Youth tackle conservation challenges in EERace
SANDAKAN (July 12): The Sabah Forestry Department once again brought together passionate changemakers for EERace 29: Youth Edition 3, an action-packed environmental education course held from July 7 to 12 at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), Sepilok.
Originally created in 2005 for educators, the Environmental Education Race (EERace) has since evolved to accommodate various participant groups. This year's edition targeted youth aged 21 to 40, showcasing their crucial role in the future of conservation efforts.
A total of 42 participants from diverse backgrounds such as school teachers, education officers and environmental practitioners took part in the program.
EERace 29 was built as a competitive race through real-world environmental tasks. Participants were grouped into six teams and completed three field assignments each, aligned with three key focus areas under the Sabah Heart of Borneo (HoB) Strategic Plan 2021–2030:
Sustainable Natural Resources, Management & Biodiversity Conservation and Ecotourism Development Capacity Building.
The assignments given covered various environmental topics, including orangutan rehabilitation, coral reef and mangrove restoration, and community conservation efforts, among others.
The programme ended with a series of engaging presentations, where teams shared their discoveries, judged by a panel to determine the Champion group.
The EERace initiative continued to play a vital role in supporting the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Initiative, a tri-nation conservation project involving Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.
Sabah Forestry Department remained a key driver of this mission, integrating education as a powerful tool to foster environmental responsibility among local communities.
The success of EERace 29 was made possible thanks to the dedicated support of Sabah Environmental Education Network (SEEN) members, including Sabah Education Department, Wildlife Department, Bornean Sunbear Conservation Centre, Seratu Aatai and OrangJUGA.
The programme also received generous contributions from conservation partners like Sabah Parks, Sandakan Municipal Council, HUTAN-KOCP, IOI Plantation Services, Sawit Kinabalu, Wild Asia, Kg Bestaria Telupid community (KOMURA), Cahaya Society, HRD Corp and SJK(C) Tai Tong.
Their support — from meals and transportation to facilitation and venues — helped create a rich and meaningful experience for everyone involved.
In his closing message, Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Frederick Kugan encouraged participants to carry the torch forward:
'It's now your turn to share what you've learned from EERace 29 with your communities,' he said, reinforcing the programme's mission.
His speech was delivered by Dr Arthur Chung, Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests (R&D).
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