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Borneo Post

Scientific expedition workshop to propel Sungai Pin Conservation Area towards IUCN Green List goal

Indra Sunjoto (fourth right) and Nazlan Mohamad (third right) with other officials on stage during the opening ceremony of the workshop. KOTA KINABALU (July 1): The Forest Research Centre (FRC), under the Sabah Forestry Department, successfully co-organized the 'Bengkel Ekspedisi Saintifik Sg. Pin Conservation Area (SPnCA) Siri 2' on June 30 at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok, Sandakan. The initiative is a public-private collaboration with the Conservation and Biodiversity Unit of the Sawit Kinabalu Group. It stems from a stakeholder engagement proposal following the recent SPnCA expedition held in September 2024. The workshop aimed to present key findings from the 2024 scientific expedition and ecosystem services assessment, in comparison with the findings five years ago from the first expedition; reflect on social and community insights, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) linked to the conservation area; forge a shared direction towards biodiversity conservation and sustainable landscape management; and to support SPnCA's journey toward IUCN Green List recognition by 2028, a pioneering goal for an oil palm-managed conservation site. More than 100 participants, including community stakeholders, NGOs and government agencies, joined together to contribute their perspectives and expertise. The Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning & Management), Indra Sunjoto, represented the Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, to officiate the event. The Sawit Kinabalu Group was represented by its Chief Sustainability Officer, Nazlan Mohamad. The programme began with a project overview and featured nine research presentations across three thematic sessions in the morning. This was followed by interactive breakout discussions and a final plenary session to consolidate recommendations for future management, focusing on biodiversity monitoring, threat mitigation, and stakeholder collaboration. The outcomes of the workshop will support Sawit Kinabalu's commitment to the IUCN Green List and further drive SPnCA's ambition to become the first conservation site in Malaysia led by an oil palm company to meet international protected area standards. The Sabah Forestry Department remains a dedicated partner, working alongside the Sawit Kinabalu Group to align science, policy, and public engagement in advancing sustainable forest management and conservation leadership in Sabah.