Seminar on the Imbak Canyon Rainforest Research and Training Programme (ICRRTP)

The Academy of Sciences Malaysia held a seminar on the Imbak Canyon Rainforest Research and Training Programme (ICRRTP) on 19 December 2017.

The seminar was held to introduce ICRRTP to the participants, as well as to promote research initiatives and cooperation between various organisations under said programme.

The Chairman of ICRRTP Task Force, Academician Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor FASc delivered his welcoming remarks. This was followed by a presentation by Dr Norhayati Ahmad from UKM who introduced the Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA). Next, Dr Hamzah Tangki, the ICCA officer from Yayasan Sabah presented on Imbak Canyon Studies Centre (ICSC). Tan Sri Salleh continued the seminar with an introduction on ICRRTP.

The Imbak Canyon Rainforest Research and Training Programme (ICRRTP) is a collaboration between ASM, Yayasan Sabah, University College of Sabah Foundation (UCSF) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to promote excellence in research on the Imbak Canyon Conservation Area.

Among the objectives of ICRRTP is to enhance local capability and capacity in carrying out research in the ecology and biodiversity of Malaysian rainforests; it also aims to improve the knowledge on human dependence and impacts on the rainforest’s biodiverse resources and ecological services. In addition, it aims to set up an online centralised database and information system.

To achieve these objectives, ICRRTP will offer both undergraduate and postgraduate courses under eight principal programmes:

1. Deforestation, Biodiversity and Newly Emerging Diseases

2. The Role of Corridor Connectivity in Rainforest Ecosystem

3. Valuation of Rainforest Ecosystem

4. Hydrogeomorphological & Climate Dynamics of a Rainforest Ecosystem

5. Genomics- and Informatics-based Assessment of Biodiversity Status

6. Indicator Species for Climate Change and the Health of Rainforest Ecosystem

7. Forest Dynamics and Phenology

8. Rainforest Educational Media Centre

9. Forest Taxonomy

10. The Resilience of Post-logging Communities in Borneo

For more information on the ICRRTP, please click here to download the ICRRTP programme book.

Is a concerted effort from government and private organisations sufficient to preserve the natural environment? What else could be done to increase conservation efforts of Malaysia’s pristine and bio-diverse ecosystem? Send your comments to nazmi.lao@akademisains.gov.my.