KUCHING, Dec 7: As part of their monthly activities, the Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch (MNSKB) recently organised a social awareness activity to support nature and conservation of wildlife by installing signages at Santubong National Park.
Mount Santubong is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Sarawak, especially for hikers and nature lovers in Kuching.
Gazetted in 2007, Santubong National Park covers an area of 1,410 hectares and is home to a variety of wildlife and its surrounding forested slopes.
The project is a collaboration between Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and MNSKB. Together with staff and park rangers from SFC, the half-day event was conducted by MNSKB members, four of whom were from the Sarawak Society For The Deaf and members of the media.
A total of 20 signages were installed along the one-way 6km main trail from Santubong National Park headquarters to the summit of Mount Santubong. Besides the installation, they also repaired the summit rest hut and collected trash along the trails.
“We hope this effort will contribute a better understanding for people to be aware of the importance of conserving our nature and wildlife for the future generation. Forest areas these days are used as adventure spots to let people get a first-hand experience for spotting wildlife.
“With the increasing trend of jungle trekking in national parks, we want to create awareness among the trekkers, especially the beginners, on the importance of hiking etiquettes, when using these treks,” said MNSKB installation team leader, Ian Vong in a statement today.
As part of the continuing campaign, the signage installations will be expanded to other national parks in Kuching area to promote awareness among the public on the importance of taking care of our environment, nature and wildlife.
These national parks showcase the natural heritage and are natural attractions for Sarawak’s important ecotourism industry.
The Santubong Peninsular is rich in nature and history, geology, biodiversity, mammals and birds, flora and fauna, especially bats. Its surrounding waters is important for dolphins, especially the Irrawaddy Dolphin.
Its surroundings are rich in archaeology, for example the excavation of the prehistoric iron industry, potteries and glass beads. It is also well-known for folklores like Puteri Santubong, Daughter of the Moon and other old Malay legends. — DayakDaily
