From: Bernama
he Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) is drawing up an integrated master plan for the Belum-Temengor Tropical Rainforest in Perak.
"NCIA believes that an integrated master plan that is accepted and supported by all local stakeholders as well as the international community is key to determining the future of the Belum-Temengor Tropical Rainforest," the agency said in a statement on Thursday.
It quoted NCIA senior vice president for tourism Farizal Jaafar as saying that the master plan would provide for innovative check and balance mechanisms to successfully maintain the fragile balance between preservation, conservation and sustainable development of the rainforest.
"The integrated master plan is a reference point for all proposed development in the Belum-Temengor Tropical Rainforest and it is very critical that we do things correctly from the very beginning," he said.
To kick-start the process of developing the master plan, NCIA in partnership with Pulau Banding Foundation will host a two-day conference at Impiana Casuarina Hotel in Ipoh from Oct 21.
A total of 150 invited participants from various government departments, non-governmental organisations and private enterprises have confirmed their participation in the conference, endorsed by the federal and Perak governments.
The Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah would officiate at the conference's opening ceremony while Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir was scheduled to deliver his closing remarks, the statement said.
It said NCIA had invited two prominent international experts on forest conservation to share their experiences in conservation and sustainable development programmes in Costa Rica and the Amazon.
They are international executive director of conservation for World Wide Fund for Nature Dr Guillermo Castilleja who was instrumental in the design, development and implementation of successful conservation programmes for over 60 parks in the Amazon Rainforest, and Robert William Carlson who is chief administrator of Costa Rica's renowned "Paseo de Stella Tourism Complex".
The conference will also feature special presentations by local luminaries including University Malaya deputy vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee who will be sharing her views on the legal challenges faced in protecting the Belum-Temengor Tropical Rainforest's status as an environmentally sensitive area.
Another speaker is Hari Ragava, programme manager for environment and energy at the United Nations Development Programme. He will be presenting a paper on the need to develop a sustainable income-generating model for the Belum-Temengor Tropical Rainforest.
NCIA chief executive Datuk Mohd Annuar Zaini will be the moderator for the round table discussion entitled Belum-Temengor Tropical Rainforest-The Precious Treasure.