
Sandakan to launch country's first historical tree trail
The eco-heritage initiative is set to be officially launched by the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) on June 28.
Developed with the Sabah Forestry Department, the trail will feature 42 prominent heritage trees tagged with QR codes, allowing visitors to explore Sandakan's natural and cultural legacy.
The milestone was announced during a courtesy call by Sandakan Heritage Trail founder and chairman Lai King Hang to Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Frederick Kugan.
The project is a joint effort by the Sandakan Heritage Trail Committee, Sandakan Tourism Association (STAN) and MPS, with support from voluntary organisations.
The route will commence at Masjid Jamik with a stop at Agnes Keith's House for the official Malaysia Book of Records certificate presentation. Over 200 participants from diverse backgrounds are expected to join the inaugural walk.
Each tagged tree features a QR code for interactive historical and ecological insights, Lai said.
This trail not only highlights Sandakan's rich biodiversity but also positions the city as a pioneer in heritage conservation. The initiative is expected to boost tourism and environmental awareness, he added.
Meanwhile, Kugan lauded the initiative, calling it a 'trailblazing effort' that blends conservation, heritage and tourism.
Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests Dr Arthur Chung, a key member of the trail team, emphasised the unique project's role in promoting sustainable eco-tourism.
Also present at the meeting were Forestry Department officers, STAN representatives and members of the Sabah Society Sandakan, underscoring the broad-based support for this landmark project.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Borneo Post
6 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Sabah Forestry Dept gets grant to save endangered trees
An elegant palm, Adonidia dransfieldii. KOTA KINABALU (July 5): The Sabah Forestry Department has secured a conservation grant totalling £45,000 (approximately RM270,000) over three years (2025–2027) working with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the world's largest network for plant conservation, headquartered in the United Kingdom. The conservation project, titled 'Conserving Critically Endangered Adonidia dransfieldii and Saurauia sammanniana in Sabah', represents a significant milestone in global recognition of Sabah's commitment to conserving its unique and threatened plant biodiversity. Adonidia dransfieldii and Saurauia sammanniana are both listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Among more than 500 threatened tree species in Sabah, these two have been identified as facing some of the highest risk of extinction, highlighting the urgent need for targeted conservation action to prevent their disappearance from the wild. A rare treelet, Saurauia sammanniana. The technical and financial assistance provided by BGCI for this work is part of BGCI's Tree Conservation Programme, dedicated to saving the world's threatened tree species in their natural habitats, funded by Fondation Franklinia and many other international donor organisations. Malaysia is one of four Southeast Asian countries to receive funding this cycle from Fondation Franklinia (2025 to 2027), under the Global Trees: Action for all tree species – Tree Conservation Action Project. 'Receiving this international grant is not only a proud moment for us, but a testament to the critical importance of Sabah's unique biodiversity. These two endemic species are only found in Sabah and may face serious threats due to habitat loss and lack of in-situ protection. The department has been actively committed to biodiversity conservation efforts, more so, for the rare and threatened species, in line with the Sabah Forest Policy 2018,' said Datuk Frederick Kugan, the Chief Conservator of Forests. Over the next three years, the project will implement a comprehensive conservation strategy based on five core objectives: Identification and mapping of wild populations – Field surveys will be conducted to locate and document remaining wild populations of the two species. Propagation and ex situ conservation – The department aims to achieve at least 65% success in seed and cutting propagation, leading to the establishment of genetically representative ex situ collections in Sabah. In situ population reinforcement – At least 20 individuals of each species will be planted back into their natural habitat to strengthen wild populations. Capacity building and public awareness – Training workshops for conservation staff and education activities for local communities will be held to raise awareness and build local capacity. Development of conservation action plans – Species-specific action and propagation plans will be developed and published for national and global use. Sabah Forestry Department will lead all project activities, with technical mentoring and oversight provided by BGCI. The department is also responsible for reporting progress annually through BGCI's GlobalTree Portal, ensuring transparency and data sharing across the global conservation community. 'This collaboration places Sabah on the global conservation map and reinforces our role as a key guardian of Borneo's endemic flora. It's not just about saving plants. It's about protecting the natural heritage that sustains our ecosystems and communities,' said Alviana Damit, Project Coordinator and Assistant Research Officer at the Forest Research Centre. Kugan would like to thank BGCI and Fondation Franklinia for this opportunity and the department looks forward to working with local stakeholders, communities and international partners in protecting these irreplaceable species for future generations.


The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Sabah Forestry Dept working with UK conservation group to save two critically endangered trees
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has secured a conservation grant totalling over RM270,000 to conserve two of the top endangered plant species in the state. Through the Sabah Forestry Department, this grant, which runs from now until 2027, would see the department working with one of the world's largest networks for plant conservation - the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), headquartered in the United Kingdom. Datuk Frederick Kugan, the department's chief conservator of forests, said this conservation project was titled 'Conserving Critically Endangered Adonidia dransfieldii and Saurauia sammanniana in Sabah'. 'It represents a significant milestone in global recognition of Sabah's commitment to conserving its unique and threatened plant biodiversity,' he said in a statement. He said the Adonidia dransfieldii and Saurauia sammanniana were both listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Among more than 500 threatened tree species in Sabah, these two have been identified as facing some of the highest risk of extinction, highlighting the urgent need for targeted conservation action to prevent their disappearance from the wild, said Kugan. 'Receiving this international grant is not only a proud moment for us, but a testament to the critical importance of Sabah's unique biodiversity,' he said. He explained that these two endemic species are only found in Sabah and may face serious threats due to habitat loss and lack of in situ protection. The department has been actively committed to biodiversity conservation efforts, more so, for the rare and threatened species, in line with the Sabah Forest Policy 2018,' Kugan said. The technical and financial assistance provided by BGCI for this work is part of BGCI's Tree Conservation Programme, dedicated to saving the world's threatened tree species in their natural habitats, funded by Fondation Franklinia and many other international donor organisations. Malaysia is one of four Southeast Asian countries to receive funding this cycle from Fondation Franklinia (2025 to 2027), under the Global Trees: Action for all tree species - Tree Conservation Action Project. Over the next three years, the project will implement a comprehensive conservation strategy based on five core objectives including identification and mapping of wild population, propagation and ex situ conservation and in situ population reinforcement, Kugan said. There will also be focus on capacity building and public awareness as well as development of conservation action plans, he added. He said field surveys will be conducted to locate and document remaining wild populations of the two species with the department aiming to achieve at least 65% success in seed and cutting propagation, leading to the establishment of genetically representative ex situ collections in Sabah,' he said Adding to this, Kugan said at least 20 individuals of each species will be planted back into their natural habitat to strengthen wild populations. He said training workshops for conservation staff and education activities for local communities will be held to raise awareness and build local capacity while species-specific action and propagation plans will be developed and published for national and global use. He said the Sabah Forestry Department will lead all project activities, with technical mentoring and oversight provided by BGCI. The Department is also responsible for reporting progress annually through BGCI's GlobalTree Portal, ensuring transparency and data sharing across the global conservation community. Project Coordinator and Assistant Research Officer at the Forest Research Centre, Alviana Damit said this collaboration places Sabah on the global conservation map and reinforces their role as a key guardian of Borneo's endemic flora. 'It's not just about saving plants. It's about protecting the natural heritage that sustains our ecosystems and communities,' she said. Earlier, Kugan thanked the BGCI and Fondation Franklinia for this opportunity and looked forward to working with local stakeholders, communities, and international partners in protecting these irreplaceable species for future generations.


Borneo Post
6 days ago
- Borneo Post
Sandakan Heritage Trail enters M'sian record book
Edwin Yeoh from the Malaysia Book of Records presenting the official certificate to Sandakan Municipal Council president Walter Kenson. SANDAKAN (June 29): The Sandakan Heritage Trail has carved its name into the Malaysia Book of Records as the country's first historical tree trail, marking a proud milestone for this historic town. The official recognition was presented on Saturday in a ceremony held in conjunction with Sandakan Founding Day 2025 and the 22nd anniversary of the Sandakan Heritage Trail. President of the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS), Walter Kenson, described the achievement as a moment of great honour and pride for Sandakan. 'It is truly amazing to witness this historic milestone unfolding before our eyes in just three months,' he said in his speech. Kenson extended his congratulations to the Sandakan Heritage Trail team led by founder and chairman Lai King Hang, who spearheaded the initiative, together with Teo Chee Kim, president of the Sandakan Tourism Association (STAN). 'The idea of identifying the prominent trees along the heritage trail was conceived in early March when I met the Sandakan Heritage Trail group for the first time,' Kenson said. Today, a total of 42 heritage trees have been identified and equipped with QR codes, with the support of the Sabah Forestry Department in Sandakan. This makes the Sandakan Heritage Trail one of the most unique trails in Malaysia — blending heritage preservation and environmental awareness in a meaningful way. More than 300 people joined the trail walk, including 130 leaders and members of the Sandakan Girl Guides. Members of the Sabah Society Sandakan were also present to provide explanations about selected trees along the trail. Modern Sandakan was founded by William B. Pryer on 21 June 1879 — exactly 146 years ago. Kenson expressed hope that Sandakan Founding Day will become an annual celebration as part of wider efforts to revitalise the town, improve services, and boost business opportunities with the cooperation of residents and community leaders.