Sabah More Than 50percent Forested

The State Forestry Department Director, Datuk Sam Mannan said that after the introduction of agriculture to counter the over-reliance on timber, Sabah is still about 60 percent forested. 

Between 1970 and 2010, the percentage of deforestation was about 0.5 per cent a year. The height of deforestation happened between 1990 and 2000 during the booming of oil palm industry and this also saw the increase in the number of Orang Utans sent to the rehabilitation centre in Sepilok. 

Speaking at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, also during the time of Sultan Brunei's visit to Sandakan early this month, he said about four million hectares in Sabah remain under forest reserves, parks and wildlife sanctuaries and great effort is being made to expand the forest reserve system. 

Sabah Rhino Via Save the Sabah Rhino

Mannan said that despite countless acts of random madness in the past, the rainforests have managed to recover, with considerable biological assets remain untouched, and only one species, the Sabah Rhino, is found to be close to extinction.

The RDC is now taking steps to try to save the Sabah Rhino by means of captive breeding. Launched in 2007, the RDC is created to create awareness on conservation and care for the environment. The state government of Sabah also actively supports and promotes ecotourism and recreation, education and research and development.

Source -  http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=80868