed.

"It cannot be denied that global change and challenges such as intensification of pressure on natural resources, infrastructure development, lack of public awareness of environmental issues and climate change have affected the way in which protected areas are to be managed," he said. According to him, protected areas must be managed adaptively in order to address the weaknesses and threats of global change as well as to take advantage of